Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) leadership to establish arrangements that would allow a limited number of PMA cadets to be commissioned as Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officers upon graduation.

Teodoro announced the initiative during the PMA’s 127th founding anniversary at Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City on Saturday, Oct. 25. He was joined by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr. and PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard N. Valencia.

“I have instructed the Chief of Staff and Admiral Valencia to enter into the arrangements with the Philippine Coast Guard to accept a limited number of cadets that will, upon graduation, be commissioned as officers in the Philippine Coast Guard,” Teodoro said.

The defense chief said the move aims to strengthen joint maritime defense and interoperability to ensure the Philippines’ armed and maritime forces are better prepared to protect national interests amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“Interoperability is essential and knowledge of each other's skills is sine qua non for seamless operations in the maritime domain,” he noted.

Teodoro underscored the need for the PMA to produce “future-ready” officers equipped to address evolving security challenges in line with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), the government’s enhanced deterrent posture strategy.

He urged the PMA to continue shaping “deployable, ready, and competent officers” while bridging the gap between generalist training and the specialized skills required by a modern military.

For his part, Valencia highlighted the Academy’s ongoing transformation through its Growth Plan, which envisions expanding the Cadet Corps to 2,000 by 2040 and modernizing facilities, programs, and curricula to meet global defense education standards.

Recent developments include the construction of a 2,500-capacity mess hall, a modern warfare laboratory with advanced simulators, and upgraded academic and training facilities that will also serve command-and-control and disaster response operations in Northern Luzon.

Valencia stressed that the PMA’s curriculum modernization aligns with the CADC and focuses on emerging domains such as cyber, space, and electronic warfare, as well as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and unmanned systems. The PMA is also pursuing international accreditation and expanding partnerships with allied defense institutions across Asia and North America.

Faculty development programs with top international universities are also underway to further elevate academic and leadership training, the PMA chief added.

The PMA has also been accredited as an Associate Member of the ASEAN University Network–Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) and is now preparing for institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which accredits leading service academies in the United States.

PMA’s international partnerships continue to expand through cadet exchanges and defense cooperation with the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, and Canada. In 2026, the PMA is set to host its first International Cadet Conference, bringing together future military leaders from over 15 allied nations.

“Let this anniversary reaffirm our collective commitment to preserve our legacy, to strengthen our foundation and to transform our academy for the challenges of the future. We stand ready to fulfill the vision, which is to make PMA, not only the cradle of military leadership but also a globally recognized center of excellence for defense education,” Valencia said.

The 127th founding anniversary, held under the theme “PMA@127: Forging Leaders of Character while Transforming into a Globally Competitive Defense Learning Institution,” was highlighted by the awarding of outstanding PMA members and partner organizations for their "exemplary service and support to the Academy’s mission."