Philippine Army salaries and ranks

Last updated: March 15, 2024

Written by: Alyssa Divina | Reviewed by: Anna Kireeva

Established in 1935, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are the country’s military force, consisting of the three main branches: the Philippine Army (PA), the Philippine Air Force (PAF), and the Philippine Navy (PN).

As described by its motto, the AFP is the Philippines’ first and primary defense, responsible for protecting Filipinos and the state against attacks. Its headquarters are located in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The current AFP chief of staff is General Andres Centino from the PA.

The ranks and salaries of the country’s uniformed personnel are set by the government. In this article, we will focus on the AFP’s main and oldest branch, the Philippine Army.

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The Philippine Army

Also established in 1935, the Philippine Army (PA) is the oldest, largest and primary AFP branch. It is responsible for ground warfare and has been engaged in many conflicts in the country, including the Moro conflict and the communist conflict. It has also been engaged in international conflicts.

The PA currently has 101,000 active personnel and 100,000 ready reserves. Its headquarters are located in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. The current commanding general of the Army is Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr.

The Philippine Army ranks and salaries are determined by the government. They also receive benefits such as medical and dental care, free housing, insurance, and others.

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Philippine Army ranks

These are the ranks within the Philippine Army, divided into two groups: officers and enlisted personnel.

1. Officers

– General

– Lieutenant general

– Major general

– Brigadier general

– Colonel

– Lieutenant colonel

– Major

– Captain

– 1st lieutenant

– 2nd lieutenant

2. Enlisted personnel

– Chief master sergeant

– Senior master sergeant

– Master sergeant

– Technical sergeant

– Staff sergeant

– Sergeant

– Corporal

– Private first class

– Private

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Philippine Army salary grade table

Interested in how much the members of the Philippine Army earn every month? Do you want to know more about the salary grade of military personnel in the Philippines? How much is a soldier’s salary in the Philippines?

Check out the Philippine army ranks and salary tables below! We’ve divided the salaries into two groups: officers and enlisted personnel. These tables will give you an idea of the military and uniformed personnel salary in the Philippines.

Officers

POSITION	SALARY
General	Php 149,785
Lieutenant general	Php 125,574
Major general	Php 102,896
Brigadier general	Php 91,058
Colonel	Php 80,583
Lieutenant colonel	Php 71,313
Major	Php 62,555
Captain	Php 56,582
1st lieutenant	Php 49,528
2nd lieutenant	Php 43,829

Enlisted personnel

POSITION	SALARY
Chief master sergeant	Php 34,761
Senior master sergeant	Php 34,079
Master sergeant	Php 33,411
Technical sergeant	Php 32,756
Staff sergeant	Php 32,114
Sergeant	Php 31,484
Corporal	Php 30,867
Private first class	Php 30,261
Private	Php 29,668

As you can see, a soldier’s salary in the Philippines can start from Php 30,000 per month and go upwards to Php 150,000 if ever you become a general. A lieutenant’s salary can range from Php 43,800 to Php 49,500.

A master sergeant’s salary is Php 33,411/month, a staff sergeant’s salary is Php 32,114/month, and a private’s salary is Php 29,668/month.

In addition, here is the salary grade of other military personnel in the Philippines. A candidate soldier can receive Php 33,327 in monthly gross payments, a private (enlisted personnel) can receive Php 37,038, an officer candidate can receive Php 41,696 and a 2Lt (call to active duty) can receive Php 49,906.

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Philippine Army benefits

Being a member of the Philippine Army has lots of benefits, on top of the guaranteed monthly salaries. Soldiers receive monthly cash allowances, insurance and healthcare benefits, and billetting and housing privileges

As members of the uniformed forces, they also get job security, leadership and skills training, opportunities for career advancement, and post-graduate studies.

Additionally, they also get to become leaders and go up in the military career ladder.

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How to join the Philippine Army

Are you interested in joining the Philippine Army and becoming a full-fledged soldier? There are three ways to join the Army. One is by entering the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) as a cadet. Another one is the Officer Candidate Course (OCC) for aspiring officer candidates. Lastly, there is the Officer Preparatory Course (OPC) for officer candidates who are in the reserve force

We’ll break down these methods of entry one by one, starting with the PMA.

1. Philippine Military Academy

Located in Baguio City, the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is the country’s premier military school for those aspiring to be commissioned officers of the AFP.

In order to be a PMA cadet, you must have these qualifications:

– Natural-born Filipino citizen

– Physically fit and of good moral character

– Single and has never been married

– Must pass the PMA entrance examination

– With no administrative or criminal case

– At least a high school graduate or must graduate no later than June of the year following the exam date for Grade 12 students

– Height requirement of 5’ for both men and women, not exceeding 6’4”

– At least 17 years old but not older than 21 on June 1 of the year following the exam date

The documents required for a PMA application are as follows:

• High school form 137 or form 138
• Online application form or mail-in application form

2. Officer Candidate Course (OCC)

To apply for a slot in the OCC, you must have the following qualifications:

• A baccalaureate degree
• Natural-born Filipino citizen of good moral character
• 21 to 25 years old upon admission
• Single and never been married, has never had a child
• Physically, mentally and psychologically fit for active service
• AFPSAT raw score of 71 or higher
• Must pass the Army Qualifying Exam and Special Written Exam
• Must pass the physical exam and fitness test

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3. Officer Preparatory Course (OPC)

Officer candidates who are applying for a slot in the Officer Preparatory Course (OPC) must have the following qualifications:

• Commissioned in the Reserve Force as a second lieutenant
• Has a baccalaureate degree
• Must not be over 31 years old at the time of Call to Active Duty
• Physically, mentally and psychologically fit for active service
• Height limit of 5’ to 6’4” for both men and women
• AFPSAT raw test score of 71 or higher
• Must have passed the Army Qualifying Exam and Special Written Exam
• Must pass the physical medical exam and fitness test

On the other hand, these are the qualifications for becoming a Philippine Army enlisted personnel/noncommissioned officer:

• Natural-born Filipino citizen of good moral character
• At least 18 to 23 years old before the appointment as candidate soldier
• At least 60 or 72 inches in height
• Single and with no child
• AFPSAT score of at least 45
• Must have passed the pre-qualifying physical medical test and fitness test
• Physically and mentally fit for training

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Can I get a military salary loan from Digido?

Salaries in the Philippine Army are competitive, as with every other branch of the AFP. Even candidate soldiers and officers are getting paid monthly, giving them a headstart to save money early and support their families.

While Army salaries are considered high and competitive, we understand that sometimes it may not be enough. Salaries can get delayed or it may be insufficient to cover daily expenses. Or you may be saving up for a big purchase, like a house, a car or a medical expense.

We understand that sometimes Army officers and personnel may need additional funds and may turn to salary loans. And that’s okay – that’s just how life goes sometimes!

Unfortunately, Digido does not offer salary loans specifically for Philippine Army officers personnel. Members of the Navy can avail of loans from the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loan Association, Inc. (AFPSLAI).

Another option for members of the Army is an online lending app like Digido! They can apply for a Digido personal loan with a minimum amount of Php 1,000 in 5 minutes, and a maximum of Php 25,000 if they are a repeat borrower!

No need to wait for several days and no need to waste time and energy lining up in the bank!

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This extra credit can be used for:

• Medical expenses
• School expenses
• House repairs
• Vacations
• Rent and utilities
• And other emergencies!

To apply for a quick Digido loan, download the app from your smartphone then sign up for an account. Fill out the application form, give your personal and employment details, indicate the amount that you want, then press apply!

In five minutes, you will get your extra money guaranteed!

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Conclusion

Being a member of the Philippine Army is both fulfilling and challenging. They have the privilege of serving the country and protecting fellow Filipinos from attacks from inside and outside.

As part of the uniformed services, they get to enjoy high salaries and competitive benefits. Perks of being in the Army include medical and dental services, insurance, housing benefits, and pension upon retirement.

In the event that an Army officer or personnel salary is not enough, they can apply for quick cash loans from Digido! They only need to download the app, sign up, submit application form and supporting documents, and wait for the amount to be disbursed. Army members can get their much needed funds within five minutes, anytime and anywhere!

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