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The following list presents the ranks and insignia of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, one of Asia's oldest armed services.

Introduction[]

The current Philippine military ranks are inspired partially by the very first military insignia used by the military forces during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and the Philippine American War, and the insignia used by the Philippine Constabulary raised in 1902 during the final days of the Philippine American War. The ranks used by these forces were designed by Americans under the tutelage of Captain Henry T. Allen, the "father of the Philippine Constabulary". The original Philippine military ranks are those actually worn by the Philippine Revolutionary Army, the nemesis of the Philippine Constabulary. The Philippine Constabulary is one of the predecessors of the present day Armed Forces of the Philippines. Elements of both the US army ranks and the old Philippine Army appear in the current ranks; this was reflected at the general officers insignia and enlisted ranks that resembled those of the US military, the field officers [like colonels], whose insignia are suns, use those insignia used by general officers of the Revolutionary Army. Company rank insignia[i.e. captain], consisting of a silver triangle, are a recent creation. Both company grade and field grade officer insignia have the baybayin letter ka (K) in the middle, another throwback to the days of the war for independence, and even in the medal used by second-level members of the Katipunan during meetings, in which the letter is in the center.

Revolutionary Army ranks[]

These were the ranks used from late 1896 to 1898. Ranks were then wore on the sleeves of all uniforms.

Officer ranks[]

Revolutionary Army ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar insignia Shoulder insignia (Full dress) Sleeve insignia
Minister
Marshal
Ministro Mariscal Ministro
Captain General Kapitan Heneral Capitán general
Lieutenant General Tenyente Heneral Teniente General File:Asdjhjhasfasuasflkas.jpg
Major General Magat Heneral General de Division File:Gial de Dvision.jpg
Brigadier General Brigadyer Heneral General de Brigada File:Gial de Brigada.jpg
Colonel Koronel Coronel File:Askfpo.jpg
Lieutenant Colonel Tiniente Koronel Teniente Coronel File:Asljhfo.jpg
Major Komandante Comandante File:Kumandante.jpg
Captain Kapitan Capitan File:Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.jpg
Lieutenant Tiniente Alferez File:580484 426202580803870 942737200 n - Copy.jpg

Revolutionary Army enlisted ranks[]

Air force ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar insignia Sleeve insignia
Sergeant Sarhento Sargento File:Sarhento.jpg
Corporal Kabo Cabo File:OOOOOO.jpg

Army and Marine Corps ranks[]

These are the ranks used by the Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps. For officers, Army shoulder insignia are in green on duty dresses and blue and gold on full dresses and Marine Corps shoulder insignia, dark blue on all uniforms. General officer epaulettes are gold on the full dress and in the service color in the duty and everyday dress uniforms.

Officer ranks[]

Ground forces ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar insignia (Army and Marines) Army Shoulder insignia (Full dress) Army Shoulder insignia (Everyday/working dress) Marine Corps Shoulder insignia (Full dress) Marine Corps Shoulder insignia (Everyday/working dress)
General Heneral General
US-O10 insignia
Lieutenant General Tenyente Heneral Teniente General
US-O9 insignia
Major General Magat Heneral General de Division
US-O8 insignia
Brigadier General Brigadyer Heneral General de Brigada
US-O7 insignia
Colonel Lakan Coronel
AFP Colonel Rank Insignia
Lieutenant Colonel Kalakan Teniente Coronel
AFP Lieutenant Colonel Rank Insignia
Major Magat Comandante
AFP Major Rank Insignia
Captain Kamagat Capitan
AFP Captain Rank Insignia
First Lieutenant Pulimagat Teniente
AFP 1st Lieutenant Rank Insignia
Second Lieutenant Himagat Alferez

Enlisted Ranks[]

Army enlisted ranks are in green while those of the Marines are in red with yellow piping.

Ground forces ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar and sleeve insignia (Army) Collar and sleeve insignia (Marine Corps)
First Chief Master Sergeant Unang Tsip Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Jefe de Primera
Chief Master Sergeant Tsip Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Jefe
Philippine Army Chief Master Sergeant Rank Insignia (Designated Command Sergeant Major)
Philippine Marine Corps Chief Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - Designated as Command Sergeant Major
Senior Master Sergeant Senyor Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Mayor
Philippine Army Senior Master Sergeant Rank Insignia (Designated Command Sergeant Major)
Philippine Marine Corps Senior Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - designated as Command Sergeant Major
Master Sergeant Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre
Philippine Army Master Sergeant Rank Insignia (Designated Command Sergeant Major)
Philippine Marine Corps Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - designated as Command Sergeant Major
Technical Sergeant Sargento Technico
Philippine Army Technical Sergeant Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Technical Sergeant Rank Insignia
Staff Sergeant Sargento del Personal
Philippine Army Staff Sergeant Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Rank Insignia
Sergeant Sarhento Sargento
Philippine Army Sergeant Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Sergeant Rank Insignia
Corporal Kabo Cabo
Philippine Army Corporal Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Corporal Rank Insignia
Private First Class Praybayt ng Unang Klase Soldado de primera clase
Philippine Army Private 1st Class Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Private First Class Rank Insignia
Private Praybayt Soldado
Philippine Army Private Rank Insignia
Philippine Marine Corps Private Rank Insignia

The top FCMS of the Army or the Marines holds the Command Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces of the Philippines appointment.

Air Force ranks[]

These are the ranks used by the Philippine Air Force. Officer ranks are in air force blue on all shoulder board epaulettes in all uniforms (general officers use gold epaulettes on the full dress only) while enlisted sleeve insignia, formerly on raised chevrons, now uses inverted air force blue chevrons increasing by rank, using the air force roundel.

Officer ranks[]

Air force ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar insignia Shoulder insignia (Full dress) Shoulder insignia (Everyday/working dress)
General Heneral General
US-O10 insignia
Lieutenant General Tenyente Heneral Teniente General
US-O9 insignia
Major General Magat Heneral General de Division
US-O8 insignia
Brigadier General Brigadyer Heneral General de Brigada
US-O7 insignia
Colonel Lakan Coronel
AFP Colonel Rank Insignia
Lieutenant Colonel Kalakan Teniente Coronel
AFP Lieutenant Colonel Rank Insignia
Major Magat Comandante
AFP Major Rank Insignia
Captain Kamagat Capitan
AFP Captain Rank Insignia
First Lieutenant Pulimagat Teniente
AFP 1st Lieutenant Rank Insignia
Second Lieutenant Himagat Alferez

Air force enlisted ranks[]

Air force ranks Filipino Name Spanish Name Collar insignia Sleeve insignia
First Chief Master Sergeant Unang Tsip Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Jefe de Primera
Chief Master Sergeant Tsip Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Jefe
Philippine Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - Designated as Sergeant Major
Senior Master Sergeant Senyor Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre Mayor
Philippine Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - Designated as Sergeant Major
Master Sergeant Master Sarhento Sargento Maestre
Philippine Air Force Master Sergeant Rank Insignia - Designated as Sergeant Major
Technical Sergeant Sargento Tecnico
Philippine Air Force Technical Sergeant Rank Insignia
Staff Sergeant Sargento de Personal
Philippine Air Force Staff Sergeant Rank Insignia
Sergeant Sarhento Sargento
Philippine Air Force Sergeant Rank Insignia
Airman First Class Avionero de Primera
Philippine Air Force Airman 1st Class Rank Insignia
Airman Second Class Avionero de Segunda
Philippine Air Force Airman 2nd Class Rank Insignia
Airman Avionero
Philippine Air Force Airman Rank Insignia

Air Force FCMSs are also eligible for the CSMAFP appointment.

Naval ranks and ratings[]

These are the ranks and ratings used in the Philippine Navy. All officer insignia use both the United States Navy officer rank insignia system (using a sun instead of the five pointed star or staff corps insignia) and normal AFP rank insignia in the shoulders of the dress and duty whites, on the collars of the khaki uniforms (for officers and CPOs), and on the sleeves of the dress blues. NCO ratings, in raised chevrons increasing by rating, are in dark blue on all uniform sleeves, sleeves of the dungaree uniforms (for lower ranked NCOs and Seamen) and also on dark blue shoulder epaulettes only for senior ratings, which also wear collar insignia in almost all uniforms including the khaki uniform only used for CPOs and above. Chevrons for ratings are similar to those used in the Army and the Marine Corps, with the speciality badge in the middle.

Naval officer ranks[]

Navy ranks Filipino name Spanish name Collar insignia (Khaki dress) Shoulder insignia (Full dress) Shoulder insignia (Duty dress) Shoulder insignia (Everyday/working dress) Sleeve insignia
Admiral Admiral Almirante
US-O10 insignia
Vice Admiral Bise Admiral Vicealmirante
US-O9 insignia
Rear Admiral Rir Admiral Contraalmirante
US-O8 insignia
Commodore Komodor Comodoro
US-O7 insignia
Captain Kapitan Capitan de Navio
AFP Colonel Rank Insignia
Commander Kumander Capitan de Fragata
AFP Lieutenant Colonel Rank Insignia
Lieutenant Commander Tinyente Kumander Capitan de Corbeta
AFP Major Rank Insignia
Lieutenant (senior grade) Tinyente Teniente de Navio
AFP Captain Rank Insignia
Lieutenant (junior grade) Tinyente (Mababang baitang) Teniente de Fragata
AFP 1st Lieutenant Rank Insignia
Ensign Alferez Alferez de Navio

Naval enlisted ratings[]

Naval enlisted ratings Filipino name Spanish name Collar insignia Sleeve insignia Shoulder insignia (for senior rank holders only)
First Master Chief Petty Officer Maestre Contramaestre Jefe de Primera
Master Chief Petty Officer Maestre Contramaestre Jefe
Philippine Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Rank Insignia
Senior Chief Petty Officer Contramaestre Jefe Mayor
Philippine Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Rank Insignia
Chief Petty Officer Contramaestre Jefe
Philippine Navy Chief Petty Officer Rank Insignia
Petty officer, first class Contramaestre de Primera
Philippine Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Rank Insignia
None
Petty officer, second class Contramaestre de Segunda
Philippine Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Rank Insignia
Petty officer, third class Contramaestre de Tercera
Philippine Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Rank Insignia
Seaman First Class Marinero de Primera
Philippine Navy Seaman Rank Insignia
Seaman Second Class Marinero de Segunda
Philippine Navy Seaman Apprentice Rank Insignia
Seaman Marinero
Philippine Navy Seaman Recruit Rank Insignia

See also[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Military ranks of the Philippines and the edit history here.
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