266 fresh PMA grads to join AFP

A total of 266 cadets from the Sundalong Isinilang na Kasangga at Lakas ng Ating Bayan para sa Kalayaan or Siklab-Laya Class of 2025 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) are expected to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

During the graduation rites held at Borromeo Field, PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia PN presented the graduates to the guest of honor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Valencia announced that the cadets had successfully completed their course and earned a Bachelor of Science and Management degree, major in Security Studies.

Of the 266 graduates, 212 are male and 54 are female. Among them, 137 will join the Philippine Army, 58 will enter the Philippine Air Force, and 71 will serve in the Philippine Navy.

In his welcome remarks, Valencia noted that the Siklab-Laya cadets showed "utmost dedication and determination" during their four-year residency. He commended the graduates for being molded into future-ready soldiers and expressed gratitude to their parents for entrusting them to the Academy.

Valencia also revealed that the AFP Chief of Staff had approved and endorsed the new PMA curriculum, emphasizing proficiency in defense technology and critical, analytical skillsets suited for the 21st-century environment. The updated curriculum includes courses on Cyber Warfare, Artificial Intelligence, Asymmetric Warfare, and Weapons and Unmanned Systems.

He emphasized that the PMA will continue providing an interdisciplinary approach to security studies aligned with the evolving geopolitical landscape. The Academy is also seeking international accreditation for its curriculum to ensure it remains comparable to the region's best.

"Mr. President, we will no longer be producing traditional officers of the past rather we will have future ready defenders trained and equiped to face the multi-threat and multi-domain security landscape whether in land, sea, air, cyberspace and the information domain," Valencia said.

He added that the Academy is preparing cadets to serve in increasingly complex battlefields shaped by global geopolitical competition.

President Marcos led the awarding of honors and officiated the graduation ceremony, joined by Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro.