President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved Republic Act (RA) 12255, officially renaming the Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA) as the National Aviation Academy of the Philippines (NAAP), Malacañang said Saturday.

Signed into law on 5 September, RA 12255 declares NAAP as the Philippines’ national professional institution for aviation, positioning it at the forefront of education, training, and research in aviation and aerospace.

Under the newly enacted law, NAAP is tasked with developing skilled professionals and leaders in both the private and public sectors — including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its main service branches: the Philippine Air Force, Navy and Army.

To fulfill this mandate, NAAP will offer world-class academic and professional training, advanced studies, and industry-aligned programs. It will also ramp up research and development in aviation technologies and practices.

The newly rebranded institution will provide a wide range of programs — from short-term and technical-vocational courses to full undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Programs to be offered include Bachelor of Science in Air Transportation specializing in Commercial Pilot; Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, including Drone Technology; Associate in Aircraft Maintenance Technology; and Associate in Aircraft Electronic Technology leading to Baccalaureate in Aircraft Maintenance Technology and Baccalaureate in Aircraft Electronics Technology.

These programs aim to produce industry-ready graduates capable of contributing to both national development and the evolving global aviation landscape.

According to the law, NAAP will harness the expertise of its academic community and industry professionals to align with the Philippines’ broader development goals. This includes efforts to improve quality of life, boost economic growth, and drive societal transformation through aviation and related fields.

“The NAAP shall utilize the expertise of its community members and other individuals concerning the country’s goals towards national development in the primary areas of aviation and other related fields for the improvement of the quality of life, growth of the economy, and transformation of the society,” RA 12255 read.