PMA class of 2026 graduates with new tech, international training milestones

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — This year's graduating batch of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) completed its training with several distinct milestones, marking shifts in modern warfare preparation, international involvement, and institutional training methods, making it unique.

The members of "Talang Dangal" or Tagapagtanggol ng Lahing Dakila at Marangal Class of 2026 were equipped with specialized training in Python programming, data analytics, unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and the fundamentals of artificial intelligence.

The cadets were given such training as PMA integrated micro-credentials to address educational gaps and introduce cadets to emerging technical fields, despite the presence of the old Bachelor of Science in National Security Studies (BSMSS) curriculum.

The class is the first batch of cadets to follow a 35-35-30 service branch distribution, which aligns with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) strategic pivot toward territorial defense. Their culminating Joint Field Training Exercise (JFTX) focused on combined arms operations and the joint employment of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. During the exercises, the class became the first to be exposed to a Multi-Domain Task Unit, which provided training in modern warfare concepts across cyberspace, the cognitive domain, and unmanned systems.

Training for the Class of 2026 also introduced gamified learning, utilizing electronic games as instructional tools for strategy, decision-making, and small-unit tactics. This established the groundwork for a planned electronic sports collaboration between the PMA and the United States Military Academy (USMA), intended to facilitate virtual strategic training and competition.

On the international level, members of the class participated in the International Forum on Peace, Security, and Prosperity in Palermo, Italy, securing a ninth-place finish out of 32 entries in the Research Poster Contest. Cadets also competed in international sailing regattas in India and Italy.

The class also contributed to the PMA team at the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition, achieving a higher ranking than the academy's inaugural performance and outperforming several international teams and United States service academies. The graduating cadets additionally organized the initial planning for the PMA's first cadet-led International Cadet Conference, a project designed to support regional security cooperation engagements.

Graduates of PMA's Talang Dangal Class will be marching to the stage this May 16, 2026, in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., at the Borromeo Fields.