Military history of the Philippines

Battle of Mactan
The Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521, is celebrated as the earliest reported resistance of the natives in the Philippines against foreign invaders. Lapu-Lapu, a Chieftain of Mactan Island, defeated Christian European explorers led by the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan.

On March 16, 1521, the island of Samar was sighted. The following morning, March 17, Magellan landed on the island of Homonhon. He parleyed with Rajah Calambu of Limasawa, who guided him to Cebu Island on April 7. With the aid of Magellan's Malay interpreter, Enrique, Rajah Humabon of Cebu and his subjects converted to Christianity and became allies. Suitably impressed by Spanish firearms and artillery, Rajah Humabon suggested that Magellan project power to cow Lapu-Lapu, who was being belligerent against his authority.

Magellan deployed 49 armored men, less than half his crew, with crossbows and guns, but could not anchor near land because the island is surrounded by shallow coral bottoms and thus unsuitable for the Spanish galleons to get close to shore. His crew had to wade through the surf to make a landing and the ship was too far to support them with artillery. Antonio Pigafetta, a supernumerary on the voyage who later returned to Seville, Spain, records that Lapu-Lapu had at least 1500 warriors in the battle. During the battle, Magellan was wounded in the leg, while still in the surf. As the crew were fleeing to the boats, Pigafetta recorded that Magellan covered their retreat, turning at them on several occasions to make sure they were getting away, and was finally surrounded by a multitude of warriors and killed. The total toll was of eight crewmen killed on Magellan's side against an unknown number of casualties from the Mactan natives.

Major Revolts (1567-1872)

 * Dagami Revolt (1567)
 * Manila Revolt (1574)
 * Conspiracy of the Maharlikas (1587-1588)
 * Dingras Revolt (1589)
 * Cagayan Revolt (1589)
 * Magalat Revolt (1596)
 * Igorot Revolt (1601)
 * Irraya or Gaddang Revolt (1621)
 * Sumuroy Revolt (1649-1650)
 * Palaris Revolt (1762–1765)
 * Cavite Mutiny (1872)

Moro campaign (1569-1898)

 * Battle of Cebu (1569)
 * Spanish-Moro Incident (1570)
 * Jolo Holy War (1578–1580)
 * Cotabato Revolt (1597)
 * Spanish-Moro Incident (1602)
 * Basilan Revolt (1614)
 * Kudarat Revolt (1625)
 * Battle of Jolo (1628)
 * Sulu Revolt (1628)
 * Lanao Lamitan Revolt (1637)
 * Battle of Punta Flechas (1638)
 * Sultan Bungsu Revolt (1638)
 * Mindanao Revolt (1638)
 * Lanao Revolt (1639)
 * Sultan Salibansa Revolt (1639)
 * Corralat Revolt (1649)
 * Spanish-Moro Incident (1876)

Cambodia campaign (1596)

 * Cambodia Expedition (1596)

Eighty Years' War (1568-1648)

 * Battle of Cavite (1600)
 * Moluccas Expedition (1606)
 * Siege of Manila (1609-1610)
 * Battle of Playa Honda (1617, 1624)
 * Formosa Expedition (1626-1627)
 * Battles of La Naval de Manila (1646)
 * Battle of Puerto de Cavite (1647)
 * Battle of Abucay (1647)

Chinese insurrections (1603-1640)

 * First Chinese Insurrection (1603)
 * Second Chinese Insurrection (1639-1640)

Seven Years' War (1756-1763)

 * Battle of Manila (1762)
 * Silang Revolt (1762-1763)
 * Diego Silang
 * Gabriela Silang

Cochinchina Campaign (1858-1862)

 * Siege of Đà Nẵng (1858)
 * Siege of Saigon (1859-1861)
 * Siege of Tourane
 * Capture of Bien Hoa

Philippine Revolution (1896-1898)
The Philippine Revolution began in August 1896, upon the discovery of the anti-colonial secret organization Katipunan by the Spanish authorities. The Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio, was a secessionist movement and shadow government spread throughout much of the islands whose goal was independence from Spain through armed revolt. In a mass gathering in Caloocan, the Katipunan leaders organized themselves into a revolutionary government and openly declared a nationwide armed revolution. Bonifacio called for a simultaneous coordinated attack on the capital Manila. This attack failed, but the surrounding provinces also rose up in revolt. In particular, rebels in Cavite led by Emilio Aguinaldo won early victories. A power struggle among the revolutionaries led to Bonifacio's execution in 1897, with command shifting to Aguinaldo who led his own revolutionary government. That year, a truce was officially reached with the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and Aguinaldo was exiled to Hong Kong, though hostilities between rebels and the Spanish government never actually ceased.


 * Battle of Alapan
 * Battle of Binakayan
 * Battle of Dalahican
 * Battle of Julian Bridge
 * Battle of San Juan del Norte
 * Cry of Pugad Lawin
 * Negros Revolution

Spanish–American War (1898)
The first battle in the Philippine theater was in Manila Bay, where, on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey, commanding the United States Asiatic Squadron aboard the USS Olympia, in a matter of hours, defeated the Spanish squadron, under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón. Dewey's force sustaining only a single casualty &mdash; a heart attack aboard one of his vessels.

After the battle, Dewey blockaded Manila and provided transport for Emilio Aguinaldo to return to the Philippines from exile in Hong Kong. Aguinaldo arrived on May 19 and, after assuming command of Filipino forces on May 24, initiated land campaigns against the Spanish. After the Battle of Manila on the morning of August 13, 1898 (a mock battle between U.S and Spanish forces), the Spanish governor, Fermin Jaudenes, surrendered Manila to U.S. forces under Dewey.

On June 12, 1898, with the country still under Spanish sovereignty, Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence from Spain, under a dictatorial government then being established. The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared and written in Spanish by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, who read it at the proclamation ceremony. The Declaration was signed by ninety-eight persons, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The insurgent dictatorial government was replaced on June 23 by an insurgent revolutionary government headed by Aguinaldo as president. The Spanish-American war was formally concluded on December 10, 1898 by the Treaty of Paris between the United States and Spain. In that treaty, Spain ceded the Philippine Archipelago to the United States, and the United States agreed to pay US$20,000,000 to the Spanish government. The United States then exercised sovereignty over the Philippines. The insurgent First Philippine Republic was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899.

Philippine–American War (1899-1913)
The Philippine–American War was a conflict between the United States of America and the First Philippine Republic from 1899 through at least 1902, when the Filipino leadership generally accepted American rule. A Philippine Constabulary was organized in 1901 to deal with the remnants of the insurgent movement and gradually assume the responsibilities of the United States Army. Skirmishes between government troops and armed groups lasted until 1913, and some historians consider these unofficial extensions part of the war.


 * Siege of Catubig
 * Battle of Tirad Pass
 * Battle of Pulang Lupa
 * Battle of Paye
 * Battle of Makahambus Hill
 * Battle of Mabitac
 * Battle of Lonoy
 * Battle of Pagsanjan
 * Battle of Siranaya
 * Battle of the Malalag River
 * Battle of Quingua
 * Battle of Balangiga

World War I (1914-1918)
In 1917 the Philippine Assembly created the Philippine National Guard with the intent to join the American Expeditionary Force. By the time it was absorbed into the National Army it had grown to 25,000 soldiers. However, these units did not see action. The first Filipino to die in World War I was Private Tomas Mateo Claudio who served with the U.S. Army as part of the American Expeditionary Forces to Europe. He died in the Battle of Chateau Thierry in France on June 29, 1918. The Tomas Claudio Memorial College in Morong Rizal, Philippines, which was founded in 1950, was named in his honor.

World War II (1939-1945)
The first Filipino military casualty during the Second World War was serving as an aviator with British forces. First Officer Isidro Juan Paredes of the Air Transport Auxiliary was killed on November 7, 1941, when his aircraft overshot a runway and crashed at RAF Burtonwood. He was buried at Great Sankey (St Mary) Churchyard Extension, but later repatriated to the Philippines. Paredes Air Station in Ilocos Norte, was named in his honor.


 * Battle of Agusan
 * Battle of Balantang
 * Battle of Balete Pass
 * Battle of Bataan
 * Battle of Bataan (1945)
 * Battle of Batangas (1942)
 * Battle of Batangas (1945)
 * Battle of Bessang Pass
 * Battle of Bohol (1942)
 * Battle of Bohol (1945)
 * Battle of Bukidnon
 * Battle of Cebu (1942)
 * Battle of Cebu (1945)
 * Battle of Corregidor
 * Battle of Corregidor (1945)
 * Battle of Cotabato
 * Battle of Dalton Pass
 * Battle of Davao
 * Battle of Guila-Guila
 * Battle of Ising
 * Battle of Jaro
 * Battle of Kirang Pass
 * Battle of Lanao
 * Battle of Leyte
 * Battle of Leyte Gulf
 * Battle of Samar (1942)
 * Battle of Samar (1945)
 * Battle off Samar
 * Battle of Luzon
 * Battle of Manila (1945)
 * Battle of Maguindanao
 * Battle of Marinduque
 * Battle of Mayoyao Ridge
 * Battle of Mindanao (1942)
 * Battle of Mindanao (1945)
 * Battle of Mindoro
 * Battle of Misamis
 * Battle of Negros
 * Battle of Panay
 * Battle of Romblon
 * Battle of Ormoc Bay
 * Battle of Simara
 * Battle of Surigao
 * Battle of Tayug
 * Battle of the Visayas
 * Battle of Zamboanga
 * Bicol Campaign
 * Central Luzon Campaign
 * Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
 * Invasion of Palawan
 * Northern Luzon Campaign
 * Philippines Campaign (1941-42)
 * Philippines Campaign (1944–45)
 * Raid at Los Baños
 * Raid at Cabanatuan
 * Raid at Capas
 * San Ildefonso Massacre
 * Southern Luzon Campaign

WWII Veterans are members of the following:
 * U.S. Army Forces Far East (USAFFE)
 * United States Armed Forces in the Philippines - Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)
 * Philippine Scouts (PS)
 * Philippine Constabulary (PC)
 * Commonwealth Army of the Philippines
 * Recognized Guerrilla Units

Related Articles:


 * Second Philippine Republic
 * Japanese war crimes
 * Bataan Death March
 * Comfort women
 * Hukbalahap

Korean War (1950-1953)
The Philippines joined the Korean War in August 1950. The Philippines sent an expeditionary force of around 7,500 combat troops. This was known as the Philippine Expeditionary Forces To Korea, or PEFTOK. It was the 4th largest force under the United Nations Command then under the command of US General Douglas MacArthur that were sent to defend South Korea from a communist invasion by North Korea which was then supported by Mao Zedong's China and the Soviet Union. The PEFTOK took part in decisive battles such as the Battle of Yultong Bridge and the Battle of Hill Eerie. This expeditionary force operated with the United States 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, and 45th Infantry Division.


 * Battle of Yultong Bridge
 * Battle of Hill Eerie

Vietnam War (1964-1973)
The Philippines was involved in the Vietnam War, supporting civil and medical operations. Initial deployment in 1964 amounted to 28 military personnel, including nurses, and 6 civilians. The number of Filipino troops who served in Vietnam swelled to 182 officers and 1,882 enlisted personnel during the period 1966-1968. This force was known as the Philippine Civic Action Group-Vietnam or PHILCAG-V.

Persian Gulf War (1990-1991)
The Philippines sent 200 medical personnel to assist coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait from the stranglehold of Iraq then led by Saddam Hussein.

Iraq War (2003-2004)
The Philippines sent 60 medics, engineers and other troops to assist in the invasion of Iraq. The troops were withdrawn on the 14th of July, 2004, in response to the kidnapping of Angelo dela Cruz, a Filipino truck driver. When insurgent demands were met (Filipino troops out of Iraq), the hostage was released. While in Iraq, the troops were under Polish command (Central South Iraq). During that time, several Filipino soldiers were wounded in an insurgent attack, although none died.

Insurgent groups in the Philippines
Early 1950s to present
 * Hukbalahap
 * New People's Army
 * National Democratic Front

Islamic insurgency in the Philippines
Late 1960s to present
 * Moro National Liberation Front
 * Moro Islamic Liberation Front
 * Abu Sayyaf Conflict
 * The Burnham Hostage Crisis
 * The Maundy Thursday Rescue
 * Rajah Sulaiman movement

International Peace Support and Humanitarian Relief Operations

 * UN Command in Korea (UNC), 1950–55
 * Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK)
 * 10th Battalion Combat Team (BCT)
 * 20th BCT
 * 19th BCT
 * 14th BCT
 * 2nd BCT
 * UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC, or l'Operation des Nations Unies au Congo), 1963
 * Philippine Air Force Contingent (PAFCON) featuring the Limbas Squadron
 * Philippine Medical Mercy Mission to Indonesia, 1963
 * "More Flags"/Free World Assistance Program in Vietnam, 1964–71
 * Philippine Contingent, Vietnam (PHILCONV)
 * Philippine Civic Action Group, Republic of Vietnam I (First PHILCAGV)
 * Philippine Civic Action Group, Republic of Vietnam (Second PHILCAGV)
 * Philippine Contingent, Vietnam (PHILCAGV rear party)
 * UN Guards Contingent in Iraq (UNGCI), 1991–92
 * First Philippine-UN Guards Contingent in Iraq (PUNGCI-1)
 * Second PUNGCI (PUNGCI-2)
 * Third PUNGCI (PUNGCI-3)
 * Fourth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-4)
 * Fifth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-5, -5A, -5B, -5C)
 * Sixth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-6A, -6B, -6C, -6D)
 * Seventh PUNGCI (PUNGCI-7A, -7B)
 * Eighth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-8A, -8B)
 * Ninth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-9A, -9B, -9C)
 * Tenth PUNGCI (PUNGCI-10A)
 * UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), 1992–93
 * First Republic of the Philippines Contingent to UNTAC (1RP-UNTAC)
 * Second RP-UNTAC (2RP-UNTAC)
 * UNTAC Military Observers
 * International Force East Timor (INTERFET), 1999
 * Philippine Humanitarian Support for East Timor (PhilHSMET)
 * UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), 1999
 * Philippine Battalion (PhilBatt)
 * UNTAET Force Headquarters Support Unit (FHSU)/Philippine Contingent to East Timor (PhilCET)
 * UNTAET Peacekeeping Force Staff
 * UNTAET Military Observers
 * Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Aceh Monitoring Movement (HAMM), 2002–03
 * AFP Contingent to the HAMM International Monitoring Team
 * UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), 2004–05
 * UNMISET Force Headquarters Support Unit (FHSU)/Philippine Contingent to East Timor (PhilCET)
 * UNMISET Peacekeeping Force Staff
 * UNMISET Military Observers
 * Philippine Humanitarian Contingent to Iraq, 2003–04
 * UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), 2003–present
 * First Philippine Contingent to Liberia (1PCL)
 * Second PCL (2PCL)
 * Third PCL (3PCL)
 * Fourth PCL (4PCL)
 * Fifth PCL (5PCL)
 * Sixth PCL (6PCL)
 * Seventh PCL (7PCL)
 * Eighth PCL (8PCL)
 * Ninth PCL (9PCL)
 * Tenth PCL (10PCL)
 * Eleventh PCL (11PCL)
 * Twelfth PCL (12PCL)
 * Thirteenth PCL (13PCL)
 * UNMIL Peacekeeping Force Staff
 * UNMIL Military Observers
 * UN Mission in Cote d'Ivoire (MINUCI, or la Mission des Nations Unies en Cote d'Ivoire), 2004
 * MINUCI Military Observers
 * UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI, or l'Operation des Nations Unies en Cote d'Ivoire), 2004–present
 * ONUCI Military Observers
 * UN Mission in Burundi (ONUB, or l'Operation des Nations Unies au Burundi), 2004–06
 * ONUB Military Observers
 * UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH, or l'Operation des Nations Unies pour la Stabilisation en Haiti), 2004–present
 * First Philippine Contingent to Haiti (1PCH)
 * Second PCH (2PCH)
 * Third PCH (3PCH)
 * Fourth PCH (4PCH)
 * Fifth PCH (5PCH)
 * Sixth PCH (6PCH)
 * Seventh PCH (7PCH)
 * Eighth PCH (8PCH)
 * Ninth PCH (9PCH)
 * Tenth PCH (10PCH)
 * Eleventh PCH (11PCH)
 * MINUSTAH Peacekeeping Force Staff
 * MINUSTAH Military Observers
 * UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), 2005–06
 * UNOTIL Military Observers
 * European Union Aceh Monitoring Mission, 2005–06
 * AMM Peace Monitors
 * UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), 2005–present
 * UNMIS Military Observers
 * UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), 2006–present
 * UNMIT Military Observers
 * Philippine Humanitarian Mission and Aid for Myanmar, 2008
 * UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), 2009–present
 * UNMOGIP Military Observers
 * UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, 2009–present
 * Philippine Battalion - First Philippine Contingent to the Golan Heights (1PCGH)
 * Philippine Battalion - Second PCGH (2PCGH)

[AFP Peacekeeping Operations Center]

List of coups d'etat

 * People Power Revolution
 * 1986–1987 Philippine coup attempts
 * 1989 Philippine coup attempt
 * EDSA Revolution of 2001


 * Attempted coups against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
 * EDSA III
 * Oakwood Mutiny -The Oakwood Mutiny refers to a short-lived event which occurred in 27 July 2003 when members of the Philippine Marine Corps and Army took hold of the Glorietta Mall and the Oakwood Premier Condominium in Makati City. See Oakwood Mutiny
 * 2006 state of emergency in the Philippines
 * Manila Peninsula Mutiny

List of treaties

 * Treaty of Paris (1763) (minor role)
 * Treaty of Paris (1898)
 * The National Defense Act of 1935 - In 1935 The National Defense Act of 1935 was enacted. President-elect Manuel L. Quezon convinced Chief of Staff of the United States Army General Douglas MacArthur to act as the military adviser to the Commonwealth of the Philippines. MacArthur was given the title "Military Advisor to the Commonwealth Government" and tasked with establishing a system of national defense, for the Philippines, by 1946. For a time, MacArthur would also act as the Field Marshal of the Philippine Army.
 * Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) (dissolved)
 * Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America (1951)
 * RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement
 * BALIKATAN - "Shoulder to Shoulder" Joint US-Philippines Military Exercises

List of awards

 * Philippine Legion of Honor
 * Philippine Medal of Valor
 * Philippine Distinguished Service Cross
 * Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
 * WWII Victory Medal
 * Philippine Liberation Medal
 * Philippine Defense Medal
 * Philippine Independence Medal
 * Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

List of wars involving the Philippines

 * Eighty Years' War
 * Seven Years' War
 * Cochinchina Campaign
 * Philippine Revolution
 * Spanish–American War
 * Philippine–American War
 * World War I
 * World War II
 * Japanese occupation of the Philippines
 * Philippines campaign (1941-42)
 * Philippines campaign (1944-45)
 * Cold War
 * Korean War
 * Vietnam War
 * Communist Insurgencies
 * War on Terror
 * Islamic Insurgencies
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom