The Philippine Army PA Filipino : Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines AFP , responsible for ground warfare and as of [update] had an estimated strength of , soldiers [ 1 ] The service branch was established on December 21, , as the Philippine Commonwealth Army. The Philippine Army has engaged in many conflicts including the ongoing Communist rebellion in the Philippines , the Moro conflict and, alongside other national military forces, in conflicts of international scope.
The Commanding General of the Philippine Army is its professional and overall head. After three centuries of Spanish rule there were calls for social reforms and an end to the perceived oppressive friar rule. In , Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan to prepare his band of Filipinos for armed revolt against the Spanish government. The Katipunan formed an army of insurgents. On March 22, , almost a year after the outbreak of hostilities between the Katipuneros and the Spanish troops, Emilio Aguinaldo was elected as revolutionary president in the Tejeros Convention and revolutionary forces were organized into the Philippine Revolutionary Army PRA.
General Artemio Ricarte was named Captain General. This date marks the founding day of the PRA, and is considered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to be the establishment date of the Philippine Army. That republic was dissolved on December 14 by the Pact of Biak-na-Bato , with Aguinaldo and other senior leadership going into exile in Hong Kong.
On May 19, , during the Spanish—American War , Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines, rekindled the revolution, declared independence from Spain, and became President of the First Philippine Republic which was established during the lull following Spanish surrender to American forces in the Philippines. The Treaty of Paris formalized the end of the Spanish—American War , with one of its provisions being cession of the Philippines to America by Spain.
Shortly thereafter, the Philippine—American War erupted between that nascent republic and occupying American forces, eventually resulting in American victory and the disbanding of the PRA. During the final years of the Philippine—American War, with the notable successes by the all-Filipino Macabebe Scouts cavalry squadron raised in under U. Earlier, in August that same year, came the colonial civil government's decision to found the Philippine Constabulary PC as the national gendarmerie force for law enforcement.
