PMA applicants declining in past 11 years, says spokesman

The number of young Filipinos who want to become military officers have dwindled over the past 11 years and a spokesman says economic considerations and the lack of sense of duty among the youth are partly to be blamed.

Records of the Philippine Military Academy showed that since 1997, the number of applicants has been reduced from a high of 21,051 that year to a measly 7,739 last year.

Based on figures, the lowest number of applicants for PMA cadets was at its lowest in 2006, with only 4,994 signifying their intention of making it to the country’s premiere military institution.

From a low of 12,324 in 2003, the number of applicants, however, increased to 20,196 the following year, but was greatly cut down to 5,992 in 2005.

Capt. Dennis Solomon, PMA spokesman said the continuing decline of young people who want to pursue a military career could partly be blamed on the current economic situation, where students would prefer to take up courses that could give them high-paying jobs after graduation.

“I experienced being asked by a student if he would get more income by being a military officer than being a nurse.  Of course, it would not, but what I try to tell them is that serving the Armed Forces is more than the financial aspect, but of course when they face reality, they want to earn more,” he said.

Solomon said that years back the PMA did not conduct campaigns in schools to encourage young people to pursue a military career, unlike in the present, where they even hold exhibits and information drives just to inspire young Filipinos to become soldiers.

Aside from financial considerations, Solomon said that one of the reasons why their applicants dwindle in number is because young people today have not been imbued with a deep sense of patriotism and duty to country.

Solomon said that their applicants also declined since 2004 when they implemented an 85 grade average as a minimum requirement.

“A lot of them do not meet this requirement so it means it would be difficult for them to meet the high standards of the PMA,” he said.

The PMA is the primary source of officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and its graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants.

Other sources of military officers are the Officers’ Candidate Schools of the Army, Air Force and Navy.