1. Pre-Colonial Period
2. Spanish Colonial Era
(1521-1898)
3. Insular Government
(1901-1935)
4. World War II (1939-1945)
5. Philippine Independence
(1946-present)
6. Birth of the Modern Reserve
Force (1991-Present)
7. The Reserve Force at Present
The AFP Reserve Force known today is the constitutionally mandated citizen armed force composed of able-bodied citizens organized, trained, equipped and maintained primarily to provide the base for expansion of the AFP's Regular Force in the event of war, invasion or rebellion, as well as assist the government during disasters or calamities, in socio-economic development and in the operation and maintenance of essential government or private utilities in the furtherance of the AFP's overall mission. The citizen soldiers alternately referred to as reservists, compose the Reserve Force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). They are incorporated into the Reserve Force based on their qualifications.
The reservists are members of the AFP but they are also civilians who have careers outside the military during peace time and during crisis and/or war time, they are soldiers who are called upon for training and/or service when necessary.They are known for being the patriotic men and women who dedicate their time and effort for the service of the country. For many years, reservists have contributed much to the AFP and to the nation and they have been regarded for their volunteerism and dedication. But before the existence of the modern day reservist, the notion of a citizen soldier or militia has already been around in many forms for hundreds of years, from the Pre-Colonial Period to the early 19th Century from which the modern day Reserve Force was born.
1521 - When Ferdinand Magellan landed on the Philippine shore, he met stiff resistance from the fearless Lapu-lapu and his band of brave warriors in the famous Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521. Lapu-lapu's heroic act led to him becoming the symbol of the modern day reservist as can be seen in the official seal of the Laang Kawal.
July 7, 1892 - The Katipunan was founded with three fundamental objectives: to "teach the ideals of patriotism and democracy, to foster the highest type of brotherhood among the members, and to promote chivalry and civic virtues for the glory of their grace". The Katipunan formed the nucleus of the Revolutionary Philippine Army.
1896 - The Filipino-Spanish hostilities started and the revolution broke out. Artemio Ricarte led the revolutionists in attacking the Spanish garrison in San Francisco de Malabon (Mapagtiis). He defeated the Spanish forces and the civil guards as well as the officers who were taken prisoners. Meanwhile, Andres Bonifacio personally led an attack at San Juan Del Monte to capture the town's powder magazine and water station which supplied Manila. The Spaniards were outnumbered and fought a delaying battle until reinforcement arrived. By then, Bonifacio's troops were drove back with heavy casualties and regrouped in barrios nearby. The Katipunan, composed largely by provincial units' dependent on particular leaders, was neither a militia nor a conventional army. It was only on October 31, 1896 when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proposed a republican government in Kawit, Cavite and organized a regular army. It was called the "Army of Liberation of the Philippines" which was largely a volunteer army composed of three corps comprising ten thousand men.
1897 - The Philippine Revolutionary Government and its Army were born on March 22, 1897 at Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon in Cavite. Artemio Ricarte was unanimously elected to the post of Captain-General of the Army which corresponds today to the exalted post of Chief of Staff of the AFP.
1898 - General Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine Independence from Spain and formed the first Philippine Republic, in which he sat as its President. Additionally, on October 25, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo through the wisdom of Antonio N. Luna authorized the establishment of the Academia Militar to train field grade officers of the revolutionary Army. However, it was deactivated on January 20, 1899 due to the resurgence of the Filipino-American hostilities.
1899 - Tensions between Filipinos and Americans erupted into a full-scale war when a Filipino soldier was shot dead by an American trooper on February 4, 1899. Aguinaldo immediately responded to the American challenge by declaring war the following day. The Philippine army initially fought a conventional war but eventually shifted to guerrilla warfare in mid-November 1899.
1901 - The Americans established the Insular Government, a United States territorial government established by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, designed as a transitional administration in preparation for the country's full achievement of independence.
1905 - The Philippine Constabulary was established as a school for military officers in Intramuros, Manila and produced its first graduates the following year. The school was renamed the Academy for Officers of the Philippine Constabulary in 1918, and then the Philippine Constabulary Academy (PCA) in 1926. Today, the PCA is fully known as the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) created under the Commonwealth Act No. 1 of 1935 or the National Defense Act.
1912 - Training of male college students on "military drill" was introduced in the University of the Philippines as part of the different degree courses offered of the colleges which were already established. At the same time, basic military science in the first two years became a requirement for graduation of all male students.
1917 - The Philippine National Guard was established as a militia that was created by the Philippine Assembly in 1917 to serve under General John Pershing in Europe during World War I. It had 25,000 soldiers when it was absorbed by the National Army. However, it was not able to see action for it was only mustered into federal service on Armistice Day and would never leave the islands. After the war, the entire National Guard unit was deactivated, and its officers were placed on the reserve list.
1922 - Department of Military Science and Tactics was established in UP and the 2-year Basic Military Science Course and 2-year Advance Course became the precursor of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
1941 - When World War II broke out, two regular and ten reserve divisions of the Philippine Army undertook the defense of the Philippines. These divisions were incorporated into the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) under the command of General Douglas McArthur. President Manuel L. Quezon issued Proclamation Number 740 on 01 August 1941 transferring the Philippine Army and Philippine Constabulary to the control of the U.S. Army.
1942 - Ten (10) Reserve Divisions composed of professionals, businessmen, ROTC graduates, the School for Reserve Commission and former cadre trainees and volunteers were then mobilized and subsequently inducted. They fought valiantly against the Japanese Imperial Army for the defense of the country and later on final defense of Bataan and Corregidor as they delayed the timetable of aggression until the day of liberation.
1942-1944 - A ragtag group of former ROTC Cadets, Guerrilla Fighters and draftees of the Philippine Army Reserve Force collectively known as the Hunters ROTC Guerrillas formed units among themselves and fought gallantly against the Japanese invaders during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
1968 - On September 15, 1968 upon the insistence of graduates and cadets of the University of the Philippines (UP) ROTC, and under the able leadership of Captain Benjamin Vallejo, the now famous "Sunday Soldiers" came into being. A purely voluntary-civic-military undertaking sponsored by the University Chapter and the UP Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST). This program was designed to make participants therein to be Citizen Soldiers - good motivated citizens and effective loyal soldiers. The volunteer concept became popularly known as the "Rainbow" Ranger training. In the 70s, the Philippine Home Defense Program was established accelerating the administration and training of the Reserve Force based on the 'weekend warrior' concept, and the organization and utilization of reservists to assist in the socio-economic development.
1977 - The Metropolitan Citizen Military Training Command (MCMTC) was activated on April 1 which supervised the implementation of the ROTC Program in Metro Manila. A provisional Army Reserve Command was activated pursuant to General Orders Number 250, Headquarters Philippine Army (HPA) dated September 1 absorbing the personnel, records and equipment of the defunct Reserve Affairs Unit (RAU) of the Philippine Army.
1986 - After the EDSA Revolution, the Army Reserve Command was shortly deactivated since the AFP at that time needed to undergo retraining and re-organization.
1987 - The 1987 Constitution was ratified which provided for the establishment of a citizen armed force, mandating a pool of Citizen Soldiers of the State to address the national security challenges.
1989 - The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, OJ10 (Now OJ9) was established as one of the Joint Staff of the AFP to cater to the needs of the reservists and retirees.
1991 - The Republic Act Number 7077 (Citizen Armed Force or AFP Reservist Act of 1991) was enacted which operationalized the citizen armed force and which would be organized, trained, developed and maintained to ensure their readiness to immediately respond to the call to service. It directed the AFP to organize and maintain units with the sole purpose of reservist management and organized the reserve force into five components:
1992 - The Reserve Command, Philippine Army (Now Army Reserve Command) was reactivated pursuant to General Orders Number 388, HPA dated 12 May 1992 and became a major Philippine Army unit tasked to implement the Reservist and Retiree Affairs Plans and Programs.
1993 - The Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command (AFPRESCOM) came into existence after the enactment of Republic Act 7077. General Headquarters AFP activated AFPRESCOM on April 1, 1993 from the personnel and facilities of the defunct Metropolitan Citizen Military Training Command or MCMTC.
At the time of its activation, AFPRESCOM was mandated to provide for thedevelopment, organization, training, administration, maintenance and utilization of the Citizen Armed Force as a base for rapid expansion of the AFP. The Command also provides administrative control and supervision over Affiliated Reserve Units whose services and utilization are national in scope.
2001 - Republic Act Number 9163 or National Service Training Program Act of 2001 (NSTP) was established making NSTP a requirement for all college students.
The Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, the AFP Reserve Force continues to pursue plans, programs and activities for the development of the Reservist and Retiree Affairs.
History bears witness that even before the colonial period, the concept of a Citizen-Soldier or a Citizen Armed Force has already existed. From the early inhabitants of the Philippine Islands to the modern Filipinos, we are almost always willing to fight for the sake of our land and our people.
Over time, we Filipinos have exhibited a keen and uncompromising sense of territorial defense and have not hesitated to act forthrightly, even if our lives were at stake. Alongside our renowned heroes, there were many brave men and women who also fought on the side lines but they are not that much celebrated because they were only regular citizens that linger in the background and shadows of our rich patriotic history.
It is only until the early 1900s that the importance of these Citizen Soldiers were recognized upon the establishment of the legal mandates that now serve as the basis for the institutionalization of the current Citizen Armed Force or the Reserve Forceof the Armed Forces of the Philippines.