OLONGAPO CITY — The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) will conduct its entrance examination in Olongapo City on Sept. 5-6, 2026, giving aspiring cadets from Zambales and nearby areas an opportunity to take the test closer to home.

The PMA Entrance Examination (PMAEE) will be held at the 3rd Floor of the Olongapo City Civic Center along Rizal Avenue.

The PMA is inviting qualified Filipino youth to apply for its four-year military education and training program at Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City. The academy trains future officers of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force.

Applicants must be Filipino citizens, single and never married, 17 to 22 years old on the date of admission and at least senior high school graduates. They must also meet the prescribed height requirement, have good moral character and be physically and mentally fit.

The PMA offers free college education, board and lodging, uniforms, pay and allowances, and medical and dental care to cadets.

Cadets take a Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies, combining academic instruction with military and security training. The program focuses on character, academic, military and physical development.

Those who pass the PMAEE must undergo medical, dental and neuro-psychiatric examinations, a Physical Fitness Test and an Aptitude for the Service Interview before proceeding to the final selection process.

Successful candidates are appointed by the president and commissioned as officers in the Army, Navy or Air Force after graduation.

The academy said cadet life includes academic classes, military drills, field training, physical development, sports, parades and leadership activities. Cadets are also required to observe the Cadet Honor Code and Honor System.

The PMA traces its roots to the Academia Militar established by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Malolos, Bulacan, in 1898. It is the country’s premier military school for the training and education of future Armed Forces of the Philippines officers.