Women were initially granted the right to serve in the
Philippine military
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
only in the reserve ranks and the technical services as part of the Women's Auxiliary Corps established in 1963. In 1993, women were granted the rights to become trained combat soldiers in the Philippine military when ''Republic Act No. 7192'' was passed, which granted
women in the Philippines
The role of women in the Philippines ( fil, Kababaihan sa Pilipinas) is explained based on the context of Culture of the Philippines, Filipino culture, standards, and mindsets. The Philippines is described to be a nation of strong women, who dir ...
to become cadets in the
Philippine Military Academy
The Philippine Military Academy ( fil, Akademiyang Militar ng Pilipinas / es, Academia Militar de Filipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of ...
in April that year.
Background
Since the beginning of the creation of the Philippine military approximately on October 25, 1899, the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
never had female soldiers.
Notable Filipino women soldiers
The first batch of female cadets to graduate as soldiers in the Philippines was in 1997. Among the notable female cadets was Arlene A. Dela Cruz from the batch of graduates of 1999, who received awards such as the Presidential Saber, the Philippine Navy Award, the Navy Courses Plaque, the Social Sciences Plaque, and the Humanities Plaque. Dela Cruz died in a car crash in 2008.
In 2011, Brigadier General Ramona Go, from San Dionisio,
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
, became the first female general in the
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
after being a regular officer. There had been other female generals in the Philippine military, but unlike Go, those female generals were "technical service" crew, serving in the military as
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
s.
In
peacekeeping
Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare.
Within the United ...
in October 2013,
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy (PN) ( tgl, Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, , Sea Army of the Philippines) ( es, Armada de Filipinas, , Ejército del Mar de las Filipinas) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an ...
Captain
Luzviminda Camacho Luzviminda (sometimes LuzViMinda) is a '' portmanteau'' of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the names of the three major island groups of the Philippines. It is a feminine given name. peacekeeping mission of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
. Camacho became the "commander of the 17th Philippine Contingent to
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...
". In addition, Camacho also became the first female "commanding officer of a
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
ship".
See also
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Women in the Philippines
The role of women in the Philippines ( fil, Kababaihan sa Pilipinas) is explained based on the context of Culture of the Philippines, Filipino culture, standards, and mindsets. The Philippines is described to be a nation of strong women, who dir ...
*
Women in the military
Women have served in the military in many different roles in various jurisdictions throughout history. Women in many countries are no longer excluded from some types of combat missions such as piloting, mechanics, and infantry officer. Since 1 ...
*
Women in the Philippine National Police
Women in the Philippine National Police are women in the Philippines who joined the police force in the Philippines to become policewomen and law enforcers.
When Filipino women started to join the male-dominated Philippine National Police ( ...
*
Lina Sarmiento
Lina Sarmiento (born 1958) is the first female third-level official of the Philippine National Police to receive and hold the rank of director, a rank equivalent to that of a major general in the Philippine military. At this two-star rank level, ...
*
Lason Batch
The Lason Batch refers to a September 5, 1987 mass poisoning attack against Philippine Constabulary forces on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines which caused the deaths of almost an entire platoon of soldiers and hospitalizati ...