FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SENATE 
S. 8. No. 
Introduced by Senator JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Existence of strong checks and balances in government is the essence to 
preserve democracy. And this practice of checks and balances should also be 
developed in the National Security Agencies and the Armed Services, since 
these are agencies are among the protectors of the people and State. 
The State therefore must promote the multiple sourcing of regular officers 
of the AFP from Filipino citizens of diverse culture and institutions. Thus, there 
shall be established in the Philippine Air Force an educational institution to be 
known as the Philippine Air Force Academy (PAFA) hereinafter referred to as the 
Academy, for instruction and preparation for military service of the Philippine Air 
Force Cadets, to be known as Aviation Cadets. This instruction is a 2-year 
program in the Academy based on entry of students from the General College 
Education (GCE) requirements as established by the Commission on Higher 
Education (CHED) leading to the award of a four-year baccalaureate degree; 
major courses for respective degrees shall be taught in the Academy together 
with the officer and aviation fields training. 
Graduates shall be awarded 
baccalaureate degrees and commissioned as regular officers of AFP. 
The GCE requirement is basic to all 4-year baccalaureate degrees as 
determined by CHED. A candidate who has completed the GCE brings with him 
into the Academy the wealth of experience necessary to broaden his 
perspectives in academics as well as his outlook among all cultures. The young 
men and women who are bright and come from the minority groups can earn 
their General College Education units required for entry into the Academy 
through scholarships existing in any government recognized colleges and 
universities, NGO’s, GSlS and SSS. Their experiences and academic disciplines 
in social sciences obtained from the colleges and universities will hasten their 
maturity and will give them wider and better perspectives on what kind of a 
career they really would like to pursue and how to serve country and people. 
Furthermore, with the military training and discipline added to their highly 
technical expertise in aviation and related fields obtained and instilled in the 
Academy, performance of their mission and exercise of leadership will be more 
balanced and matured. 
The present assets of the Philippine Air Force Flying School (PAFFS), the 
PAF Officers Candidate School (OCS) and the PAF Technical School such as 
barracks, dormitories, office buildings, classrooms, technical equipment and 
other facilities necessary for training already exist at the Air Education and 
Training Command (AETC), Fernando Air Base Lipa, City. These assets can be 


transferred to the Academy. The present budget of the PAF is enough to start, 
sustain and operate the Academy. If ever there will be expenses to be incurred it 
will just be for salaries and accommodation of civilian professors and civilian 
employees. 
Majority of the instructors will be officers in the PAF. Future 
expansions and upgrading of the Academy will be budgeted by Congress. Also 
having a 2-year program in the Academy will be cheaper than a 4-year program. 
The Academy experiences of the Aviation Cadets plus the military discipline 
instilled in them will make them good leaders in the AFP and the country as well. 
From these graduates will be pilots and other aviation field officers who will man 
the modernized Philippine Air Force. And even after retirement or separation 
from the military service the degrees earned in the Academy, which are 
accredited by CHED, will be usable throughout life. 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 ,J[;L -2 r) 8; . 
Firsf Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 5 8 2  
Introduced by Senator JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE ACADEMY (PAFA) AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I .  Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Air 
Force Academy Act of 2007." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. - It is hereby declared that the 
State shall promote multiple sourcing of regular officers of the AFP from diverse 
military institutions of the major services of AFP including the Coast Guard 
Academy I School that may be established in the future. This State policy 
conforms to the policy of developing checks and balances in a democratic 
country like ours not only in the government bureaucracy but also in the defense 
and national security agencies. 
SEC. 3. Applicability. - The provision of this Act shall apply to the AFP in 
so far as to the establishment of the Philippine Air Force Academy; admission of 
cadets, who shall be known and called as Aviation Cadets; organization and 
administration of the Academy; appointment to the regular force as officers in the 
AFP from those who successfully completed the academic and officer training in 
the academy, the composition of the Corps of Aviation Cadets; composition of 
the Academic Board and Faculty members. 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms are hereby defined: 
a. 
Active Commission Service - A  period of the active service rendered 
by an individual as commissioned officer. 


b. 
C. 
d. 
e. 
f. 
9. 
h. 
Aviation Cadet - a cadet in the Philippine Air Force Academy who is 
pursuing a baccalaureate degree and being trained as an officer of the 
AFP specializing in the aviation fields. 
Commission - a status conferred to an individual by the President of 
the Republic of the Philippines to serve as regular officer or reserve 
officer in the AFP. 
CACPAF- Corps of Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air Force. 
First Captain - designation of the highest-ranking Aviation Cadet who 
will act as leader of the Corps of Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air 
Force Academy. 
CHED - Commission on Higher Education. 
PAFA - Philippine Air Force Academy. 
Regular Officer - a commissioned officer in the regular forces of the 
AFP appointed as such by the President of the Republic of the 
Philippines. 
Reserve Officer - a commissioned officer in the Reserve Force of the 
AFP. 
SEC. 5. 
Philippine Air Force Academy. (PAFA). - There shall be 
established in the Philippine Air Force an educational institution to be known as 
the Philippine Air Force Academy (PAFA), hereinafter referred to as the 
Academy, for the instruction and preparation for military service of Philippine Air 
Force cadets, to be known as Aviation Cadets. This instruction is a 2-year 
program, basing from the minimum academic entry requirements into the 
Academy, that is the General College Education requirements as established by 
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) leading to the award of a four-year 
baccalaureate degrees; these major courses shall be taught in the Academy 
together with the officer and aviation fields training. 
The present Philippine Air Force (PAF) Flying School, PAF Officer 
Candidate School and PAF Technical School shall be absorbed by the Academy 
including equipment, facilities, school grounds and applicable members of the 
faculty and administrative personnel, as the case may be. 
SEC. 6. 
Corps of Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air Force. 
(CACPAF). - The student body of the Academy shall be known as the Corps of 
Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air Force or the CACPAF. The President is 
authorized to appoint annually, subject to such physical and mental examinations 


as may be prescribed, the number of aviation cadets necessary to maintain the 
Corps of Aviation Cadets at a strength of one hundred twenty (120) and not to 
exceed two hundred fifty (250) at any one time. 
The strength of the Corps of Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air Force is 
as follows: 
I) 
Sixty (60) from the Philippines, at large, which shall be composed of: 
a) Twenty (20) selected in order of merit, as established by 
competitive examination from the children of members of the 
Armed Forces who: 
i) Were killed in action or died of wounds or injuries received or 
diseases contracted in or preexisting injury or disease 
aggravated by active service; or 
ii) Were awarded the Medal of Honor for an act performed while in the 
Armed Forces. 
For purposes of this Act, a determination by the Line of Duty Board of the 
major services that a death is service connected is binding upon the Secretary of 
the National Defense. 
2) Twenty (20) from the enlisted members of the Armed Forces; 
3) Twenty (20) from the reserve components of the Armed Forces. 
SEC. 7. Nigibilify for Admission. - To be eligible for admission, a 
candidate must be: 
1) Single and must never have been married; 
2) Natural-born citizen of the Philippines; 
3) At least eighteen (18) years of age but not more than twenty-one (21) 
years of age on the 2"d day of January of the year of admission; 
4) Have at least completed the necessary General College Education 
requirements as established by the Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED) obtained from any government recognized colleges or universities 
or accredited institutions leading to a 4-year baccalaureate degree; 
5) Have passed and completed basic ROTC; 
6) Pass the competitive national examination given for the purpose; 
7) Must pass the physical examination and psychological tests to be given by 
8) Willing to conform to and abide by all laws of the country and rules and 
competent authorities of the Philippine Air Force; 
regulations of the AFP. 


The Academy shall provide for educational and physical facilities for the 
recruitment and training of women as members of the Corps of Aviation Cadets. 
Women shall be admitted and shall comprise not less than five percent 
(5%) of the strength of the Corps of Aviation Cadets at any time. 
All Aviation Cadets shall be appointed by the President. An appointment 
is conditional until the cadet is admitted. 
If it is to be determined that, upon the admission of a new class to the 
Academy, the number of aviation cadets at the Academy will be below the 
authorized number, the Chief of Staff may nominate, as may be qualified, 
alternates and are recommended and found qualified by the Faculty as are 
necessary to meet the needs of the Air Force, but not more than the authorized 
strength of the Corps of Aviation Cadets. 
SEC. 8. Academic Courses. - a ) Acad emic courses, which are major 
requirements for the conferment of baccalaureate degree, shall be taught to the 
Aviation Cadets in the Academy. The Academy shall be manned and equipped 
with the necessary faculty, expertise, equipment and facilities to conform to the 
CHED’s requirements to be able to award baccalaureate degrees within 2 years 
of continuing academic instructions and officer training. 
There will be no 
academic breaks except on legal and national holidays. Nothing prevents the 
Academy from inviting professors and other experts in the aviation and other 
technical fields from existing national agencies, or having agreements with 
schools, colleges and universities to augment its capabilities, nor the hiring of 
civilian professors to man professorial chairs. All these personnel shall be 
subject to AFP and Academy rules and regulations whichever may be applicable. 
b) 
The Superintendent of the Academy shall recommend to the Chief of 
Staff, AFP, individuals who will be designated or commissioned as members of 
the Corps of Professors. 
Applicable laws governing appointment and 
commissionship in the Corps of Professors shall apply. 
SEC. 9. Organization of the Corps of Aviation Cadet. - The Corps of 
Aviation Cadets of the Philippine Air Force shall be organized along the lines of 
the PAF organizations. The CACPAF shall have a First Captain appointed by the 
Superintendent of the Academy from among the most qualified Aviation Cadets. 


The CACPAF shall have an honor code of conduct which shall be used to govern 
the behavior of each and every individual of the CACPAF in addition to the 
established AFP rules and regulations. 
SEC. I O .  Pay and Allowances. - The pay and allowances of the Aviation 
Cadets shall be fixed by the President. 
SEC. 11. Undertaking. - Each Aviation Cadet shall sign an agreement 
that, unless sooner separated by duly authorized authorities, he shall: 
1) Complete the course of instruction at the academy; 
2) Accept an appointment and serve as a commissioned officer of the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines for at least eight (8) years immediately 
after graduation from the Academy. Entry into the Academy shall be 
on January 2nd of every year. Graduation will be at the last week of 
December every year. 
SEC. 12. Aviation Cadet Retirement. - Any Aviation Cadet, who shall, 
after entrance to the Academy and before completion of prescribed courses of 
training, be found physically or mentally unfit for military assignment by reason of 
injury or disease incident to the service, shall be retired with the rank of a second 
lieutenant of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 
SEC. 13, Commission. - Upon satisfactory completion of the course of 
instruction at the Academy, the aviation cadets shall be commissioned second 
lieutenants in the regular force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the 
relative rank in the order of final general standing as determined by the Academic 
Board of the Academy and approved by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of 
the Philippines. 
SEC. 14. Administration. -The Academy as herein established shall be 
organized and administered by the Commanding General and Philippine Air 
Force (PAF) under the general supervision and control of the Chief of Staff of the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines 
SEC. 15. Academic Board. - The Academic Board of the Academy shall 
be composed of the Superintendent, the Dean of the Corps of Professors, the 
Commandant of Cadets and the Heads of the Departments to be constituted as 
follows: 


(a) The Superintendent and the Commandant of Cadets of the Academy 
shall be detailed to those positions by the President from the officers of 
the Philippine Air Force. 
(b) The Dean of the Corps of Professors shall be appointed from the 
permanent professors who have served as heads of departments of 
instructions at the Academy. 
The Academic Board shall have the power to confer baccalaureate 
degrees under such rules and regulations as the Chief of Staff of the Armed 
Forces of the Philippines may prescribe upon all Aviation Cadets who may 
hereafter satisfactorily complete the approved course of studies. Aviation Cadets 
who have finished at least one hundred fifty (150) hours of flying lessons shall be 
eligible for graduation. 
Cadets or Students from other Philippine Military institutions may be 
admitted to the Academy provided that these cadets or students must have 
completed the necessary General College Education requirements of CHED as 
specified in Sections 5 and 7. These cadets or students, however, will no longer 
take the competitive examinations nationwide except that they must pass the 
physical and psychological examinations provided for. 
Upon entry into the 
Academy, these cadets or students shall be appointed as Aviation Cadets. 
Commissionship in the AFP for these cadets or student shall be subject to the 
requirements for commissionship as applicable in their previous military 
institutions. 
SEC. 16. 
Baccalaureate Degrees. - Baccalaureate degrees to be 
conferred to those who successfully complete their courses in the Academy are 
the following: 
Bachelor of Science in Aviation 
Bachelor of Science in Aircraft Maintenance 
Bachelor of Science in Avionics 
The degrees mentioned above are the initial degrees. Other degrees that 
may be needed in the future will be conferred provided that the Academic Board 
shall determine these degrees in consonance with the need of the country and 
the AFP as well. The Academy will develop these courses and the necessary 
expertise. 


SEC. 17. Prohibition Against Hazing. - Subject to the approval of the 
Secretary of National Defense, the Superintendent of the Academy shall issue 
rules and regulations preventing hazing and prescribe dismissal, suspension and 
other adequate punishment for violation thereof. 
For purposes of this Act, "hazing" means any unauthorized assumption of 
authority by a cadet whereby another cadet suffers or is exposed to any form of 
injury, Indignity, humiliation, hardship or oppression or the deprivation or 
abridgement of rights. 
If an aviation cadet is charged with violating any rules or regulation issued 
pursuant to this Section, the penalty of which is dismissal from the Academy, a 
request in writing for a trial by a general court martial may be submitted. 
An Aviation Cadet dismissed from the Academy for hazing shall not be 
reappointed as an Aviation Cadet and shall be ineligible for appointment as a 
commissioned officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines until after two (2) 
years from the graduation of his class. 
SEC. 18. Transfer of Assets and Liabilities. - The Philippine Air Force 
Flying School, the PAF Officer Candidate School, and the PAF Technical School 
including the members of faculty and personnel, records, equipment, assets and 
liabilities are hereby transferred to and integrated with the Philippine Air Force 
Academy. Similar assets necessary for training pilots now existing elsewhere in 
the AFP shall be transferred to the Academy. 
SEC. 19. 
Implementing Rules and Regulation. - Th e Secretary of 
National Defense shall prescribe the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) 
necessary for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 20. Budget. - The initial appropriations necessary for the 
establishment of the Academy shall be charged to the appropriation of the 
department of National Defense. There after, the amount necessary for the 
improvement, operation and maintenance of the Academy shall be included in 
the General Annual Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 21. 
Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held 
invalid, all the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid. 


SEC. 22. Effectivity. - This act shall take effect fifteen after (15) days 
following the completion of its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers 
of general circulation. 
Approved,