The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) conducted its first formal institutional engagement in Europe from October 2 to 7, 2026, with official visits to defense and military education institutions in Madrid and Marín, Spain, according to the Academy.
The delegation was headed by Captain John Ronald A. Mangahas PN(GSC), Chief of Staff of the PMA, and included meetings with senior Spanish defense officials, a courtesy call at the Philippine Embassy, and a study visit to the Spanish Naval Academy.
Madrid Meeting with Spain's Military Education Directorate
In Madrid, the PMA delegation visited the Spanish Ministry of Defence's Directorate-General for Recruitment and Military Education (DIGEREM), where they were received by Major General Javier Antonio Miragaya Prieto, Deputy Director-General for Military Education.
Discussions covered academic and military training, officer development, quality assurance, institutional transformation, and potential areas of bilateral cooperation, the Academy said. The visit aimed at strengthening institutional ties and advancing the PMA's pursuit of global standards in military education.
Courtesy Call at the Philippine Embassy
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Philippe Jones Lhuillier, Philippine Ambassador to Spain, at the Philippine Embassy in Madrid. Colonel Joseph Jeremias Cirilio C. Dator PA(GSC), Defense and Armed Forces Attaché, facilitated coordination for all official engagements during the visit.
Study Visit to the Spanish Naval Academy in Marín
In Marín, Pontevedra, the delegation conducted a study visit to the Escuela Naval Militar (ENM), the Spanish Naval Academy, where they were received by Captain Tomás Clavijo Rey-Stolle, Commander-Director.
The exchange at ENM covered cadet development, leadership formation, professional military training, and quality assurance. Both institutions also discussed opportunities for future cadet, faculty, and academic exchanges, according to the PMA.
Spanish Academies to Send Cadets to PMA's International Conference
As an initial outcome of the engagement, the ENM will send two midshipmen to the Philippines, while the Academia General del Aire y del Espacio (AGA) — Spain's Air and Space Force Academy — will send two cadets. Both groups will participate in the International Cadet Conference that PMA will host in November 2026.
The PMA said the visit opens opportunities to learn from established European military education institutions, strengthen academic and professional exchanges, and adopt relevant practices that can improve the education and training of future Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers.
PMA's Vision for International Engagement
The Academy described the Spain visit as part of a broader effort to develop globally competitive officers while preserving military traditions and values. "International engagement is not simply about expanding institutional connections," the PMA said in its statement. "It is about bringing new knowledge, perspectives, and training opportunities into the Academy while preserving the military traditions and values that define its identity."
These efforts, the Academy added, support PMA's goal of developing "Leaders of Character, equipped to meet the demands of modern warfare and committed to a lifetime of service to the nation."
By the Numbers
- October 2–7, 2026 — dates of the Spain visit
- 2 cities visited — Madrid and Marín, Pontevedra
- 2 midshipmen — to be sent by ENM to the PMA International Cadet Conference in November 2026
- 2 cadets — to be sent by AGA (Spanish Air and Space Force Academy) to the same conference
- 4 Spanish cadets and midshipmen total participating in the November 2026 PMA-hosted conference
Why This Matters
The Spain visit marks the PMA's first formal institutional engagement in Europe, establishing direct ties with two of Spain's premier military education institutions and the country's Ministry of Defence. The immediate outcome — four Spanish cadets and midshipmen attending the PMA's International Cadet Conference in November 2026 — signals the start of concrete academic and personnel exchanges. For the AFP, the engagement represents a step toward benchmarking Philippine military education against established European standards.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of LTC Hernandez PROF and Escuela Naval Militar