The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) wrapped up its Bessang Pass Warrior's Challenge 2026 on October 10–11, 2026, at Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar in Baguio City, with CCAFP Echo Company claiming the top spot among regular competing units.
Ten teams took part in the grueling two-day event, according to a PMA press release issued on October 15, 2026 — the most competitive field in the challenge's recent history, with the addition of an outside institution for the first time.
Ten Teams, 13 Combat-Skill Events
The competing teams comprised the eight companies of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP), a specially assembled CCAFP Team Dagohoy, and — joining as a guest participant for the first time — a team from the Philippine Army Officer Candidate School (PAOCS).
According to the PMA, the challenge spanned 13 distinct events designed to test both individual capability and unit cohesion: Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), Communications, Weapons, Grenade Assault Course, Functional Fitness (Expert Physical Fitness Assessment), Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) defense, Obstacle Course, Pistol Marksmanship, Ruck March, Land Navigation, Night Navigation, Rifle Marksmanship, and The Crucible.
Echo Company Leads Regular Teams; Dagohoy Dominates as Guest
Among the eight regular CCAFP companies, Echo Company finished first overall, followed by Delta Company in second place and Charlie Company in third.
CCAFP Team Dagohoy — the PMA's elite squad that previously represented the Academy at the U.S. Military Academy's prestigious Sandhurst Military Skills Competition — outperformed all other teams across the events. However, because Dagohoy competed as a guest team, its results were not counted in the official rankings for regular participating units, the PMA said.
PAOCS Makes Its First Appearance
The inclusion of PAOCS marked a notable departure from previous editions of the challenge, which had been limited to PMA cadet companies. The PMA described the participation of the Officer Candidate School team as a step toward broadening inter-institutional engagement within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) training community.
The Academy said it plans to hold the challenge again in 2027 and intends to invite additional military training institutions to take part, further expanding the competition's reach and interoperability objectives.
Rooted in the Battle of Bessang Pass
The competition draws its name and inspiration from the Battle of Bessang Pass, one of the most significant engagements fought by Filipino soldiers during World War II. According to the PMA, Filipino forces overcame formidable terrain and heavy enemy resistance to secure victory at Bessang Pass in 1945.
The Academy said the challenge is designed to embody the same values demonstrated in that battle — courage, discipline, teamwork, and strategic thinking — and to translate them into a rigorous modern training context that tests cadets' endurance, adaptability, and leadership under pressure.
Beyond Competition: Building Camaraderie Among Future Officers
While the rankings drew competitive energy from all ten teams, the PMA emphasized that the event serves purposes that extend beyond the scoreboard. The challenge is structured to forge stronger ties between participating institutions, facilitate the exchange of best practices in military skills training, and cultivate camaraderie among the future officers of the AFP.
The competition tested participants not only as individuals — measuring physical strength and technical proficiency across weapons handling, navigation, and medical response — but also as unit members whose collective coordination and determination were put to the test across all 13 events.
Photos released by the PMA Cadet Media Team show cadets hauling an inflatable boat, navigating terrain at night, firing pistols at the marksmanship range, wearing protective masks during the CBRN event, and signaling with flags during the communications exercise.
By the Numbers
- 2 days — duration of the challenge (October 10–11, 2026)
- 10 teams — total participants, including one guest team
- 13 events — spanning combat skills, navigation, marksmanship, and fitness
- 8 companies — regular CCAFP units in the official rankings
- 1945 — year of the Battle of Bessang Pass, which the challenge commemorates
Why This Matters
The Bessang Pass Warrior's Challenge serves as a key benchmark for military readiness and unit cohesion among PMA cadets, directly shaping the skills of the AFP's next generation of commissioned officers. The first-time inclusion of PAOCS signals an institutional move toward joint training among different AFP officer-producing schools, a direction the PMA says it intends to expand in 2027. Rooted in a defining World War II victory by Filipino soldiers, the challenge also reinforces the historical and cultural values the Academy aims to instill in its corps.
Photo credit: PMA Cadet Media Team