Army to recruit 2,300 soldiers this year

MANILA, Philippines - The Army will recruit 2,300 soldiers this year to augment the manpower of its field units.

Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao said yesterday the recruitment process is being finalized, with more than 1,300 applications validated.

“The Army recruitment is open to qualified individuals who have the potential to become part of the uniformed service,” Hao said.

The Army, the largest major service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), recruits 2,000 to 3,000 new soldiers every year. Each unit has a quota of about 50 to 100 candidate soldiers.

To be qualified, an applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen with 72 units in college. A high school graduate may also be accepted if the applicant has technical skills needed by the military.

Applicants should also be 18 to 26 years old, at least five feet or 60 inches in height, single and without child, of good moral character, and physically and mentally fit.

They should also pass the pre-qualifying physical fitness test and medical exam before entering the service.

The recruitment and training of soldiers are being conducted by the Training and Doctrine Command, Division Training Schools, Combat Support Units and Combat Service Support Units of the Army.