How to Join the Philippine Air Force - Qualifying Exam and Requirements

PAF - Officer Candidate & Candidate Soldier

Join the Philippine Air Force this 2017, it's a great and amazing career. It's a job where you can literally reach the skies... If you wish to join the PAF, you can either apply to be an officer candidate or a candidate soldier. The requirements for the qualifying exam and recruitment, as of 2017, for either position is posted on this page. Just read on!

The Philippine Air Force (Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and one of the three uniformed services of the Philippines. Initially a part of the Philippine Army (PA), the PAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on July 1, 1947 under Executive Order No. 94. The PAF has the size of 17,000 active personnel which operates its bases and all the aircraft in its inventory.

The Qualifying Exam

Just a week and a day had passed after my graduation when I took the Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate (PAFOC). It was held on the 10th of April. I barely managed to take the exam at that time. Because on the day of the exam, the required copies of my official transcript of records (OTR), which I likewise barely managed to have a copy, were not certified true copies.

On the very day of the exam, I woke up very early in the morning and went to the University Registrar to have my copies authenticated and it was about nine o'clock in the morning when I successfully completed the exact required documents. The exam venue was just hundreds of meters away, so I immediately hurried to that location. Dang! I was an hour late, though the exam had not yet began but the orientation has just finished. I was asked by one of the proctors why I was late. I answered her (she's a lady officer) truthfully. Then she asked for my age, and answered that I just turned 20. Then she said to me that I can still take the exam for the following year and that I am still very young and have lots of chances to take the exam. She then told me to just prepare and ready everything for next year's exam.

So there I go feeling depressed. I went to a canteen nearby and spent about an hour in solitude, feeling depressed. However out of the blue, I decided to peek at the testing center. So I went. Then happened next, "Hey, where have you been? We've been looking for you. We thought you already went home. Come, hurry and get ready to take the exam.", said one of the proctors, I was surprised but excited at the same time. I was eventually allowed to take the exam together with a bunch of fellow late examinees. They've just decided to have a second batch for PAFOC qualifying exam since there is quite a number of examinees who came late.

The examination is comprised of two parts. The second part is divided further into three parts. There are two separate answer sheets and four separate test booklets for the exam. Both the first and second parts must be finished within the allotted time limit, however, the first part has a shorter time allotment considering the number of items to be answered. The exam is focused on General Information/Education (Math, Science, Verbal, Logic).

Luckily, when the exam result came out, I was among the 150 officer candidate (PAFOC) applicants, from the entire country, who passed the qualifying exam.

How to join the Philippine Air force?

Just like any other field, in order to join, there are procedures which must be followed. For the Philippine Air Force, same as the other uniformed services of the Philippines, (the army and the navy,) first you'll have to pass the written qualifying exam. Then you'll still have to pass other exams, such as, physical fitness test, medical examination, and in other cases, another special written examination. 

If you have fully decided to join. Then first, you need to apply, and prior to application, you must meet all the qualifications and requirements. Read the qualifications and requirements below!

Philippine Air Force Enlistment Qualifications:

Qualifications for Candidate Soldier (CS) :

• Male or female, natural born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines 
• Single, never been married and no legal obligation to support a child or children 
• Height of at least 152.4 cm (5’ 0” ft) for both male and female 
• Not less than 18 y/o and not a day older than 23 y/o upon admission for training (born from 17 March 1993 to 18 March 1999)
• Earned at least 72 college units 
• With good moral character 
• Physically and mentally fit for military training

Qualifications for Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate (PAFOC) :

• Male or female, natural born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines 
• Must have a Baccalaureate Degree from any government-recognized institution
• Must have a height of at least 152.4 cm (5’ 0”) for both male and female
• Not less than 21 y/o or not a day older than 29 y/o upon admission for training (born from 01 August 1987 to 01 August 1995)
• Single, never been married nor have any legal obligation to support a child or children 
• Physically and mentally fit for military training 
• With good moral character

Physical defects such as the following would demerit or disqualify the application:

• Tattoo
• Obesity
• Pierced ear/s for males and extra piercing for females
• Crossed eyedness
• Bow leggedness
• Excess/lacking finger

Philippine Air Force Requirements for Exam, Recruitment 2017

• Application Form
• NSO authenticated birth certificate
• TOR (Transcript of Records) or Diploma
• Two 2×2 recent colored photos

Fill out the application form properly and correctly. You may submit photocopies of your NSO birth certificate and TOR but it is suggested that you also bring the original copies to prove the authenticity of the photocopies.

Once you've passed the written examination, you will be asked to submit additional documents and requirements for reference like NBI clearance, marriage contract of parents, etc. You’ll also need to pass a Physical Fitness Test which includes push ups, sit ups, and 3.2 km run.

• CS applicants who will pass the written examinations and who will be included in the qualified applicants to be processed will be notified to report at their Processing Centers for their Physical Fitness Test (PFT). 
• PAFOC applicants who will pass the written examinations will be notified to report at PAFPMC for the Special Written Exam (SWE).

Philippine Air Force Exam 2017 Schedule

Philippine Air Force Processing Centers / PAF Units

Where to submit your application form and necessary credentials?

• You can submit your application form together with the other requirements at any Air Base near you or directly at the Villamor Air Base. Just ask assistance from any guard-on-duty at the gate of the Air Base.

You may inquire at the following PAF Units, whichever is nearest to you:

• Col Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City – (02) 852-7585
• Fernando Air Base, Lipa City – 09227657855
• Edwin Andrews Air Base, Zamboanga City – (062) 991-2290
• BG Benito Ebuen Air Base, Lapu-lapu City – (032) 340-4139
• Clark Air Base, Pampanga – 09286858761
• Antonio Bautista Air Base, Puerto Princesa City – (048) 433-3991 Local 4141

(Phone numbers may change without prior notice)

NOTE: PAFPMC is the only Processing Center for PAFOC applicants

PAFOC and CL Application Form