The Philippine Army (PA) or Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas is the principal and oldest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) located at Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City Metro Manila. With 11 divisions and special units scattered in the islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the PA is responsible for defending the country through land combat and operations. For 122 years, the Philippine Army served as the protector of the Filipinos and a key player of nation building. Today, the Philippine Army continues to innovate its forces and victor against all battles and threats to serve the people and secure the land. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is mandated to protect the people and the state, and secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory. Given its mandate, the AFP is tasked to secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory, protect the country from foreign aggression and internal subversion, advance the national aims and interest, and perform such duties as the President may direct. ARMY VISION By 2028, a world-class Army that is a source of national pride ARMY CORE PURPOSE Serving the People. Securing the Land. History The beginnings of the Filipino land forces dates back before the Spanish and American colonial period. In that time, clans and barangays from different regions form their own armed groups primarily composed of hunters and land fighters. They served as defenders of the tribes or as warriors sent on strike missions against other barangays. On occasions, some clan forces would form alliances to attack more powerful opponents. Conventional weaponry during the pre‐colonial era includes Kris and Kampilan, Blowguns, and Lantaka. War-fare instruments of the Filipino forces continued to develop over time. The Philippine army was formally organized in 1936 after the United States accorded the Philippines commonwealth status in 1935, but it traced its origins to the rebel forces established in 1896 to fight for national independence. The army was intended to be a small standing army modelled on the United States Army, but army strength varied widely over the years, depending on the internal threat. After dramatic growth during the 1970s, total army strength remained relatively stable during the 1980s. With some 68,000 troops in 1990, the army was by far the largest of the services. The commanding general, a major general, directly controlled the service's administrative, logistics, and training functions from headquarters at Fort Bonifacio in Manila, but area unified commands exercised operational control over nearly all combat units. Army units were actively involved in the fight against the communist insurgency and, to a lesser extent, monitored the mostly dormant Muslim rebellion.