Philippine Air Force Day Date in the current year: July 1, 2024

The Philippine Air Force (PAF; Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas) is one of the three main service branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, alongside the Philippine Army and the Philippine Navy. It is responsible for aerial warfare.

The history of the PAF can be traced back to the Philippine National Guard, a militia created by the Philippine Assembly to serve in World War I. In addition to infantry regiments, the PNG was to include cavalry, coastal artillery, and air units. It did not see action and was eventually absorbed by the United States Army (since the Philippines was under American rule at the time).

In 1918, PNG recruits who qualified for pilot training were sent to Fort Mills (Corregidor) for ground training under Major Josephus Stevenot. However, the US Department of War disbanded the aviation unit claiming that there were not enough planes for training Filipino pilots.

Fortunately, Major Stevenot didn’t give up. He teamed up with his flying instructor Alfred John Croft and established a branch of the Curtiss Flying School in Camp Claudio, Parañaque. The Philippine Militia Commission acquired several aircraft from the US Army, and 33 Filipino students (23 from the PNG and 10 from the Philippine Constabulary) began their training under Stevenot and Croft.

Several graduates of the school went on to work for the newly founded Philippine Air Service (PAS). However, it was short-lived due to a lack of funding. In May 1921, the PAS was disbanded, and its aircraft, equipment, and hangars were turned over to the US Air Service.

The revival of aviation in the Philippines began in 1934, when the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps was created to assist the Philippine Constabulary in its duties. Following the creation of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, it was renamed the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC). It started with just three aircraft, but had a total of 54 aircraft, including light bombers, in 1941; in addition, there were US Air Force aircraft stationed in the Philippines. The PAAC engaged with the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces during World War II.

For three years during the war, the Philippines was occupied by Japan. After the surrender of Japan and the end of the occupation, the Philippine Armed Forces were reorganized, and the PAAC became a separate branch of the armed forces as the Philippine Air Force (PAF). The corresponding executive order was issued on July 1, 1947.

Today, the PAF has over 200 aircraft and more than 17,600 active personnel. It consists of three tactical commands and seven air wings, three support commands (responsible for logistics, training, doctrine and reserve management), several special units, and a number of aerobatic teams.

Philippine Air Force Day was created to commemorate the official formation of the PAF in 1947. It is a working holiday, which means employees are required to work unless it’s their day off and that they are not entitled to additional compensation for working on this day.