The superintendent occupies the highest position in the Philippine Military Academy. Not only is he a military commander, he also serves in a position of responsibility equivalent to that of a college president since the Academy is the premier military institution of learning in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Since 1898 up to the present date, 61 military officers have been designated or appointed as superintendents of the Philippine Military Academy. During its early beginnings in 1895, the academy was then known as the Academia General Militar. Prior to being called the Constabulary School in September of 1926, it was an Officer's School for the Police Force of the Philippines. It was finally in December of 1936 when the National Defense Act provided for the formal organization of the Philippine Military Academy.
During the pre-war years, the superintendents were primarily officers from the U.S. Armed Forces. Lt Colonel Pastor Martelino is officially recognized to be the first Filipino superintendent and the 28th to serve in this capacity. His tenure of office extended from June 1, 1936 up to May 31, 1940. Major Telesforo Martinez, a member of the Philippine Constabulary Academy Class of 1914, was also mentioned as the first Filipino superintendent of the Academy, however, no official record of his tenure of office has been made available.
James F. Quinn served as superintendent on three different terms while John B. Bennet, Thomas I. Mair, John R. White, and Jose N. Evangelista each served for two separate terms. Angel G. Kanapi holds the distinction of being the only alumnus who served the Philippine Military Academy thrice in his entire military service - as a Tactical Officer from 1960 to 1962, as Commandant of Cadets from 1972 to 1974, and finally as Superintendent from 1978 to 1982. He belonged to the Class of 1953.
The following are the different officers who served as superintendents:
- Captain Manuel T. Sityar
1898 Revolutionary Army School- Captain Arthur S. Guthrie
15 Apr 1905 to 14 Nov 1905- Major Thomas I. Mair
15 Nov 1905 to 4 Mar 1907- Captain John B. Bennet
5 Mar 1907 to 30 Jun 1907- Captain Charles J. Kindler
1 Jul 1907 to 30 Aug 1907- Lt Colonel Thomas I Mair
31 Aug 1907 to 23 Dec 1907- Captain James F. Quinn
5 Jan 1908 to 11 Sep 1908- Captain John B Bennet
12 Sep to 11 Dec 1908- Captain James F. Quinn
12 Dec 1908 to 14 May 1910- Lt Colonel John R. White
15 May 1910 to 21 Aug 1910- Lt Colonel Edward N. Griffith (Acting)
15 May 1910 to 21 Aug 1910- Captain Charles K. Kilbourne
1 Oct 1910 to 1 Jan 1911- 1st Lieutenant Joseph B. Pate (Acting)
11 Mar 1911 to 2 May 1911- 2nd Lieutenant Frank M. Sowers (Acting)
3 May 1911 to 17 Aug 1911- Major James F. Quinn
18 Aug 1911 to 17 Feb 1913- Lt Colonel James C. Rhea
30 May 1913 to 14 Dec 1913- 1st Lieutenant Floyd O. Tobey
22 Dec 1913 to 29 Apr 1914- Colonel John R. White
30 May 1914 to 22 Sep 1914- Captain Jean A. Jeancon
22 Sep 1914 to 17 Nov 1914- Major George S. Holmes
18 Nov 1914 to 3 Sep 1917- Major Harry G. Upham
4 Sep 1917 to 10 Mar 1918- Captain Antonio Costosa
5 Mar 1918 to 9 Mar 1919- Major Clarence H. Bowers
10 Mar 1919 to 15 Aug 1921- Captain Jose N. Evangelista (Acting)
16 Aug 1921 to 22 Jan 1922- Colonel Ralph W. Jones
23 Jan 1922 to 25 Dec 1923- Major Jose N. Evangelista (Acting)
26 Dec 1923 to 31 Mar 1924- Major Dorr H. Malone
28 Apr 1924 to 15 Sep 1924- Major Charles E. Livingston
16 Sep 1924 to 30 Jun 1927- Lt Colonel Luther R. Stevens
1 Jul 1927 to 31 Dec 1927- Lt Colonel Robert A. Duckworth Ford
1 Jan 1928 to 28 Dec 1932- Colonel Orville M. Johnson
29 Dec 1932 to 18 May 1936- Major Telesforo C. Martinezs (Acting)
No Available Record- Captain Calixto Duque (Acting)
No Available Record- Lt Colonel Pastor Martelino
1 Jun 1936 to 31 May 1940
- Major Alejandro Garcia
1 Jun 1940 to 31 Aug 1940- Colonel Rafael Garcia
1 Sep 1940 to 26 Aug 1941- Colonel Fidel Segundo
27 Aug 1941 to 14 Dec 1941- Lt Colonel Ramon Enriquez
5 Nov 1946 to 28 Apr 1947- Lt Colonel Tirso G. Fajardo
28 Apr 1947 to 26 Mar 1951- Lt Colonel Patricio B. Borromeo
26 Mar 1951 to 31 May 1955- Colonel Marcos G. Soliman
1 Jun 1955 to 3 Jun 1958- Colonel Oscar Rialp
4 Jun 1958 to 2 Nov 1958- Captain Alberto N. Navarete (Acting)
3 Nov 1958 to 4 Nov 1958- Brig General Manuel T. Flores
10 Nov 1958 to 28 Feb 1962- Colonel Eustacio D. Orobia
1 Mar 1962 to 31 Aug 1963- Colonel Godofredo F. Mendoza
1 Sep 1963 to 1 Oct 1964- Colonel Cesar B. Jimenez
11 Oct 1964 to 1 Nov 1964- Colonel Felimon C. Reodica
4 Nov 1964 to 1 Jan 1965- Colonel Amos M. Francia
2 Jan 1965 to 14 Jun 1966- Colonel Reynaldo A. Mendoza
15 Jun 1966 to 14 Aug 1967- Colonel Ernesto F. Santos
15 Aug 1967 to 4 Apr 1968- Colonel Cesar M. Garcia
5 Apr 1968 to 31 Mar 1970- Colonel Aurelio S. Ugalde
1 Apr 1970 to 8 Jan 1971- Captain Gregorio P. Lim
9 Jan 1971 to 1 Jun 1972- Colonel Ernesto S. Gidaya
10 Jun 1972 to 1 Jun 1976- Colonel Florencio F. Magsino
2 Jun 1976 to 30 Apr 1978- Brig General Angel G. Kanapi
8 May 1978 to 28 May 1982- Colonel Jose Ma. Carlos L. Zumel
29 May 1982 to 27 Feb 1986- Colonel Maximino M. Bejar
28 Feb 1986 to 29 Feb 1986- Colonel Rodolfo G. Biazon
1 Mar 1986 to 22 Jul 1987- Commodore Rogelio A. Dayan
28 Jul 1987 to 20 Mar 1988- Brig General Andrew R. Francisco
28 Mar 1988 to 31 Jul 1989- Brig General Arturo T. Enrile
1 Aug 1989 to 4 Apr 1991- Commodore Virgilio Q. Marcelo
10 Apr 1991 to 31 Jul 1993- Major General Rodolfo S. Estrellado
1 Aug 1993 to 15 Jun 1996- Brig General Victor A. Mayo
16 Jun 1996 to 21 Jul 1998- Commodore Juan A. de Leon, Jr.
22 Jul 1998 to Present
