In the Philippines, Cadet is a rank held by candidate officer during the training to become commissioned officers in their preferred branch of military service.
Philippine Military School for Cadetship Course Cadet Rank (OF-D, NATO Code) Philippine Army Officer Candidate School (PAOCS) PAOCC (Army Officer Candidate Course); AOPC (Army Officer Preparatory Course)P2LT (probationary Second Lieutenant) 2LT(Res) (Reserve Second Lieutenant)Philippine Navy Officer Candidate School (PNOCS)NOCC (Naval Officer Candidate Course)PENS (probationary Ensign)Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate School (PAFOCS)PAFOCC (Air Force Officer Candidate Course)P2LT (probationary Second Lieutenant)Philippine Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (PMCOCS)NOCC (M) (Marine Officer Basic Course)P2LT (M) (probationary Second Lieutenant (Marine))Philippine Coast Guard Officers' Basic Education and Training Center (PCGOBETC)CGOC (Coast Guard Officers’ Course)PENS (probationary Ensign)Reserve Command, Philippine Army (RESCOM, PA)POTC (Probationary Officer Training Course) Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps)P2LT (probationary Second Lieutenant) C/2LT to C/COL (Cadet Second Lieutenant, to Cadet Colonel) Reserve Command, Philippine Navy (RESCOM, PN)POTC (Probationary Officer Training Course) NROTC (Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps)PENS (probationary Ensign) M/ENS to M/CAPT (Midship[wo]man Ensign, to Midship[wo]man Captain) Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)POTC (Probationary Officer Training Course) PAF ROTC (Philippine Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps)P2LT (probationary Second Lieutenant) C/2LT to C/COL (Cadet Second Lieutenant, to Cadet Colonel)Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) Aerospace Cadets of the Philippines (ACP)
Differentiation between Cadet and Officer Candidate The words cadet and officer candidate are synonymous in referring the rank below second lieutenant. In the Philippines, officer candidates are referred to RESCOM, AFPOCS and PCGOBETC students who had baccalaureate degree, foreign service academies and reserve officer pools undergoing rigorous military training from four months, up to a full year. On the other hand, cadets are referred to students at military schools undergoing four years of military training while completing their college degree.
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