The Evolution of the Philippine Army Seal

The Army of the First Philippine Republic has an official seal that is very similar to
the present one. During the Commonwealth period, the Philippine Army adapted a seal
patterned after the United States Army. This seal was used long even after the
Philippine Army was reorganized after the war. When Headquarters Philippine Army
was organized in 1957 it issued HPA Circular No.1 dated 25 September prescribing
thereat the shoulder insigne. The design of the insigne was in the form of a maroon
shield with bold white outer lining; superimposed on the shield was a white triangle
with a maroon letter "A"(which stands for ARMY). The shield signifies defense which is
the primary mission of the Army. White color of the triangle(representing geographical
subdivisions of the country) signifies honor of the country and integrity which every
soldier should uphold and keep untarnished. The maroon color was the distinction of
the army during that time. The triangle engulfing the letter "A", signifies the honor of
the country and integrity that which pervades and guides all activities.

On July 25 1959, Royal Blue was adopted as the organizational color of the
Philippine Army discarding the maroon in keeping with the distinctive color of the PA
which is blue. With it are changes in color in pendants, chevrons,general officer's flag
piping and patches, pursuant to HPA Circular No. 2, dated 23 November 1959, the
Royal Blue Insigne was replaced by the "Shield" insigne. This Philippine Shoulder
Sleeve Insigne (Republic Seal), should be worn on the right shoulder when detailed in
foreign countries but should be removed upon arrival in the Philippines.
 On 5 January 1970, the "Shield" Insigne was again replaced by the Royal Blue
Insigne.

The present army Insigne contains the historical events descriptive of the Filipino
forces' libertarian struggles from the Katipunan Army to the present-day
PhilippineArmy. It is symbolic of the glory and aspirations that remain a glow in the
Filipino soldier's heart to preserve liberty, freedom and democracy in his country.
Present Army patch is basically that of a modified pentagonal shield which signifies
defense- the Army's primary and ultimate mission. As an instrument of defense, it
seeks to contain not only the external aggressors but also strives to destroy internal
threats and subversion. It also depicts the determination of the Filipino people in
seeking his identity as a nation. In within the shield is a red equilateral triangle with
three stars at its vertices, representing the three major island-groupings: Luzon,
Visayas and Mindanao. At the center of the triangle is an eight-rayed sun which
represents the first eight provinces that revolted against Spain. This triangular emblem,
with a white border signifying the Army's foremost preoccupation with peace, its the
historic coat-of-arm of the Philippine Revolutionary Army of 1897. At the center of the
sun is an ancient Filipino script representing the letter "K" which stands for the
Katipunan Army raised by Andres Bonifacio in the initial struggles for Philippine
Independence. It rests on a field of green symbolic of the verdant land over which it
exerts its influence. The shield and the coat-of-arms in turn, lie on a white field
symbolic of the purity and loftiness of the Filipino ideals.