Modern training facilities rise at PMA to strengthen future military leaders

Baguio City, Philippines – Thousands of future military leaders are set to benefit from a partnership between SM Prime Holdings Inc. and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), aimed at boosting leadership development and physical training at Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City.

The partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on January 16, 2026. Under the agreement, SM Prime will support the construction of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall inside the academy.

The project will feature a two-story building with a multipurpose hall that can accommodate up to 2,500 individuals. It will be used for training exercises, official gatherings, and indoor sports. It will also include a 1.6-kilometer running track for cadet activities.

Designed by JSLA Architects, the project will emphasize typhoon resilience, considering Baguio’s climate conditions and the PMA’s requirement for durable, long-lasting infrastructure.

According to Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia, Superintendent of the PMA, as reported by national news outlets, the new facilities will play a significant role in exemplifying discipline, resilience, and leadership under pressure.

“The new mess hall and athletic oval are not merely physical structures; they are integral to the formation of leaders. They shape discipline, resilience, teamwork, and character—qualities that can never be taught in classrooms alone,” Valencia said.

He also cited the SM Group’s initiatives in education, emphasizing the company’s consistent delivery of world-class, technologically advanced facilities designed to endure for generations.

“Today, we are both humbled and proud that PMA will receive the same standard of excellence. These facilities will serve not only today’s cadets but generations of future officers. The PMA is now even more inspired to be always better than yesterday,” Valencia added.