SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SMPH) and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) have signed a memorandum of agreement for the construction of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall in Fort Del Pilar, expanding the academy’s core training and communal facilities.
The development will feature a two-story building with a multipurpose hall capable of accommodating 2,500 individuals. It can be used for training exercises, official gatherings, and indoor sports.
The project will also include office spaces and a 1.6-kilometer running track to support cadet activities.
Designed by JSLA Architects, the project emphasizes typhoon resilience, given Baguio’s climate conditions and PMA’s requirement for durable, long-life infrastructure.
Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia, Superintendent of the PMA, said the partnership aligns with PMA’s role in producing officers grounded in character and service.
“PMA produces leaders anchored in honor, integrity, and selfless service—leaders of character,” Valencia said. “This is the PMA’s contribution to the nation, and this is what the generosity of SM Prime strengthens.”
Valencia said the 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.”
He said the project aligns with the academy’s transformation agenda, focused on holistic leadership formation.
“This infrastructure inspires excellence and helps advance our vision for the transformation of the academy,” he said.
Valencia also highlighted the role of shared spaces in cadet development. “The mess hall is where discipline becomes a habit, where unity is forged, and shared sacrifice is lived fully,” he said. “The athletic oval is where resilience is built, limits are tested, and the warrior ethos is defined—qualities essential for leadership under pressure.”
Citing SM Group’s initiatives in education, Valencia said the company has consistently delivered world-class, technologically advanced facilities designed to endure generations.
“Today, we are both humbled and proud that PMA will receive the same standard of excellence,” he said. “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.”
Started in 1927, the Philippines Graphic is the longest-running printed magazine of national circulation that provides relevant news and features and promotes Philippine literature.
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