"Sec. 31. The President is authorized to appoint to the Military Academy annually, subject to such physical and mental examination as he may prescribe, the number of cadets necessary to maintain in the Cadet Corps at a strength of not to exceed three hundred and fifty at any one time. Cadets shall be selected from among candidates as hereinafter provided. Candidates for admission must be single and must never have been married, in good physical condition, not less than seventeen nor more than twenty-two years of age on the first of April of the year or admission, and shall be nominated by the member of Congress, except as hereinafter provided, each of whom may nominate any number of candidates. The President shall appoint from among those who pass the physical and mental examinations with the highest ratings, the number or numbers necessary to fill the existing vacancies: Provided, That a quota of three members of the Cadet Corps, hereinafter referred to as Congressional quota shall be allotted to each Congressional District: Provided, further, That in case no candidates from a given Congressional District attain the required minimum ratings, the vacancies in the Congressional quota shall be filled by the President from successful candidates at large with the highest ratings: Provided, still further, That a quota of four members of the Cadet Corps shall be filled by the President directly, without Congressional nomination: Provided, still further That a quota of eight members of the Cadet Corps shall be filled by the President directly, without Congressional nomination, from qualified candidates with the highest ratings who are enlisted men of the Regular Force and who have completed at least one year of active military service and are in active status at the time of the admission: Provided, still further, that a quota of four members of the Cadet Corps shall be filled by the President directly, without Congressional nomination, from qualified candidates with the highest ratings who are sons of enlisted men who are serving or who have honorably served for a period of at least six months in the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Philippines, or of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, of duly recognized guerrilla units or the United States Armed Forces prior to July fourth, nineteen hundred and forty-six: Provided, still further, That physically qualified sons of military personnel who have been cited for and awarded the medal for valor may be appointed as cadets by the President directly, without Congressional nomination, and Mental examination, on the condition that the number of such cadets shall not be included in the Cadet Corps strength of three hundred and fifty as herein provided: And Provided, finally, That a quota of one foreign cadet per class may be allotted to each foreign country maintaining diplomatic relations with the Republic of the Philippines on the condition that the pay and allowances, per diems, and traveling expenses of such cadet be borne by his country. Foreign cadets shall pass a qualifying mental examination and the number thereof authorized to train at the Military Academy shall not be included in the Cadet Corps strength of three hundred and fifty as herein provided.
"The pay and allowances of students at the Military Academy shall be fixed by the President.
"Any student, except foreign cadets, who shall, after entrance to the Academy and before completion of the prescribed course of training, be found to be physically unfit for military duty by reason of injury or disease incident to the service, shall be retired with the rank of cadet and shall be entitled to the retired pay and allowances of second lieutenant of the Regular Force.
"Upon satisfactory completion of the course of instruction at the Military Academy candidates, except foreign cadets, shall be commissioned second lieutenants in the Regular Forces notwithstanding the age limits for appointment in the regular force prescribed in section four (b) of Republic Act Numbered Two hundred ninety-one, with relative rank in the order of final general standing as determined by the Academic Board, and approved by the Chief of Staff: Provided, That any cadet who is discharged from the Academy prior to the completion of the prescribed course of instruction shall not be commissioned in the Regular or Reserve Forces until after the members of his class have been graduated from the Military Academy and duly commissioned: Provided, further, That any cadet dismissed from the Academy for hazing shall not thereafter be eligible for appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Forces.
"The Academic Board of the Philippine Military Academy shall be composed of the Superintendent, the Dean of the Corps of Professors, the Commandant of Cadets, and the heads of the departments and shall have the power to confer the degree of bachelor of science under such rules and regulations as the Chief of Staff may prescribe, upon all cadets who may hereafter satisfactorily complete the approved course of studies.
"The Chief of Staff shall have authority to grant graduation leaves of absence with full pay to all graduates of the Military Academy, who receive commissions in the Regular Force, for a period not exceeding one month effective upon the date of graduation.
"Cadets may be granted leaves of absence from the Military Academy under such rules and regulations as the Chief of Staff may prescribe.1âшphi1
"Academic leaves of absence without deduction from pay and allowances may be authorized for the Superintendent, professors, assistant professors, instructors and other officers of the Military Academy for the entire period of the suspension of the ordinary academic studies under such rules and regulations as the Chief of Staff may prescribe: Provided, That officers of the Reserve Force assigned for duty at the Military Academy shall be entitled to the same leave privileges as are unauthorized the officers of the Regular Force."
Approved: June 12, 1954.
