First female PMA alumna rises to Army brigadier general
By Saghir Hussain ·
Army Brig. Gen. Leah Lorenzo has become the first female graduate of the Philippine Military Academy to reach general officer rank, a milestone the institution confirmed on Tuesday in Baguio City.
A first for the academy, a marker for the region
Lorenzo, a member of PMA “Maringal” Class of 1997 — the first to admit women — graduated summa cum laude, the only woman in the academy’s history to do so. Her promotion to brigadier general was announced by the Philippine Army’s public affairs office, which described it as “a testament to the growing inclusivity of the profession of arms.”
“This is not just about one officer,” said Col. Louie Dema-ala, spokesperson for the 5th Infantry Division, where Lorenzo most recently served as assistant division commander. “It signals to every young Filipino, male or female, that the path is open. The institution has changed.”
The Philippines has allowed women into its service academies since 1993, earlier than several neighbours. Indonesia’s military academy admitted its first female cadets in 2013; Thailand’s Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy followed in 2018. Lorenzo’s promotion places Manila ahead of both in senior representation.
Structural barriers persist
Yet advocates caution against overstatement. The Philippine Commission on Women notes that women still comprise less than 7% of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ officer corps. No woman has yet commanded a unified command or served as chief of staff.
“One promotion does not rewrite decades of culture,” said Prof. Clarita Carlos, former national security adviser and a long-time observer of defence reform. “The test is whether the system that produced General Lorenzo produces twenty more like her. That requires changes to retention, maternity policy, and command assignment criteria — not just celebration.”
The Department of National Defence has drafted a gender mainstreaming framework, but implementation remains uneven across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. A 2024 audit by the Commission on Audit flagged inadequate facilities for female personnel in forward operating bases — a practical obstacle no policy paper removes.
A regional signal, not a global outlier
Globally, the pace varies. The United States appointed its first female four-star general in 2008; the United Kingdom its first female three-star in 2023. In Southeast Asia, Singapore’s Brigadier General Gan Siow Huang became the first female general in the Singapore Armed Forces in 2015, later entering politics. Lorenzo’s rise follows a similar trajectory — operational credibility first, institutional recognition after.
For the Philippines, the timing matters. The military is mid-shift toward external defence under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept, with heightened focus on the West Philippine Sea. Personnel policy is no longer peripheral; it is operational. A force that cannot retain half its talent pool cannot sustain the tempo Manila now demands.
Lorenzo has not spoken publicly since the announcement. Her next assignment has not been disclosed.
The academy’s superintendent, Lt. Gen. Rowen Tolentino, called the promotion “a proud moment for the Long Gray Line.” The line, however, remains thin. The question is whether the institution treats this as a finish line — or a starting gun.