In the Philippines, Cadet is a rank held by candidate officer during the training to become commissioned officers in their preferred branch of military service.
Abbreviation
OCS – Officer Candidate School
AFPOCS – Armed Forces of the Philippines Officer Candidate School
PAOCS – Philippine Army Officer Candidate School
PNOCS – Philippine Navy Officer Candidate School
PAFOCS – Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate School
PMCOCS – Philippine Marine Corps Officer Candidate School
PCGOBETC – Philippine Coast Guard Officers Basic Education and Training Center
RESCOM – Reserve Command, Philippine Army
NRC – Naval Reserve Command
AIR RESCOM – Air Force Reserve Command
PMA – Philippine Military Academy
PMMA – Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
PNPA – Philippine National Police Academy
MAAP – Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific
ACP – Aerospace Cadets of the Philippines
PAOCC/OCC – Philippine Army Officer Candidate Course
NOCC – Naval Officer Candidate Course
PAFOCC – Philippine Air Force Officer Candidate Course
NOCC (M) – Philippine Marine Corps Naval Officer Candidate Course
CGOC – Coast Guard Officers; Course
PAOPC/OPC – Philippine Army Officer Preparatory Course
POTC – Probationary Officer Training Course
PAFCAT – Philippine Air Force Citizenship Advancement Training
ROTC – Reserve Officers; Training Corps
P2LT – Probationary 2nd Lieutenant
PENS – Probationary Ensign
CDT 1CL – Cadet 1st Class
CDT 2CL – Cadet 2nd Class
CDT 3CL – Cadet 3rd Class
CDT 4CL – Cadet 4th Class
Cadet vs. Officer Candidate
The words cadet and officer candidate are synonymous in referring the rank below second lieutenant. In the Philippines, officer candidates are referred to RESCOM, AFPOCS and PCGOBETC students who had baccalaureate degree, foreign service academies and reserve officer pools undergoing 4 months to 1 year of rigorous military training. On the other hand, cadets are referred to students of military schools undergoing 4 years of military training while completing their college degree.