The DND-AFP Joint Accreditation Committee (JAC) presented certificates of accreditation to 27 officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

BGen Archimedes H Viaje AFP (Ret) PhD MNSA CESE, President of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), presided over the simple ceremony held on 30 June 2020.

The certificates were issued to military officers whose foreign schooling was accredited as equivalent to the Master of National Security Administration (MNSA) program.

The MNSA is a one-year graduate level program designed to explore the theory and practice of national security.

The AFP regularly sends its officers to foreign defense institutions for various degree programs.

Department of National Defense (DND) Department Circular (DC) Number 5 dated 24 April 2020 created the DND-AFP JAC and set the general policies on the MNSA accreditation.

Currently, there are 11 foreign-defense related programs and courses that are deemed equivalent to the MNSA program. The list is subject for regular review and updating by the JAC.

BGen Viaje underscored the significant role of the accreditation policies and processes in the academic enhancement of the future leaders of the AFP, as well as enhancing the relations of the College and the AFP with foreign academic institutions.

Present during the ceremony were NDCP’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean Theresita V Atienza DEM who is also the JAC Chairperson; Executive Officer at the Office of the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Training, Col Doroteo M Jalandoni PN (M); LtCol Victor R Del Fierro Jr PA (GSC); and LtCol Victor Czar T Villanueva (INF) PA.

Established in 1963, the NDCP is the government’s highest center for education, training and research on defense and national security.