PMA partners with SM Prime for new cadet facility

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to build a new training and communal facility at Fort Del Pilar, expanding infrastructure for cadet development, officials said.

The project includes the construction of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall, a two-story building featuring a multipurpose hall that can accommodate up to 2,500 people.

The facility will be used for training exercises, official events and indoor sports.

The development will also include office spaces and a 1.6-kilometer running track to support cadet training and physical activities.

Designed by JSLA Architects, the project prioritizes typhoon resilience in response to Baguio City’s climate and the academy’s requirement for long-life, durable infrastructure.

PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia said the partnership supports the academy’s mandate to produce 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 new facilities would help instill discipline, resilience and teamwork among cadets, describing them as essential to leadership development beyond classroom instruction.

“The new mess hall and athletic oval are not merely physical structures; they are integral to the formation of leaders,” he said. “They shape discipline, resilience, teamwork, and character—qualities that can never be taught in classrooms alone.”

He said the project aligns with PMA’s transformation agenda focused on holistic leadership formation.

Valencia also emphasized the importance of shared spaces in cadet life, saying the mess hall fosters unity and discipline while the athletic oval builds resilience and a “warrior ethos” needed for leadership under pressure.

He cited SM Group’s track record in developing education-related infrastructure, saying the company delivers technologically advanced facilities designed to last generations.

“These facilities will serve not only today’s cadets but generations of future officers,” Valencia said. “The PMA is now even more inspired to be always better than yesterday.”