A 25-year-old son of a retired soldier and a retired teacher topped this year’s Philippine Military Academy class of Masaligan or Mandirigmang Samahan na Lakas at Sandigan ng Bayan.
Cadet 1st Class Janrey Cabanero Artus, of San Enrique, Negros Oriental is set to join the Philippine Navy.
Artus and 163 of his PMAs mistahs or classmates are set to graduate from the military school on May 10 during rites at the PMA grounds in Baguio City. They will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army and Air Force and ensign in the Navy.
Artus was a chemical engineering student at the University of the Philippines Visayas before he decided to enter the academy four years ago. He will receive 15 awards, including the presidential saber for being the class valedictorian and the Philippine Navy saber for joining the Navy.
The salutatorian is Cadet 1st Class Daryl Brix Ramos Colita, 22, of Malalag, Davao del Sur. He will get the Vice Presidential Saber.
Colita, whose parents are fish vendors, was a mining engineering student at the University of Southeastern Philippines before joining the PMA. He will join the Philippine Army.
Graduating No. 3 is Cadet 1st Class Valerie Mae Vicente Dicang, 22 of La Trinidad, Benguet, who will join the Army. She was radiological technology student at the St. Louis University before joining the PMA.
Dicang’s father is a businessman while her mother is a government employee. She will receive the Secretary of National Defense Saber.
Completing the Top 10 are Cadet 1st Class Jan Hernan Rebadulla Perez, 21, of Muntilupa City (No. 4), who is joining the Air Force; Cadet 1st Class Christine Joyce Glodiviza Andog, 22, of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija (No. 5), who is going to the Army; Cadet 1st Class Feljoy Bagabaldo Ending, 24, of Oroqueta City, Misamis Occidental (No. 66), who is joining the Army;
Cadet 1st Class Harold Mars Alicpala Sastado, 22, of Batangas City, Batangas (No. 7), who is going to the Army; Cadet 1st Class Pamela Avila Calleja, 23, of Malinao, Albay (No. 8), who is joining the Army; Cadet 1st Class Michael Angelo Ariola Madriaga, 23 of Tabuk City, Kalinga (No. 9), who is going to the Navy; and Cadet 1st Class Shirly Fatima Eguia Lim, 24, of Tacloban City, Leyte (No. 10) who is joining the Army.
Receiving special awards are Cadets 1st Class Jaevin Latugan (Athletic Saber awardee, male category), Lady Deane Sarmiento (Athletic Saber awardee, female category), Kevin Babaran (Aguinaldo Saber awardee), Joel Bacani (Sports and Physical Development Plaque awardee), Mae Pearl Agustin (Military Justice awardee), and Annie Chen (Journalism awardee).
The PMA said this year’s 164-strong PMA class is composed of 138 males and 38 females. Of the 164 cadets, 82 are joining the Army, 46 are going to the Navy and 36 will join the Air Force.
PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Cartujano led the presentation of the PMA’s Top 10 cadets yesterday.
Cartujano asked the cadets to “be good in everything, excel, be dependable, be service oriented, God-fearing.” He also asked them to be focused and motivate themselves and others.
Cartujano said the cadets should also have the “moral compass,” exercise due diligence at all times, be competent and be committed to the profession.
“Lastly, always be guided and live up to the academy’s motto of courage, integrity and loyalty,” Cartujano said.
