BAGUIO CITY-SA huling pagkakataon bilang commander in chief, pinangunahan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang Commencement Exercises ng Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Bagong Sibol sa Kinabukasan Didigma Hanggang sa Wakas’ (BAGSIK DIWA) Class of 2022 sa Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar sa lalawigan kahapon ng umaga.
Kasama si Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ay pinangunahan din ng Pangulo ang awarding ceremony sa 214 graduating cadets na binubuo ng 165 lalaki at 49 babae.
Sa kanyang commencement speech, inihayag ni Pangulong Duterte na umaasa siya na ang 214 graduates ng PMA “Bagsik Diwa” Class of 2022 ay mapapabilang sa mga susunod na lider ng bansa na pagprotekta sa karapatan ng sambayanan.
Umaasa rin ito na ang mga bagong graduate ay kabilang sa mga lalaban sa mga problema ng bansa gaya ng corruption, krimen at ilegal na droga.
“My administration was constrained to adopt extreme legal measures to fight society’s ills at the start of my term. Sad to admit, after six years, these ills hound us still though to some lesser degree of intensity. Corruption, red tape, and illegal drugs, and crime and criminalities are the wrongs that we need to correct. I guess it is in the hands of the next generation of Filipino leaders and movers where our salvation rests. You, the Bagsik Diwa Class of 2022 belong to that generation,” ani Duterte.
Ayon naman kay Lt. Chin Calima, PMA information officer, “ They shall be deployed in the three (3) branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Sa nasabing bilang, 104 cadets ang mapupunta sa Philippine Army (PA), 57 sa Philippine Navy (PN) at 53 Philippine Air Force (PAF).
Si Cadet First Class (CDT 1CL) Krystlenn Ivany Quemado, anak din ng isang sundalo mula sa Koronadal City, South Cotabato ang siyang Top 1 sa graduating class at mapupunta sa Philippine Navy na may ranggong Ensign (ENS).
At bilang class valedictorian, matatanggap nito ang Presidential Saber Award mula sa Commander-in-Chief.
Bukod kina Pangulong Duterte at Defense Secretary Lorenzana kabilang din sa dumalo sina Chief of Staff AFP, General Andres C. Centino PA; Superintendent, PMA, Lieutenant General Ferdinand M Cartujano PAF; Senator Bong Go at iba pang government officials at Major Service commanders.
Kinilala ang top ten na nagsipagtapos kabilang ang limang babaeng kadete na sina Valedictorian Cadet 1CL Krystlenn Quemado, Cum Laude; Salutatorian Cadet 1CL Kevin John Pastrana; Rank 3 Cadet 1CL Ian Joseph Bragancia; Rank 4 Cadet 1CL Faith Turiano, Cum Laude; Rank 5 Cadet 1CL Yyoni Xandria Marie M Tiu; Rank 6 Cadet 1CL Jake Anthony Mosquera, Magna Cum Laude; Rank 7 Cadet 1CL Jesie Mar Frias; Rank 8 Cadet 1CL Elvin John Oyo-A, Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte; Rank 9 Cadet 1CL Nerfa Minong; Rank 10 Cadet 1CL Crissele Jane Rico.
Gayundin ang ipinagkaloob ang Athletic Saber Awardee (Male Category) kay Cadet 1CL Vince Jon Philippe Cabagnot; Athletic Saber Awardee (Female Category) naman kay Cadet 1CL Catherine Talosig; Aguinaldo Saber Awardee And Department Of Tactical Officers Plaque kay Cadet 1CL Maryknoll Rhea Cuis; Chief Of Staff Saber Awardee kay Cadet 1CL Dirk Kirl Davalan;
Sports And Physical Development Plaque Awardee kay Cadet 1CL Nico Ali Caceres; Journalism Awardee naman si Cadet 1CL Ian Van Gammad; Superintendent’s Saber Awardee si Cadet 1CL Precious Anne Vergara; Distinguished Cadet Awardees (Starwoman) kina Cadet 1CL Elaine Marey Paasa at Cadet 1CL Janella Rose Espejo.
“Amidst the dangers posed by the COVID-19 virus and its variants, the Philippine Military Academy has taken necessary precautions to keep the cadets and the guests safe and COVID free. These precautions are the presentation of negative antigen results, vaccination cards, and the constant practice of COVD-19 safety and health protocols,” ani Calima. VERLIN RUIZ