COVID CADETS. The 278 cadets who comprise the Philippine Military Academy "Bagong Sinag" are the new officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. They entered the PMA at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and graduated at Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City on Saturday (May 18, 2024) with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as guest. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
BAGUIO CITY – The “Bagong Sinag” Class of 2024 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) entered the institution at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
On Saturday, out of the initial 350 original cadets from the 1,629 who passed the entrance examinations, a total of 278 earned their Bachelor of Science in National Security Management degrees.
Among the 278 are 224 males and 54 females.
The class valedictorian, 24-year-old 1CL Jeneth Elumba of Surigao del Norte, is one of seven females in the top 10.
Maj. Maria Charito Dulay, chief of the PMA Civil Military Operations, said they placed the fourth-class cadets in a “barrio” (village), separate from the upper-class cadets.
The so-called barrio is near the athletics complex where cadet barracks are also located. It was converted into a “bubble” area when plebes entered the academy for safety measures.
Dulay said they also wanted the rookies to get accustomed faster to the next four years of their lives in the academy.
“Ginawa natin 'to help the fourth-class cadets to focus on their training, ma-accustom sila sa rigors ng life sa PMA (We did it to help the fourth-class cadets focus on their training and to accustom them to the rigors of life in PMA), without interference from the upperclassmen,” she said in an interview.
She said that as civilians entering the academy, they should be provided full opportunity to adjust and spend the whole year on their own.
They merged with the upper-class cadets the following year.
“Once recognized, meaning they have imbibed the traditions, the values, the character of being a cadet, saka sila inincorporate sa (that is when they were incorporated into the) central barracks,” she said.
The then-incoming cadets underwent reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction test. If negative for the coronavirus, they observed the required number of days for quarantine.
A final medical clearance was required before they were taken in by the PMA.
That year’s graduating batch, the 196-strong Masidlawin Class of 2020, had its commencement exercises without parents and guests due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Continuing improvements
Dulay said PMA facilities are also being improved, like classrooms that are modernized to fit the needs of the cadets.
Lt. Gen. Rowen Tolentino, PMA superintendent, said they will review the curriculum as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
He said starting in 2025, the graduates will earn the degree Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies.
There are also several changes with specializations to allow the cadets to receive specific training on skills and knowledge related to the Navy, Army or Air Force.
“Unlike before, they get the cadets to choose their field of service weeks before they graduate. Now, they have to decide when they enter the third year as specific training is provided starting that year level,” Tolentino explained.
In his speech, President Marcos said attempts to divert the Filipinos’ attention and dissipate their vigilance should not draw the new military officers away from the threats the nation is facing.
The tasks include keeping the Filipino people safe in their homes, Philippine territories secured, defenses against threats strong, and the democracy vibrant and stable.
To carry out those goals, the President said the cadets should be ready, prompting him to order the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to review the curriculum of the PMA.
“These are intruders who have been disrespecting our territorial integrity. We will vigorously defend what is ours. But our conduct must always be guided by law and [by] our responsibility as a rules-abiding member of the community of nations,” President Marcos said. (PNA)
