MANILA, Philippines — A total of 252 cadets graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in a ceremony on Friday that – for the first time – was closed to the public, even to parents of the cadets, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Maj. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo, PNPA director, said that the Mandayug Class of 2020 is composed of 205 cadets who will join the Philippine National Police (PNP), 25 for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and 22 for the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Mandayug stands for “Mga Alagad ng Batas na may Diwa at Simbolo na Yumayakap at Umaagapay sa Ginintuang Lahi.”
Of the graduates, 178 are males while 74 are females.
Lei Anne Palermo from Zamboanga City was the top 1 graduating cadet of the class. She will join the BFP.
The graduation ceremony for PNPA graduates at Camp Castañeda in Silang, Cavite was held simultaneously with that of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
Joining President Rodrigo Duterte to the Livestream address for the graduations were Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, as well as PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa, BJMP chief Jail Director Alan Iral, and BFP chief Director Jose Embang Jr.
Only the PNPA officers and staff joined the cadets in the actual ceremony in the police camp.
Social distancing is also observed in the ceremony.
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