Three PMA graduates from Cebu visit Centcom chief
THREE of the four Cebuanos who recently graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), including class salutatorian Jose Mari Cabrera, paid a courtesy call on Central Command (Centcom) head Lt. General Ralph Villanueva yesterday.
Cabrera, 22, of Tambis Street, barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City, said he will be joining the Philippine Air Force to fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot.
He was overwhelmed by the welcome he received from family, friends and neighbors when he came home to Cebu after his graduation.
He admitted it was not easy to be in the academy and he sometimes asked himself why he entered the military when he was doing well as an accountancy student at the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R).
He said his batch wants to prove wrong the reports of corruption in the military service.
The only woman among the Cebuano graduates, Teresita Ingente, told Cebu Daily News that she did not allow her gender to hinder her success.
Ingente, 23, of Basak-San Nicolas, was among the 19 female cadets who graduated from the PMA last month.
“Being a woman is not a hindrance to become a military officer,” she said.
She said it was not her dream to enter the military service.
In high school, she even joined the badminton team to avoid the Citizen Army Training (CAT).
Ingente is the daughter of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief of the administration branch Senior Insp. Lourdes Ingente.
It was Lourdes who encouraged her daughter to joined the PMA.
The younger Ingente chose to be in the Philippine Army as her branch of service.
The third cadet, Melwin Golez, 22, of Velpal Village in barangay Pakigne, Minglanilla town said it was his childhood dream to enter the PMA.
He came from a family of soldiers.
His father, retired T/Sgt. Edwin Golez, was the bodyguard of Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal for 12 years.
His grandfather was also a soldier.
Golez said he wants to be assigned in Palawan and in the controversial Spratlys Island.
General Villanueva, during the PMA graduates’ visit, wished them luck in their career.
The three will be reporting to their new military assignments on April 17. /with a report Correspondent Chito Aragon
