8 female cadets among PMA’s top 10 graduates

FORT DEL PILAR, BAGUIO CITY—Cadet First Class Rovi Mairel Valino Martinez, 22, almost quit the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) because of the rigorous training but was persuaded by her family and friends to persevere.

“Don’t you know how many women want to become part of PMA? Would you give up now that you are already in PMA? Don’t you know how lucky you are?” Martinez said, quoting senior cadets who berated her during her second year as a cadet.

She heeded their advice. Now she ranks first among the 167 members of Salaknib Class of 2017 who will receive their military commission from President Duterte on Sunday.

Martinez leads seven other female cadets who are in the Top 10, the first such case since the first seven women graduated from the academy in 1997.

They rose through the ranks on their own merit, Lt. Gen. Donato San Juan II, PMA superintendent, said when asked if a female-dominated Top 10 was timed with the 2017 celebration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Leah Lorenzo-Santiago, one of the first PMA female graduates, was the senior tactical officer who trained the Class of 2017.

Santiago said she was proud of Martinez and other topnotchers—Cadets First Class Eda Glis Buansi Marapao of Baguio City, who ranked third; Cathleen Jovi Santiano Baybayan of the City of San Fernando in Pampanga, fourth; Shiela Joy Ramiro Jallorina of Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, sixth; Sheila Marie Calonge de Guzman of Manaoag, Pangasinan, seventh; Joyzy Mencias Funchica of Butuan City, eighth; Resie Jezreel Arrocena Hucalla of Nabunturan, Compostela Valley, ninth; and Catherine Mae Gonzales of Zamboanga City, 10th.

Only two male cadets made it to the Top 10 this year: Cadets First Class Philip Modestano Viscaya of Ligao City in Albay, who ranked second; and Carlo Emmanuel Manalansan Canlas of Lubao, Pampanga, fifth.

Martinez, who was born in Cabanatuan City, is the fourth female cadet to top her class. The late Navy Lt. Senior Grade Arlene de la Cruz of Class of 1999 was the first, followed by Tara Velasco of Class of 2003, and Andrelee Mojica of Class of 2007.

Aside from graduating cum laude, Martinez will receive 11 awards, including the Presidential Saber and the Philippine Navy Saber.

Special awards

Three other female cadets will get special awards. They are Cadets First Class Michelle Serdiño Calusar, who will receive the journalism award; Karen Joy Benitez Gamboa, computing and information sciences plaque; and Ma. Isaia Pearl Paracale, mathematics plaque.

Cadet First Class Franklin Esperanzate Dellomos will receive the Athletic Saber.

Viscaya said he and Canlas paid no attention to insinuations they were beaten by women, saying, “Everyone did his best.”

It also helped that Class of 2017 has the most number of female cadets compared with previous classes, Viscaya said, adding that all 63 of his female classmates are good friends with their male counterparts.

The youngest of two siblings, Martinez was a third year accountancy student at Araullo University in Cabanatuan City when she decided to join the PMA.

She had not shown any interest in the military growing up, unlike her elder sister, Rubylyn, who went through Citizens’ Army Training and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, said her father, Mariel, a village councilor of Bangad in Cabanatuan.

Martinez was a consistent dean’s lister at Araullo University who enjoyed full scholarship with an allowance, her father said.

“Back in high school, if a task needed completing, she never got tired accomplishing her work,” her mother, Ruby, said.

The father said he was happy that his daughter joined the military. “My aspirations to be a soldier had been frustrated. I went to all military camps to apply as a soldier and no camp took me in,” he said.

Marapao grew up at Camp Henry Allen in Baguio and was a civil engineering student at Saint Louis University when she passed the PMA entrance examination.

Like Martinez, Marapao is joining the Philippine Navy. “I look for adventure. I will be joining the Navy because the Navy needs people who will man the ships and command the naval forces,” she said.

Her mother, Helen, is from Buguias town in Benguet province while her father, retired M/Sgt. Edgar Marapao, is from Misamis Occidental.

“We were surprised she made it [to the Top 10]. We heard over the radio that she landed among Top 3,” the father said.

Ready for combat

All top cadets said they were ready for combat duty and aspired to do great things as military officers.

“I want to be the commanding officer of a [Navy ship] in the future, and if God allows, I want to be the flag officer in command [of the Navy],” Marapao said.

Baybayan, who will join the Philippine Army, said she intended to work hard to lead the armored company.

Funchica wants to fly and is joining the Philippine Air Force.

“The PMA taught us to be leaders so we will be leaders wherever we are assigned,” they said during a press briefing on Monday.

Marapao’s father said the family planned to hold a Thanksgiving Mass and gather relatives for a small celebration at their home in Baguio City.

UP dropout

Lubao town is celebrating the success of Canlas, who dropped out in his third year as geodetic engineering student at the University of the Philippines to pursue his dream of becoming a military pilot.

Rosemarie, Canlas’ mother, said her son “dropped out of UP and prepared for the physical tests at PMA by taking boxing and taekwondo classes.”

Canlas, who is turning 23 on April 14, topped the PAF qualifying exam.

The eldest among five children, Canlas also finished at the top of his class at Regional Science High School in Subic Bay Freeport.

“He is a quiet and obedient young man. He puts the concerns of others before his own,” Rosemarie said.

Canlas’ father, Tiburcio, is assistant director at the Department of Public Works and Highways in the National Capital Region. —REPORTS FROM VINCENT CABREZA, EV ESPIRITU, ARMAND GALANG, KIMBERLIE QUITASOL AND TONETTE OREJAS

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