MANILA — Of the 282 members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Alab Tala” Class of 2018, about 143 are heading straight to the Army after their graduation on Sunday.
Of the 143, 105 male cadets and 38 female cadets, PMA spokesperson Lt. Col Ray Balido said late Wednesday.
The Army was followed by the Air Force where 71 members of this year’s graduating class, composed of 52 males and 19 females, will be joining.
The Navy, meanwhile, will welcome 68 cadets, composed of 50 males and 18 females, Balido added.
Earlier, an Ilonggo cadet, who is also a registered nurse, Jaywardene Galilea Hontoria, 25, was declared valedictorian of PMA Class of 2018. He is among the 68 cadets who will be joining the Navy.
Balido said that it would be the third year where a soon-to-graduate top PMA cadet would be joining the naval services.
Prior to his stint at the PMA, Hontoria first completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the West Visayas State University in La Paz, Iloilo City. He also held three positions in the PMA’s Cadet Corps such as brigade company commander, cadet-in-charge of the Archery Corps Squad and the Honor Committee.
Aside from Hontoria, nine other cadets have topped the PMA “Alab Tala” Class. Four of the top 10 graduating cadets are sons of farmers which include Hontoria, First Class Cadets Ricardo Liwaden, Jun-Jay Castro and Jessie Laranang.
Others who have topped the class are Leonore Andrea Japitan, Mark Jantzen Dacillo, Jezaira Buenaventura, Paolo Briones, Jayson Cimatu and Micah Reynaldo. ( /PNA)