BACOLOD CITY — The 269 visiting cadets of the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) “Masidlawin” Class of 2020 planted 3,000 acacia mangium seedlings in this city on Monday as part of the activities during their tour in Negros Occidental.
The cadets, together with six PMA officials, including Navy Captain Salvador Lavapie Jr., were joined by City Administrator John Orola and Environment and Natural Resources Office-Bacolod head Maximino Sillo during the tree-growing activity at Arao Relocation Site in Barangay Vista Alegre.
Lavapie expressed his thanks to Mayor Evelio Leonardia for the assistance of the city government.
Orola received the plaque of appreciation for the mayor from Lavapie.
The cadets started their tour last Thursday, visiting the Bacolod City Government Center where they initially met with Orola.
Lt. Col. Reynaldo Balido, chief of PMA Public Affairs Office, said the cadets are touring selected cities in Visayas and Mindanao to learn about the various military units in these areas, and be oriented about local customs and traditions.
On Friday, the cadets proceeded to neighboring Bago City, where they laid a wreath at the monument of General Juan Araneta, and some of them performed silent drills at the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Complex.
They also set up a recruitment booth, and conducted a coastal cleanup in Barangay Sampinit.
On Saturday, they launched the Host Parents Program at Bago’s Bantayan Park at 5 p.m. They also held performed silent drills at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon and Park in Bacolod.
The “Masidlawin” Class includes two cadets from Bacolod City, one from Bago City, five from Iloilo City, and two from Antique. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
