FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City—As if to underline this year’s celebration of the Women’s Month in March, eight of the top 10 graduating cadets of the Philippine Military Academy this year are females, including the class topnotcher, as they provide inspiration to other females who wish to enter the Academy and prove that they too can shine in the male-dominated institution.
The top graduating student is Cadet First Class Rovi Mairel Valino Martinez, a 23-year-old who traces her roots in Flordeliza, Bangad, Cabanatuan City.
Martinez, who leads this year’s female-dominated 167-member Sanggalang ay Lakas at Buhay na Alay para sa Kalayaan ng Inang Bayan (Salaknib) Class of 2017, is set to receive the coveted Presidential Saber from President Rodrigo R. Duterte during their graduation rites on Sunday, March 12, 2017, at the academy’s Borromeo grounds.
Her father, Mariel P. Martinez, is a barangay councilman in their place while her mother, Ruby V. Martinez, is a businesswoman who still found time to raise Rovi Mairel and two other siblings.
“I was about to quit when I was a sophomore cadet because I was not used to do strenuous exercises which we were required to do daily but I was made to realize that I am still lucky because of the thousands of youngsters wanting to enter the Academy, I was one of the few who was able to enter the premier military school,” Martinez said.
Aside from the Presidential Saber, Martinez, this year’s cum laude, is also set to be awarded the Philippine Navy Saber, the Academic Group Award, Social Sciences Plaque, Navy Professional Courses Plaque, the JUSMAG Award, Association of Generals and Flag officers (AGFO) Award, Spanish and the Australian Defense Force Awards.
As a young girl, Martinez was told that his father had wanted to become a soldier but failed. His father’s failure to fulfill his personal dream had instilled in her young mind the thought that given the chance to become a full-pledged military personnel, she will grab the opportunity without any reservation.
She worked as a student assistant while pursuing her accountancy course at the Cabanatuan-based Araulio University when she saw a poster of the Philippine Military Academy announcing the schedule for the entrance examination of those interested to enter the Academy.
Without hesitation, Martinez applied for the examination and handily passed and was accepted in the premier military school in Asia in 2013.
Of this year’s 67 graduating cadets, 104 are males while 63 are females. A total of 58 males and 32 females are set to join the Philippine Army, 20 males and 13 females will join the Philippine Air Force while 26 males and 18 females will join the Philippine Navy.
Martinez, who opted to join the Navy, advised the youth who want to enter the country’s premier military school to arm themselves with the courage to adjust and persevere to the rigid training for future soldiers and learn to sacrifice to be able to achieve their dream to become military officers.
“I believe my father will be happy with my achievement because I was able to fulfill his dreams. I will treasure this success with him because if not for his prodding, then I will not be a graduate of the Academy,” Martinez said.
Graduating no. 2 behnd Martinez is Cadet First Class Philip Modesto Vizcaya, 22, who will be joining the Philippine Army.
Vizcaya will receive the Vice Presidential Saber from Vice President Lenny Robre and the Philippine Army Saber while cadet first-class Eda Glis Buansi Marapao, 21 of Baguio City, will also be graduating as cum laude and placed third in the merit roll. She is set to receive the Secretary of National Defense Saber.
Placing fourth in the merit roll is another female in Cathleen Jovi Santiano Baybayan, 22, of San Fernando city, Pampanga, who will be awarded the Austrian Defense Bet Overall Performance Award and Natural Sciences Plaque while fifth in the merit role is Cadet First Class Carlo Emmanuel Canlas, 23, of Lubao, Pampanga, who is set to receive the Philippine Air Force Saber.
Sixth in the merit roll is Cadet First Class Shiela Joy Ramiro Jallorina, 22, of Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya who will receive the Tactics Group Award, Department of Leadership Plaque, Air Force Professional Courses Plauqe and Aguinaldo Saber while Cadet First Class Sheila Marie Calonge de Guzman, 25, of Manaoag, Pangasinan landed in 7th place and will receive the Army Professional CoursesPPlaque.
Eighth in the merit roll is Cadet First Class Joyzy Mencias Funchica, 23, of Butuan City while ninth place went to Cadet First Class Resie Jezreel Arrocena Hucalla, 24, of Compostela Valley, who will be awarded the Management Plaque.
Rounding out the top 10 graduating cadet is Cadet First-Class Catherine Mae Emeterio Gonzales, 23, of Zamboanga City at ninth place while placing tenth is Cadet First Class Johnny III Derogongan Maruhombsar, 22, of Iligan city, who will be awarded the Chief of Staff Saber as the Class Baron.
The Athletic Saber, meanwhile, will be awarded by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to Cadet First-Class Franklin Esperanzate Dellomos, 23, of Paranaque City while the Journalism Award will be given to Cadet First Class Michelle Sardiño Calusor, 26, of Naga City.
Meanwhile, the Computering and Information Sciences Plaque will be awarded to Cadet First Class Karen Joy Benitez Gamboa, 23, of Cabanatuan city, Nueva Ecija while the Mathematics Plaque will be given to cadet first-class Ma. Isaia Pearl P. Paracale, 25, of Pototan, Iloilo.
President Duterte will commission the 167 graduating cadets as 2nd Lieutenants and Ensigns of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the graduation rites on Sunday.