BAGUIO CITY—The son of a farmer and a housewife from Balabag in Pavia, Iloilo is this year’s topnotcher of the Philippine Military Academy, which holds its graduation rites this Sunday.
Cadet First-Class Jaywarden Galilea Hontoria will also become just the fourth PMAer in the academy’s 119 years—and the first since 1951—to graduate as both class valedictorian and class baron, or the highest-ranking cadet in the corps.
In civilian terms, the class baron is equivalent to an organization’s president. In the PMA, he officially acts as the immediate assistant of the Commandant of Cadets in the
discipline, interior administration, training and general efficiency of the Cadet Corps.
For all these numerous duties and responsibilities, the Baron has the distinction of wearing the longest chevron in the corps of cadets.
Hontoria will be receiving from President Rodrigo Duterte the coveted Presidential Saber, aside from the Humanities Plaque, the Chief of Staff Saber, the Natural Sciences Plaque, the Philippine Navy Saber, the Social Sciences Plaque, the Academic Group Award, the JUSMAG Award, the Australian Best Overall Performance Award, the Department of Leadership Plaque, and the Spanish Armed Forces Award.
The 25-year-old will be leading the 282-strong members of the Alagad ng Lahing Binigkis ng Tapang at Lakas or ALAB Tala Class of 2018, which counts 207 men and 75 women.
Of the graduating class, 143 will be joining the Philippine Army, 71 will be joining the Air Force, and 68 will be joining the Philippine Navy.
Duterte will be commissioning the members of the graduating class as 2nd Lieutenants and Ensigns of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the ceremonies at the Borromeo Field inside Fort del Pilar here.
PMA Superintendent Maj. Donato San Juan II said the graduating class owns the distinction of having the most number of females who are able to hurdle the rigid training inside the premier military school in the Asia-Pacific region.
“This is a historic event for the PMA, as we have a valedictorian who is also a baron. The last time this happened was in 1951 with Leopoldo Regis,” said PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Donato San Juan.
Speaking to the website Rappler, Hontoria said he felt humbled in joining the elite group of valedictorian-barons. He was already a registered nurse, having graduated from West Visayas State University, before joining the academy.
“I was almost too old to become a PMA cadet and took the exam at my cut-off age,” he told Rappler.
Cadet First Class Ricardo Witawit Liwaden from Gawana, Barlig, Mountain Province is the class salutatorian. He will receive from Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo the Vice Presidential Saber, the Philippine Army Saber,the Sports and Physical Development Plaque, the Tactics Group Award and Athletic Saber.
Cadet First Class Jun-jay Malazzab Castro from Nangalasauan, Amulung, Cagayan placed third and will be receiving the Secretary of National Defense Saber.
Cadet First Class Leonore Andrea Cariño from Japitan, Ambago, Butuan City placed fourth and will receive the Management Plaque, while Cadet First Class Mark Jantzen Nono Dacillo from Tumaga, Zamboanga City landed in fifth place.
Cadet First Class Jezaira Laquinon Buenaventura from Bais City, Negros Oriental placed sixth and will receive the Department of Tactical Officers Plaque, the Aguinaldo Saber, Distinguished Cadet Award (Starman) and Dean’s List for two terms during the year and Commandant’s List for three terms during the year.
Cadet First Class Jessie Antonio Laranang of San Clemente, Tarlac placed seventh and will be receiving the Philippine Air Force Saber.
Cadet First Class Paulo Balla Briones of Camp Allen, Baguio City landed in eighth, followed by Cadet First Class Jayson Raymundo Cimatu from Casiguran, Aurora in ninth and cadet First Class Micah Quiambao Reynaldo from San Roque, Bamban, Tarlac, who placed tenth and will receive the Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award.
Of those joining the Philippine Army, 105 are males and 38 are females. Fifty-two males and 19 females want to join the Air Force, while 50 males and 18 females will join the Navy.