By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Only 342 of 1,436 applicants who passed the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) entrance examination have earned their place in the PMA Class of 2030, marking another major step toward becoming future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The fourth-class cadets were formally incorporated into the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP) during a ceremony at Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar in Baguio City after completing two months of intensive training.
The new class includes 76 women and carries the name “MASIKLAB LAHI,” or Mandirigmang Simbolo ng Katapangan at Lakas para sa Bayan ng Lahing Hinirang.
The cadets were among 365 candidates admitted to the PMA in May after undergoing psychological, physical, medical and neuropsychiatric screening. Only 342 completed the requirements and advanced to formal cadet status.
Their initial training covered military discipline, physical conditioning, character development, military values and basic combat skills, preparing them for the demanding life of a military cadet.
PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael Logico reminded the young cadets that their incorporation into the corps was not the culmination of their ordeal but the beginning of a much greater responsibility.
“You will no longer be judged solely by what you can endure, but by the standards you uphold, the example you set and the honor with which you wear this uniform,” Logico said.
He warned the cadets that the decisions they make as future officers could eventually carry consequences for the lives of others.
“Someday, lives would depend on your judgment and courage,” Logico told them.
He challenged the Class of 2030 to earn the trust of the Filipino people and uphold the values expected of officers who will lead the country’s soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.
For the 342 cadets, the ceremony formally opens a demanding journey toward military leadership—one where courage, discipline and character will be tested as relentlessly as physical endurance.
Their training has begun. Their responsibility to the nation has already started.
IA/XF
