‘PMA Breeding Ground of Putschists, Cheats, Fascists No More’

March 13, 2012 

By Artemio A. Dumlao

PMA's Top 10 graduates

Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City (March 12, 2012) – The Filipino people can be sure the Philippine Military Academy is no more a breeding ground of military officers staging coup d’ etats, corrupt practices and fascism.

PMA superintendent Major Gen. Nonato Peralta said drastic changes in the Academy were undertaken already to mean that “culture” is fixed so that values like maltreatment are nowhere already.

“Maraming innovations ang ginawa to erase maltreatment,” Peralta explained during the presentation of the top ten graduates of the PMA class of 2012 (Bagwis) becoming military officers on Sunday here.

Tom Puertollano, son of a lowly carpenter and market vendor from barangay Tambo, Lipa City, Batangas topped this year’s graduates.

Tom Puertollano

Besting 186 of his “mistahs” in “Bagwis” (Bagong Kawal ng Nag-iisang Lakas), Puertollano brushed off drastic military solutions to the country’s woes saying, “there are available and legal means to effect changes.”

Peralta said all Bagwis class members were perhaps the first class of all PMA classes before them to complete a two-mile open sea swim and a 42-kilometer full marathon, if only to replace the often misguided use of upper classmen on physical “abuses” to instill discipline, loyalty and sense of belongingness.

“I am confident,” Peralta said, “that the Bagwis class will be leaving a cadet corps that respects human rights.”

Discipline, maltreatment, honor and ethics are deep into this class, Peralta further said, showing confidence that the Filipino people can expect so much from the Bagwis class and the classes after them in the future. “Their mentoring delved on huge focus on ethics.”

“It is ingrained in this class,” the PMA official futher said, “that there should be no corruption while living up to nationalism and patriotism” according to the mold of national hero Gregorio del Pilar.

The Bagwis class went in Tirad Pass in hinterland Ilocos Sur, Peralta said, to have a history lane. “Now, they clearly identify themselves into the moulds of heroes.”

With the changes in the “culture”, Peralta said, discipline to endure and will power to achieve is a common trait among the 187 members of the class and those they will leave behind in the Academy.

“I am confident that, we cane be proud of them (both the PMA and the Filipino people). They are educated in Bayanihan as “not only as warriors but peace builders.”

Changes in the Academy now, and even the more stringent entrance requirements, are giving fruits to the best products.
Only 104 incoming plebes are entering the PMA on March to compose class 2016 from an overall more than 21,000 hopefuls. Aside from rigorous physical examinations, were neuro-psychiatric tests, Peralta said, explaining, “dahil magiging protector ng mga tao to.” They are very very well selected, Peralta reiterated.***Artemio A. Dumlao***