Nineteen (19) Cordillerans are among the 214-strong cadets who successfully graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Bagsik-Diwa" Class of 2022.
Of the nineteen cadets who hail from the different parts of the Cordilleras, 1CDT Kevin John O. Pastrana from Sagada, Mountain Province graduated as the class Salutatorian.
Meanwhile, Cadet First Class Romulo Balabag Dawilan III also from Sagada is the class "GOAT" or the last ranking cadet of the class.
Although he's at the top of the bottom of the list when it comes to academic performance, we should not overlook that thousands of aspiring applicants annually are not accepted into the premier military academy for Filipinos seeking a commission as a military officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
CDT 1CL Dawilan received the loudest applause of all the graduates and also received a unit of Rock Island Armory Cal .45 pistol from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The outgoing president who graced the graduation rites of the future leaders told the graduates to "be many things at the same time", especially as instruments of change while ensuring they remain true to their oath as soldiers of the land.
"Today, the man in uniform must be many things at the same time if he is to be relevant to the changing times. He must be both a warrior and a peacemaker; an arms-bearer and a pencil pusher; skilled in the art of war and adept as a lifesaver; an offensive machine and a fierce defender; a tribune and a diplomat; a soldier and a civil servant. You can be all these if you want," he told the graduates led by Cadet First Class Krystlenn Ivany Quemado.
Of the 19 cadets from the Cordillera region who graduated from the PMA "Bagsik-Diwa" Class of 2022, five are women and 14 are men.
- Cadet 1CL Kevin John Pastrana (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Tristan Chomacog (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Jen Kym Danielle Danganan (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Dirk Kiryl Davalan (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Angelica Villalon (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Earl Jade Pakoy (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Bryson Zantua (Baguio City)
- Cadet 1CL Grace Angela Pocyoy (La Trinidad, Benguet)
- Cadet 1CL Christian Bisquera (La Trinidad, Benguet)
- Cadet 1CL Josemhar Tamiray (Atok, Benguet)
- Cadet 1CL Dawson Adaci (Lamut, Ifugao)
- Cadet 1CL Chadbert Liwayan (Aguinaldo, Ifugao)
- Cadet 1CL Maryknoll Rhea Cuis (Tanudan, Kalinga)
- Cadet 1CL Mariel Bless Bagtang (Tabuk City, Kalinga)
- Cadet 1CL Jaime Bernardo Jr. (Rizal, Kalinga)
- Cadet 1CL Joshua Clemete Dacawe (Bontoc, Mountain Province)
- Cadet 1CL Knigle Bastian (Bauko, Mountain Province)
- Cadet 1CL Julius Kalley Fanusan (Bontoc, Mountain Province)
- Cadet 1CL Romulo Balabag Dawilan III (Sagada, Mountain Province)
