The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is now devoid of hazing.
Department of National Defense (DND) Officer-in-Charge and Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. and Philippine Army Commanding General Romeo Brawner Jr. gave this assurance to the House Committee on Appropriations during the consideration of the department’s proposed budget for 2023.
During the budget briefing of the DND Thursday, Sept.16, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro asked the agency officials if PMA cadets were now safe from hazing.
Luistro's question harkened back to the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio in 2019. Dormitorio died from maltreatment supposedly stemming from hazing the Philippine Military Academy, Baguio, Benguet, Philippines.
After the case, the PMA instituted reforms specifically aimed at ending the culture of hazing.
“The unfortunate incident really shook up the defense establishment, particularly the and and we have instituted a lot of reforms, as a result of this incident. the survival of our plebes right now is close to almost 98 percent and there are hazing zero cases. That's what reported for the past year or two," Faustino said.
"So we can assure the public, particularly the parents that want to send their children to the that the remains as the premier military institution at least in this part of the region and we can assure that their sons and daughters will be taken of and will be given premium education,” he said.
Brawner attested to Faustino's declaration, going as far to say that the reforms led to the "total eradication" of hazing at the institution.
“The has instituted a lot of reforms within the that led to the total eradication of hazing, your honor. Right now, we are proud to announce that there is no more hazing at the , he said.
"Some of the initiated actions ordered by the then- Secretary Lorenzana are the following: the segregation of the barracks or the dormitory of the whole cadet corps separating, the, the freshman from the rest of the upperclassmen in the cadet corps; the continuous indoctrination of pertinent laws and regulations such as the anti-hazing law to all cadets; the empowering of the first-class cadets, that's to report their upperclassmen; the empowering of the first-year cadets to report their upperclassmen as well as giving emphasis on critical thinking, as followers in different leadership and followership theories. And the sustained leveling among the personnel handling the cadet corps with emphasis on the honor code and the regulations of the cadet corps," enumerated Brawner.
Dormitorio was laid to rest in his hometown of Cagayan de Oro with full military honors.