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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PMA alumni, partners honored in grand alumni homecoming

PMA alumni, partners honored in grand alumni homecoming

Published Feb 17, 2024 06:48 am

Twenty-two alumni and partner-stakeholders of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) were given tribute as they returned to the hallowed grounds of Fort del Pilar in Baguio City on Saturday, Feb. 17, for the 2024 PMA Grand Alumni Homecoming.

In total, there were 1,696 alumni who attended this year’s homecoming with their families and relatives. The oldest attendee was Cavalier Salvador Peran, 89, of PMA Class 1964 while the youngest was Cavalier Second Lieutenant Maecy Bautista, 22, of Class 2023.

“The occasion gives us the opportunity to reunite with our mistah, upperclassmen, and underclass, sharing memories, whether good or bad, and sometimes unthinkable experiences that others try to forget. But what happens is that very unthinkable experiences would be the first and last stories to be told once the conversation starts,” said Lt. Gen. Rhowen Tolentino, PMA Superintendent.

“We laughed, we cried but at the end of the day, we realize that those experiences we shared made us tough, gave us wisdom and important lessons to overcome the difficult path we have chosen to follow,” he added.

The awardees were bannered by five retired military officials who received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their more than 50 years of dedicated and unblemished service to the country. They were Police Maj. Gen. Thompson Lantion (Ret.) of Class ’69; current National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director and Police Lt. Gen. Ricardo de Leon (Ret.) of Class ’71; Police Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Velasco (Ret.) of Class ’71; Col. Alejandro Flores Jr. (Ret.) of Class ’72; and Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (Ret.) of Class ’74.
 

Meanwhile, two awardees received the Pandemic Heroes Award in recognition of their efforts to fight and end the Covid-19 pandemic. They were Lt. Gen. Raul del Rosario (Ret.) of PMA Class ’84, who headed the One Stop Shop Management of returning overseas Filipinos; and Enrique Razon Jr., head of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and honorary member of PMA Class of 1988, who initiated the procurement and facilitated the roll-out of vaccines, and built testing, isolation, quarantine, and vaccination facilities.

There were also 15 awardees of the Cavalier Award, the highest recognition given by the PMA Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAAI) to an alumnus or alumni who displayed remarkable achievements and performance in their fields during the last five years.

The Cavalier Awardees were Capt. Roberto Yap (Ret.) of Class ’82 (private enterprise); Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo (Ret.) of Class ’90 (special field, retired officer category); Maj. Gen. Arturo Rojas of Class ’90 (command and administration); Maj. Gen. Eric Noble (Ret) of Class ’92 (staff function), Police Brig. Gen. Westrimundo Obinque of Class ’92 (police operations);

Iloilo Rep. Raul Tupas (Ret.) of Class ’94 (public administration); Col. Ferdinand Marcelino of Class ’94 (special operations); Co. Joey Fontiveros of Class ’94 (special field, active officer category); Col. Von Albert Sumergido of Class ’95 (army operations, senior officer category); Coast Guard Commodore Allen Dalangin of Class ’95 (coast guard operations, senior officer category);
Col. Lee Sarpamones of Class ’99 (air operations, senior officer category); Coast Guard Capt. Larry Cendaña of Class ’03 (coast guard operations, junior officer category); Maj. Ernest Dela Cuadra of Class ’07 (air operations, junior officer category); Capt. Mark Erick Garcia of Class ’12 (naval operations, junior officer category); and 1Lt. Cielo Rose Dolorican of Class ’18 (army operations, junior officer category).

Senate Pres. Juan Miguel Zubiri served as the guest of honor and speaker, and officiated the oath-taking of the new officers and board directors of the PMA Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAAI). Cavalier Danilo Abinoja of Class ’74 was elected as the chairman and CEO of the alumni association.

The alumni association also honored the jubilarian class of PMA Batch 1964, golden class of Batch 1974, silver class of Batch 1999, and senior host class of Batch 1994.
Meanwhile, Tolentino challenged the present cadets of the academy to “work harder to be part of the long grey line of this institution.”

“Let this event be your source of inspiration and encourage you to go beyond what is expected of you as future leaders,” the PMA chief noted.

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