ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Daughter of former soldier tops PMA 'Talang Dangal' Class of 2026

Daughter of former soldier tops PMA 'Talang Dangal' Class of 2026

Published May 6, 2026 01:48 pm
PHILIPPINE Military Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia (center) with the Top 10 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy ‘Talang Dangal’ Class of 2026 during the media presentation in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (Zaldy Comanda)
PHILIPPINE Military Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia (center) with the Top 10 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy ‘Talang Dangal’ Class of 2026 during the media presentation in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (Zaldy Comanda)
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – A 23-year-old cadet and daughter of a former soldier from Lipa City, Batangas topped the Philippine Military Academy "Talang Dangal" (Tagapagtanggol ng Lahing Dakila at Marangal) Class of 2026.
They were introduced at the Kapihan sa PMA on Wednesday, May 6.
There are five female cadets in the Top Ten.
This year's valedictorian is Cadet First Class Christine Kye Demisina Librada, who will join the Philippine Army and receive the Presidential Saber Award from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during their graduation on Saturday, May 16.
Librada will also receive the Philippine Army Saber, Information Technology Plaque, JUSMAG Award, and Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award.
Salutatorian is Cadet First Class Mark John Vincent Utlang Catacutan, 24, of Napolian, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. He will join the Philippine Air Force.
Catacutan will receive the Vice Presidential Saber Award from Vice President Sara Duterte, the Philippine Air Force Saber Award, Gen. Antonio Luna Award, Spanish Armed Forces Award, Alejandro Melchor Award, Management Plaque, Natural Sciences Plaque, Humanities Plaque, Pelagio Cruz Plaque, and Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award.
Third is Cadet First Class Thomas Edgar Isla Sepulchre, 23, of Angeles City, Pampanga, who will receive the Secretary of National Defense Saber award; fourth is Cadet First Class Ian Harold Durana Hubilla, 23, of Sorsogon City, Sorsogon, who will be awarded the Chief of Staff Saber; fifth is Cadet First Class Maeg Adriene Pajarillo Bermudez, 24, of Moncada, Tarlac, who will receive the Social Sciences Plaque;
THE TOP 10 cadets of this year’s Philippine Military Academy Class. Front row: No. 5 Cadet First Class Maeg Adriene Pajarillo Bermudez; No. 3 Cadet First Class Thomas Edgar Isla Sepulchre; No. 1 Cadet First Class Christine Kye Demisina Librada; No. 2 Cadet First Class Mark John Vincent Utlang Catacutan; No. 4 Cadet First Class Ian Harold Durana Hubilla; Back row: No .6 Cadet First Class Cherry Mae Panag Geco; No. 7 Cadet Fist Class Elixa Anya Lumbang Hernandez; No. 9 Cadet First Class Cedric Guingguing Polizon; No. 8 Cadet First Class Catherine Beloa de Chavez, and No. 10 Cadet First Class Mark Clement Dequinto Centina. (Zaldy Comanda)
THE TOP 10 cadets of this year’s Philippine Military Academy Class. Front row: No. 5 Cadet First Class Maeg Adriene Pajarillo Bermudez; No. 3 Cadet First Class Thomas Edgar Isla Sepulchre; No. 1 Cadet First Class Christine Kye Demisina Librada; No. 2 Cadet First Class Mark John Vincent Utlang Catacutan; No. 4 Cadet First Class Ian Harold Durana Hubilla; Back row: No .6 Cadet First Class Cherry Mae Panag Geco; No. 7 Cadet Fist Class Elixa Anya Lumbang Hernandez; No. 9 Cadet First Class Cedric Guingguing Polizon; No. 8 Cadet First Class Catherine Beloa de Chavez, and No. 10 Cadet First Class Mark Clement Dequinto Centina. (Zaldy Comanda)
Rounding up the Top 10 are:
6. Cadet First Class Cherry Mae Panag Geco, 24, of Jamindan, Capiz.
7. Cadet First Class Elixa Anya Lumbang Hernandez, 22, of Padre Garcia, Batangas, who will receive the Philippine Navy Saber and Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award.
8. Cadet First Class Catherine Beloa de Chavez, 22, of San Pascual, who will be awarded the Chief Justice Saber and Artemio Ricarte Plaque.
9. Cadet First Class Cedric Guingguing Polizon, 24, of Surigao del Sur.
10. Cadet First Class Mark Clement Dequinto Centina, 24, of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernardo Valencia said there are 207 cadets – 142 males and 65 females – from Talang Dangal Class 2026. Seventy-nine will join the Philippine Army, 62 the Philippine Air Force, and 69 the Philippine Navy.

Related Tags

Baguio PMA Christine Librada Lipa City Batangas
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.