INC member tops PMA Class 2010

Source: mb.com.ph
By DEXTER A. SEE

February 22, 2010, 9:15pm

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City – A 23-year-old lad from Dumaguete City, who is a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), will lead the 226-member Mandirigmang Sibol ng Deskilling Lahing Kayumangi (Masidlak) Class 2010 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) during their graduation rites at the Borromeo grounds here on March 1, 2010.

This year’s batch of young military officers is composed of 195 male and 31 female cadets, one of them landing in the top 10 honor list.

Among the graduating cadets, 122 will be joining the Philippine Army, 59 will enlist with the Philippine Navy, while 45 will be commissioned by the Philippine Air Force. Cadet First Class Ireneo Bontilao Belen, 23, of Calindagan, Dumaguete City, is this year’s class valedictorian and will receive the Presidential Saber, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) Achievement Award for Academic Excellence, Philippine Air Force Saber, Academic Group Award, Natural Sciences Plaque, Air Force Professional Courses Plaque, and JUSMAG Award for being the top graduate of the Air Force, Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) Award, and Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award for being the number one in Air Force Service Core Courses.

Class salutatorian is Cadet First Class Froilan Jick Binlingan Pinay-an, 24, of Poblacion Hungduan, Ifugao, who will receive the Vice Presidential Saber, Philippine Army Saber, Tactics Group Award, Aguinaldo Plaque, Sports and Physical Development Plaque, JUSMAG Award for being the top graduate of the Philippine Army, Army Professional Courses Plaque, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award for Army Service Core Courses, and Distinguished Cadet Award for being one of the class starmen.

Placing third overall in the honor list is Cadet First Class Nonito Ong Ebal Jr., 25, of Zone II, Igpit, Opol, Misamis Oriental, who will be given the Secretary of National Defense Saber; while Cadet First Class Jhonson Riveza Gonzales, 22, of Zone I Del Rosario, Pamplona Camarines Sur, placed fourth and will receive the Philippine Navy Saber, Navy Professional Courses Plaque, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award for being number one in Navy Service Core Courses, JUSMAG Award for being the top graduate of the Philippine Navy, and Distinguished Cadet Award for being one of the class starmen.

Cadet First Class Jacob George Avila Kho, 25, of San Vicente, Baguio City, landed in fifth spot and will receive the Management Plaque and Social Sciences Plaque from the Academy officials.

Rounding the top 10 are Cadets First Class Joel Delos Santos Perante, 22, of Nula-Tula, Tacloban City, Leyte, sixth; Erwin Ramos Villanueva, 25, of Dasmariñas, Cavite, seventh; Alfie Pancho Agarao, 23, of Cabbalas, Pequeno, Carles, Iloilo, eighth; Karen Nuevas Padayao, 21, of Ormoc City, Leyte, the only female cadet who landed in the top 10, ninth; and Ric Ivan Cordero Joven, 22, of Suralla, South Cotabato, 10th.

Belen, who is the son of a tricycle driver and a housewife, said the struggles which he had experienced in life were his challenges to strive hard to study and finish in the Academy in order to alleviate their poor living condition in Negros Oriental.

Belen said the four major things that guided him to be successful were “placing God in the center of all the things that we do since it is in Him that we seek strength and guidance and it is in Him where we offer our achievements; getting along with others; be humble; and have the will to do things.”