Registered nurse from Iloilo tops PMA Class of 2018

A 25-year-old registered nurse from Pavia, Iloilo, topped this year's "Alab Tala" (Alagad ng Lahing Binigkis ng Tapang at Lakas) Class of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Cadet 1st Class Jaywardene Galilea Hontoria, who graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the West Visayas State University and as a valedictorian in high school, will be joining the Philippine Navy. He is the son of farmer Oscar Hontoria and housewife Nancy Hontoria.

Aside from being this year's valedictorian, Hontoria is also the brigade company commander or the class baron.

Hontoria will receive the Presidential Saber from President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday as well as the Chief of Staff Saver, Philippine Navy Saber, Academic Group Award, Australian Defence Best Overall Performance Award, Spanish Armed Forces Award, Humanities Plaque, Natural Sciences Plaque, Social Sciences Plaque, Joint United States Military Advisory Group Award and the Department of Leadership Plaque.

The 24-year-old Cadet 1st Class Ricardo Witawit Liwaden, meanwhile, will be graduating as second of the class. He will join the Philippine Army. He was a fourth year civil engineering student at the University of Baguio before he joined the PMA.

Liwaden, who is from Barlig, Mountain Province, is the son of farmer Ricardo Liwaden Sr. and retired teacher Catherine Liwaden.

He will receive the Vice Presidential Saber, Philippine Army Saber as well as the Sports and Physical Development Plaque, Tactics Group Award and the Athletic Saber.

Third of the class is Cadet 1st Class Jun-Jay Malazzab Castro who will receive the Secretary of National Defense saber is also a son of a farmer, Roberto Castro and housewife, Flordeliza Castro. Before joining the PMA, the 23-year-old, who hails from Amulung, Cagayan was a second year electronics and communication engineering student at the Cagayan State University.

The other top notchers and awardees of Alab Tala Class of 2018 are the following:

• Cadet 1st Class Leonore Andrea Cariño Japitan, 23, from Butuan City (Top 4, Management Plaque);
• Cadet 1st Class Mark Jantzen Nono Dacillo, 25, from Zamboanga City (Top 5);
• Cadet 1st Class Jezaira Laquinon Buenaventura, 22, from Negros Oriental (Top 6, Department of Tactical Officers Plaque, Aguinaldo Saber, Distinguished Cadet Award);
• Cadet 1st Class Jessie Antonio Laranang, 22, from Tarlac (Top 7, Philippine Air Force Saber);
• Cadet 1st Class Paolo Balla Briones, 20, from Baguio City (Top 8);
• Cadet 1st Class Jayson Raymundo Cimatu, 24, from Aurora province (Top 9);
• Cadet 1st Class Micah Quiamboa Reynaldo, 22, from Tarlac (Top 10, Australian Defence Best Overall Performance Award - Philippine Air Force);
• The PMA will also give the Journalism award to Cadet 1st Class Christian Michael Olarte Peña, 26, Albay while the Athletic Saber will be awarded to Cadet 1st Class Jasm Marie Alcoriza, 24, from Negros Occidental.

A total of 207 male and 75 female cadets will be graduating on Sunday at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City, 143 cadets are joining the Philippine Army while 71 are joining the Philippine Air Force and 68 are joining the Philippine Navy.

A total of 282 graduates compose PMA Class of 2018. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KBK, GMA News