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SHE BEAT REBELS *AND* SEXISM

Pioneer PMA female grad still making firsts in PHL military history


 

Three years after becoming one of the females to graduate from the Philippine Military Academy, she found herself the first woman leading tanks into rebel territory in Mindanao, fighting side-by-side with battalions of veteran soldiers.

To think that Lieutenant Colonel Maria Victoria Blancaflor-Agoncillo never set out to be a soldier, much less one who would make several breakthroughs in the history of the Philippine military.

When Agoncillo started entered the PMA on April 1, 1993, all she was thinking about were her parents.

“When I entered PMA, I was thinking about being a scholar, having free education. At the time I feel I was helping my parents, para hindi na sila ma-burden sa pagbayad ng college education ko,” she said in an interview with GMA News Online.

It was when she during her cadetship that her desire to serve at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was molded.

“Namulat when I was already undergoing the cadetship. And siyempre in my mind, if I’m going to be a PMA graduate, then I also want to be a commander in the field, kasi we are being taught to be leaders in the PMA. So I shouldn’t be doing any less than being a leader. Even in combat,” she said.

But while the journey for any PMA cadet included excruciating physical training and challenging academics, the first women in the elite school also had to brace for psychological battles and brushes with depression.

“Meron ding part na naisip kong mag-resign kasi parang naiinis ako sa attitudes ng upper class. Sabi ko, ‘Ayoko na yata,’” she said.

“Sinasabi nila noon, yung mga lalaki, parang minamaliit nila yung mga babae. ‘Magresign na kayo kasi 'di naman kayo nararapat dito.’ Kasi nga wala namang babae talaga, first batch kami,” she added.

Agoncillo and 16 others made up the first batch of women in PMA after Republic Act No. 7192, or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, required the academy to accept women in 1993.

By the time their graduation arrived in 1997, there were only seven of them left.

Bigger dreams

Lieutenant Colonel Maria Victoria Blancaflor-Agoncillo continues to make history. Jessica Bartolome
Lieutenant Colonel Maria Victoria Blancaflor-Agoncillo continues to make history. Jessica Bartolome

After the academy, the Armed Forces didn’t quite know what to do with them, Agoncillo said. There hadn’t been expectations — they were told that they could work in the admin, stay in the headquarters.

But the Magnificent Seven had bigger dreams. Agoncillo had already decided that she wanted to be deployed in the field.

“Papaano ako magkaka-progressive career kung hindi ko pagdadaanan ang pinagdaanan ng male classmates ko? Hindi ako nagpakahirap dito sa PMA, para lang... kung hindi naman ako ma-assign sa field 'di ba, sayang naman yung pinaghirapan ko. That was my thinking back then,” she said.

Agoncillo was deployed to the 7th Infantry Division, 68th Infantry Batallion, fresh after graduating.

In 2000, she ended up being one of the few women at the frontlines during the all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao.

She was the first female tank commander to help overrun MILF’s Camp Rajamuda in North Cotabato, a feat that earned her a Gold Cross medal. She had commanded a military unit composed of veteran soldiers.

Up in the air, her batchmate, now Air Force Lieutenant Commander Maria Consuelo Nunag-Castillo, had been leading air attacks against the rebels. She also made history as the first female pilot of the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing.

The only other woman from their batch to remain in active service is Army Lieutenant Commander Lea Lorenzo-Santiago, who graduated 3rd in their class and went on to become the first female Infantry Company Commander.

As time passed by, Agoncillo pressured herself to go further. She admitted she felt the need to prove herself.

“As we grew up, yung expectations, more on sa sarili ko. Ito dapat yung pagdaanan ko: platoon leader, then company commander,” she said.

Gender and development

A Plaque of Recognition is presented to the Office of the Army Gender and Development for its efforts for "genuine transformation and reform." Office of the Army Gender and Development Facebook page.
A Plaque of Recognition is presented to the Office of the Army Gender and Development for its efforts for "genuine transformation and reform." Office of the Army Gender and Development Facebook page

From being one of the first women to graduate from PMA in 1997, to being the first female tank commander, Agoncillo is now the pioneering chief of the first department of Gender and Development in the entire security sector.

She was pulled out of the Armor Division to head the pioneer Office of Amy Gender and Development (GAD), which was pieced together in 2014, to help address gender and family-based issues within the Army.

Already, they have come up with several programs to boost awareness on gender sensitivity, prevent gender-based violence, and set up protocols that would ensure peace and security among both men and women in the ranks.

Looking back at the 20 years that passed since she graduated from PMA, she said that the mindset regarding female soldiers have evolved.

The first batches of female soldiers had proved their capability, each making history.

Around 600 female students have graduated from PMA since 1993.

“Nag-e-evolve na yung pagiisip ng mga tao. May mga babaeng nagpapatrols... they are just quiet. Slowly dumadami na rin yung quota ng babae dun sa PMA. And then na-iron out narin ng PMA yung mga issues nila regarding sa regulations, sa females, at saka nasanay na rin,” she said.

She hopes to increase the number of female soldiers, but said it is a challenge because there is no policy in the army that would address the issue of a soldier giving birth and starting a family.

Still, she encourages women to enter the service despite it being a male-dominated field.

“If in your heart, ito talaga yung service or career na gusto niyo, you have to pursue it in spite of your gender kasi nga ngayon yun na talaga yung tinitignan natin — respect for people regardless of their gender,” Agoncillo said.

“I pursued my dream to be a Commander of the field and hindi naman naging balakid sakin ang pagiging babae. I believe lahat ng tao may chance or magkakaron ng opportunity to do this just as long as they have the courage and they’re really dedicated in persevering in this career,” she added. —JST, GMA News

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