QC vendor’s son tops PMA class 2025

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) on Thursday announced the top-performing cadets from the Siklab-Laya Class of 2025.

Topping Siklab-Laya Class of 2025 is Cadet First Class Jessie Ticar Jr., who is a son of a vendor in Quezon City.

PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia said Ticar got the highest grade and became the fourth cadet who graduated summa cum laude in the academy’s history.

Ticar said financial constraints, as well as the transition into the military norms, were among the challenges he faced upon entering the academy.

“The most challenging part of my life before entering the academy is the financial constraint. My mother sells only ball pens and envelopes in Quezon City, while my father got hospitalized and became a person with disability, cannot continue working anymore and is still recovering until now,” Ticar said.

“That became my motivation to become what I am today. I hope that inspires a lot of people,” he added.

According to the PMA, the following are the top 10 of the graduating class:

• Top 1 - Cadet First Class Jessie Jr R Ticar, Summa Cum Laude
• Top 2 - CDT 1CL Murthan P Zabala
• Top 3 - CDT 1CL Joana Marie D Viray, Cum Laude
• Top 4 - CDT 1CL Carlo A Badiola
• Top 5 - CDT 1CL Jetron Giorgio A Nazareno, Cum Laude
• Top 6 - CDT 1CL Kobe Jo Ann Q Pajaron, Cum Laude
• Top 7 - CDT 1CL Malvin Brian N Dapar, Magna Cum Laude
• Top 8 - CDT 1CL Elzur D Salon 
• Top 9 - CDT 1CL Aprilyn A Magsigay
• Top 10 - CDT 1CL Kristine Kate C Senados

Meanwhile, Valencia said that PMA will start to improve its curriculum for technology proficiency and defense next year.

“Beginning next year, we will be introducing our new and enhanced curriculum where this particular curriculum will focus on the technology proficiency and defense. We will be introducing new subjects about cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, asymmetric warfare, and drone warfare,” he said.

“We will be also making sure that our curriculum will be in accordance with our strategic and operation readiness, and it will have an interdisciplinary approach defense studies, but is also aligned with the national defense strategies,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News