Presidentiable Ping among awardees at PMA homecoming

February 19, 2022 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY (February 18, 2022) – Senator Panfilo Lacson leads the long list of alumni awardees at the alumni homecoming at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
Via hybrid virtual and physical attendance, Lacson of PMA class of 1971 and standard-bearer of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition with Senator Vicente Sotto III as his vice-presidential teammate is one among the 4 Lifetime Achievement Awardees with his “Mistah” (classmate) former PNP chief Edgardo Aglipay (class ‘71) and Cavalier Anselmo Avenido and former PMA Superintendent Melchor Rosales born of class ‘68.
With the hybrid virtual and limited face-to-face attendance, PMA expected only 1,200 attendees for the two-day homecoming until Saturday from all the classes, a pale comparison to at least 6,000 alumni during pre-pandemic times.
A Thai Senator— 1981 graduate Thawip Netniyom also leads 8 more Outstanding Achievement Awardees that included former AFP chief of staff Jose Faustino (class 88), former PNP chief and senatorial Guillermo Eleazar (class 87), former AFP chief of staff Andress Centino (class 88), current PNP chief Dionardo Carlos (class 88), current Philippine Navy chief Adelius Bordado (class 88), PCG chief Leopoldo Laroya (class 88), current Philippine Army chief Romeo Brawner (class 89) and current Philippine Air Force chief Connor Anthony Canlas.
Ten more Cavaliers receive this year’s homecoming Plaque of Meritorious Recognition led by DHSUD chief Eduardo del Rosario (class 80), Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente (class 81), DDB chairperson Catalino Cuy (class 81), NICA Director General Paul Monteagudo (class 81), BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona (class 82), PCSO chair Anselmo Pinili (class 83), BOC Commissioner Rey Guererro (class 84), NTF against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Glavez (class 85), PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva (class 88) and Special Envoy for Transnational Crime Bruce Concepcion (class 90).
Other Cavalier Awardees are Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong (cl 82) for outstanding accomplishment for administration; Cipriano Acosta (cl 82) for private enterprise; Erwin Luga (cl 82) for the special field (religion); Edgardo de Leon (cl 88) for staff functions; Michael Ray Aquino (cl 88) for contributions in alumni affairs; William Gonzales (cl 89) for command administration; Leo Francisco (cl 82) for police operations; Roy Echeverria (cl 93) for Coast Guard operations; Melvin Banua (cl 87) for Air Operations; Herbert Dilag (cl 88) for Special Operations; Ashley Nastor (cl 2000) for Naval Operations; Gladius Calilan (cl 2001) for Army operations; Paul Mendoza (cl 2006) also for Air operations as Junior Officer; and Junrey Sajulga (cl 2013) also for Naval operations as Junior Officer.
This year’s homecoming themed: “Mga PMA Cavaliers: Tunay na Kaagapay ng Sambayanang Pilipino sa Panahon ng Pandemya o Kalamidad”, with Friday’s General Assembly Guest of Honor and Speaker, House Speaker Lourd Allan Velasco and Saturday’s homecoming proper virtually by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, was not opened to journalists and instead was accessed through the PMA Facebook account, Face-bok.
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN