Discipline and purpose

Last week we wrote on the recent graduation of PMA Class 2012, providing some background on the establishment of the Philippine Military Academy. The school traces its beginnings to the Academia Militar ng Pilipinas founded in October 1898, pursuant to a decree of the president of the First Philippine Republic, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

One of the items I mentioned was: of the more than 40 officers who became AFP chief of staff, only four were non-Academy graduates. Generals Romeo Espino and Fabian Ver were products of the University of the Philippines ROTC program, while Generals Fidel Ramos and Narciso Abaya both graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point.

The first message I received that day was from my cousin Max Edralin, one of five reporters who in 1955 were jailed for refusing to reveal the source of information for an article on a landmark case involving ranking officials of the Quirino administration. Max informed me that I had missed out on Gen. Alfredo Santos who served as AFP chief of staff during the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal. Max considered General Santos as “the best public speaker among AFP chiefs.”

Later in the day, an old colleague who served with me in the Philippine Air Force, MSgt. Benito Pereyno, now a lanzones farmer in Laguna, also called to mention my omission of General Santos. In fact I had failed to mention not just one but two other AFP chiefs who were not graduates of the PMA. Aside from General Santos, there was Gen. Rigoberto Atienza who succeeded Santos as AFP chief. Both were appointed by the same president, Diosdado Macapagal.

I apologize for the omissions. Both officers deserve a few more lines to highlight their careers.

General Santos was appointed AFP chief of staff on Sept. 10, 1962, becoming the first officer from the ranks of the ROTC to be named to the highest position in the military organization. Santos graduated from the Mapua Institute of Technology with an Engineering degree and finished the ROTC program as the corps commander. He later entered the Reserve Officers Service School (ROSS) at Camp Henry T. Allen in Baguio City, graduating at the top of his class. In recognition of his outstanding military performance, he was selected as the first chief of the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) Military Planning Office (MPO) in Bangkok when it was established.

General Atienza graduated from the UP College of Engineering with a Civil Engineering degree. Together with other students, he founded the university engineering fraternity Tau Alpha. In 1936, he also joined the ROSS and graduated at the top of his class in academics. On July 13, 1965, General Atienza was designated AFP chief of staff carrying with him a reputation as one of the organization’s “most brilliant and informed officers.” The 51st Engineering Brigade headquarters at Libis, Quezon City, is named “Camp General Rigoberto J. Atienza” in his honor.

* * *

One of the new PMA graduates is Lt. Renmar Samonte, youngest son of Brig. Gen. Rene Samonte, who served as my senior aide when I was chief of the Air Force. He is the second Samonte boy to join the Armed Forces. His older brother, Ryan, is currently with the Scout Rangers. General Samonte recently assumed a new position as head of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) of the Philippine Air Force based in Fernando Air Base, Lipa City. The command is mainly responsible for training future pilots of the PAF. Congratulations to both father and son.

* * *

Of all the educational institutions of the land, few can compare with the Academy. Here, no one cares about birthplace, about religion, about social stature. All that matters is the individual’s worth as he/she is able to show it. The men and women come from every walk of life, from every geographic point in the country, chosen by open, objective, and competitive examinations.

Next Sunday, April 1, a new batch will be entering the PMA. More than 100 have been appointed to comprise the incoming Class of 2016. For some reason, tradition has chosen April Fools’ Day as reception day for new cadets reporting to Fort Gregorio H. del Pilar.

Somehow I am reminded of my own experience as a plebe reporting for the first time to what would be my home for the next four years. The headline of the Manila Times of April 1, 1952 was “House to Probe Plane Crash.” A few days earlier, a Philippine DC-3 crashed near the Baguio airport, killing 10 passengers.

While the nation’s attention was focused on this tragic event, some 80 young men (no women then) aged 17-21 were being given the traditional warm and noisy welcome at Loakan, on the outskirts of Baguio City. The place, which later would be christened Fort Del Pilar, was still a desolate one-building affair—a location where probably only fools would wish to spend a considerable time of their lives.

After graduation from UP High in Diliman, Quezon City, I could not quite figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. The Academy provided an answer and a challenge. Perhaps this could also be true for some of the men and women joining the Class of 2016. There is something to be said about instilling in young minds discipline and a sense of purpose and direction. All I can say is that it was one of the best decisions a young man could have made.

* * *

There is some concern about the small number of candidates entering the Academy this year. Out of some 15,000 who earlier sent in applications, only 6,000-plus actually took the entrance exams. And a little more than a thousand made the passing mark. A good number were disqualified on the basis of not meeting the physical requirements.

One of the main thrusts of Maj. Gen. Nonato Alfredo Peralta, the current PMA superintendent, is a policy of zero maltreatment for entrants joining the corps of cadets. Last year, there were some 25 cases involving hazing of plebes. It is time that we get rid of old practices and customs. Physical abuse has no place in the training and development of future officers of the Armed Forces.