The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Pudang-Kalis” Class of 2013 was dominated by the eldest child of a poor and landless family in Davao del Sur, identified as Cadet First Class Jestoni Armand Lanaja.
Lanaja dominated this year’s class and he will join the Philippine Army (PA). According to the PMA, the Class of 2013 also known as “Pudang-Kalis” which means “Puso’t Dagat ng Lahing Nagkakaisa” will graduate this coming March 17, 2013.
This year’s valedictorian, Lanaja admitted in an interview that his father is a “tuba” (coconut wine) gatherer, the lone means of livelihood of their family as he cannot go into farming because they have no land to till, while his mother was a plain housewife.
Jestoni Armand Lanaja stated in an interview that one of his brother could only finish high school and that no proper medical assistance could be given to his other sister who was disabled and the reasons why they experienced those things is because of poverty.
The top honors that will be given to Cadet First Class Jestoni Lanaja was already confirmed by Lt. Gen. Ireneo Espino, PMA Superintendent.
Meanwhile here’s the members of the Top 10 Graduating First Class in the PMA Batch 2013:
- Mary Ann Balais, second placer, native of La Trinidad, Benguet who will join the Philippine Navy (PNA)
- Poland Ancheta Banacua, third placer
- Jessie Saludo of Cavite, fourth placer
- Jocelyn Advincula, fifth placer who will join the Philippine Air Force (PAF)
- John Luis Tulag of Agusan del Sur, sixth placer
- Ferdinand Villanueva of Villasis, Pangasinan, seventh placer
- Vanessa Factora, eighth placer
- Jet Cabantura Domoclog, of Gattaran, Cagayan, ninth placer
- Myla Maniscan, tenth placer.
