Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) —With the military usually being a male-dominated field, women showed they’ve got what it takes as eight female cadets placed in the top ten of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2017.
Cadet First Class (C1C) Rovi Mairel Valino Martinez topped the 167 members of PMA Class Sanggalang ay Lakas at Buhay Para sa Kalayaan Ng Inang Bayan (SALAKNIB), graduating on Sunday, March 12 at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who will be attending his first PMA graduation as the Armed Forces of the Philippines Commander-in-Chief, will confer the Presidential Saber to Martinez.
Martinez will be joining the Philippine Navy, so she will also be granted the Philippine Navy Saber.
C1C Philip Modesto ranks second, receiving the Vice Presidential Saber and Philippine Army Saber.
Ranking third is C1C Eda Glis Buansi Marapao, who will be given the Secretary of National Defense Saber.
In fourth rank is C1C Cathleen Jovi Santiano Baybayan, while C1C Carlo Emmanuel Manalansan Canlas ranked fifth, receiving the Philippine Air Force Saber.
The rest in the Top 10 are C1C Shiela Joy Ramiro Jallorina, C1C Sheila marie Calonge De Guzman, C1C Joyzy Mencias Funchica, C1C Resie Jezreel Arrocena Hucalla, and C1C Catherine Mae Emeterio Gonzales.
Class SALAKNIB has 63 women in its ranks, the highest number since the PMA opened its doors to women in 1993, through Republic Act No. 7192.
