This part presents some of the Academy's lighter side of life. They are the notable notes, and the Academy's firsts and onlys. Some articles may be interesting, revealing, and in some instances, hilarious but they only prove to those who do not belong in the ranks of gray that a "graydet," much like any human being, experiences the drama and fortunes of human life as well.
Anyway, did you know that:
- The Class of 1931 were the first to graduate under the Three-year Program.
- First issue of "The Sword" was started by the Class of 1936. This was made possible through the initiative of a group of enterprising young cadets led by Cadet Dionisio Santiago Ojeda who occupied a self-appointed task as Managing Editor. The rest of "The Sword" staff were composed of Cadet Ricardo Garcia Papa, the Editor; Cadet Dominador Felix Salazar Garcia, the Business Manager; and Cadet Eustaquio Dizon Orobia, as Art Editor. The members of the first Sword staff, just as most of the other staff members that followed later, were all amateurs as far as writing, publishing, and distributing a school organ is concerned. They all learned somehow and were still able to come up with their periodic publication. The "Howitzer" and the "Lucky Bag" were two publications during those days which the Sword staff used as a guide and reference in coming up with the Sword magazine. The Sword staff in due time learned fast most of the "bells and whistles" involved in school organ publication that they were also able to publish the "Sword Yearbook" which was the first annual publication of the Cadet Corps of the Army of the Philippines (CCAP).
- The Class of 1936 were the first to:
- Graduate from the Academy and obtain commissionship in the regular force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
- Begin wearing a five-pointed gold star for academic excellence.
- Be publicized in a case of hazing Plebes.
- Adopt the class ring as a symbol of graduation from the Academy.
- In the history of the Academy, only two cadets hold the distinction of being distinguished cadets (starmen) from fourthclass to firstclass year. They are cadets Licurgo E. Estrada and Washington M. Sagun, number one and number two of Class 1940, respectively. Under the three-year cadetship program, Cadet Aristeo T. Ferraren of Class 1938, the first Captain and Regimental Commander during Academic Year 1937-38, was a starman from plebe year to his graduation on March 25, 1938.
- It was the Class of 1937 that first:
- Use the woolen gray dress uniforms.
- Attend a ring hop as a traditional ceremony for Firstclassmen.
- The Class of 1938 were the first to graduate with a class strength more than the original mumber of members that entered the Academy as Plebes.
- Archiless A. Almario, who graduated with the Class of 1971, was the first cadet of the Philippine Military Academy to be awarded The Bronze Cross which is a military decoration for acts of heroism involving the risk of one's own life. In utter disregard for his personal safety, then Secondclass Cadet Almario, in the evening of 31 Dec 1969, clambered up the burning apartment building at Arlegui, Quiapo, Manila by going through the fire escape to answer the frantic cries of eight children who were trapped inside one of the rooms. He braved this peril to rescue the eight young children who were in the throes of a sure and fiery death. The youthful cadet from Sta. Mesa, Manila was later awarded one of the highest military decorations in recognition of his courage and bravery. Cadet Almario received at Camp Aguinaldo the Bronze Cross from Gen. Manuel T. Yan, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
- The members of the Class of 1940 were the first to:
- Complete four years of training as cadets
- Authorized to go out anywhere in Baguio City during their free time.
- The Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 is reputed to be the only Class with the most number of foreign nationals. When the Class of 1978 reported to the Academy there were four foreign cadets - one each from Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States of America. The following were the foreign cadets who belonged to the Class of 1978: Anthony Mark Carmicael, an American, resigned in April 16, 1974, just two weeks after reporting to the Academy for the start of summer training. Supakit Wanpess, a Thai, was later discharged for academic deficiency. Hsueh Chao Yung was recalled by the Taiwanese government during his thirdclass year at the Academy due to abrogation of diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of China. Ho Sun Yee, a Singaporean graduated at the top of the 139-member Class on February 18, 1978 garnering the most-coveted Presidential Saber, the symbol of academic excellence in the Academy.
- It was the Class of 1941 that first:
- Reported to the Academy as Plebes on April 1st.
- Reported at the summer encampment at Polo Fields in Baguio City.
- The Class of 1940, 1951 and 1984 graduated as the classes having the most member of distinguished cadets (or "starmen") during their time. They produced six distinguished cadets each. A starman is a distinguished cadet, who at the end of each academic year, has his or her name included in the Superintendent's List, Dean's List, and Commandant's List in recognition of exceptional proficiency in academics. For the Class of 1940, the starmen were: Reynaldo R. Bocalbos, Licurgo E. Estrada, Cipriano Paz M. De Leon, Ramon A. Olbes, Damian G. Paron, and Washington M. Sagun. For the Class of 1951, the starmen were: Miles R. Albano, Pedro G. Dumol, Benjamin De Guzman, Andres Manipula, Leopoldo B. Reyes, and Francisco San Miguel. For the Class of 1984, the starmen were: Telesforo R. Dacquel, Arnold Y. Depakakibo, Bayani R. Gaerlan, Rey Leonard B. Guerrero, Jose Antonio Carlos Motril, and Allan B. Rojo.
- Discharged for deficiencies in conduct, Cadet Antonio A. Daza, a former member of the Class of 1963 came back to the Academy to graduate at the top of his class and received numerous outstanding awards. He eventually became a distinguished cadet twice, a distinction given only to cadets having an excellent average performance during a particular year of their training. Earlier as a Thirdclass cadet, he received the largest recorded punishment meted to a cadet for a single offense which consisted of 38 demerits, 264 punishment tours and 12 months confinement. The punishment was meted to Cadet Daza for giving unauthorized punishment to a fourthclass cadet under him. His orders were reconsidered and later commuted, thereby allowing him to join and graduate with the Class of 1965.
- May 20, 1950 is a special day for the Philippine Military Academy. This was the day that the Corps of Cadets was to occupy for the first time the new and permanent site of the Academy at Loakan. It was also on this day that the Philippine tricolor was to be hoisted at full staff to lord over the place to be called Fort Del Pilar. At the new PMA site the Academy Superintendent, Lt. Col. Tirso G. Fajardo led his staff, officers and other personnel of the Academy in this particular historic event. The cadet battalion formed in front of the Academic Building and smartly executed "present arms" to the tune of the all-inspiring "Philippines, My Philippines," Col. Fajardo raised at precisely high noon that day, with unquivering hands, the first flag to wave in Loakan. The Nation's Military Academy was at last established on its very own grounds and permanent home.
- For the first time under the new name (Philippine Military Academy) and second in the entire history of the Academy, the Cadet Corps went down to Manila to participate in an "Occupation Day Parade." During the days of the Philippine Commonwealth, Occupation Day was also referred to as Gratitude Day and it was then an official public holiday. This holiday came about to commemorate the day Admiral Dewey's Asiatic Squadron assisted the U.S. Army troops in the apture of Manila on August 13, 1898. This particular parade was held at Luneta on August 13, 1938. No less than President Manuel Luis Quezon and U.S. High commissioner Paul Vories McNutt were at the grandstand to witness the participation of cadets from the newly named Philippine Military Academy.
- On June 26, 1937, the first issue of the first cadet school organ called "The Kaydet Gossiper" was put into circulation with Cadet Jose P. Cardenas, Jr. (PMA '38) of Manila as its editor-in-chief. Intended as a weekly weekend publication, the Kaydet Gossiper made its debut in stapled mimeographed sheets printed for intramural distribution. Five issues later, on the first week of August, the Cadet Corps met to discuss the publication which was beginning to be well accepted and decided to change its name as well. The cadets agreed to rename it "The Corps" which up to the present time is still the same title of the cadet corps organ. Improvements and changes have been made in the issues that followed. Mimeographed sheets also were nolonger used. By November of 1937, the publication became a much better looking magazine and included the first "Femmes Issue."
- Cadet Abelardo R. Mondoņedo, a member of PMA Class of 1941, was the first and only First Captain to be succeeded by his brother, Augusto R. Mondoņedo of the Class of 1942. The First Captain or more commonly called as the "Baron" is the most ranking cadet in the Corps - in civilian terms, he is equivalent to any organization's president. Technically speaking, he officially acts as the immediate assistant of the Commandant of Cadets in the discipline, interior administration, training and general efficiency of the Cadet Corps. For all these numerous duties and responsibilities, the Baron has the distinction of wearing the longest chevron in the corps of cadets.
- The only cadet to sign his own diploma is Catalino R. Ibaņez, Jr. Since the PMA Class of 1942 went straight to war from the classrooms of the Academy, they had no graduation ceremonies, and received no bachelor of science degrees. All they got was just a brief message from AFP Chief of Staff General Valdez, after which they hastily received their commissions on December 16, 1941 at the main building of the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila. General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines decided to remedy the situation in March of 1948. This was when the members of the Class of 1942 were ordered back to the Philippine Military Academy at Camp Allen, Baguio City to attend their formal graduation exercises and collect the long overdue degrees. Among them was Catalino R. Ibaņez, who was then also the Secretary of the Academic Board in 1948. As such, he had to sign all the diplomas of his classmates, including his own.
- The first foreign cadet to graduate from the Academy belonged to the Class of 1960. The cadet represented the country of Thailand and his name is Thaval N. Sawangpunka.
- The Silent Drill Company of Matatag Class of 1971 was the first to perform outside the Philippines, in the Chinese Military Academy (CMA), when the entire secondclassmen visited this little-island province of Taiwan as part of the Corps' Asian Tour. The constant source of pride of Class 1971, the crack silent drill company showed their inimitable wares to the Chinese cadets. Their performance was more or less, a salute to the host who were more than eager to accomodate the Cadet Corps. They did very well, well enough to merit the admiration and ceaseless enthusiasm of the hosts. At the Chinese Air Force Academy, the silent drill company also performed for the Air Force cadets inspite of a slight drizzle. They did it this time inside a gymnasium with complete floors and eye-popping flash bulbs. The heavy thumping of rifle butts broke three rifle stocks. No frets, all for diplomacy. Thus, the silent drill company have gave in its share in crystallizing the objective of the goodwill mission tour of the group of cadets from the Philippine Military Academy.
- The Class of 1972 were recognized as the first to:
- Complete four years of stay at Regis Hall which was then used as a cadet barracks.
- Use the summer camp set up in Fort Del Pilar.
- Have a Christmas break during their Plebe year.
- The longest record for plebehood is held by former Cadet Audie Serrano. He became a member of the following classes of the Philippine Military Academy: '78, '79, '80, '81. Audie is the son of Boni Serrano, a hero who was awarded the Medal of Valor which is the highest military award for gallantry in action. Cadet Serrano entered the PMA for the first time in 1978 as a plebe, unluckily, he was discharged. In 1975 he came back to the Academy to join the Class of 1979 and was again discharged. The following year he was admitted and just the same subsequently discharged for the third time. Finally, he joined the Class of 1981 again as a plebe but was unfortunately discharged; this time being overaged. Cadet Serrano's acceptance in the Academy, despite his being discharged for three times, was made possible because of his being the son of a Medal of Valor awardee. As such, he gets top priority in entering the PMA without taking the required entrance examination. It is indeed sad to note that Cadet Serrano's attempt to graduate from the Academy was not a successful one. He has, however, established a record for himself at PMA which was never ever duplicated up to this date.
- For the first time in the history of the Philippine Military Academy, the Dialectic Society of the Cadet Corps presented their 100th Nite show outside Fort Del Pilar on December 17, 1978 at the convention center in Baguio City. As early as 7:00 p.m., selected guests started tickling in to the spacious and newly built convention center which was incidentally the site of the Karpov-Korchnoi Chess match. Special guest included PMA S uperintendent General Angel G. Kanapi and his family and the members of PMA Class '53. The show was a tremendous success. For three hours, the cadet participants enthralled the audience with their songs, dances and skits. The Officer-in-Charge of the show was Lt Wilfredo Mejia.
- It was the Class of 1979 that first held their graduation rites outside of Fort Del Pilar. They had their graduation at the Baguio Convention Center with President Marcos as commencement speaker.
- The Class of 1981 were the first to put up and maintain a Class home page on the Internet.
