Gen. Recalls PMA Days when an Incoming Cadet Seeks his Advice

 

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - A former General and an incumbent Mayor reminisced the day when he would be joining the plebehood in the Philippines Military Academy when an eighteen year old constituent appeared in his office for advice before the former report on Saturday at the premier military institution in the country on Saturday.

“I was just like him so young and thin when I joined the PMA ,” Leopoldo Bataoil chuckled but waxing sentiment when he told recently this Writer when the latter dropped by at the mayor’s office of this No. 6 most populated town in the four cities forty four towns’ Pangasinan.

In a public letter addressed to Avril Michael de Guzman, 18, he posted at the Writer’s blog Talk Radio 101 in Facebook, the General said he wasso proud of the feat of the young man.

CADET RECEPTION. Physical and mental toughness of plebes are tested during the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) reception rites at the Borromeo Field. Plebehood strips them of their civilian life as they transform into professional and effective military leaders. Plebe is dubbed as the lowest life of a cadet as he wiggles out for acceptance in the academy. (Photo by Jean Nicole Cortes)

“Let me share with you my story. I am 5th in a family of 7, my father was a teacher and my mother was a homemaker. To support us all in college was very difficult for parents like them but they really find ways and means to see us thru, no matter. So, when I passed the PMA entrance exam, I took it upon myself to grab the opportunity to avail of the cadetship program as a government scholar, all free; Tuition, uniform, food and with salary which is higher than a Master Sergeant and lower than a Second Lieutenant,” excerpt of the letter.

Bataoil is a retired three-star police general, a nine years former Congressman of the Second District, and Chief Executive of this burgeoning capital town of Pangasinan.

De Guzman is one of the more or less 300 cream of the crops from the 20,000 examinees who took the PMA Entrance Examination held in the various testing centers all over the country in August 30 last year.

He was taking Bachelor of Science in Accountancy at Kingfisher College in Dagupan City when he passed the tough military college's entrance examination.

“Only 1,000 hurdled the examination but only 300 passed the stringent physical and psychological examinations at V-Luna (Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center in Quezon City- Author),” de Guzman, who is of the same age with Bataoil when the latter joined the PMA, disclosed to this Writer in the vernacular.

The mother, a housewife, of the incoming cadet is the childhood neighbor of the former General in Barangay Libsong here.

“He’s like my kin thus I was happy that he hurdled the PMA exam. Nobody from my family and relatives joined the PMA”.

The General saw at De Guzman the lineage to continue the fine tradition of professional soldiery, where he considers the boy as his extended member of the family.

“ (C)onsidering your mother Athena and your Aunt Badet like my own sisters. I hope we can meet and talk again so I can guide you more on your future plans,” excerpt of the letter of Bataoil to the incoming cadet.

The former Congressman told this newspaper that many friends have been discouraging the young man to join the military school in Baguio City because of the adverse opinions of several gory incidents that ensued there.

“I told him to ignore them because he will be joining the most prestigious school in the country”.

At the young age of 18 Bataoil advice the son of his former neighbor that it will be an advantaged to be part of the Long Gray Line.

“While the older classmates or mistah niya will be retiring he will be the last man standing. He has the chance to be promoted to even Chief -of -Staff later.

When asked by this newspaper what branch of service he will prefer after he graduate at the Academy, he retorted: Air Force, Sir!

BELOW IS THE WHOLE COPY OF THE LETTER:

"Mortz thank you for this post. Here’s my open letter/ pep talk to Avril Mike, fyi-

“Dear Mike, I know you have mixed feelings and hesitation about joining the PMA so forgive my intervention at this time.

I want you to know that I am so proud of you and yes it’s a major decision that you must make at this young stage of your life.

TWO GENERALS AND AN INCOMING PMA CADET. This blog author (extreme right) posing recently at the office of the mayor in Lingayen, Pangasinan with two retired Philippine Generals Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil (PMA' 76)(extreme left) Municipal Adminstrator Robert Sylim (PMA '74) (2nd from right). Avril Michael de Guzman - an incoming cadet of the Philippine Military Academy - is at second from left.

Let me share with you my story. I am 5th in a family of 7, my father was a teacher and my mother was a homemaker. To support us all in college was very difficult for parents like them but they really find ways and means to see us thru, no matter. So, when I passed the PMA entrance exams, I took it upon myself to grab the opportunity to avail of the cadetship program as a government scholar, all free; tuition, uniform, food and with salary which is higher than a Master Sergeant and lower than a 2Lt.

As a cadet, you are expected to study for 4 years, train to be a leader as an officer and gentleman. Upon graduation, you will be conferred a BS Degree and serve either in the Army, Navy or Air Force. As years go by, you can later on pursue higher studies. If the AFP sees in you a high leadership potential and you keep your service reputation clean, the institution will invest in your career development.

In my case, I was sent to Australia in 1986 by the AFP to study their officers and soldiers training programs; and USA in 1988 for my military officers advance course. When I joined the PNP, I was sent to UK Bramshill in 1992 for my Command Course equivalent to OSEC/ GSC; UK Yorkshire for my Crisis Mgt Course, among others.

As I gathered, you want to be like your brother to specialize on accountancy. The AFP can likewise help you specialize on that field thru inservice trainings, where you can serve as the military comptroller in the future. Civilian schoolings can also be availed of at certain point while in service. In my case, while I served in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon, I took advantage of the proximity of colleges and universities where I was able to pursue and graduate as MBA at St. Paul University of Tuguegarao City in 1980s later on as Doctor of Peace and Security Administration at the Bicol University in 1990s.

You will have more opportunities as a military officer after PMA and even after retirement. Some of our PMAyers are recruited or pirated to serve big private corporations even while on active service and more of them were offered positions in govt after retirement.

A case in point is our Municipal Administrator, MGen Roberto G Sylim AFP (Ret) himself is an alumnus, a member of PMA’74. We were batchmates of Class 1970 at PPHS now PNHS (Pangasinan National Highschool - Author), a valedictorian who joined the Phil Air Force after PMA graduation. He was a member of the prestigious Blue Eagles jet fighter pilot, held various high positions like military attaché in USA and Canada and retired as The Commanding General of AFP Logistics Command. He is a graduate of two masteral degrees; the prestigious AIM (Asia Institute of Management) the best management school in Asia, and another masteral degree in UK, among others. I mentioned all these because you said you prefer the Air Force and I feel that you needed role models to firm up your decision to join the PMA.

Again, in my case I opted to join politics where I served as your congressman for three terms and now as your first term mayor of our beloved hometown, Lingayen.

I hope I can talk to you more. I wanted someone in our family to follow my footsteps. My nephews tried but failed, except for one who followed my footsteps at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) where I had a year of cadetship training prior to PMA. Then I saw it in you the lineage to continue the fine tradition of professional soldiery, you whom I consider my extended family in our neighborhood, considering your mother Athena and your Aunt Badet like my own sisters. I hope we can meet and talk again so I can guide you more on your future plans.

Mike, this is your chance of a lifetime, a rare opportunity to serve God, Country and People, one of them noblest ways that I know. Take it and be the best you can be”.

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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.