MANILA, Philippines – Cadet First Class Karl Winston Cacanindin admits that the thought of having a military career was farthest from his mind when he graduated as valedictorian in his high school class in a coastal town in a province in Central Luzon.
Cacanindin, 23, says he was bent on becoming an engineer. But he did not reckon with the determination of his father, Fortunato, who wanted him to fulfill his dream to become a soldier.
His dream, Fortunato says, did not materialize because he married young. And so, narrates, he tried to convince his eldest son to follow that dream but Karl Winston initially resisted.
Eventually, however, Karl Winston gave in, passed the exams and entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), the country’s premiere military institution located in Baguio City in the Northern Luzon highlands.
Fortunato says the fact alone that Karl Winston succeeded in entering the PMA made him and his family proud.
Now he is doubly proud because Karl Winston is to graduate at the top of his 184-strong class on March 16 at the PMA grounds in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City, where the guest of honor is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
During the ceremonies, Karl Winston is to receive, among the other awards, the coveted Presidential Saber from the President herself.
Fortunato reveals Karl Winston will be commissioned as an officer of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). There he will join his uncle, Lauro, the elder brother of Fortunato, who holds the rank of master sergeant and three of his cousins (Lauro’s sons) at the PAF.
Fortunato, his wife Eleanor, a teacher in a public high school, other relatives and friends from their “barangay” (village) in the coastal town of Dipaculao, Aurora province in Central Luzon, will be present during the ceremonies.
Aside from Karl Winston, his younger brother,, PMA Third Class Cadet Paul Yves, will be there to welcome them upon their expected arrival in Baguio on Saturday.
But another close family member, their paternal grandmother, Victoria, 73, would not be around. According to Fortunato, Victoria died on Monday after she slipped and banged her head on the floor shortly before the good news of her grandson topping his PMA class would reach them.
Based on records, Rear Admiral Leonardo Calderon, the PMA superintendent, said 70 of the 184 members of the PMA 2009 graduating class topped the honor lists in their respective high schools.
Many others, Calderon said, have excelled in their universities before they were recruited to join the PMA.
Calderon also released the names of the other members of the top 10 in the graduating class thus: Cadets First Class Leemuel Manicdo of Tarlac province in Central Luzon (second); Roger Flores of Iloilo City in the Visayas (third); Nelson Liwanag of Batangas province in Southern Luzon (fourth); Larry Mayao of Bontoc, Mountain Province in the Northern Luzon highlands (fifth).
Erick Ryan Mabborang of Enrile, Cagayan province in the Northern Luzon highlands (sixth); Carlito Santiago of Isabela province, Northern Luzon highlands (seventh); Glenn de Ramos of suburban Pasay City, Metro Manila (eighth); Cynthia Fortaleza of Pangasinan province, Northern Luzon (ninth); and Christopher Ian Dupalco of Bohol province, Visayas (10th).
Fortaleza is the lone female cadet among the topnotchers and she is proud to say that she is a “legacy” soldier, Calderon disclosed.
Fortaleza says her grandfather is retired PAF general Amadeo Fortaleza, while her uncle Joey is still connected with the PAF as a colonel.
She reveals she is dedicating her achievements to her father who died in a car crash in March 2008.
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