CADET AND CADENCE

THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS

The JOURNEY started when I took up the PMA entrance examinations at the UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES (UNC) in NAGA CITY on September 9, 1990. I didn't know anything about PMA during that time. It was never discussed to me before. There was no information campaign that reached my attention about PMA. I was then taking up an ENGINEERING COURSE at UNC when one Sunday during our ROTC, there was an announcement that whoever wanted to take the PMA entrance examinations would be exempted from attending the ROTC training during that day.

Out of curiosity and due to the invitation of a classmate who has an inept interest in the military training because he was our Corps Adjutant during our CAT in high school, I proceeded to the venue of processing for applicants. Because of my obvious height of about 5'9", the proctor didn't bother to measure my height. The minimum height during that time at PMA is 5'4". All applicants are male. Females are not yet accepted in PMA when I took the entrance examinations. The proctor asked me to fill up the application form and required to attach two pieces of 2" by 2" pictures. Since I did not have the pictures, the proctor told me to just comply them when I went back in the afternoon during the continuation of the whole day written examinations.

There was about 500 to 600 applicants who took the examinations in that venue. We were told that the said examinations were being conducted nationwide simultaneously.   

PASSING THE WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

After a month as I was doing my routine one afternoon which was to visit the UNC Engineering Department Library, the librarian was smiling at me when I entered the library. He handed to me a national newspaper and guided my attention to the list of passers for the PMA entrance examinations which included my name. I kept that news within me without informing anyone including my parents and my uncle. I was confused because at that time I was also an scholarship grantee at UNC and I didn't have any slightest idea about PMA. 

During that time, I was staying in the house of my uncle together with his family in Naga City.

It was when I went home during one vacation when the telegram was received by my uncle informing that I passed the PMA entrance examinations. The distance of my parent's house from Naga City is about 50 kilometers or about an hour and a half travel time with a bus. I was only informed after a week when I came back because there was no cellular phone or any other form of communication during that time except for letters and personal encounters.

The telegram was requiring me to report at the AFP Medical Center for the physical and medical examinations, physical fitness test and interview as the second stage of the processing requirements to be admitted as PMA cadet. 

THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS AND INTERVIEW

After satisfying all the requirements including clearances, i reported to AFPMC in Quezon City and stayed there for a week for the said examinations and interview.

QUALIFYING AS PMA CADET

THE GRADUATION