Female cadet from Surigao is PMA 2024's top student
A female cadet from Surigao City emerged as the top student of this year's graduating class at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
PMA Cadet 1st Class Jeneth Elumba, the daughter of rice farmers and village officials, will receive the distinction of being the valedictorian among the 278 cadets composing the 2024 Bagong Sinag Class, where there are 224 male students and only 54 female ones.
This was announced at Longayban Hall, Fort General Gregorio H. Del Pilar in Baguio City on May 10.
Along with the achievement of being PMA's seventh female valedictorian in PMA's long history, she will also be awarded the Presidential Saber, the Philippine Army Saber, the Joint United States Military Assistance Group Saber, the Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award, and the Tactics Group Award.
Speaking during PMA's open forum, Elumba shared that she feels "blessed "and grateful to God" for a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to be the top performing cadet in the premiere military academy in the country.
She went on to open up on the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field.
"Honestly speaking, there are struggles along the way, but one challenge that a female cadet has faced in the Philippine Military Academy is the perception that soldiery is a male-dominated career or environment," Elumba said.
"But we have to take note that female cadets here in the Philippine Military Academy are given equal opportunity to excel and even hold leadership positions in the cadet core," she continued.
Elumba shared that she was encouraged by her squad leaders to go on this career path.
"To be honest, Philippine army—I had just decided it during my first few months here in the academy. My squad leaders are all coming from the Philippine army and they have influenced me to also join the Philippine army," she said.
"It is because during our army phase and our first training months, they have showed me the strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork among the army cadets," she added.
The 24-year-old top student also observed that they have "valued the small pleasures in life," noting, "Even a small can of sardines and even a SkyFlake can already uplift of every army cadet here in the Philippine Military Academy."
Aside from Elumba, six other female cadets made it into the top 10 list, namely, Cdt 1stCL Cyril Joy Masculino of Nabua, Camarines Sur (4th); Cdt 1stCL Rosemel Dogello of Capiz (5th); Cdt 1stCL Alexa Mye Valen of Lanao Del Norte (6th); Cdt 1stCL Giselle Tong of Tuguegarao (8th); Cdt 1stCL Danica Marie Viray, who resides at the Villamor Air Base (9th); and Cdt 1stCL Nerova Binag of Isabela (10th).
The graduation ceremony will be held at the PMA’s Borromeo Field on May 18.