BRIGHTEST. The top graduates of Philippine Military Academy Bagong Sinag Class of 2024 pose for a group photo at the announcement of their rankings in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City on Friday (May 10, 2024). Valedictorian Jeneth Elumba (5th from left) of Surigao del Norte will lead the 278 graduates on May 18, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as their guest of honor and speaker. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — Jeneth Elumba, the daughter of rice farmers and village officials from Surigao del Norte, topped the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2024.
The PMA also announced on Friday that seven female cadets of Bagong Sinag Class 2024 are in the top 10.
Elumba, who will join the Philippine Army, dedicated her achievement to her father.
“He is a frustrated uniformed personnel, being a Criminology graduate who wanted to join or to serve the public. But due to circumstances, he was not able to pursue such a career,” Elumba said in an interview on the sidelines of the formal announcement of top graduating cadets at Longayban Hall here.
The top student said it was her father who encouraged her to serve in the military.
“When we watch the television or are exposed to uniformed personnel in the community, he would encourage me and tell me, why not join? Look at them. They have the privilege to serve the public and also to be of service to the people,” Elumba, 24 said.
The graduation on May 18 will be composed of 224 males and 54 females.
The six other females in the top 10 are Cyril Joy Masculino of Camarines Sur (4th); Rosmel Dogello of Jamindan, Capiz (5th); Alexa Mye Valen of Lanao Del Norte (6th); Giselle Tong of Tuguegarao, Cagayan (8th); Danica Marie Viray of Pasay City (9th); and Neriva Binag of Cabagan, Isabela (10th).
Mark Armuel Boiles of Quezon City and Kim Harold Gilo of Butuan City, ranked second and third, respectively, while in seventh place is Floyd Nino Arthur Roxas of Iloilo province.
Bagong Silang Class 2024 started with 350 cadets but only 278 made it.
Of the 278 cadets, 144 are joining the Philippine Army, 62 are going to the Philippine Air Force and 72 are joining the Philippine Navy.
Covid cadets
PMA superintendent Lt. General Rowen Tolentino said the graduating class entered the academy at the height of the pandemic in May 2020 and the students were in a bubble for two years.
They were not allowed to leave the PMA premises or be visited by anybody. (PNA)
