A MOVING SHOW BY SOME VISITING PMA CADETS

Bowing their heads after taking their caps off, at least 60 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Mabalasik Class of 2019 showed off their skills during a silent drill in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

It was their way of saying thank you, while the cadets’ foster and real parents clapped at the array of formations. Brenda Bilagantol, 57, went through great lengths just to see them.

“We are from Cagayan De Oro and are really natives of Cebu City. When we heard that our son would be part of the silent drill, we immediately flew here to witness it and we take pride that he has already matured after he joined the academy,” Bilagantol said.

A mother of two, Bilagantol admitted that she felt scared for her youngest son, John Brian, 24, but trusted that the Lord will guide him on his chosen path.

“They are trained to be prepared for any war that will come their way and I trust God that He will protect my son,” she said.

Gideon Diamos, a cadet, encouraged aspirants to sign up as recruits.

“If you want to help your family, yourself and, most especially, serve the country, why not join? There’s no harm in trying. We endured the training and so can you. It’s just a matter of mental attitude,” said Diamos, who was among the 202 male and 75 female cadets who arrived at the Mactan- Cebu Air Base last Friday morning.

Lt. Col. Reynaldo Balido, assistant chief of staff of Civil Military Operations of the PMA, said that the silent drill was the cadets’ way of thanking their foster parents in Cebu, who took them in as part of their own family.

For much of the year, the cadets stay in their academy in Fort Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City.

Another silent drill is scheduled on Monday, May 22, at 9 a. m. in the University of Southern Philippines Foundation campus. No entrance fee will be charged.