The new commandant of the Philippine Military Academy yesterday said that the welfare of the cadets are being prioritized even with the gravity of training they have to endure to become full-pledged servant-leaders.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., acting PMA commandant of cadets, admitted that several parents have expressed intention to pull out their children from the country’s premier military training institution after the hazing death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio.
“Nananawagan po ako sa mga magulang na huwag mabahala. Maraming parents na nagsasabi na gusto na nila paalisin ang kanilang mga anak. Nandito na po tayo and we are going to address the issue. Aalagaan po namin ang inyong mga anak whether they are plebes or upperclassmen,” Brawner said.
He also explained the academy policy that cadets shall be isolated from the rest of the world while on their first year inside the PMA.
“Mayroon kasing idea na dapat isolated ang mga kadete for one year para makapagconcentrate siya. Sometimes kasi, may tendencies na kapag nakausap ng kadete ang mga kamag-anak, marami ang nagreresign,” Brawner said.
When the former Marawi City commander assumed as PMA CoC last Thursday, he had declared a “war against hazing” and warned cadets who will dare disobey him to get out of the academy.
Among the steps that Brawner will implement to achieve his goal is promotion of contact sports among the cadets to develop their fighting instinct correctly. This includes taekwondo, karate, judo, wrestling, arnis, and mixed martial arts, among others.
“In that way, madedevelop yung fighting instinct ng kadete in a right way. Hindi ‘yung binubugbog ‘yung plebo para tignan kung hanggang saan niya kayang matorture. Aba mali naman ‘yun,” he said.
He also said that he will strengthen the honor system to renew the “honor code” and guard the cadets’ mental health to ensure their overall welfare.
Deemed sacred, the honor code governs the cadets’ life inside the academy.
Through the honor system, the cadet binds himself to a code which states: “We, the cadets, do not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate among us those who do so.” (Martin Sadongdong)