AS the country observes the National Women’s Month, five young Filipinas on Friday made history as they were among the Top 10 graduates of the Philippine National Police ‘Masidtalak’ Class of 2023 honored by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. last week.

The five are new Jail Lieutenant Mary Louise Moyano, new Police Lt. Claire Gean Pambid, Gezelle Sadian and Kimberly Cruz and new Fire Lieutenant Gillian Torlao.

Moyano who will join the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology emerged as the Top 3 in her Class while Pambid, Sadian, Torlao and Cruz ranked 5th, 6th, 7th and 10threspectively. Pambid Sadian and Cruz joined the PNP while Torlao, who also received an award for being the Best in Forensic Science and Best in Laws and Jurisprudence, joined the Bureau of Fire Protection.

A total of 34 females graduated as members of the Class. Of the 174 male members, five were among the Top 10 too.

President Marcos, in the presence of PNP Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. and PNPA director, Major Gen. Eric E. Noble called on members of PNPA Class 2023 led by their topnotcher, newly-commissioned Police Lt. Francis Geneta of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro “ to be catalysts for restoring public trust” in law enforcers by being just and morally upright.

“I also ask you to be catalysts for restoring public trust in the PNP, and to be recognized as protectors and defenders of peace, order and human rights,” the President told the 208 graduates.

Of the 208 members of the Class, 186 led by Geneta will join the PNP while 11 will each join the BFP and the BJMP.

Moyano received the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Kampilan Award and the BJMP Kampilan Award as well as the Servant Leadership Kampilan Award.

Their valedictorian is 25-year old Geneta, the son of a poor woman who said poverty inspired him to give all his best at the PNPA. The PNPA Class 2023 topnotcher graduated magna cum laude with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Education Major in Mathematics at the Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology Main Campus.

He said that he joined the PNPA since he knows it is the surest way of providing for his mother and siblings.

“As the citizen’s peacekeeping force, be just, be morally upright, and commit yourself to protecting and defending the rights of our people notwithstanding the current challenges faced by the PNP organization,” President Marcos told the newly-commissioned law enforcement officers.

He also urged the graduates to be protectors and defenders of peace, order and human rights and told them to fulfill their duties and responsibilities “with fairness and impartiality, regardless of status in society.”

“Public service must be devoid of prejudice, of favoritism or discrimination, for all Filipinos are entitled to equal rights and opportunities,” he said.

The emergence of the five PNPA cadettes as among the Top 10 students of PNPA Class 2023 came as the PNP headed by General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. said it is paying tribute to its female personnel and promoting an honest-to-goodness gender equality program amid the observance of the National Women’s Month

Gen. Azurin said they are recognizing the invaluable contribution of women to the society including their female counterparts, many of them now holding key positions in the 227,000-strong force.

Of the total 229,623 personnel complement of the PNP that include PNP Cadets and Non-Uniformed Personnel, 21.51 percent or 49,400 are women.

The PNP Officer Corps is also composed of 2,820 policewomen or 17.87 percent of the total. The female officers are currently assigned to leadership positions in different levels of the organization.

In October last year, the PNP welcomed its first-ever all-women recruit class composed of 150 female police recruits. They are now undergoing the Basic Recruit Course and are expected to report to their assigned units upon completion of training.

President Marcos thanked members of the PNP, BJMP, and BFP for their service during the pandemic. “With your help, we were able to reach out to our people in far-flung areas and remote communities to provide them with the assistance and service that they needed to overcome the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“Let me recognize your great efforts and sacrifices to address crimes, eradicate illegal drugs and other lawless elements in our country,” he added while assuring the country’s law enforcers of the administration’s full support to their effort to provide more responsive, efficient and effective services to the Filipino people.

Apart from the five top female graduates, Geneta shone the brightest among the other PNPA Class 2023 members. “Hewas raised by a single parent. His mother, Sanny de Leon Geneta, is a seamstress by profession,” said PNPA spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Louie Gonzaga.

Lt. Geneta received the Presidential Kampilan Award and the Chief, PNP Kampilan Award.

Other members of the PNPA Class 2023 Top 10 are Police Lt. John Rafael Desiderio of Cubao, Quezon City; Fire Lt. Eden Jhun Santos of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Police Lt. Jefferson Mamauag of Cauayan City, Isabela; and Police Lt. Patrick John Alabado, known cyclist from Bulacan.

Desiderio is the Class No. 2 graduate while Santos, Mamauag and Alabado are the Top 4, 8 and 9threspectively. Desiderio received the Vice President Kampilan Award and was adjudged as Best in Police Administration and Best in Thesis. Santos got the Chief BFP Kampilan Award.

Maj. Gen. Noble, a member of Philippine Military Academy ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992, designated as PNPA director by Gen. Azurin on August 8 last year, made sure that members of PNPA Class 2023 will get the real tough training they need amid the new normal.

Members of the Class were already on their 2ndyear of training when the deadly COVID-19 pandemic hit the country and affected the PNPA training which saw more online classes as the Academy tightened entry into the camp to prevent transmission of the virus.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Maj. Gen. Noble said the PNPA Class 2023 members soldiered on and managed to complete their training. According to the official, they made the necessary adjustments to ensure that the cadets got all the necessary education and training despite the pandemic.

“Amid the grim struggle of winning supremacy over oneself, they have displayed paramount competence and excellence both in tactics and in the field of academics,” the PNPA said.

“We are all incredibly proud of these cadets’ achievements because they are graduating from the country’s top police higher education institution, renowned for excellence, research, and innovation. They now have the chance to demonstrate to the world their ambition, passion, and tenacity in the pursuit of justice, integrity, and service to our people,” Maj. Gen. Noble said.

“As part of our shared vision with the President for a better tomorrow for all Filipinos, they have been given the best qualities to make a difference in upholding peace and order and in ensuring public safety,” he added after presenting the PNPA Modernization Plan to President Marcos.