By: Lakan Ford Sudaypan
On the fateful day of October 27, 2002, thousands of young bloods congregated to take the Philippine National Police Academy Cadet Admission Test to compose the Class of 2007. Requirements were ages 17 to 22 years old, at least a high school graduate, and at least 5’4″ in height for males and 5’2” for females.
Among the 14,508 applicants who took the examination, only 1,261 received notice to report to the next phase of the selection process.
They wondered what the Reception could be as they made their way to the parade grounds. The thunderous beat of the bass only heightened their apprehensions.
Seeing the cadets marching right in front of them was a distinct privilege. They could not express their excitement. They had a glimpse of the exciting world of cadetship. That was Labor Day, May 1, 2003, when they took their oath as the new batch of cadets. They were now under the paramilitary order of men. Questioning themselves—would they continue or give up?
They woke up at 4:00 a.m. for endless, nerve-wracking exercises, road runs, and field drills. It was a test of discovering one’s limit, of enduring the regimented cadet life and winning supremacy over one’s self. Each day, one or two quit. From the reserve list of applicants, another batch of aspirants was admitted. It was 45 long days of transformation, of adrenaline rise to comply with orders on counts. Lifestyle drastically changed after a month-and-a-half-long “crisis” of cadetship. What a breaking period! Pressures melted the will of a neophyte. Brotherhood took on a different meaning for those who were left behind.
Right after their company realignment, they chose the class officers, electing Cdt. Luisito C Andaya Jr. as their Class President.
To institutionalize their identity, Cadet Cinco suggested “Sansinirangan,” meaning “oneness in a new beginning, as their class name, which became their class philosophy. Their Class seal was a product of the artistic imagination of Cadet Olaguera. “The River” became their Class song.
They were incorporated into the Cadet Corps on June 14, 2003. This occasion put them under closer supervision by their upperclassmen. They were the most inferior and the most pressured class in the academy. However, endless pep talks from their plebe guides enlightened them as to the ultimate advantage of being incorporated into the Corps. They would be the best cadets in spite of academic dilemmas in June, whether degree holders or graduates.
When their upperclassmen took their semestral break, they were declared “at-ease.” As the “Kings and Queens” of the barracks, they could now go to the concessionaires’ area where they could entertain their visitors as recognized cadets. It was the best time for them to practice leadership by running the Corps themselves. Upperclassmen confined themselves to supervising only their Silent Drill classes.
February 21, 2004, was their Recognition Day. At last, they met the standards of their upperclassmen! It gave them back their dignity.
That April of 2004, their underclassmen from Class 2008 entered their training phase. It fell upon them to acquaint them with the intricacies of officership as their mentors did. Summer time, they sat through a series of public speaking and moral enhancement programs. Their visit to Enchanted Kingdom momentarily freed them from their longing for their loved ones and their homes.
On October 2004, they were tasked with assisting in facilitating the Cadet Admission Test for Class 2005 applicants. They left the Academy and stayed with their families for two weeks!
Like monsoon winds, their lives as cadets swiftly passed by. They advanced in both academics and tactics and passed the gateway to become Third Classmen.
Indoctrination into the life of a combatant, rain or shine, brought them to the Special Action Force Training School for the Philippine National Police Special Counter Insurgency Operations Unit Training. They bathed in a carabao’s pen, ate with their bare hands sans any table etiquette, and survived the heat of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
Back at the Academy with the absence of the graduating cadets, Cadet Judebryan Maguddayao became the Interim Regimental Commander. They started to manage the Corps.
June 8, 2006, could be considered a dolorous or blissful day depending on what “lot” they had drawn for their bureaus. After the event, some were either in high spirits while others were distressed. The phrase, “With just a piece of paper my future was altered,” reverberated in the confined room of the Police Cavaliers Association Incorporation Hall they called PCAI. Two hundred seven joined the Philippine National Police, 24 the Bureau of Fire Protection and 12 the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. One member of their class went AWOL and as a consequence, she was barred from readmission.
On March 2007, they rekindled the moments they would treasure for the rest of their lives…the time to improve themselves further for their branch of service. It was time to command the underclassmen to “Take Charge.”
They made it to the final march with one heart and one vision to build a better community by safeguarding lives and property and eradicating every menace of our society.
The Sansinirangan Class of 2007 can face new beginnings and sail their vessel through the stars till the river runs dry.
AD ASTRA PER ASPERA!…..
In hardships there is a heavenly reward.
The SANSINIRANGAN Class of 2007 had 241 graduates. Their transformation—from hopeful aspirants to disciplined leaders—was a testament to their courage and perseverance. With one heart and one vision, they stepped forward to uphold the ideals of service, honor, and justice. As they sailed into the uncharted waters of their careers, they remained bound by the legacy they had built together, steadfast in their mission to serve and protect, until the river runs dry. At present, 229 original members are still living.
Source
Bugle Call, 2009
PNPAAAI Records, 2005
Philippine National Police Academy
