Female cadet who sold siopao tops PNPA Class 2024

MANILA, Philippines — A woman who used to work at a photocopy center and sell siopao in school to fund her college education emerged as topnotcher of this year’s Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) graduating class.

Police Cadet Ma. Camille Cabasis topped the 233 graduates of the PNPA Layag-Diwa Class of 2024.

But even before this feat, Cabasis already made a mark as an achiever, having graduated cum laude at the Batangas State University with a degree in criminology. She also passed the board exam in 2019 and became the topnotcher for the Calabarzon region.

Today, she will be receiving the Presidential Kampilan award during the 45th PNPA Commencement Exercises with President Marcos as guest of honor.

Also attending the rites at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite are Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.

Cabasis is the only daughter of couple Edwin and Lucena.

She recalled having gone through college as a working student, specifically as a photocopy center attendant, earning P25 an hour.

“I also experienced selling siopao in my school. That also helped me with the expenses during my college days,” she said in Filipino in a video message over the Pulis News Network.

Upon entering the PNPA, Cabasis said she had an easier time adjusting from civilian life to the regimented environment of the academy, noting that she used to be a Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) officer in college.

Cabasis, one of 41 women in the Layag-Diwa Class, urged other women to not give up and to always aim high despite the hardships of life. “We are not just women, we are women who can contribute to society,” she said.

She and 197 of her classmates will join the PNP with the rank of lieutenant, 13 will join the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and 12 at the Bureau of Fire Protection.

This year’s graduating cadets were among the 22,382 applicants who applied for entry in the PNPA in 2020, data from the PNPA showed. A total of 359 were appointed as cadets but the figure dwindled to 223 during their stay at the academy.