Peasant’s daughter from Surigao City tops 2024 PMA graduates; 7 female on Top 10

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — She would have gone to farming as this was her family’s life back in Barangay Tubbungon, Surigao City, but 24-year-old Jeneth Elumba, this year’s topnotcher at the Philippine Military Academy’s graduating class, maneuvered her career to become a Philippine Army officer or perhaps the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff in 25 years or so.

Her father, now a barangay chairman, wanted her to be involved into farming. The PMA, according to her, became her inspiration to enter the military.

Elumba said that her father was a graduate of criminology but was not able to pursue a career in the uniformed service and eventually encouraged her to try the PMA.

Elumba said that there was a difficult time when she was almost got discharged from PMA when she went under the knife for appendicitis and had to shun off from strenuous physical activities for a year during her third year as second class cadet. 

"But I persisted and I was able to cope up with it with the help and encouragement of my family," she said, recognizing her “mistahs” in PMA Bagong Sinag (Bagong Henerasyong Gagampan ang Tama: Serbisyo, Integridad, at Nasyonalismo ang aming Gabay) class of 2024 as well.

 “This is a blessing for me," Elumba said.

Cadet Elumba, Second Lieutenant Elumba will receive the Presidential Saber from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., graduating as Magna cum laude, on May 18. She will also get the Philippine Army Saber, JUSMAG Saber, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award (for Army), Tactics Group Award and Army Professional Plaque Award.

Elumba’s feat marks the seventh time that a female cadet topped the graduating class at the PMA.  

Other female cadet achievers

Isabela lass, Gemalyn Deocares Sugui, became the sixth female cadet topping the PMA class of 2020, repeating the females’ 2019 feat where an Ilocos Sur lass, Dionne Mae Apolog Umalla (Alilem, Ilocos Sur) who also topped her class where four more females were in the Top 10.

In 1999, the late Navyu Ensign Arlene dela Cruz bested her “mistahs” topping that year’s graduates, Tara Velasco in 2003; Andrelee Mojica in 2007 and Rovi Mariel Martinez in 2017.

PMA Class of 2024 Top 10

Meanwhile, tricycle driver’s son Mark Armuel Boiles, 21, from Novaliches, Quezon City, is the class Salutatorian and going to the Philippine Air Force. He will receive the Vice Presidential Saber from Vice President Sara Duterte, Philippine Air Force Saber, Academic Group Award, Management, Plaque, Air Force Professional Course Plaque, General Antonio Luna Award, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award (for Air Force).

Coming in third is a fireman and midwife’s son from Butuan City Kim Harold Gilo, 22, going to the Philippine Navy. He is also graduating as Magna Cum Laude and receiving the Secretary of National Defense Saber, Philippine Navy Saber, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award (for Navy) and Natural Sciences Plaque.

Landing on the fourth place is 22-year-old Bicolana lass, Cyril Joy Masculino, also graduating as magna cum laude, from Nabua, Camarines Sur. From a military family, Masculno's father is a retired soldier while her mother is a teacher where she came to know of the other branches of service of the Philippine military.  She will go to the Philippine Army.

Fifth in the top 10 is Hiligaynon, Rosemel Dogello, 21, graduating also as Cum laude, from Jamindan, Capiz.  Her father is a soldier who she said gave her inspiration to also join the uniformed services.

Another female, Alexa Mye Valen, 21, also a farmer’s daughter from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, landed on the sixth place in the graduating class. She is also going to the Philippine Army.

The Top 7 is another Hiligaynon, 23-year-old Floyd Niño Arthur Roxas, who will receive the Information Technology Plaque, Department of Leadership Plaque and AGFO Incorporation Award. He is going to the Philippine Navy.

On the eighth place is Giselle Tong, 22, an Itawis, from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, whose mother is a police officer, will receive the Mathematics Plaque. She is going to the Philippine Navy.

The ninth placer is 23-year-old Danica Marie Viray, daughter of a retired soldier and teacher, from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, who has already graduated with high honors from the Asia Pacific College. She is graduating Cum Laude and also going to the Philippine Army.

Last but not the least on the tenth spot is 22-year-old Ybanag Neriva Binag from Cabagan, Isabela who is going to the Philippine Army.

Graduating women dominate Top 10

From that honor and military precedence list, the seven female cadets in the Top 10 symbolizes another feat for women, being the second with the most female cadets in the Top 10 from 2017 graduates where eight females were on the Top 10. They were led by Baguio City lass Rovi Mariel Martinez.

Class topnotcher Elumba said that this only goes to show that despite the common perception that soldiering is a male-dominated field, "women are given equal opportunities."

This year's graduating class is comprised of 278, 224 male and 54 female students.