152 new officers join AFP

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 4): 152 new officers join AFP

One hundred and fifty-two new officers of the Major Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) formally graduated Friday morning.

These officers are under the newly implemented common curriculum for all Officer Candidate Courses (OCC), said AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato

The synchronized graduation ceremonies, the first in Filipino military history took place at the AFP Museum and Multi-Purpose Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri graced the event and welcomed the new officers into the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force.

Of 152 graduates, 58 were from Army OCC, 52 were from the Navy OCC and 42 were from the Air Force OCC.

Probationary (P)2nd Lt. Paul John C. Valencia (PAF), P/Ensign Gay T. Famero (PN) and P2nd Lt. Rey Gaezzel M Anfone topped the list of graduates in their respective branches of service.

They were all given the Presidential Saber for being top one in their OCC batches.

P2nd Lt. Gemadel J. Maquiling and P2nd Lt. Tyrone T. Estillero placed second and third, respectively, on the list of topnotchers in the PAF Air Education and Training Command.

P/Ensign Mechelle T. Amores placed second followed by P/Ensign Christy A. Raterta on the third place in the list of OCC graduates of Naval Education and Training Command.

P2nd Lt. Arnold A. Quiñon and P2ndLt. Stephanie C. Collado garnered the second and third places, respectively, among the graduates of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command.

Top two OCC graduates received the Secretary of National Defense Saber while the top three OCC graduates were given the Chief-of-Staff Saber.

Air Force OCC top one P2nd Lt. Valencia graduated Bachelor of Science in Aviation Electronics Technology from Philippine State College of Aeronautics in Basa Air Base, Pampanga before deciding to become a cadet at PAF OCC.

He is 25 years old and a native of Porac, Pampanga.

Army OCC top one P2nd Lt. Anfone holds a degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing from San Pedro College in Davao City. She is from Cotabato City. She is 24 years old.

Navy OCC top one P/Ensign Famero is a graduate of Romblon State University in Odiongan, Romblon where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. She is 27 years old and a native of Odiongan, Romblon.

The new curriculum took effect last year which gave way to overlapping of classes among the Major Services Officer Candidate Schools to realize the upper class-underclass system and standardize the awards given to OCC graduates.

Beginning 2015, the Major Services Officer Candidate Schools will synchronize their graduation to facilitate the projected summative evaluation that will measure the effect of the implemented curriculum and leadership development to the graduates as a result of the new program.

The Army OCC graduates took up their course in Training and Doctrine Command based in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.

The Navy OCCs had their training in Naval Education and Training Command based in Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in San Antonio, Zambales while the Air Force OCCs had their in PAF Air Education and Training Command based in Fernando Air Base, Lipa City.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=834552