The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) officially announced the top-performing graduates of its Class of 2026, known as "Talang Dangal," during the Kapihan sa PMA 2026 press conference held at Longayban Hall, Fort General Gregorio H. Del Pilar in Baguio City on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
The event was presided over by PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard N. Valencia PN, with Brigadier General Nelson C. Aluad PA, Commandant of Cadets, formally announcing the Top 10 Performing Cadets and the recipients of various departmental awards.
Cadet 1CL Christine Kaye D. Librada Tops PMA Class of 2026
Cadet First Class Christine Kaye D. Librada CCAFP was named the Class of 2026's top graduate, earning the coveted Rank 1 distinction among all graduating cadets. Librada's recognition marks a significant achievement as she leads a graduating class that completed an enhanced curriculum incorporating modern warfare competencies alongside their Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies program.
The full Top 10 ranking of the graduating class is as follows:
- Rank 1 – Cadet 1CL Christine Kaye D. Librada CCAFP
- Rank 2 – Aerocadet 1CL John Vincent U. Catacutan CCAFP
- Rank 3 – Cadet 1CL Thomas Edgar I. Sepulchre CCAFP
- Rank 4 – Aerocadet 1CL Ian Harold D. Hubilla CCAFP
- Rank 5 – Cadet 1CL Maeg Adriene P. Bermudez CCAFP
- Rank 6 – Cadet 1CL Cherry Mae P. Geco CCAFP
- Rank 7 – Midshipman 1CL Elixa Anya L. Hernandez CCAFP
- Rank 8 – Cadet 1CL Catherine Liesha B. De Chavez CCAFP
- Rank 9 – Aerocadet 1CL Cedric Cyril G. Polizon CCAFP
- Rank 10 – Cadet 1CL Mark Clement D. Centina CCAFP
Special Awards Recognize Excellence Across Multiple Disciplines
Beyond the general class ranking, Brigadier General Aluad also announced special awardees who demonstrated outstanding performance in specific areas, from athletics and leadership to journalism and mathematics.
The following cadets received individual commendations and plaques from their respective departments:
- Cadet 1CL Elaine Ruth S. Go CCAFP — Athletic Saber (Female Category) and Gregorio Del Pilar Awardee
- Aerocadet 1CL Kairan Shem F. Resurreccion CCAFP — Athletic Saber (Male Category) Awardee
- Midshipman 1CL Beatrice Isabel S. Geralde CCAFP — Jose Andrada Plaque Awardee
- Midshipman 1CL Joyce Hanna Marie D. Pascua CCAFP — Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO), Inc. Award and Department of Leadership Plaque Awardee
- Cadet 1CL Adriane Faith Pe San Jose CCAFP — Superintendent's Saber Awardee
- Cadet 1CL Earl Asnan B. Asuncion CCAFP — Mathematics Plaque Awardee
- Cadet 1CL Elaine Lyka O. Canaya CCAFP — Department of Tactical Officers Plaque Awardee
- Cadet 1CL John Roy E. Baran — SPDU Plaque Awardee
- Cadet 1CL Iway I. Ateo-an CCAFP — Journalism Awardee
The breadth of the awards — spanning athletics, leadership, mathematics, tactical studies, and journalism — reflects the Academy's intent to develop well-rounded officers capable of serving across multiple domains in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
VADM Valencia Cites Shift Toward Modern and Multi-Domain Warfare Training
In his address during the Kapihan sa PMA, PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard N. Valencia underscored the institution's ongoing effort to realign its academic and training curriculum with the demands of contemporary and future warfare.
According to VADM Valencia, the Academy has been on a journey of shifting the cadet curriculum to one that is at par with modern and multi-domain warfare, ensuring that courses taken by cadets are aligned with the competencies needed for current and future trends in the battlefield.
He emphasized that the Academy does not view curriculum reform as a one-time event but as a continuous institutional commitment to keeping its officer corps relevant, adaptive, and effective in an increasingly complex security environment.
Class of 2026 Completed Microcredential Courses in Emerging Technologies
While PMA Class of 2026 still graduated under the previous Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies curriculum, the Academy introduced a series of microcredential courses designed to bridge the gap between the existing program and the competencies required for modern military service.
According to the PMA Public Affairs Office, the microcredential courses undertaken by the Class of 2026 included the following subject areas:
- Python Programming
- Data Analytics
- Unmanned Systems
- Electronic Warfare
- Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
These supplementary courses represent a deliberate step toward preparing cadets for a battlefield landscape increasingly defined by technology, cyber operations, autonomous systems, and information warfare — areas that traditional military curricula have historically underemphasized.
PMA Expands Faculty Development, Facilities, and Global Partnerships
Beyond curriculum changes, the Academy disclosed that its broader institutional reform efforts include strengthening faculty development programs, improving physical learning facilities and resources, expanding partnerships with other institutions both domestic and international, and reinforcing global quality assurance frameworks.
In a statement posted through the PMA's Chief of Public Affairs Office, Lieutenant Commander Jesse Nestor B. Saludo PN, the Academy reaffirmed its commitment to producing officers equipped to support the AFP in its missions of securing the Filipino people, defending the nation's territorial sovereignty, and upholding the integrity of the state.
The announcement noted that as the PMA transitions toward its forthcoming new curriculum — one that will fully integrate these modern competencies from the ground up — the institution remains focused on building a sustainable academic and training infrastructure to support that transition.
PMA Graduation Ceremony for Class of 2026 Expected to Follow
The Kapihan sa PMA 2026 event on May 6 served as the formal public presentation of the top graduates ahead of the Class of 2026's graduation rites. The Philippine Military Academy conducts its annual graduation ceremony at Fort General Gregorio H. Del Pilar in Baguio City, traditionally attended by senior AFP officials and government leadership.
PMA Class of 2026 "Talang Dangal" is composed of cadets from the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy tracks, as indicated by the designations of Cadet, Aerocadet, and Midshipman, respectively, among the top graduates and special awardees.
The PMA, established in 1905, serves as the premier officer-producing school of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and has historically been among the most competitive military academies in Southeast Asia. Its graduates go on to serve as commissioned officers across all branches of the AFP, filling roles in national defense, peace and order operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and international peacekeeping missions.
The announcement was made by LCDR Jesse Nestor B. Saludo PN, Chief of the Public Affairs Office of the Philippine Military Academy.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of OCPA, PMA