PMA topnotcher: God above success

FORT DEL PILAR, , Baguio City– Philippine Military Academy topnotcher Eraño Belen may have bested the rest of his 225 mistahs at the Philippine Military Academy who accordingly, is one of the best classes yet, but the Second Lieutenant places God first above anything.

“We must put God over everything,” he said in his valedictory address -- aside from being a soldier and a PMAer living with the Academy’s core values of courage, integrity, loyalty.

The 24-year-old poor Dumaguete lad who first endeavored to become a minister in his church placed second from God, the country. “We must remain as vanguards of the Constitution and  as builders of the nation.”

“If challenges come our way,” he said, “we must face it objectively and must have will in facing our mission.”

“Our success, we must share with everyone who became pat of it,” he continued, “with “our achievement is their achievement,” with special thanks to Almighty God for the unconditional love.

Also devout INCs, his father Julito, 59 and mother Flor, 50, who were between tears and smiles embraced their son Eraño saying “very very proud of him.”

Julito, a tricycle driver said he hopes his son, now a soldier, will ‘continue serving the Lord and do his mission in His name.’

His father and mother who still hoped their son had become a minister in INC said, “wala na tayong magagawa, yun siguro ang kalooban ng Diyos.”

They said his enrolling at the PMA was because of poverty.

The young Belen’s first degree cousin, 17-year-old Jennelyn Medalla, who was present during the graduation, is following the topnotcher’s footsteps.

Topping thousands of entrance examinees, Medalla, who, unlike her  cousin Eraño, dreamt to become a soldier.

Eraño’s distant cousin 17-year-old Precious Jewel Forrosuelo, daughter of 2000 Medal of Valor awardee Staff Sergeant Claudio Forrosuelo, is also braving the PMA come April.

Forrosuelo was killed in battle by the MILF in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao in 2000. “Hindi ako natatakot,” his daughter Precious Jewel said. She said her father was always an inspiration.