PMA alumni meet online; few present

By Liza Agoot  

BAGUIO CITY - The annual homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) this year was done online and only one representative from each class physically attending, an official said.
    Chief of the operations section of PMA Lt. Col. Ronald Gaboy, during the meeting of the Cordillera Regional Inter-Agency Task Force, said the annual alumni homecoming was a limited event and attendees joined online.
    He said the homecoming on Feb. 12 and 13 was about 800 or more in attendance over Zoom.
    He said they previously planned to have a limited attendance of 350 but was further reduced.
    He said as of Feb. 4, there were 40 who signified physical attendance on Feb. 13 where the usual parade was held at the Borromeo Field and sitting at the grandstand.
    The grandstand has a capacity ranging from 700 to 800.
    No event was held in a closed venue,” Gaboy said.
    He added there were no scheduled class activities considering the limitations on social gatherings set by the IATF.
    All those who physically attended the homecoming were required to have a travel authority from the local police or the local government unit where they are coming from.
    A medical certificate and a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test were also required from the attendees.
    He said they are coordinating with the Baguio City Health Services Office to check on the requirement for the permit to hold the homecoming.
    Gaboy added they earlier requested the Dept. of Public Works and Highways to allow attendees of the homecoming to pass on Kennon Road to and from Baguio.
    Office of Civil Defense regional director and RIATF chairman Albert Mogol, also a PMA alumnus, earlier urged the officer to coordinate with the emergency operations center of the city for smooth conduct of the event.
    The PMA annually holds the alumni homecoming where thousands of its graduates attend the three-day events for the class and the academy.
    Aside from them, family members of the cavaliers come to the city to attend one of the PMA big events, aside from the graduation. -- PNA