Will PMA be a gentler, kinder academy with a female commandant at the helm?

Becoming the first female commandant of cadets means Santiago is responsible for leading and guiding cadets at the Philippine Military Academy. The role places her in a highly visible position at the institution that trained her. It also shows that a woman can hold one of the academy’s most important leadership posts.

Santiago graduated third in the PMA Kalasag-Lahi Class of 1997. She later served in Mindanao and joined a team that infiltrated the Abu Sayyaf. Her record helped establish her as a tough and capable officer. Lieutenant General Michael Logico said he chose her for the job because she was not gentler than male officers.

The appointment was announced on September 26. Santiago is also on track to become the first female PMA graduate to reach general rank, pending President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature. Her position gives her a chance to shape future officers and highlight women’s leadership in the military.

Seventeen women entered Fort del Pilar in April 1993 alongside Santiago. They were called the Rasul Ladies, honoring former senator Santanina Rasul and the Women in Development and Nation Building Act of 1992. Their arrival marked an early generation of women entering the academy together.

The group became much smaller during the four-year program. Some women were wooed by upperclassmen and chose to leave the academy. Others did not remain through graduation. By the end, only seven of the original 17 women were left. Their classmates and others called them the “Magnificent 7.”

The seven later followed different military and civilian paths. Santiago now hopes to reunite them. Their story connects one small graduating group to the wider growth of female military officers, now numbering about 800 among those considered Rasul Ladies.

Santiago’s reputation grew from demanding assignments and visible achievement. She graduated third in the PMA Kalasag-Lahi Class of 1997, then went directly to the battlefield in Mindanao. Her early career showed that she was trusted with difficult work soon after leaving the academy.

One especially dangerous assignment involved a team that infiltrated the Abu Sayyaf. Santiago helped spy on the group at a time when such work was a life-and-death undertaking for a woman officer. Her exploits caught the attention of retired general Roy Cimatu, then the Army chief. When Cimatu became chief of staff, he included Santiago among his aides.

These experiences helped establish both toughness and leadership credibility. They also support her later appointment as PMA commandant of cadets. Santiago may become the first female PMA graduate to become a general, pending the president’s signature.

The first female cadets entered a traditionally male military academy in 1993. The PMA built separate barracks for them and added female tactical officers. These steps recognized their arrival, but they did not remove every challenge of adapting to academy life or remaining in the program.

The women also faced personal pressures inside the academy. Some were wooed by upperclassmen and eventually decided to leave. The source does not give a separate reason for every departure, but it records that only seven of the original 17 women remained over four years. Those survivors became the “Magnificent 7.”

Their reduced number makes their achievement especially significant. The seven completed the academy and built distinguished careers across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and civilian life. Their experience also provides a starting point for understanding how women’s presence in the armed forces later expanded.

Women’s presence in the Philippine military has expanded greatly since Santiago’s class entered the PMA. In 1993, 17 women entered Fort del Pilar together. Today, about 800 female military officers are considered part of the Rasul Ladies. That contrast shows a much broader female presence than the original group represented.

Santiago’s recent gathering made the change visible. She invited about 100 female military officers to a photo opportunity alongside members of the “Magnificent 7.” The event linked the first generation of women cadets with officers who followed them. It also placed Santiago’s appointment in a larger history of women’s service.

The article does not provide a full timeline or explain every cause of the increase. It does show that women now serve across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Santiago’s plan to reunite the seven could further highlight their lasting influence and military legacy.

The “Magnificent 7” did not follow one standard career path after graduation. Several stayed in uniform and reached notable positions. Others left because of health problems, severe injury, or new civilian work. Together, their stories show both the opportunities and risks of military service.

Maria Victoria Blancaflor-Agoncillo became a tank commander and earned the Gold Cross Medal. Marissa Arlene Andres-Martinez served as a Philippine Navy fleet staff officer and spokesperson. Ma. Consuelo “Bon” Nunag-Castillo became the first female pilot of the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing. Aireen Somera later resigned because of health issues, while Sheryl Jane Uy-Cabasang received a complete disability discharge after a serious accident. Arlene Orejana-Trillanes became a computer-college dean.

Some continued military leadership, while others rebuilt civilian lives. Santiago plans to bring everyone together. A reunion at the PMA would reconnect these different paths with the academy where they began.

A military academy prepares cadets for service by developing discipline, military skills, and leadership. It also creates an early pathway into the armed forces. The PMA’s importance is clear because Santiago and her classmates began their careers there, then moved into command, aviation, battlefield, staff, and civilian roles.

The academy’s influence is visible in Santiago’s class. She graduated third and later became its first female commandant of cadets. Blancaflor-Agoncillo became a tank commander, Nunag-Castillo became a helicopter pilot, and Andres-Martinez held a senior fleet staff role. Their assignments reflect different leadership opportunities after academy training.

The PMA does not determine every outcome. Injury, illness, resignation, and personal choices changed several careers. Still, academy appointments and leadership roles can shape who receives responsibility. Santiago’s appointment signals that women who enter and succeed at the PMA can reach increasingly senior positions.