A total of 194 Officer Candidates from diverse ethnic and professional backgrounds completed the one-year Officer Candidate Course (OCC) in a graduation ceremony yesterday, December 22, 2021, at the Officer Candidate School, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Philippine Army, Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.
Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana served as the event's Guest of Honor and Speaker. AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Erickson Gloria, who represented AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Andres Centino; and Army Commanding General Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr., also graced the graduation ceremony of OCC "Nagsanib-Lahi" Class 55-2021.
Class topnotcher Probationary 2nd Lt. Princess Rio Barquin from Minglanilla, Cebu received the Secretary of National of Defense Saber; Class Second Placer Probationary 2nd Lt. Leonard Juanites from Barbaza, Antique received the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Saber; and Class Third Placer Probationary 2nd Lt. Burly Janine Icdang from Davao City received the CGPA Saber.
The OCC is a rigorous one-year course that molds individuals to become mentally, physically, emotionally trained military officers. Upon completing the course, graduates will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Philippine Army. Before their deployment, they will also undergo the Scout Ranger Orientation Course that the First Scout Ranger Regiment will handle at Camp Pablo Tecson, San Miguel, Bulacan.
OCC Class 55-2021 comprises 30 former enlisted personnel and 48 civil service passers, while other class members are licensed professionals from various engineering fields, chemists, criminologists, pharmacists, and certified public accountants.
Meanwhile, during his meeting with the TRADOC Commander and Staff, Maj. Gen. Brawner underscored the importance of providing quality training to students taking courses in TRADOC schools and training units.
The CGPA also vowed to provide the necessary support to the TRADOC, who supervises all training schools of the Philippine Army.
"As a source of Army standards, we need to strengthen TRADOC to raise the bar of excellence in all our training courses to ensure we only have the best-trained personnel who are capable of accomplishing a multitude of tasks or missions," Maj. Gen. Brawner said.
Photos: Cpl Josel Sucayan PA/Cpl Rogen Quirante PA/ OACPA