(10 Mar 1995) English/Nat
The Philippines Military Academy has been an all-male institution
since it was established in 1905.
But two years ago, the country's biggest military school opened its doors to women.
While some of the male cadets still view women as the weaker sex, the cadets have proved they're just as good as their male counterparts.
The Philippine Military Academy (PMA), the country's most prestigious military school, has been training young men to serve their country for 90 years.
This traditional march of the cadet corps is one of the highlights of every graduation ceremony, as the new graduates, forming a long line, bid farewell to their fellow students.
Now, two years after the PMA opened its doors to women, the graduation parade also includes females.
After completing their second year, the first batch of women cadets are confident they have done well. They admit it was not easy to start with, having to adjust to a way of life they weren't prepared for.
SOUNDBITE:
\"We all know that civilian life is far very different from military life so, we had to learn to adjust to the environment and the people around us. So at first, yes it was difficult but afterwards we learned
to adapt to the situation and now here we are\".
SUPER CAPTION: Alexandra Noble, PMA cadet
Since their arrival at the military school, they've had to forgo a number of things. While short hair for female cadets isn't compulsory, all of them find it more practical to have theirs short.
Jewellery is not allowed, social functions are restricted and there is no time for romance.
But they don't seem to mind much. The cadets see this as a challenging opportunity as well as a great honour. They believe that serving the people through the country's armed forces is a privilege that should not be enjoyed solely by men.
Despite the military academy being a traditional male preserve
the women say they haven't experienced any discrimination.
SOUNDBITE:
\"We really don't compete with them (the male cadets), we work hand in hand with them, and they...for example we lag behind, they are the ones who lift us up\".
SUPER CAPTION: Leah Lorenzo, PMA cadet
There is no rivalry between the men and the women, and the academy makes sure that both get equal treatment. Except for a different standard for physical fitness, the women have to meet the same requirements as the male cadets.
At the cadets barracks, the women are housed on the ground floor while the men take up the upper floors. The women's room is very much the same as that of the men.....same uniforms neatly piled inside the cabinets, same number of shoes lined up under the bed, everything kept tidy and clean, all the same, except for items like cologne, powder, and even some stuffed toys, which the women are allowed to keep.
The guidelines of the Philippines Armed Forces state that only five percent of each new intake should be women. This academic year 20 of the 400 freshers are women.
PMA Superintendent Major General Rodolfo Estrallado said he
was very pleased with the overall performance of the academy's female cadets. He's also confident they can go a long way in their military careers.
SOUNDBITE:
\"If you look at how they perform in the field, I think they are just as equal to the male counterpart. I've seen it with my own eyes that they can really compete. Those who belong to the top bracket of their class, they are just as good as the male cadets\".
SUPER CAPTION: Major General Rodolfo Estrallado, Superintendent,
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