Mindanaoan commended for graduating from West Point

The Senate today adopted a resolution congratulating and commending Jesson Peñaflor of Kalilangan, Bukidnon for graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York City.

Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who introduced Senate Resolution No. 432, said Peñaflor was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant (2LT) after finishing his Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering at West Point.

He said the United States Military Academy, popularly known as West Point, is one of the oldest service academies in the world. It is a higher education institution for the training of commissioned officers for the United States Army.

According to Zubiri, the 24-year-old native of Kalilangan, Bukidnon, attended Mindanao State University-Marawi City for three years before being admitted as a cadet of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

He said Peñaflor was one of the 30 PMA cadets who applied for the Foreign Service Academy, where he received appointment from both the Australian Defense Force Academy and the United States Military Academy.

"2LT Peñaflor is the only Filipino citizen in this year's graduating class and the second Mindanaon to graduate from West Point, the first being Christy Isis Achanzar of Davao who graduated in 2008," Zubiri said.

"2LT Peñaflor is a testament to the fruits of hard work, discipline and a genuine commitment to service. His story will serve to inspire the aspiring servicemen and women of our nation to aim higher and work harder," he added.