PNPA alumni homecoming deviates from tradition

For the first time in the history of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), its alumni homecoming this year will involve the participation of civilians, a deviation from the usual routine of drills and marches by cadets.

The family-oriented alumni homecoming, to be held at the academy grounds of Camp Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on March 25 and 26, is the brainchild of Sta. Cruz, Manila police station chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, president of PNPA Batch ’86, which hosts the event with Batch ’96.

"Since the police, who make up most of the PNPA graduates, are civilian in character, we thought it was proper to involve the civilians in our homecoming. And this starts with the alumni families," Sapitula told The STAR.

The active participation of the civilians is the main thrust of this 26th PNPA alumni homecoming. More than 3,000 PNPA alumni and their families are expected to troop to the academy on March 25 for bonding and camaraderie, Sapitula said.

"The focus of this year’s festivities are the alumni families and the civilian friends of the academy, an innovation of the host classes from the traditional celebration during the homecoming," he pointed out.

A whole day of fun, which includes a beer-busting event, a fireworks display and a concert from the Orange and Lemons band, is in store for the attendees. The concert is also open to the public.

The host classes also initiated this year the adopt-a-classroom program to help the academy build state-of-the-art classrooms for PNPA cadets.

Sapitula started the ball rolling by donating P120,000 to the program, with the bulk of the amount coming from personal contributions of Class ’86 alumni.

During the homecoming, a number of distinguished alumni who have excelled in their respective fields, including those who passed the Bar and the Career Civil Service Executive Examination, shall be conferred with the "Lakan Awards."

The two-day homecoming will start with a shooting competition. The following day, a computerized election for board of directors of the PNPA Alumni Association Inc. will be conducted.

A wreath-laying ceremony at the monument of PNPA graduates who died in the line of duty will follow the election proper.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno will be the homecoming’s main guest of honor and speaker. He will be introduced by PNPAAA president Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias.