Ensign Carrie Faith Banglag Magannon is the first yKalinga and the first PMA female cadet who graduated at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC). She hails from Sumadel, Tinglayan, Kalinga. She is the daughter of Carlos Lumiyac Magannon and Margarita Sagubat Banglag. She belongs to PMA Masidlawin Class 2020.
ENS Magannon recalled that Philippine Military Academy has chosen a pool of cadets to study in other military schools like Canada, Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Australia and she was selected to study at Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) when she was a third-class cadet or second year in the academy.
In an interview with her, she said that nothing really prompted her to pursue foreign schooling. She just go with the flow. However, she believed that this opportunity was God's plan for her. Foreign schooling was mentioned to her when she reported back to PMA in March 2016 to join the class 2020. She further said that the registrar in PMA told her and her mother at that time that foreign schooling is possible because she was still young. "I just took it as a joke "ang-angaw" and smiled. I never expected that someday it would be true, she added.
She was supposed to join PMA class of 2019 with her sister, but due to some circumstances, she got turn back and joined PMA class 2020. She was a typical cadet in the academy, just doing what PMA requires every cadet and to be snappy in every aspect. With her performance during plebehood, she was chosen to be sent to Canada.
Sharing her experience on her study abroad, she said that it is hard to study when you are away from home and in a foreign land. Also, RMCC has different ways on how to do things compare to PMA. Thus, I need to adapt to Canadian ways and culture to thrive. There are difficult times during my stay there, making me felt low morale. I am so grateful for the good people I found there, especially my fellow international students from all over the world, kababayang Pinoy, kailyan nga iCordillera ken lalo ti yKalinga.
"I doubted myself several times if I am good enough to be sent to study abroad, but the thought that PMA will not send me if they don't have confidence in me strengthen my spirit. To motivate myself more, I always tell myself, "If others can, why can't I" and with God's grace, I graduated", she added.
She finished her studies and training in Canada last December 2020. There was no graduation ceremony during that time so she was included in the RMCC's May Convocation held last May 20, 2021. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this convocation was held virtually.
ENS Magannon will join the Philippine Navy.
By Eisenhower Bucalen
Michael Kimmayong: Igorot in the Royal Police Force of Canada
