WEST POINT, New York - It was a great day for the Philippines at West Point over the weekend.

One of its sons, Carl de Leon Liwanag graduated from the United States Military Academy another, Mario Feliciano, took command of the corps’ Cadet Field Training Regiment, a first for a Filipino. Christy Isis Achanzar also moved a step closer to becoming the first Filipina to graduate from the prestigious academy.

In addition seven Filipino-Americans received their commissions as second lieutenants in the US Army — Clena Marie Abuan of New Jersey, Bernard Ancheta of San Mateo, CA, Maurice Dominguez of San Pablo, CA, Bryan Olay of Union City, CA, James Peralta of Orange County, CA, Joseph Sagisi of Niceville, FL and Erin Grace Begonia.

Vice President Dick Cheney urged the 978 new graduates whose class motto is “Always Remember, Never Surrender” to provide leadership to troops fighting terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He appealed for them to defend freedom against those who would destroy it and carry forward the academy’s values of duty, honor and country. “The security of this nation depends on the outcome,” Cheney said.

Liwanag was one of 46 international cadets from 27 countries, and the only from the Philippines, to join the “long gray line,” a reference to the color of the uniform the cadets wear.

Class 2008 will have two graduates from the Philippines — Feliciano who was born in Iran and raised in Kuwait from a Filipino father and an Iranian mother and Achanzar.

Col. Rolando Tenefrancia, army attache at the Philippine embassy in Washington DC, administered the oath to Liwanag after which proud parents Air Force Lt. Col. Carlos Liwanang and Carmelita Liwanag pinned his AFP shoulder pads on.

Liwanag told the STAR in an interview he wants to go to ranger school first before joining the infantry to “rock it out with the soldiers ... experience the roughness of it all."

“I d like to get done with Mindanao as soon as I can. I know I’m going to be heading there some time, so the sooner the better," he said.
Liwanag is the latest in a line of nearly 80 Filipinos to graduate from West Point since Gen. Vicente P. Lim who went on to become a World War II hero received his commission in 1914.

If all goes well 2008 could be a brighter year for the Philippines at West Point on the west bank of the Hudson river, 50 miles from New York. Achanzar is set to be the first Filipina graduate and Feliciano has a shot at being the first international cadet named First Captain and Brigade Commander at USMA.

Achanzar, a 24-year-old native of Davao City, said though honored, she was somewhat tired of being singled out by the press as a “special person” and would want nothing better than to be an ordinary cadet. But if being the first Filipina to graduate from West Point inspired other women to follow in her footsteps then so be it, she said. The United States Military Academy at West Point officially opened in 1802, but it was only in 1975 that it began admitting female cadets. Feliciano born in Shiraz, Iran and raised in Kuwait, doesn’t look like a Filipino. He has lived in the Philippines less than two years and doesn’t speak the language well.

But from all accounts he is more Filipino than many Filipinos.
He was the only international cadet that this reporter saw at West Point with the name of his country - PHILIPPINES -on his name plate. A compelling and passionate speaker, he said he wanted to finish what his father began. His father Rosauro Feliciano was a major in the marines during the Marcos regime before he retired and went to Iran to be an engineering professor.

Feliciano said he had the choice of joining the military academy in the Islamic Republic of Iran or the Philippine Military Academy because I was a dual citizen.

“I chose to serve the Philippines. I canceled my Iranian citizenship and after I graduated from high school I went straight to the PMA," he said. He said he managed to overcome his linguistics problems with the help of classmates who slowly taught him Tagalog. After his plebe year, he and Achanzar were selected to join West Point. Feliciano said he had wanted to join the PMA since he was eight years old. “It does not matter if you don’t look Filipino, if your skin is not fair or even if you cannot speak Filipino. What really, really matters your heart because there are many people out there who speak Filipino but their heart is not Pinoy," he said.

“I believe I’m more Pinoy than many Filipinos,” he added. He said his dad and mom, Nahid, who are still both in Kuwait support his decision. Feliciano said he planned to make the military his career. Although nearly 80 Filipinos have graduated from West Point only a few have served in the Armed Forces of the Philippines until their retirement.
These include the late Gen. Rafael Ileto (USMA ‘43) who became a defense secretary and national security advisor, Gen. Fidel Ramos (USMA ‘50) who was elected president of the Philippines and Gen. Narciso Abaya (USMA ‘71) who became chief of staff of the AFP.

Other West Pointers who remained in the military until their retirement include Brig. Gen. Florencio Magsino (USMA ‘51) former superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy and Maj. Gen. Thelmo Cunanan (USMA ‘61) who went on to become an ambassador, chairman of the Social Security System memberBrig. Gen. Danny Lim (USMA ‘78) commanding general of the Scout Rangers was implicated in a coup plot against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in February 2006 and is under military detention charged with “attempting to begin or create a mutiny and willfully disobeying superior officers." Julius Flores, a former West Pointer who rose to the rank of major in the AFP before leaving the service, said better opportunities and financial incentives in the private sector where the main reasons why many quit after serving their compulsory eight years.

Flores who is a business systems consultant in New Jersey, said recruiters are always on the lookout for West Pointers and are more than happy to wait for them to complete their time.