iKalinga former fire officer graduates as TOP 4 of PPSA pioneering batch

Tabuk City, Kalinga – An iKalinga female cadet didn't just advance her career in the uniformed service, she likewise marked a milestone as she is set to graduate as one of the top performing cadets in the pioneering batch of the Philippine Public Safety Academy (PPSA).

CDT 1C Joy Carol Awing Palchan, 28, who hails from Tabuk City is about to wrap up her journey in the PPSA this August 2024.

Palchan belongs to the ‘Sandata ng Diyos na Gagabay sa Mamamayan Tungo sa Layuning Mag-Alay ng Serbisyong Tapat at Mahusay’ (SANDIGMANLAYA) Class of 2024, the first batch of cadets of PPSA, a school recently established for individuals who wish to become commissioned officers of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The female cadet told GURU Press Cordillera it had always been her dream as a child to join the uniformed service, but it was during a lecture conducted by the BFP in her early college days that made her want to join the bureau.  

After getting her degree in Criminology at St. Louis College of Bulanao, she managed to become one of the 2017 BFP recruits.

Almost didn’t make it in the academy

Getting to be a fire officer was just the beginning of her journey as there was that desire in her to be a commissioned officer. This eventually led her to pursue a spot in the PPSA.

Palchan whose roots could also be traced to Lubuagan and Bauko, Mt. Province recounted she almost did not apply for the entrance examination as the original date coincided with the wedding of their eldest sister and there were only limited slots for BFP women personnel.

“So, I prayed, ‘Lord if this is for me, make a way. Move the date of the entrance exam.’ Miraculously, after a few days, the date was moved, and I took it as a sign to pursue the Cadetship Program,” she recalled.

No room for quitting

Just like any cadet, Palchan also had to overcome homesickness from being away from her family partnered with having to balance the overwhelming academic requirements and rigorous physical activities.