(L-R) Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez complete their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India last June 14, 2025. (Photo: Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India)
Two Filipino military cadets have successfully completed their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in the city of Dehradun, northern state of Uttarakhand, India.
Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez received their rank insignias from Lt. Gen. Nagendra Singh, commandant of IMA, during a ceremony last June 14.
Ehapon and Valbarez are members of the IMA Regular Class 156.
Both of them are former officer candidates of the Philippine Army Officer Candidate School.
They were sent to study in India for 18 months under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program in 2024.
They are the second generation of PA officers trained by the prestigious Indian military academy.
Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez complete their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India last June 14, 2025. (Photo: Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India)
Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez complete their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India last June 14, 2025. (Photo: Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India)
Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez complete their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India last June 14, 2025. (Photo: Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India)
Second Lieutenants Anthony Ehapon and Len John Kent Valbarez complete their pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India last June 14, 2025. (Photo: Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India)
The Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in India (PhilDAFA-India) stated that while two Army officer cadets underwent the same training program back in 1974, it took 51 years for a second batch to be deployed due to the program not being sustained over the years.
“The graduation of the two officers is not just a personal achievement but a tangible step towards a more robust, skilled, and internationally connected Philippine Army, supported by a deepening strategic partnership with India,” the PhilDAFA-India said.
The Philippines and India marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 2024.
