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ROTC in the Ateneo > Introduction > Women's Auxiliary Training Corps

Even before women were admitted to the Philippine Military Academy, Filipinas were already undergoing rudimentary military training, leading to commissions in the AFP reserves, in various Women's Auxiliary Training Corps units around the country. The corps was established in 1963.

The Ateneo de Davao WATC, however, unit did not come to life until the second semester of School Year 1988 - 89, when two students: Glonemar Azarcon, a summer ROTC/WATC camp graduate, and Mary Jane Patino, became the first Advance and Basic WATC cadettes respectively.

Cadettes were integrated into the main ROTC organization. They fulfilled the whole range roles that were open to their male counterparts: from platoon command to adjutantship. However, no fully functional WATC units on the scale of their high school counterparts, could be organized because of their small numbers.

Enrollment in the course was invariably low. One impediment to growth was the Ateneo's unfamiliarity with, hence non-recognition of, Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) Order No.1 series of 1963, which allowed the substitution of WATC for Physical Education. The order would have allocated 1.5 units of credit for WATC; as a result Cadettes, therefore, were not exempted from PE.

Attempts were made to bring the obscure order to the attention of the University Registrar's office. Unfortunately, as headway was being made in convincing the said office of the legality of the exemption, the Ateneo revised unit allocation for its subjects, in School Year 1992-93. In the new system PE now had two units instead of one. Since DECS made no changes for WATC's unit allocation, it was no longer acceptable as an alternate course.

Azarcon, Glonemar B

Cadette Azarcon completed her basic course at a so-called ROTC / WATC summer camp in 1988. She became the first Advance WATC graduate in March 23, 1991.

Barbarona, Ruby B

Cadette Barbarona graudated as a member of the Class of 1999.

Gonzales, Mercy

She was a member of COQC Batch 08-91.

Legaspino, Jamine Joy

Originally a cadette of the Holy Cross of Davao WATC, cadette Legaspino transferred to the Ateneo in SY 1990-91.

Lim, Haidee L

Cadette Lim became the Ateneo's first Basic WATC graduate on March 23, 1992. She eventually became the Ateneo de Davao's first woman Corps S1 and Adjutant -- and was regarded as serious contender for the Corps Commandership of the Class of 1993-94.

Patino, Mary Jane

Like cadette Azarcon, she enrolled in WATC in 1988, and became the Ateneo's first Basic WATC cadette.

Sy, Suzette E

Cadette Sy was a member of COQC Batch 08-91.