Tabuk City, Kalinga – Governor James Edduba extended full support to a total of 694 army aspirants who participated in the four-day region-wide Armed Forces of the Philippines Service Aptitude Test held from November 30 to December 3 at Kalinga State University in Bulanao, providing accommodation and coordination assistance that ensured the smooth conduct of the exam.
According to 2nd Lt. Reyna Jane D. Flores of the 103rd IB, in a video interview posted by the Province of Kalinga, Edduba’s request for support from the higher headquarters paved the way for the province to host the region-wide examination.
The support included free accommodation and meals for the Army personnel assigned to oversee the examinations, helping ease logistical challenges and ensuring that the recruitment team could operate efficiently throughout the four-day activity.
“… siya [Governor Edduba] po ang nag-request sa ating higher headquarters para magkaroon tayo ng examination dito sa Kalinga. As you can see naman, marami talagang applicants or aspiring applicants para sa Philippine Army. Marami pong binigay na support si Governor natin—first of all is yung accommodation ng mga personnel natin na galing sa Mobile Testing Team,” she said.
The examination featured three categories: the Officer Candidate Course (November 30–December 1); the Academic Quotient Exam and the Service-Wide Exam (December 2); and the Candidate Soldier Course (December 3).
According to Flores, the examinees came from various Luzon provinces including La Union, Mountain Province, Apayao, Ilagan, and nearby areas—with the majority being iKalingas. She added that many other applicants could not be accommodated due to the volume of examinees.
“Sa apat na araw, meron tayong 694 examinees pero meron pa tayong hindi na-accommodate na students dahil sa marami sila, and nasa 200 applicants lang ang kanilang na-accommodate. Karamihan talaga sa mga examinees natin ay galing dito sa Kalinga, na kahit na malayo ang mga lugar nila, dumating pa rin sila para makakuha ng exam,” she said.
Meanwhile, Flores expressed gratitude on behalf of the AFP for the provincial government’s assistance, noting that the initiative provided aspiring soldiers with a valuable opportunity to pursue a career in the Philippine Army. Passing applicants will proceed to the next stages of recruitment, which may eventually lead to employment while serving the nation.
“Thank you sa ating Governor— siya ang nagbigay ng accommodation nila for four days—yung food habang nagpapa-exam. Dahil po sa program na ’yan, pwede na silang [examinees] magkaroon ng opportunity na makapagtrabaho sa Philippine Army,” she said.
The successful conduct of the examinations highlighted both the growing interest in military service and the importance of local government support in expanding access to recruitment activities across the region.
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