High School CAT Unit retains Most Disciplined title;
Ateneo HS girls bring home 2nd Best Marching Unit trophy

By: Honesto S. Bermudo III

Once again, the High School CAT (Cadet Advancement Training) Unit was hailed Most Disciplined Contingent during the annual Regional Peñafrancia Fiesta Military Street Parade Competition on Friday, September 14, 2007. Since 2001, the prestigious title has not been  given to any other high school in Category 2 of the competition.

Only on their second attempt in the Category 2 (Company Minus), the HS CAT girls led by Cadette Officers Mikee Caroline Imperial, Diana Jean Velasco, Aimee Mariama Rentoy and Maricris Vallente, were hailed 2nd Best in Marching, besting twenty eight other competing units from various parts of Bicol region.

The scorching heat of the sun notwithstanding, the girls marched with the proper cadence, maintained their alignment and proper swinging of arms from the starting point of the parade in Panganiban Avenue until they reached the reviewing stand at the Plaza Quezon a couple of minutes before twelve noon.

As the Ateneo contingent approached the PNB and Kinastilyohan area, the thunderous cheers of the Ateneo alumni and friends drowned the voices of the emcees announcing the start of the Category 2 competition and the arrival of the Ateneo de Naga High School’s CAT Unit.

The CAT boys, on the other hand, landed 5th in the same category, a big leap from their exclusion from the top ten units in the 2006 competition. Leading this year’s Alpha Company were Cadet Officers John Gerard Lim, Raphael Cezar Buenaobra, Barbe Peña, and Jerome Barrion.

The Drum and Lyre Corps, headed by Cadet Officer Santos, bested twenty other competing units by placing 10th in their category. The DLC is composed of 3rd years boys and girls who are training to become full fledged cadet officers next school year. 

Corps Commander Ronel Andrew Morano and Cadet Officers Jan Cullen Jacob, Dino Escobiñas, Marco Villaraza, and Cadette Officer Marielle Jen Bernardo all went up the stage to receive the Most Disciplined Trophy from alumnus and City Mayor Jesse Robredo and other city officials. On stage, Morano and his staff led the cadets, cadettes, alumni and friends in the audience in singing the school song, the Regnum Dei before they proceeded to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral for a thanksgiving prayer to “INA,” our Lady of Peñafrancia.