A total of 66 scholars completed the Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program for Academic Year 2019-2020.
Sixty-five (65) members of MNSA Regular Class (RC) 55 and one member of RC 21 were officially conferred with the MNSA degree during the ceremony held on 4 September 2020
The graduates include 28 senior officers from the Philippine Army, 5 from the Philippine Navy, 9 from Philippine Air Force, 2 from the Technical and Administrative Services, 13 civilian government sector officials, 2 private sector representatives, and 7 foreign military officers from Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Singapore.
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin N Lorenzana congratulated the new graduates of NDCP and encouraged them to serve and exercise their leadership especially during challenging times.
The Academic Excellence awardees were Col Lennon G Babilonia PA (Gold), LtCol Geajaindren Mariapan Marudapan of Singapore (Gold), LtCol Vigneswari Viswanathan of Malaysia (Gold), BGen A K M Sazedul Islam of Bangladesh (Silver), Judge Maria Josefina G San Juan-Torres (Silver), Col Ranulfo A Sevilla PA (Silver), Col Erwin G Solomon PAF (Silver), Col Roderick A Balbanero PA (Bronze), and Dir Donna M Rodriguez (Bronze).
For the Best Thesis Award, the Gold Medals were presented to Col Roderick A Balbanero PA for his this entitled “HUMPS IN THE SEA – Understanding the Importance of Sibutu Passage/Strait: Constraints and Challenges in Securing Strategic Chokepoint,” as well as Judge Maria Josefina G San Juan-Torres for her thesis, “The ImPOSSIBLE Dream: Bridging the Gap in the Access to Justice Mechanism Towards the Realization of the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Framework of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).”
The Best Thesis Silver Medalists were Dir James A Layug of the Department of National Defense (DND) for “Philippine Defense Development and Industrialization: Analyzing the Political Economy of Defense Self-Reliance,” Dir Donna M Rodriguez of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for “Towards a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea: Implications to Philippine National Security Interests,” and Col Sheillah Grace E Vicente PAF for “Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations: An Economic Driver or a Security Threat?”
The Best These Bronze Medals were awarded to Col Francis Anthony M Coronel PA for his thesis, “Preventing Water Conflicts: Developing the Armed Forces of the Philippines Water Security Strategy,” Col Ranulfo A Sevilla PA for his thesis, “Theory and Practice: Examining the Implementation of the Philippine National Crisis Management Policy,” and LtCol Vigneswari Viswanathan of Malaysia for her thesis, “The Implication of United States’ Indo Pacific Strategy Towards Malaysia’s Strategic Environment.”
The Leadership Medal was awarded to the Class President of RC 55, Judge Maria Josefina G San Juan Torres.
In observance of prevailing health protocols, most of the participants, which included members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of civilian government agencies and military units, attended the ceremony virtually.
Founded in 1963, the NDCP is the government’s highest center for education, training and research on national defense and security.
The one-year MNSA program is the only graduate level degree program in the country that covers the broad spectrum of national security policy formulation and administration.
Civilian MNSA graduates may be commissioned in the AFP with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Philippine Army or Philippine Air Force) or Commander (Philippine Navy).