A STUDENT of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology was named AFP Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Male Cadet of the Year of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Alsadjaik Sabdul, a third-year BS Philosophy student, bested other 15 Regional Community Defense Group representatives from all over the country to clinch the award.

Sabdul is a Cadet Colonel First Class and the son of a late soldier.

According to MSU-IIT, Sabdul achieved the Cadet of the Year honor after initially applying for the Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines Scholarship.

His eligibility for the scholarship led to his selection as the representative by the 10th RCDG.

Sabdul also underwent Advanced ROTC Academic Phase Training in July last year where he both did physical and academic preparations.

The rigorous adjudging process focused on interview performance, training, and recommendation, where Sabdul emphasized the importance of world geopolitics knowledge in one of his interviews with the generals.

“Being a Philosophy student, it’s not just about questioning the system but also understanding why the system happens and why it’s continuing” he said.

While the principle of the military is to comply and serve, Sabdul said being a cadet with a background in philosophy ‘influences one to be more critical.’