2LT Reniel dela Cruz received the rank insignia of second lieutenant in a ceremony hosted by the United States Service Academy alumni in Camp Aguinaldo. He entered the Philippine Military Academy in 2014 and was selected to undergo a 4-year cadet training in West Point, New York. The newly-commissioned officer hails from Baybay, Leyte and graduated with honors in Nuclear Engineering. As a cadet, he was appointed as the athletics officer and participated in several sports, such as swimming and basketball.
BG Vicente Lim was the first Filipino USMA graduate in 1914. "As newly minted officers, it is our wish that you carry this symbol on your shoulders as a reminder of where you came from as you connect to the past when seeking guidance for the future," Lim's great grandson Vicente Lim IV said. The second lieutenant insignia is an equilateral triangle with a Baybayin “K” in the middle and worn on the shoulders of Army officers. Its historical origin came from the Katipunan wherein Katipuneros wear the symbols in their garments and medallions to distinguish their ranks.