PNPA has first female police general

MANILA, Philippines — The police official who is the chief protector of women and children made history as the first female police general who graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad, director of the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC), was among the third-level police officers who were promoted to the next rank.

She received her first star during an oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony led by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. at Camp Crame on Thursday.

With her latest achievement, Manalad became the first ever female police general from the PNPA.

Manalad was the sole woman who graduated from her batch in 1995. She is also the first recipient of Republic Act 7192, or the women in development and nation building law.

Manalad said she is confident that other policewomen will follow in her footsteps.

“It’s high time to give equal opportunity when it comes to positions,” she said in an interview.

Other female police officers are in key posts in the PNP. Among them is her underclassmate in the PNPA, PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo.

Other female police officers are commanders of territorial police units in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Manalad is no stranger to police operations, having served as Cotabato City police director and intelligence officer in the National Capital Region Police Office.

Manalad still has a long career ahead of her as she will retire on Feb. 22, 2029.

As WCPC director, Manalad has supervised law enforcement operations that led to the rescue of women and children who are victims of online sex and human trafficking.