The Outset of WAHGAM

"I vener want to repeat the same thing. I always want it to be different from what I've done, and to be not quite sure whether or not I can pull it off, until I hopefully do."

-  Brit Marling

The Philippine National Police Academy, as a training institution for future leaders in law enforcement, is not exempted from some customs adopted by different service academies in our country. If you run into someone in the Academy, you’ll typically hear some “lingo” they frequently use inside called Cadet Lingo.

Cadet Lingo is a jargon and slang used exclusively by cadets in their fields and during certain situations and activities. The Academy stands out among other educational institutions because of its various terminology when referring to a single word and tends to have closer bonds when these terms are used. These remarks, in some ways, encourage cadets to express and convey their true desires to their fellows.

From the hundreds of cadet lingo, one of which is “Wagam,” an exclamatory expression said when someone commits misbehavior and violates the Academy’s rules and regulations.

For many decades the word was used as an expression. PMGEN ERIC E NOBLE, Director, PNPA, a man with honor and dedication, changed Wagam to WAHGAM. He introduced a new meaning of this word, an acronym of War Against Hazing and Guard Against Maltreatment. It is an all-out advocacy campaign by the Director to end hazing cases in the Academy anchored on his core belief that hazing is unethical, illegal, immoral, and worthless.

The Philippine National Police Academy through WAHGAM continues to enforce the Anti-Hazing Law strictly and instill in its cadets the highest ideals of respect for human life and human rights.

As a cadet officer and as a future officer, I adhere to Republic Act 11053 (Anti-Hazing Act of 2018). I genuinely support the campaign of our Director to end hazing and maltreatment in the Academy because hazing and abuse have no place and will never have a place in the Academy.