By Raydes B. Barcia
Legazpi City—Three decades after the Philippine Air Force opened its door for females to join the male-dominated world, 1Lt. Jul Laiza Mae B. Camposano-Beran was checked out as the country’s first female AS-211 combat mission ready pilot and wingman.
The country’s first female fighter pilot is a native of Tulunan, Cotabato and a member of Philippine Military Academy SINAGLAHI Class of 2015.
She graduated from Military Pilot Training in 2017 from the Philippine Air Force Flying School in Lipa City and is currently assigned at 105th Fifth Training Squadron, 5th Fighter Wing of the Philippine Air Force which is based at Basa Air Base, Floridablanca, Pampanga.
On March 30, 2022, the 5th Fighter Wing made history by officially checking out as the first Filipino AS-211 combat mission ready female pilot and a “wingman”.
She has also made history for having flown the FA-50 in an actual strike mission, the Philippine Air Force statement said.
She became the 5th woman in the academy to receive the Athletic Saber Award over 170 members of her class and the recipient of the award earned the distinction as the “Tarzan”.
The statement said that Laiza is the country’s first woman fighter pilot 30 years after the Philippine Air Force (PAF) opened its doors and welcomed female aspirants to join the ranks of its members.
After that, women began to make their mark in a male-dominated workplace. It said that a number of pioneering women have gone on to serve in the military as pilots, instructors, and even generals after beginning their careers as aviation cadets.
“This Office joins in recognizing the significant role of women in our organization and society as we celebrate the National Women’s Month this March,” the Philippine Air Force said in a statement.(Raydes Barcia)