2 from Cebu schools among top passers in nursing exam

CEBU, Philippines - A 38-year-old municipal councilor from Hilongos Leyte, who took up her nursing studies at Cebu Normal University (CNU), placed 5th in the November 2008 Licensure Examination, while another student from the University of San Carlos places 9th. 

The results were released yesterday.

Miguela Macuto Gabisan, who juggled her time between being a municipal councilor and a nursing student, obtained a rating 87.40 to place 5th along with 6 others.

Ryan Daniel Rivera Dablo of USC placed 9th along with 18 others with a rating of 86.60

 A total of 39,455 passed the exam out of the 88,649, who took it on November 29 and 30, 2008.

Gabisan and Dablo are the only students from Cebu nursing schools who placed among the top 10.

A total of 72 passers made the top 10 list, with multiple ties occurring at every place.

Only the first and second placers did not share the ranking with any other. 

They are Jovie Ann Alawas Decoyna of Baguio Central University at first place with a rating of 89.00 and John Patrick Morales Dimarucot of Central Luzon Doctor’s Hospital Education Institute at second place with a rating of 88.40.

Multiple ties occurred from 3rd place up to the tenth place.

Gabisan who hails from Hilongos Leyte was born April 28, 1970. Her father Francisco Gabisan was also a councilor of Hilongos while her mother, Gloria, is a businesswoman.

She has six siblings who are all professionals.

She was once married for 5 years, but had it annulled in 2004. No children were borne of that union.

Gabisan is also a graduate of B.S Biology from Velez College and she took up also some units of Medicine at the Cebu Institute of Medicine.

In 2006 she enrolled at CNU and graduated in May 2008.

She is now on her second term as the number one councilor of her town.

Gabisan also said during the phone interview that she would still decide whether to work as a nurse or to run for her third term as a councilor this 2010.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) last Wednesday urged nursing schools to device ways on how to produce more competent graduates.

The POEA said that more stringent screening and an intensified training could help Filipino nurses hurdle the now stricter standards being observed by nurse-importing countries like New Zealand.

Board passers are required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form, a cedula, two (2) pieces passport size picture, one (1) piece 1"x1" picture, two sets of metered documentary stamps, and one short brown envelope with name and profession.

Passers also need to pay a P600 initial registration fee and a P450 annual registration fee. They are also required to personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals. -/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)