‘Yolanda’ grads rule nurse exam

MANILA, Philippines - A graduate of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), whose inspiration was his relatives who had died from various illnesses bested 15,292 other graduates and topped the nursing board exam administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last November.

Joining Elijah Legaspi in the top 10 are six graduates of schools in Eastern Visayas that were devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

There were 26,690 nursing graduates who took the licensure tests, according to the PRC.

Garnering a score of 86.80 percent, Elijah, 21, said he realized the importance of having someone in the family who is in the medical field so he took up nursing.

“It will be my pre-med course because I want to go to medicine,” Elijah told The STAR yesterday.

He said he has no plans of going abroad and prefers to work in a public hospital.

“I have seen some government hospitals and I know I can be of help. There are many poor patients who need our service,” he said.

Elijah’s father Mario thought his son would take up a course on information technology because “he is good with computers.”

Good, responsible son

Mario said Elijah is responsible and acts as the head of the family whenever his father is in Abu Dhabi, where he works as an engineer in an oil company there.

Mario said even if Elijah is tired and lacking sleep, he would wake up early to bring his 14-year-old sister to school when the house help is not available.

Elijah’s mother is a public school teacher.

Consistent topnotcher

Elijah said he was confident he would pass the licensure exam but was not expecting to land in the top 10. “But of course I was praying for that,” he said.

He said he was a consistent topnotcher in grade school but ended up as the first honorable mention during their graduation. This experience fortified his desire to be number one someday.

“I was so disappointed I told myself I would work harder. Now, with God’s help, I even became the topnotcher in the board exam. I really feel thankful and blessed,” he said.

Success after the storm

Despite the hardships that they have encountered after the onslaught of Yolanda, six graduates from Eastern Visayas schools managed to land in the top 10 of the nursing board exam.

Among the six, two are from Tacloban City, three are from Ormoc and one is from Northern Samar.

They are Janelle Ponferada, of St. Scholastica’s College in Tacloban City who ranked No. 2 with a grade of 86.60; Cheryl Cubi Ymas of San Lorenzo Ruiz College in Ormoc City who ranked third with 86.20 percent; Kelvin Magdaraog of the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar (fourth with 86 percent); Carmel Jane Cabonegro Cobacha and Luiela Peque Arcenal, both of the San Lorenzo Ruiz College in Ormoc City (seventh and eighth, respectively) and Vanessa Laarni Albos, another graduate of St. Scholastica’s College in Tacloban City.

Tourism regional director Karen Tiopes said the feat of the six Eastern Visayas graduates is proof that “God is always good.”

“He inspired our youth to rise above the challenges,” she said.

Meanwhile, the schools that posted a 100 percent passing rate are the Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation, Saint Paul University in Iloilo, Saint Paul University- Tuguegarao and Xavier University.

Reward from Erap

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada yesterday said he will give a reward to Elijah, a student of the city-government owned PLM, for topping the nursing board exam.

In a telephone interview with The STAR, Estrada also lauded PLM president Lenny de Jesus and the school’s Board of Trustees headed by chairman Benjamin Diokno for the effective reforms implemented by the school.

“I will give him a reward. I am very glad and proud of the PLM student who topped the nursing licensure examination and the others who passed the exams,” Estrada said.

For her part, De Jesus said she was elated to know that PLM has maintained its high standards, thereby producing graduates who top licensure exams.

“It ensures us that our graduates can find jobs that can help not only themselves but also their families and their communities,” De Jesus said in a text message to The STAR.

For the complete list of successful examinees, log on to www.philstar.com . – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Lalaine Jimenea