MANILA, Philippines — A beneficiary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Paoay, Ilocos Norte was one of two topnotchers in the 2023 Civil Engineering Licensure Examination.
Alexis Castillo Alegado, 22, bested 16,936 other examinees with a score of 92.10 percent and shared the top slot with Garret Wiklenson Ching Sia of the De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila.
Alegado is a cum laude graduate of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
He was among the 32 of 77 graduates of the MMSU’s College of Engineering who passed the examination administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on April 23-24.
The MMSU posted a 41.56 percent passing rate, which is higher than the 34.76 percent national passing rate, where 5,887 out of 16,936 or 34.76 percent passed the tests.
Alegado’s “academic success and his topping the licensure examination is a concrete indication that DSWD’s 4Ps is a valuable tool in effectively investing in human capital,” according to DSWD spokesman Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez.
“The success of Eng. Alexis Alegado is proof that our 4Ps is important for every Filipino family, so that they could send their children through college and eventually help them improve their lives,” Lopez said.
The 4Ps program is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor to improve the health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged zero to 18 years.
An initial report sent by the DSWD Field Office 1 showed that Alegado was also a student-beneficiary of the Expanded Student’s Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) program which automatically qualified him for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
ESGP-PA beneficiaries are poor but deserving students belonging to families listed in the DSWD’s 4Ps program.
Under the program, they can enroll in selected state universities and colleges taking up the Commission on Higher Education’s priority programs and other course offerings within the government key growth areas.
The TES is one of the four programs under RA 10931 which will provide funding for qualified Filipino students from the poorest-of-the-poor households enrolled in public and private higher educational institutions.
Once accepted under the TES, ESGP-PA grantees will receive allowance for books, supplies, transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses; a reasonable allowance for the documented rental or purchase of personal computer or laptop and other education-related expenses; allowance for room and board costs incurred by the student; additional subsidy for persons with disabilities or a one-time cost of a first licensure examination for graduates of a board course or program.
Based on a PRC report, the second slot was shared by Reden Christian Tandoc Mercado of Saint Louis University and Casmer Blah Dilangalen of the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a score of 90.45 percent, while John Carlo Dungca dela Cruz of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela, Melvin Balcita Ancheta of Pangasinan State University-Urdaeta and Emilson Ryan Domanog Antes of UP Diliman shared the third slot with 90.35 percent.
The fourth place was bagged by Renalyn Thea Marasigan Untalan of DLSU-Manila and Alexander Baldemor de Lara of Mapua University Manila with a score of 90 percent, followed by Kyle Adrian Ares Oliva of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (89.75 percent) and Irvin Lester Dato Binondo of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Main Sta. Mesa (89.65 percent) in fifth and sixth places, respectively.
Tied at seventh place are Jolison Kenneth Galvez Arita and John Carlo Bermejo Quintela of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila with a score of 89.45 percent.
Ranking eighth are Jonnel Marquez Yruma of University of Eastern Philippines-Cataraman, Cristine Magbago Remolisan of Cebu Technological University-Main and King Justine Hernandez Guardario of Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City with a score of 89.40 percent.
In ninth place are Jester Javier Silapan of University of Southern Mindanao (USM)-Kabacan, Crisnico Espinosa Peligrino of Bohol Island State University-Tagbilaran and Daniello Amoroso Camilon of PUP - Main Sta. Mesa with a score of 89.35 percent.
In 10th place are Mohaimen Hadji Omar Pasawilan of USM-Kabacan and John Amiel Asistio Macaraeg of Bulacan State University-Malolos with a score of 89.30 percent.