CEBU, Philippines - She wasn’t sure if she would pass the exam, even branding as a joke the big news her friend broke to her.
But Isabelle Basubas Baisac, a 21-year-old graduate of the Cebu Doctors’ University, could not help but laugh at the result revealing her as the topnotcher of the September 2011 Medical Technologist Licensure Examination.
Graduates of Cebu schools delivered a one-two punch in the exam with Baisac placing first and Sherry Mae Casiño Mondido of Velez College landing second.
A third Cebu graduate, Jana Barbra Dela Cerna Mayol of Cebu Doctors University, placed eighth to complete Cebu’s domination of the exam.
Both the CDU and Velez College got a 100 percent rating (31/31).
Only .40 percentage points separated Baisac and Mondido with Baisac garnering a score of 91.70 percent and Mondido 91.30 percent.
Mayol scored 89.20 percent to share eighth place with Cherry Rose Tuazon Reyes of the University of Santo Tomas.
Baisac said she was not even sure she would pass the exam, and yet she was declared the topnotcher.
“After taking the exam, nagduha-duha gyud ko if mopasar ba ko kay lisod kaayo ang exam. Unexpected gyud ang result,” said Baisac, whose parents are both medical doctors.
She said she did not even believe in her friend who called her up Wednesday night, the time the result was released, to inform her that she topped the exam.
“Wala gyud ko mituo niya. Abi nako ga-joke-joke ra siya,” she told The FREEMAN.
Since the Internet connection at their residence was temporarily cut off, she went to a cousin’s house to see the result online. She then found out that her friend was not lying at all.
“Nakatawa gyud ko kay wa gani ko’y sure makapasar, na-first na nuon,” said Baisac, a dean’s lister of CDU in her first and second year.
In preparation for the exam, she said she just kept on reading her materials.
Before the exam, she visited churches in Cebu along with her friends. A week ago, she went to Simala in Sibonga to seek Divine guidance.
She said the exam was really hard but if a person strives for his or her goal, success can be achieved.
“Study lang gyud og tarong unya sige lang gyud og salig Niya (God). If you find yourself na galisod mo, don’t give up. If ganahan gyud ka sa profession, keep studying kay mo-pay off ra tanang kalisod,” she said.
After the oath-taking, Baisac said she plans to take a vacation first before hunting for a job.
Third on the list was Gelyn Modequillo Ty San Pedro of the College-Davao City, who scored 90.20 percent. Cyrille Maria Trinidad Bebelone Enobio of the University of the Immaculate Conception-Davao placed fourth after scoring 89.80 percent.
Fifth on the list was Roxanne Maritana Figueroa of the University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, who scored 89.60 percent while Ma. Cecilia Miranda Santos of the University of Santo Tomas placed sixth and scored 89.50 percent.
With only .10 percentage advantage points, Lourivy Pulvera Durano of the University of the Immaculate Conception-Davao and Michael John Amolong Mondragon of the University of Negros Oriental-Recoletos shared the seventh place with 89.40 percent.
Cheryl Julie Samson Argent of San Pedro College-Davao City landed in the ninth place with a score of 89.00 percent.
Sharing the tenth place were Ray Carlo Villanueva De La Cruz of the Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, Inc. and Jake Lester Pugao Villanueva of Far Eastern University Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation with a score of 88.90 percent.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 1,123 out of 1,480 passed the examination given by the Board of Medical Technology in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cebu and Davao.
The exams were held on September 3 and 4 and the result was released on September 7. — /LPM (FREEMAN)