A daughter of a Caramoran farmer and housewife took 11th place in the recent Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE) that saw the Catanduanes State University graduates score an unprecedented 99.1% passing rate for first-time takers.
In the board test given last month, Kristine Cerillo Sarmiento, 22, garnered a rating of 89.40%, less than a half percentage point short of the 89.60% scored by 10th placers.
In another remarkable achievement for the university’s College of Health Sciences, 25 other graduates were in the top 30 passers: 15th – Hannah E. Santos, Rosemarie S. Tabang and Francis Joseph V. Sacris (88.60%); 17th – Lin Dominic A. Velasco and Ariana Gail P. Valencia (88.20%); 20th – Darla Joyce V. Quiballo, Franco Joseph V. Sacris and Alana Marie B. Talaran (87.60%); 22nd – Abegail T. Aguilar and John Greg M. Tabor (87.20%); 23rd – Liane Mariette M. Sales (87.00%); 24th – Bernadette S. Sabeniano (86.80%); 25th – Alizta Quie Nicole R. Tabirara, Jejomar V. Taniajura and Vince G. Aguilar (86.60%); 26th – Ana Flor N. Sibonga and Sheena B. Sarmiento (86.40%); 27th – Louillen F. Acacio, Quinie T. Tabirara, Arjay T. Terrazola and Joan C. Macuja (86.20%); 28th – Rossel G. Balute (86.00%); 29th – Ana Marie Evangelista (85.80%); and 30th – Marisam B. Ariate and Coleen Mae T. de Leon (85.60%).
One hundred out of 101 first timers hurdled the board exam for a passing percentage of 99.1% while four of eight repeaters (50%) made it, for an overall 104 out of 109 success rate or 95.41%. This should have landed CatSU among the top performing schools having 50 or more examinees and with at least 85% passing percentage but it was missing from the list.
The CatSU graduates’ performance was way above the national passing percentage of 74.94%, elating President Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza who described the new nurses’ feat as “awesome” and lauded the dean and faculty of the College of Health Sciences for their unwavering commitment to providing quality education and guidance to nursing students.
Meanwhile, 11th placer Kristine Sarmiento advised nursing students not to be discouraged if they are facing difficulties in school.
“Strive to be better. Gabos na effort and sleepless nights ay magiging worth it,” she said. “Always remember, God is with you.”
She recalled using time management during her review for the board examination, preferring to study in the afternoon from 1PM to 4PM and not during the night as she wanted to rest her brain for the next day’s lecture.
“Whenever I feel exhausted and overwhelmed from too much information and topics that I have to study, I allotted time to take a break, go out and ventilate,” Kristine said.
She revealed that she struggled in Community Health Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing and PALMR (Professional Adjustment, Legal Management and Ethics Research), so that is she decided to study them first.
The anxiety was always there during the review, she said, but Kristine leaned on her family, friends, groupmates and roommates in Legazpi City who gave her the motivation, encouragement and unyielding support.
“I will not pass the board exam without the help of our almighty God. I cannot do it alone without God,” she stressed, adding that she went to different churches and sought guidance and wisdom from St. Jude, St. Raphael, and St. Gregory.
The 22-year-old daughter of farmer Melvin Y. Sarmiento and Monica Cerillo-Sarmiento of Dariao, Caramoran shared that she would like to work first in a hospital and possibly study for a Master’s degree.
Elder sister Vanessa Jane is a teacher at Pandan School of Arts and Trades while her younger siblings are all in school: Camille, an IT student at CatSU; Kim, Grade 9 at CRDHS; and Shayne, Grade 1 at Dariao ES.
A salutatorian during her years at Dariao Elementary School, she went to Caramoran Rural Development High School where she eventually finished senior high in 2018, graduating with Honors.
A campus journalist in high school, she enrolled at CatSU’s College of Health Sciences where she was a senator at the student body organization for two straight years.