July 2011 Nursing Board Exam Results July 2011 Nurse Licensure Examination Results

Absolutely no retake -- PRC

By EDMER PANESA and DAVID CAGAHASTIAN

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) yesterday stood by its decision not to ask those who passed the June 2006 nursing licensure to take another exam even after lawmakers offered to allot P14 million in the P46.5 billion supplemental budget for another test.

Appearing before the joint-committee panel in the House of Representatives probing the leakage in the June nursing exams, PRC Chairperson Leonor Tripon Rosero said the commission has already resolved the issue in so far as the grades of those who took the tests are concerned.

As this developed, Malacañang yesterday said it would leave to the PRC the decision on a retake of the nursing board examinations last June, but reiterated its position that only examinees proven to have knowingly or unknowingly benefited from the leakage should be made to undergo another test.

Rosero said the weight of two of the five sets of examinations, where the leakage allegedly occurred, was already downgraded to 10 percent from the original 20 percent.

Opposition Rep. Agapito Aquino of Makati City said that Congress would provide funds for a retake.

"If you will approve retaking, we will fund the retaking. We will convince the senators to approve the budget for it," Aquino told Rosero during the hearing conducted by the House Committees on Civil Service and Professional Regulation and on Good Government and Justice.

Underscoring the importance of a retake, Aquino said, "We want to save the honor of our nurses and make sure that our nurses are competent because lives are involved (in their profession)."

Reps. Anna York Bondoc of Pampanga and Jesus Crispin Remulla supported Aquino’s views.

"A leak is a leak and downgrading will not remove the leak," Bondoc, a physician, said.

Remulla called for the resignation of all members of the PRC and the Board of Nursing.

"I believe the controversies affect our country. It’s about time we call for the resignation of all the members of PRC and Board of Nursing. We need a fresh start, otherwise this controversy will hound us forever," Remulla said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita Rosero would decide whether to order the retake of some portions of the nursing board examinations marred by alleged cheating, but such a move would be confined only to "areas where the leakage would be proven to have taken place."

"We’ll leave to the PRC the retake of the exam," Ermita said in press conference, but reiterated President Arroyo’s position that any move to address the cheating controversy should spare those who took no part in the alleged leakage.

"The President’s position is that those who passed should not have a retake except those where the investigation of the PRC and the NBI would show that they are the ones who have taken advantage of the leakage in the questions. So Malacañang’s position is not a total retake for everybody," Ermita said.

PAPRB stands firm in support of PRC actions on controversy

By ANGIE CHUI

The Board of Trustees of the Philippines Association of the Professional Regulatory Board Members Inc.’s (PAPRB) yesterday urged stakeholders in the nursing profession to join hands for the swift resolution of the alleged leakage in the June 2006 nursing board examinations while standing firm on its support for the actions taken by the PRC.

The Board, representing 408 members and 45 Professional Regulation Boards, disclosed that while it believes that the controversy has impugned not only the integrity of the Commission and the PRC Board, it commends Chairperson Leonor T. Rosero and Commissioners Avelina A. dela Rea and Renato B. Valdecantos for their wisdom, firmness and decisiveness in addressing the issue.

According to the manifesto, the Board echoes the Commission’s call to recognize the rights of the passers and the need to sanction the officials involved in the anomaly. It also states its belief that the leakage was an isolated case perpetrated by two Board officials, and does not involve other licensure examinations.

"The PAPRB remains resolute in supporting the Commission’s commitment to the integrity of all licensure examinations as indicated by our performance in previous licensure examinations. We appeal to the parents, examinees (passers and non passers), members of the academe, review centers, the Philippine Nursing Association (PNA) and the industry leaders, and other stakeholders for their understanding and support towards a sober and swift resolution to the issue," the manifesto said.

The manifesto was signed by Engr. Alfredo Y. Po, president; Engr. Rene Leandro P. Enro, executive vice president; Capt. Constantino L. Arcellana Jr., first vice president and liaison officer for business; Dr. Rosita C. Nisce, second vice president and liaison officer for health; Dr. Anita Villarta, secretary; Elizabeth R. Peralejo, treasurer; Antonio S. Adriano, auditor; Dr. Fortunato A. Battad, press relations officer; and trustees Raul G. Agustin, Engr. Gerardo T. Cabreros, and Arch. Eugene G. Gan.

Also yesterday, PRC officials run the risk of being cited in contempt by the Senate after not showing up at yesterday’s public hearing on the nursing board exam leakage.

Senators said they will discuss what to do with the repeated no-show of government officials during committee hearings and in the case of the PRC officials, if they should issue an arrest warrant to compel their appearance before the Senate Committee on Civil Service.

The civil service committee headed by Sen. Rodolfo Biazon conducted its third hearing on the leakage controversy without a single PRC official appearing purportedly for failing to secure Palace approval.

Senators are particularly incensed by their absence since PRC officials appeared in a similar probe in the House.

"They should be cited in contempt," said Sen. Richard Gordon.

He said that Malacanang is already out of line for insisting that the Senate must agree to submit advance questions to the executive department before it allows its officials to appear in Senate probes. (with a report by Jude Galford III)

FROM: http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN2006083173111.html

Posted by Thor on Thursday, August 31, 2006 at 12:11 PM | Permalink