2023 highlights of events in education (Part II)

By Dr. Rex Casiple

The Mechanical Engineering Week was celebrated nationwide in October 2023 through various activities, such as, motorcade, conventions, assembly meetings with practicing Mechanical Engineers and Engineering students, among others.

The annual celebration was signed into law on September 5, 1988 by former President Corazon C. Aquino, by virtue of Proclamation No. 319, declaring the third week of October of every year as the Mechanical Engineering Week under the auspices of the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME). This is to focus the public attention on the important role of mechanical engineers in the development of the country.

Also in October, the whole nation celebrated the National Statistics Month. The annual celebration was signed into law on September 20, 1990, by former President Corazon C. Aquino through Presidential Proclamation No. 647, “Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month”.

The proclamation aims to promote, enhance, and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society; and to elicit the cooperation and support of the general public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country. Some of the highlights of activities were the Statistics Quiz for Junior high school students; the Statistical Infomercial Contest; the Statistical Infographics Contest; the Photography Contest; the Statistical Essay Writing Contest for College Students; the E-Poster Contest for High School Students; the StatisTiktok for High school students; the Tree Planting activity; the Philippine Statistic Quiz (PSQ); among others.

In November 2023, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Civil Engineering announced that a total of 6,180 out of 18,582 examinees nationwide, or 33.27%, passed in the November 2023 Civil Engineers Licensure Examination. Carlos Hilado Memorial State University in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, with 91.07% passing average, ranked number 3 in the said examination for higher education institutions (HEIs)with 50 or more examinees and at least 80% passing percentage. The Region produced 362 passers out of 1,160 takers, or 31.21% passing percentage.

The PRC Board of Medicine announced that a total of 4,083 out of 6,456 examinees nationwide, or 63.2%, passed in the October 2023 Physician Licensure Examination. The Region produced 250 passers out of 346 takers, or 72.25% passing percentage.

The PRC Board of Midwifery announced that a total of 2,800 out of 4,119 examinees nationwide, or 68%, passed in the November 2023 Licensure Examination for Midwives. The Region produced 111 passers out of 150 takers, or 74% passing percentage.

The PRC Board of Fisheries announced that 716 out of 2,124 examinees nationwide, or 33.71%, passed in the Licensure Examination for Fisheries Professionals given in October 2023. Top performing schools in the national level with at least 85% passing include UP Visayas and University of Antique – Tibiao Campus. Schools with successful examinees who garnered the 10 highest places in the national level are UP-Visayas; Iloilo State University of Fisheries, Science and Technology (ISUFST); and University of Antique – Tibiao Campus. The Region produced 125 passers out of 208 takers, or 60.1% passing percentage.

Twenty-five thousand seven hundred sixteen (25,716) out of 32,203 examinees nationwide, or 80%, passed in the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE) given by PRC Board of Nursing in November 2023. West Visayas State University ranked number 1 in the national level with 100% passing; and Saint Paul University-Iloilo ranked number 5 with 99.12% passing for schools with 50 or more examinees and with at least 85% passing percentage.

(To be continued)