TUP-Visayas graduate tops exam, earns P200K reward

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY — The Technological University of the Philippines (TUP)-Visayas has announced a P200,000 cash incentive for Niele Shem Bañas, the topnotcher of the April 2024 Electronics Engineering Licensure Examination (ECELE).

Bañas led the examinees with a 91.80 percent score, as reported by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on April 17. A La Carlota City, Negros Occidental native, Bañas graduated magna cum laude from TUP-Visayas in Talisay City and is the son of Rodel, an electronics engineer, and Joyce, a teacher.

TUP-Visayas outperformed with a 71.05 percent overall passing rate, eclipsing the national average of 42.49 percent. Of the university’s 76 candidates, 54 passed the exam.

The university also garnered the top performing school designation in the 2024 Electronics Technician (ECT) Licensure Examination, with a pass rate of 93.06 percent—67 of 72 examinees passed.

The PRC disclosed that out of 3,130 ECELE candidates, 1,330 passed, and for the ECTLE, 1,819 out of 2,538 examinees passed, administered by the Board of Electronics Engineering.

TUP-V’s campus director, Dr. Eric Malo-oy, credited their success in board examinations to robust curriculum development, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, and the dedication of the faculty and staff.

“Truly TUP-Visayas is the home of topnotchers in Engineering and Engineering Technology Education in the country,” he added.

The licensure exams took place from April 11 to 12 across multiple locations, including NCR, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, and Tuguegarao.

Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares and La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalando-on, through Facebook, both celebrated Bañas’s achievements. Bañas is also set to receive additional rewards from the La Carlota city government.