DESPITE a dip in the passing rate, UST got the top spot in the over-all ranking for 100 or more examinees in the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Examinations last month.
The University registered a 52 per cent passing rate compared to last year’s 55 per cent with 138 out of its 265 examinees passing.
The national passing rate was 18 per cent.
The University also secured half of the top 10 spots with Janet Blas placing third at 90 per cent, Jose Ramon Villatuya at fourth with 89.71 per cent, Denise Ann Saclag at sixth with 89.43 per cent, Heidi Lynn Bravo at eight with 89.14 per cent, and Jennifer Ticlao at ninth with 89 per cent.
According to College of Commerce and Accountancy Assistant Dean Helena Cabrera, it was the first time after many years that UST topped the board exam’s over-all ranking and dominated the top ten.
“It is a good sign that we are improving. Usually, UST examinees only land in the top twenty. And to think that we occupied half of the slots in the top ten, that is quite an achievement,” she said.
Professor Ging Ireneo of the Accountancy department said this year’s batch was better because the College took stricter measures to ensure better student quality.
He added that two summers were added to the regular four-year Accountancy course to improve UST’s standing in the board exams. The College also departmentalized all the exams starting with the sophomores.
Meanwhile, in this year’s Medical Technology licensure examination, the University claimed six of the top 10 slots and maintained the top spot in the category of 100 or more examinees last September.
Lene Grace Cantoria placed third with 88.60 per cent. In addition, Gerard Erikson Gonzales placed sixth with 87 per cent, Janet Cruz placed seventh with 86.80 per cent, and Glesie San Andres placed ninth with 86.50 per cent. Gloriamaris Loy and Marnellie Suse tied for the 10th place with 86.40 per cent.
Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Rosalinda Solevilla said the Faculty provides financial incentives to those who performed well and even returns the review fee to students who top the board.
“We thought it was a good way of encouraging the students to do well in the exams. Minsan kasi ‘yung iba tinatamad. Sayang naman,” Solevilla added.
However, the University’s passing rate slightly decreased to 83 per cent compared to last year’s 87 per cent. Only 100 out of more than 128 examinees passed the exams, although according to Solevilla, there was a noticeable increase in Thomasian examinees this year.
The national passing rate was 47.85 per cent as 969 out of 2,025 passed.
Meanwhile, the University failed to land in the top ten of this year’s Chemistry Licensure Examinations after placing fourth last year.
According to College of Science Chemistry Department head Alicia Aguinaldo, they had a hard time keeping track of Thomasian examinees this year because some previous graduates also took the board.
Twenty-five out of 34 Thomasians passed the exam for a 74 per cent passing rate. The national passing rate was 51 per cent. Elka Krystle R. Requinta
