RECOGNIZING the important role of law enforcers in the society, the Negrense topnotcher of the June 2019 Criminologist Licensure Examination has vowed to become a model police someday.
Rosanie Bulacja, a graduate of Bago City College, ranked third in the licensure exam after garnering a passing rate of 89.95 percent.
Bulacja, 21, of Barangay Zone 4 in Pulupandan town, said she wants to be a policewoman who exemplifies love for the profession.
"Being able to enter the police is just a once in a lifetime opportunity so we have to pour our love to it," she said.
The topnotcher added "this will not only make us successful but also enable us to gain respect and honor from the community we serve."
For Bulacja, who graduated Magna Cum Laude, being among the topnotchers is a "bonus" blessing as she only wants to pass the exam.
Bulacja seemed to have received more than what she asked for, as aside from being the top three, she is also the only passer in the top 10 coming from a school in the Visayas.
She is among the 41 first takers from Bago City College. Of them, 27 or 65.85 percent passed the licensure exam.
"I dedicate this achievement to my parents and siblings as well as to my instructors, college, review center, friends and boyfriend," she said, adding that "I want them to be proud of me."
Bulacja, the only girl, is the third of the four siblings in the family.
Her mother died of liver cirrhosis when she was on second year college while her father works as driver at the municipal hall.
She was supposed to be enrolled by her father in an education course but because "I don't like wearing skirts," she opted criminology.
Bulacja said she has grown love for the course as it covers various fields
of sciences including forensic science, psychology, human behavior, laws, firearms and investigation, among others.
"For those saying that police profession is for men only, there is gender equality in the Philippine National Police (PNP)," she said, adding that it does not discriminate gender.
On the issues hounding the profession like police scalawags, Bulacja said "we have to know the consequences of our actions. Let us remember that our uniform is precious, we have to love it like how we love our country."
Bulacja plans to enter the PNP but while waiting for recruitment, she wants to teach at the college or at the review center.
Dr. Deborah Natalia Singson, criminology department head of Bago City College, said the school is blessed to have Bulacja as one of its products.
Singson said aside from being intelligent, it is Bulacja's positive attitude that made her to the top.
Criminology is considered the flagship course of the college, and the department has the most number of students.
"The strength of the school is the dedication of the faculty, who teach the students not only the lessons but the values that they need as future law enforcers," she added.
As this developed, Mayor Nicholas Yulo said Bago City College will continue to keep the standards up in order to make the students more competent and become successful in the future.
Yulo said the recent achievement of Bulacja is a validation that the college has been providing quality education to the students.
The criminology department, ever since, has been the "forte" of Bago City College, the top official said.
"So we have to keep up. We should do our best in order for our criminology students to also do their best," he said.
The mayor added "while the department and college can only do so much especially in preparing the students for the board exam, it is their best effort that will also matter."
Bago City College also produced 55 new passers from out of 199 retakers.
They form part of the 7,998 new passers out of 20,797 who took the exam last month as announced by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Tuesday, July 2.
Yulo said this is the first time that the college has produced a topnotcher in the criminologist licensure exam.
"So we plan to honor Bulacja by giving her some recognition for the feat that she has achieved," he said.
The mayor then urged students to uphold individual effort, hard work, perseverance and discipline as these are key values to achieve their dreams.
"We continue to strive to offer quality education to Bagonhons and those of other localities," Yulo said, adding "it will be an honor and good for the college if she (Bulacja) pursues a teaching job there."