DAVAO Region produced 13 of the country’s highest-performing examinees in the August-September 2026 Nurses Licensure Examination (NLE), with graduates from San Pedro College-Davao City leading the list.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Davao University and University of Mindanao-Davao City figured prominently in the Professional Regulation Commission’s (PRC) national rankings.
Ateneo de Davao University graduate Clifford Jay Patoc Cafe led the Davao contingent after placing second nationwide with a rating of 92.00 percent, just 0.20 percentage point behind overall topnotcher Dianne Tacazon Tolentino of the University of Northern Philippines-Vigan, who earned 92.20 percent.
The PRC released the examination results on September 18.
San Pedro College-Davao City accounted for eight of the Davao-based examinees listed among the highest places.
Maxine Angela Chua Yare placed fifth with 91.40 percent, while Khassmyr Alexandra Macado Dela Cruz ranked sixth with 91.20 percent.
Three more San Pedro graduates tied for seventh place with 91 percent: Nessa Faye Morado Amorado, Athena Grace Montebon Nicholas and Paolo Jose Louis Nicolas Traspe. Andrea Paula Lazaga Basquez and Breanna Colleen Millan Pangilinan also shared eighth place after obtaining 90.80 percent.
Ateneo de Davao University had two additional graduates among the high-ranking examinees. Jad Lara Lacaran Baid also paced seventh with a rating of 91 percent, while John Lloyd de Guzman Castillo placed eighth with 90.80 percent.
The PRC list also includes University of Mindanao-Davao City graduate Chabelita Zamora Batuyong, who earned 90.60 percent and shared ninth place along with other graduates from other schools.
Two more Davao graduates rounded out the region’s representation in the highest places. Alynah Gabriele Castro Alicaway of Ateneo de Davao University and Celeste Dawn Jauod Ferrando of San Pedro College-Davao City both obtained 90.40 percent and shared 10th place.
The Davao-based results bring to 13 the number of examinees from the three institutions appearing in the PRC’s list of the 10 highest places. The number exceeds 10 because several ranks were shared by examinees who obtained the same ratings.
Nationwide, 28,652 of 37,359 examinees passed the August-September 2026 NLE, translating to a 76.69 percent passing rate. The examination was administered in 26 testing centers across the country, including Davao City.
The regular NLE was initially scheduled for August 29 and 30. The PRC later moved the examination in Region III to September 11 and 12 after cancelling the original schedule because of regionwide flooding and heavy rainfall warnings. The Davao testing center remained among the designated venues for the August examination. DEF
