UM Graduate Secures Top 10 Spot in 2025 PNLE

A GRADUATE from the University of Mindanao (UM) made it to the top 10 of the May 2025 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE), placing tenth nationwide.

Marc Joshua Saranillo earned the tenth spot with a rating of 88 percent. He is the only examinee from the Davao Region to rank in the top 10 of the 2025 PNLE.

Saranillo expressed his gratitude in a Facebook post, calling the achievement an early birthday gift. He credited his success to hard work, the support of his family and friends, and the guidance of his instructors.

“This is a collective effort. I am just a vessel of knowledge—without them, I am nothing. Thank you, everyone,” he wrote.

UM’s College of Health Sciences Education also earned national recognition, ranking third among top-performing schools with 50 to 99 examinees. The college recorded a 98.55 percent overall passing rate, including a 98.53 percent rate for first-time takers. This is well above the national passing rate of 64.39 percent.

“Congratulations to all the BS in Nursing students at the University of Mindanao for successfully passing the May 2025 Nurse Licensure Examination! UM achieved the top 3 ranking in the Philippines among institutions with 50 to 99 exam takers,” UM posted on its official Facebook page on May 15.

Topping the PNLE was Angelica Dator of Southern Luzon State University–Lucban (SLPC), followed by Doris Ann Laygo of Philippine Women’s University–Manila in second, and Arielle Sabrina Natividad of SLPC in third. Jonna Erosa Villanueva of Iloilo Doctors College placed fourth.

The fifth to tenth ranks were shared by multiple examinees: four tied for fifth, three for sixth, eight for seventh, four for eighth, and nine each for ninth and tenth place.

According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 10,770 candidates took the PNLE, but only 6,935 passed. The exam, conducted by the Board of Nursing, was held on May 5 and 6, 2025, across 18 testing centers nationwide. RGP