THE loss of the Cebu City Medical Center due to the Oct. 15, 2013 earthquake was no hindrance to Ma. Rejena Grace Caballero Palatan’s studies.
Patalan was undergoing training at an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in Cebu Pacific International Language School in Cebu City when she learned that she landed in 5th place in the May 2015 nursing licensure exams.
The 20-year-old Palatan, who started working at the school last Tuesday, was with this year’s batch of CCMC College of Nursing graduates who passed the exam based on results released by the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC).
“Since I was in second year, my prayer was that we graduate completely as a batch. And he answered by letting all of us 32 students graduate,” Patalan said.
Confirm
CCMC-CN was transferred to the College of Technological Sciences (CTS) situated across the site where the CCMC once stood.
Palatan, a native of Minglanilla town, lives with her sister and father, an engineer.
Her late mother graduated from CCMC-CN and worked at the Cebu City Health Office as a community nurse.
Palatan’s 26-year old sister, Honey Lou Palatan, works as a call center agent in Cebu City.
Palatan said the class adviser, Joey Tandingan, met her at Mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño at 5:30 p.m. last Tuesday to confirm that she and her batch passed the exam.
She shared her news to her father, who was in Santander town at the time.
Palatan said the CCMC-CN is like family especially after the 2013 earthquake damaged the city hospital.
Patalan said it was surprising that everyone in her class passed the exam because nobody graduated with honors.
Aside from working on an international language school, Patalan said she has no definite plans for now.
She said she is considering to take up medicine since many people close to her are encouraging her.
Patalan plans to enroll at the University of Cebu School of Medicine, which recently opened this month.
Patalan said she may also consider going abroad to help support her nieces and nephews.
As she celebrated her success, Patalan recalled how she and her batch had to help in moving their belongings from the CCMC to the fourth floor of CTS.
“We all helped each other during that transition,” she said.
Despite their limited facilities, Patalan said she and her class didn’t give up.
“In taking up a course, they should follow their heart so that everything will be easy for them to follow through,” she said.
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