CAGADAS (LEFT) & LARGO (RIGHT)
Three graduates from Cebu schools were among the topnotchers in the March 2016 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) for the elementary level.
Allan Rey Pajo Cagadas, 31, a Southwestern University (SWU) graduate, landed in 4th place with an 89.90 percent rating.
Kent Apa Hiyas and Kimberly Hope Ondoy Largo, 21, both graduates of the University of Cebu-Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UC-LM), tied for 9th place with an 87.60 percent rating.
Cagadas is from Valencia, Bohol but is currently residing in Barangay Banawa, Cebu City.
Hiyas is from Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City while Largo is from Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.
The topnotcher in the LET elementary level is Rowena Hingpit from the University of Mindanao in Davao City, who got a 90.60 percent rating in the exams.
No graduates from Cebu schools made it to the top 10 in the LET secondary level, but the University of San Carlos was listed as 3rd top performing
LET secondary level school.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board of Professional Teachers released the results on Thursday, around 41 working days after the last day of the board exams.
In a statement, the commission said 12,128 out of 42,739 elementary teachers (28.38 percent) and 18,810 out of 53,090 secondary teachers (35.43 percent) passed the examinations.
The “results of the examinations with respect to 23 examinees were withheld pending final determination of their liabilities under the rules and regulations governing licensure examination.”
4TH PLACER
Cagadas, in an interview, said he cried when he learned that he landed in 4th place.
He said he studied and prayed hard to be in the topnotchers’ list.
“Nag-aim gyud ko nga mo-top ug ako gyod nga gipangandaman pag-ayo ang exam (I aimed to be a topnotcher. I really prepared for the exam),” he said.
Cagadas said it was his sister-in-law who first texted and informed him that he passed, but he checked through the Internet and was surprised to see his name in the topnotchers’ list.
He said he could not explain his feelings when his parents from Bohol texted then called to congratulate him.
“Di nako ma-explain akong gibati, overwhelming kaayo (I can’t explain how I felt. It was overwhelming),” he said.
Cagadas, who also holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics technology, said he was encouraged by co-workers in a company where he worked after earning his electronics technology degree to take up Bachelor of Elementary Education.
He said his co-workers noticed that he has the ability to explain things in a way that most people can understand them.
He also said another factor is that he likes to interact with children.
Cagadas is married to a Bureau of Internal Revenue employee Jea Lourd. He is the second of three siblings. His father, Rufo, is a college instructor while his mother, Asuncion, is a housewife.
Cagadas said he immediately went to Alliance of Two Hearts Church in Banawa to thank the Lord.
9TH PLACER
Largo, for her part, said she could not believe at first that she was one of the topnotchers.
She said she first saw her name on a website, but she waited until the results were posted on the PRC website.,
“Wa ko makatuo dayon (I didn’t believe it at first),” she said.
Largo said she was influenced by her family to take up the course.
Her mother, Janice, is a public school teacher at the Pajo National High School while her father, Edgar, works in an appliance center.
Largo, eldest of three siblings, said she was thankful to her family, friends, teachers and the dean of her school, who helped her a lot.