Manifested: Ilocos grad tops nursing exam, turns dream into reality

That was Dianne Tacazon Tolentino’s reaction after learning that she had topped the August-September 2026 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE)—a dream she had long held and now sees as manifested.

The achievement brought pride to her home province of Ilocos Sur, as Tolentino, a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP)-Vigan, emerged as the country’s No. 1 nursing board passer with a rating of 92.20 percent.

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The Heritage Province of Ilocos Sur celebrated Tolentino’s feat, hailing her as an outstanding nursing topnotcher and a source of pride for the province.

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READ: ‘Manifesting works’: Ardent dreamer becomes a registered nurse

Tolentino was not the only UNP graduate among the country’s topnotchers. Josian Vince Bajet Bermio placed ninth with a rating of 90.60 percent, giving the university two spots among the national top 10.

Tolentino said she owed her achievement to her parents, who supported her education and made sacrifices throughout her journey.

“There’s nothing wrong with aiming for the top,” she said in a radio interview, recalling the words that kept her motivated to excel.

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She had been an achiever since elementary school, when she graduated valedictorian. She went on to finish high school as salutatorian before pursuing nursing at UNP.

Tolentino had wanted to become a doctor since she was young and chose nursing as her premedical course. She said she still wants to practice nursing first, gain experience and decide later whether to pursue medicine.

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After graduating from UNP, she went to Baguio City for a three-month review for the licensure examination.

The review period was marked by anxiety and sleepless nights. While waiting for the results, she caught up on sleep and spent time with her family.

Her faith also helped her deal with the pressure. She said she would go to church and pray, while her family reminded her to focus on her studies and not worry too much.

Tolentino said the sacrifices she and her family made along the way became a source of motivation to succeed and eventually give back.

UNP described the achievement as a historic triumph for its College of Nursing, crediting the hard work of its students, the guidance of their mentors and the university’s commitment to nursing excellence.

University President Dr. Erwin Cadorna and College of Nursing Dean Dr. Francis Don Nero, along with the faculty and staff, congratulated Tolentino and Bermio for bringing honor to the university.

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For Tolentino, the next step is to practice nursing, gain experience and use what she learned to serve others before deciding whether to pursue medicine. INQ /mr