The Legal Services Office of the Commission on Higher Education will further evaluate and investigate the case of West Negros College nursing graduates who have taken more than 30 units per semester before the results of their board examination can be released, CHED Chairman Carlito Puno said.

In a letter to WNC president Suzette Agustin dated Jan. 25, 2005, Puno echoed the statement of Professional Regulations Commission chairperson Leonor Tripon-Rosero Wednesday that the results of the board examination of the WNC graduates who had taken not more than 30 units per semester will be released, and if they passed, will be allowed to participate in the oath-taking ceremonies, Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela said yesterday.

Rosero told the DAILY STAR Wednesday that they are segregating the examination papers of the WNC nursing graduates who took only 30 units and below per semester, and hope to release their results within the week.

However, she said the results of those who took above 30 units a semester would be withheld.

Puno said if, after due investigation of the cases of the WNC graduates who took more than 30 units a semester, it is determined that they still need an additional semester to complete their course, they will re-enroll in the pertinent subjects/Related Learning Experience without additional cost to them. Thereafter, the results of the board examinations will be released to them, he said.

Puno said the CHED always considers and upholds the welfare of students and ensures that their interests are never taken for granted. "I enjoin the support and assistance of the WNC administration for the immediate resolution of the case," he said in his letter.

Coscolluela said he is reviewing the position paper that the WNC submitted to him and, based on his discussions with the parties concerned, will make his recommendations to the president on the issue of the release of the board examination results.

The president wants to protect and preserve the integrity of Philippine nurses, he also said.

If there were shortcomings, they must be corrected, and if wrongdoings are found, proper sanctions must be imposed, he said.

Nelia Lingaya-Gonzales, a lawyer and a WNC nursing graduate also awaiting the release of the results of her board examination, claimed that a decision of Puno alone is not final as it requires a resolution of the CHED commissioners en banc.

She said the information Puno conveyed to Agustin was just a recommendation of the CHED that had yet to come up with an official position. Meanwhile an investigation is still underway.

"The only issue is whether or not the PRC has the legal right to withhold the results of the board exams," she said.

Gonzales, in a letter to the DAILY STAR, said she appreciated the efforts of the paper to interview Rosero.

However, she claimed that the statement of Rosero that graduates of WNC will have to go back to school with alleged conformity of CHED is a "very irresponsible statement."

"If it is true that PRC will release the results of those without subject overload, then it is logical to conclude that indeed the act of withholding the examination result by the PRC is not only sweeping, but arbitrary and illegal. Our stand is the release of the results should be unconditional and without discrimination as official acts were done by the school and CHED in good faith and pursuant to law," she said.

It should be noted that CHED Memo No. 147 is very specific when it gave allowance for subject overload and special orders for graduation that were issued in favor of the graduates, Gonzales added.

"Besides the subjects overloaded by the examinees were re-enrolled subjects such as research, ethics, economics, etc. that were already taken and passed in their previous course," she said.

Many of the WNC nursing graduates are doctors and holders of other degrees.

"I would like to stress that if these subjects will be re-enrolled for the third and fourth time, it is tantamount to perpetration of a grave injustice and blatant violation of constitutional rights of the graduates," Gonzales said.

In view of the public admission of Rosero that there were deliberations made by PRC and CHED, we will be compelled to ask the court where the mandamus petition against PRC was filed to issue a subpoena to produce the minutes of the deliberations between CHED and PRC as this is very relevant for the speedy resolution of the case, Gonzales said.

Gonzales, for herself, filed a petition for mandamus against PRC before the Iloilo Regional Trial Court for the commission to release the results of the board exams.

She also filed a similar petition in behalf of 145 other WNC nursing graduates before the Iloilo RTC. WNC nursing graduates have also filed petitions for mandamus versus PRC before Bacolod and Cebu RTCs.

WNC College of Nursing Dean Zenaida Hilado yesterday said their policy has always been to maintain quality education and the indicators of this is the performance of their graduates in the licensure examinations.

The past three board examinations will show that WNC nursing graduates have been performing above the national percentage and in fact had placers that landed in the top 20, she said.

The overloading referred to by PRC are subjects re-enrolled by students with previous degrees as a requirement for inclusion in their nursing transcripts, Hilado said.*CPG

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