Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg. Occ., 3rd district) yesterday said several congressmen from Iloilo and Negros will "put pressure" on the Professional Regulation Commission at the congressional hearing on its budget today so it will act favorably on the plight of the West Negros College nursing graduates.

"I cannot understand why the students should be faulted for academic overloading when they were interviewed and allowed to take the examinations by the PRC," Lacson said.

"They not only took the examination, they passed, some with flying colors and now the PRC tells them they cannot get their licenses," he said.

The PRC has filed administrative charges against the WNC nursing graduates, mostly for alleged course-overloading, and has said their nurse licenses will not be released until the cases are resolved. If there is a problem it should be between PRC, Commission on Higher Education and WNC, but the students should not be faulted, Lacson said.

Rep. Frederick Castro (Capiz, 2nd district) Saturday also said he and several Negros congressmen assure WNC they are going to do their best in the House of Representatives to help them.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Suzette Agustin, West Negros College president, at a press conference Saturday assured WNC Nursing graduates that they will take their oaths, that the administrative charges filed against them by Board of Nursing will be dropped, and their licenses will be released.

Agustin, Dr. Zenaida Hilado, WNC Nursing College dean, and several nursing graduates will attend a congressional hearing of the PRC budget at the House of Representative today.

Agustin said she will attend the PRC budget hearing to show support to the hundreds of WNC nursing graduates.

She said identifying cases of academic overloading is within the jurisdiction of the CHED, never of PRC and BON.

WNC has reached 79.84 percent passing percentage and has produce 44 topnotchers in the recent Nursing Board Examination, she said.

Meanwhile, Tiffany Aguilar, one of the WNC nursing graduates who took the Dec. 2005 Nursing Board Exam, said she is thankful that the school is behind them. She said she is appealing for prayers and and support in their quest for justice.*DMG

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