‘Academic honors do not guarantee passing,’ – PRC-CAR officer stresses competency over school honors

“Minsan kahit may honor ka or may distinction ka sa school, guaranteed na na papasa ka—depende yan sa competency mo,” – PRC-CAR Jason Romel Lopez

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — As more young professionals pursue licensure and professional credentials as part of their career goals, Professional Regulation Commission-Cordillera Administrative Region (PRC-CAR) Professional Regulations Officer III Jason Rommel L. Lopez emphasized that academic honors and distinctions do not guarantee success in licensure examinations, stressing the importance of competency and adequate preparation.

Lopez made the statement during the Career Opportunity Fair held on September 18, 2026, at the Kalinga Sports Center in Bulanao, as part of GANDAng HR: The Kalinga Public Service Convergence and the celebration of the 126th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.

The Career Opportunity Fair featured PRC Mobile Services, a Job and Skills Fair, a Professional Headshot Studio, and a Career Development Support Program.

PRC services included certification and authentication, licensure examination applications, registration of successful examinees, renewal and issuance of duplicate professional documents, and online assistance.

During his discussion on the licensure examination process and requirements, Lopez explained that Professional Regulatory Boards assess the competency of examinees regardless of their academic honors and distinctions.

“Ang inyong board ay tine-test ang inyong competency... Yung iba Cum Laude, pero hindi nakapasa. Minsan kahit may honor ka or may distinction ka sa school, [hindi] guaranteed na papasa ka—depende yan sa competency mo,” Lopez said.

He further noted that academic performance alone does not determine who will pass a licensure examination.

“Minsan kung sino pa ang hindi gaanong magaling sa klase, yun pa ang pumapasa. Kaya nga sabi nila, ‘Do not judge the book by its cover,’” he said.

Lopez also encouraged aspiring professionals to take advantage of PRC services when these are brought closer to communities such as Kalinga.

He acknowledged the distance that some iKalingas have to travel to access government services and encouraged residents, particularly young professionals, to participate in PRC outreach activities and make use of available services.

“Some of us, hindi alam kung gaano kalayo ang bina-byahe ninyo dito sa Kalinga, so these are the times na nalalaman namin na ganito pala yung tine-trek ninyo na daan to the city from your barrios. So kung may ganitong event ang PRC, pumunta kayo dahil para sa inyo ito,” he added.

The one-day activity brought together job seekers, employers, professionals and service providers, providing participants with opportunities for employment, career development, professional services and skills enhancement under the continuing GANDAng HR initiative.

Licensure performance in the Cordillera

Meanwhile, the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded a 57.1 percent licensure examination passing rate in 2023, up from 40.5 percent in 2015, based on data from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) cited by the Philippine Statistics Authority-Cordillera Administrative Region (PSA-CAR).

In Kalinga, recent examination results have also shown strong performance in specific professional fields. Kalinga State University recorded an 84.55 percent passing rate in the August 2026 Criminologists Licensure Examination, with 104 of its 123 examinees passing.