“Trust your effort and hard work”: James Pattugalan’s journey to the TOP 4 of 2026 PMLE

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Long before James Paolo C. Pattugalan placed fourth in the September 2026 Psychometricians Licensure Examination (PMLE), his childhood experiences had already sparked his curiosity about people, relationships, and the ways life experiences shape who a person becomes.

The 23-year-old Tuguegarao City native was raised by his father and grandmother after his mother left when he was in kindergarten. Growing up in a household where affection was not openly expressed, Pattugalan said his longing for the warmth he felt he had missed eventually influenced his decision to pursue psychology.

Years later, that interest led him to a Magna Cum Laude degree in psychology from Cagayan State University-Carig Campus and, most recently, a Top 4 finish in the September 2026 PMLE.

But behind the distinction was a preparation period marked by self-doubt, limited resources and time constraints as he balanced his review with the demands of law school.

In an interview with Guru Press, Pattugalan recalled the anxiety he experienced while waiting for the examination results. Although he already felt confident that he had passed after leaving the testing room, seeing the results was an entirely different experience.

“I already expected I’d pass the exam. I already knew it the moment I finished answering and walked out of the examination room. To top the exam even. But no amount of certainty or confidence will really prepare you for the release of the results itself, where the gravity of what’s at stake will finally dawn on you,” he said.

He woke up to relatives shouting his name and telling him that he had topped the examination.

“My initial reaction was to shout with them and jump higher than I have. It really felt like the calmness after the storm. I’ve never been happier,” he recalled.

A review squeezed between law classes

The path to the Top 4 was not built around an ideal review schedule.

Pattugalan said he had wanted to enroll in a review center but could not afford the fees. His schedule also left little room for formal review sessions, as his law classes ran from Monday to Saturday, with several remedial classes on top of his regular workload.

“I actually wanted to enroll in a review center but the fee was too expensive for me. Even so, I had no time for it since my classes run from Monday to Saturday every week and there were a lot of remedial classes,” he said.

With limited time and resources, he had to work within the circumstances available to him.

The challenge was not simply finding enough hours to study, but managing the demands of two academic pursuits while keeping his goal of taking the licensure examination in sight.

A number that challenged years of doubt

Pattugalan had set his sights on the Top 10.

Seeing his name at No. 4, however, meant more to him than simply achieving a target.

It confronted a pattern of self-doubt that had persisted even after his academic achievements.

“I was really aiming for a spot in the top 10. And seeing my name at number 4 means so much to me,” he said.

Pattugalan described himself as someone who had struggled with imposter syndrome, often questioning whether his accomplishments were the result of ability or simply luck.

“I always doubted myself whenever I achieved something, convincing myself that maybe I had just gotten lucky,” he said.

The examination result gave him a different way of looking at those doubts.

“But looking back now, the work I put in was real, the sleepless nights were real, and the effort that carried me here was real,” he said.

For Pattugalan, the lesson was not that self-doubt suddenly disappeared.

Instead, he learned not to allow it to define the value of his work.

“I didn't have to stop feeling like an imposter to keep moving, I just had to stop letting that feeling speak louder than the work I'd already done,” he said.

A lesson for those still preparing

Looking back, Pattugalan said the doubts and difficulties he encountered also shaped the advice he now shares with other examinees.

For those preparing for their own licensure examinations, he said waiting until they feel completely ready may only make the process harder.

“The hardest board exam is the board exam you’ll take. You’ll never feel ready and that's exactly what makes it hard,” he said.

He encouraged examinees to find a study routine that fits their circumstances instead of waiting for a perfect schedule.

“Don't wait for the day you finally feel prepared enough because that day may never come. Find the study habits and structure that make reviewing feel less burdensome,” he said.

He also urged future examinees to trust the effort they put into preparation and hold on to their faith.

“Trust your effort and hard work, and always cling to your faith that you’ll pass and even top the exam,” he said.

For Pattugalan, the Top 4 result did more than add another distinction to his name.

It gave him evidence against the doubts that had followed many of his accomplishments—that the work was real, the effort mattered, and the person he had repeatedly questioned was capable of more than he had allowed himself to believe.

“One day, you'll realize that the person you kept questioning was capable all along.”