1) Jovie Ann Alawas Decoyna – Baguio Central University, 89 percent

2) John Patrick Morales Dimarucot - Central Luzon Doctor’s Hospital Educational Institute, 88.40%

3) Gian Karlo Timog Cusi, Baguio Central University 88%; Erycar Del Mundo Manaois -Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 88%

4) Florina Conde Corpuz, Saint Dominic Savio College 87.60%; Angelica Aubrey Pantig Morla, Far Eastern University Manila 87.60%; and Jamie Anne Tolentino Tinio, Angeles University Foundation 87.60%

5) Roberto Madrona Asuncion, Arellano University, Pasay City, 87.40; Irisa Kriya Turaja Biag, San Pedro College, Davao City, 87.40; Miguela Macuto Gabisan, Cebu Normal University, 87.40%; Edita Te Lim-Arriesgado College Foundation, Inc, 87.40%; Rosario Lei Mosqueda Pasimio, Xavier University, 87.40%; and Elaine Grace Esperancilla Praile
Saint Paul University, Iloilo 87.4%; Catherine Duran Reyes, Our Lady of Fatima College QC, 87.4%

6) Geronimo Carillo Burce Jr., Mabini College, 87.20%; Joanna Mae Francisco Evangelista, San Beda College, 87.20%; Christopher Alvarez Irorita, San Pedro College, Davao City, 87.20%, Paul Delfin Reyes Jamero, Father Saturnino Urios University (Urios College), 87.20%; Hazel Joy Amarillo Jimenez, University of Batangas, 87.20%; Ma. Concepcion Ashley Delizo Mapagu, Saint Louis University, 87.20%; Maria Cecilia Castillo Navata, Canossa College, 87.20%; Francis Ian Sabanal Pascual, Universidad de Zamboanga (ZAEC), 87.20%; and George Garcia Vega Jr., University of Saint Louis, Tuguegarao, 87.20%

7)Katrina Andrea Pagdanganan Arceo, Nueva Ecija College, 87.00%; Rose Jean Dumaboc Capidlac, Silliman University, 87.00; Carla Mae Tenorio Cuisia, Silliman University, 87.00; Mary Ann Alvarez Garing, Lyceum of Batangas, 87.00; Ma. Joya Jimenea Genzola, Colegio de San Agustin, Bacolod City, 87.00%; and Rose Anne Miranda Mungcal, Angeles University Foundation, 87.00%; Pretzel Estremos Vicencio, (Butuan Doctors College (Butuan Dr. HSP. Sch. of Nursing), 87.00%; and Faye Stephanie Yao Yu, Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation, 87.00%

Lylani Mutya Balote, University of Makati, 86.80; Jamaicca Rabulan Banting, Davao Doctors College, Inc., 86.80%; Garey Jay Avelino Delfin, Iloilo Doctors’ College, 86.80%; Josephine Celoso Elvas, 86.80%; Vanito Diocson Ilanga Jr., Sultan Kudarat Educational Institution, 86.80%; Maria Edna Charise Godoy Java, Misamis University, Ozamiz City, 86.80%; Hannah Lee Alde Padilla, University of San Agustin, 86.80%; Bryan Morella Peralta, Univesity of Makati, 86.80%; and Robinson Uy Kaw Sing, Iloilo Doctors’ College, 86.80%

9) Maria Jurem Quilar Alcarde, Central Philippine University, 86.60%; Ruel Bobadilla Arzadon, Saint Louis University, 86.60%; Karina Genciane Banayat, Our Lady of Fatima College, Quezon City, 86.60%; Ryan Daniel Rivera Dablo, University of San Carlos, 86.60%; Matthew Wayne Real Chang, Silliman University, 86.60%; Fritzie Quiatzon Dela Raga, Fellowhip Baptist College, 86.60%; Hiromi Balaguer Fernandez, Saint Paul University, Iloilo, 86.60%; Josephine Franz Pagulayan Gammad, Saint Paul University, Tuguegarao, 86.60%; Paul Fabian Robosa Gumabao, Arellano University, Manila, 86.60%; Maila Carl Majam Morantte, Colegio De Sta. Lourdes of Leyte Foundation Inc., 86.60%; Michael Dorothy Frances Gaer Montojo, Ateneo de Davao University, 86.60%; Cindy Mae Alvarez Nañoz, Ateneo de Zamboanga, 86.60%; Glenda Mae Macapal Omaña, Riverside College, 86.60%; Rhea Jhoy Padinay Pantaleon, Saint Louis University, 86.60%; Rolly Mendoza Policarpio, Angeles University Foundation, 86.60%; Arlette Castillo Quinan, University of St. Louis, Tuguegarao, 86.60%; Crystal Mae Abejuela Sabela, Xavier University, 86.60%; Katrina Isabel Hugo Santos, Philippine Women’s University, Quezon City, 86.60%; and Shiella Marie Gamboa Simplina, Saint Louis University, 86.60%

10) James Altura Baguio, Saint Mary’s University, 86.40%; Miljoyce Daligdig Cabat, Lyceum Northwestern, 86.40%; Sarah Mae Clemente Capulong, Angeles University Foundation, 86.40%; Johcy Angeleme Fausto De La Fuente, Central Philippine University, 86.40; Renante Lazarte Dig-Aoan, Baguio Central University, 86.40%; Jake Desor Diputado, Silliman University, 86.40%; Marjory Boquia Emperio, Misamis University , Ozamiz City, 86.40%, Marissa Raposas Ferrer, Lyceum Northwestern, 86.40%; Erika Bautista Galang, Central Luzon Doctor’s Hospital Educational Institute, 86.40%; Francis Gerwin Uy Jalipa, San Pedro College, Davao City, 86.40%; Angela Gilda Baltazar Mencias, Unciano Colleges & General Hospital, Manila, 86.40%; Carina Yabut Pacete, Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela, 86.40%; Joy Jenelynn Chua Tan, University of Sto. Tomas, 86.40%; Francis Dollente Villanueva, Saint Paul University, Tuguegarao, 86.40%

To highlight the topnotchers from Cebu Schools, here are the only two board placers:

5th Placer – Miguela Macuto Gabisan, Cebu Normal University, 87.40%
9th Placer – Ryan Daniel Rivera Dablo, University of San Carlos, 86.60%

My congratulations to the topnotchers and to those who passed! Cheers!

Related posts:

1. June 2008 Nursing Board Exam Topnotchers from Cebu Schools
2. May 2010 CPA Board Exam Topnotchers
3. 2008 Philippine Bar Exam Topnotchers

Nursing Jobs Here

Early February this year, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque announced the 10,000 job openings available for nurses. But he added that most of these employment opportunities were in the provinces. The nurses would get P8,000 a month in these community hospitals.

Of course, we know it takes commitment and perseverance to serve in the provinces. Some of things learned from hi-tech schools won’t be applied in a hospital that doesn’t even have the necessary medical equipment.

But then, P8,000 monthly pay is better than in most private hospital wherein the nurse is first put in a volunteer status before getting regular pay. Cost of living at the provinces is also low, so I think 8,000 is just fine.

Nursing Jobs in the US

The national nursing shortage could reach 500,000 by 2025, as many nurses retire and the demand for nurses balloons with the aging of baby boomers, according to Prof. Peter Buerhaus of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The above is really good news to the Filipino nurses who aspire to work in the US. I’d really like to know of the statistics of the unemployed Nurses here in RP. Imagine if 60,000 are added to their numbers annually and only 10,000 jobs available locally. The US could benefit from our oversupply.

And we all know the benefit the Filipinos nurses get when they are in the US. Check here for the salaries of nurses in the USA. For now, we just have to wish that the US opens up its door again (and raise the number of visas available) for the nurses applying for immigrant visas.

Related posts:

1. June 2008 Nursing Board Exam Topnotchers from Cebu Schools
2. November 2008 Nursing Board Exam Topnotchers
3. Filipino Accountants Abroad

Plenty of my wife’s friends and classmates are already in the US, having gone there more than two years ago, prior to the retrogression. Some had even transferred locations and employers when their initial contracts expired. They said that US hospitals are really in need of nurses. These hospitals even have some tempting offers and signing bonuses just to lure them to their fold.

When these friends and classmates of my wife happen to return here in the Philippines for a vacation, they get together and talk about their experiences and even the nursing salaries. How much does a nurse earn? They said that in nursing homes, where some of them started, the rate starts at $19/hr. If you are an NCLEX passer, they said that they give you a few dollars more per hour. For hospitals in a larger city, the rate is around $25-$35. To convert all of this on a 40-hr workweek, the nurses’ salaries is around 40–73k annual.

The Filipino nurses must be earning pretty well in the US! An aunt’s sister-in-law is working as a Nurse Supervisor at a New York hospital. And she can afford treating at least 10 of her family members on a cruise ship vacation each year, or even twice a year. Though my aunt’s not telling, I estimate that she must be earning six digits annual.

But for the new immigrant nurses, I guess there is not much choice as one has to honor contracts. I recalled the rate conveyed by a friend who was also hired by the same agency as that of my wife. Because she lived in a small city, and the cost of living is very low, her entry rate, despite being low as compared to those of other states, is more than enough to support her expenses. She can even send more money for her family in the Philippines.

Another classmate of my wife really had a difficulty when she and her husband first set foot in New Jersey. The entry rate is high, but the cost of living is also astronomical. It took them a few months to fully adjust and recover the initial costs of their immigration. Her husband, though a Law Graduate in the Philippines, was not able to find a job immediately.

Though the nurse salaries in the US if converted to peso is 30 times (or more) the compensation of those employed here in the Philippines, it is still not a guarantee of an easy life. They earn in dollars, they spend in dollars. And one really has to do proper financial planning especially in the face of the financial crises that rock the United States right now.

For more information, check out this website about nursing salaries. It is a free salary calculator by careerbuilder.com. They put the median at $54,126 annual for nurses nationwide. You can even check the nursing salaries of the various nursing positions, like occupational nursing supervisors, nursing aides and home care nurses, for the various cities in all states.

Related posts:

1. Nursing Board Exam Results and Nursing Jobs Here and Abroad
2. Filipino Accountants Abroad