Three graduates of universities in the Negros Island Region secured places in the top 10 of the October 2026 Fisheries Professionals Licensure Examination, while Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU)- Binalbagan campus ranked fourth among the country’s top-performing schools.
Based on results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Tuesday, Oct. 6, Rain Jay Villamor Punayan of Negros Oriental State University-Bais Campus placed seventh nationwide with a rating of 88 percent.
Halex Tabanao Pastor of the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN) secured eighth place with a rating of 87.75 percent.
Josh Daniel Palma Nombre of Carlos Hilado Memorial State University-Binalbagan Campus ranked 10th with a rating of 87.25 percent.
The three were among the examinees who secured the 10 highest places in the licensure examination conducted on Oct. 1 and 2.
CHMSU also placed fourth nationwide among the top-performing schools, recording an 85.90 percent passing rate after 67 of its 78 examinees passed.
The university was among the 10 institutions recognized by the PRC under the category for schools with at least 30 examinees and a passing rate of at least 80 percent.
The University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City ranked first with a 100 percent passing rate after all 46 examinees passed.
CHMSU’s College of Fisheries said this was the first time the university ranked among the country’s top-performing schools in the fisheries licensure examination.
College of Fisheries dean Imee Perante said the achievement reflected the institution’s continuing efforts to improve instruction and student development.
The university also reported that Nombre, a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries graduate from its Class of 2026, became its second fisheries licensure examination topnotcher.
Nationwide, the PRC reported that 1,816 out of 2,631 examinees passed, equivalent to about 69 percent, in examinations administered across 16 testing centers.
The highest individual rating was recorded by Gerson Celeste Berano of Northern Iloilo State University, who topped the examination with 90.25 percent.*
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