Written by: Engr. Myrckho Miguell A. Mendoza
Edited by: Asst. Prof. Marilyn C. del Barrio
The University of the Philippines Los Baños Department of Chemical Engineering (UPLB DChE) was awarded as the second Top-Performing school in the recently conducted October 2023 Chemical Engineering Licensure Examination by the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) with an overall passing rate of 96.43% (27 passed out of 28 takers).
The October 2023 Chemical Engineering Licensure Examination was held last October 14, 15, and 16, 2023 in various satellite testing centers administered by PRC, which includes Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, and Rosales in Pangasinan. The PRC has reported a national passing rate of 70.23% (651 passers out of 927 examinees). The exam was administered by the current Professional Regulatory Board of Chemical Engineering headed by its chairman Hon. Ofelia V. Bulaong, and members Hon. Shirlyn B. Chua-Reyes, and Hon. Cezar S. dela Cruz.
The oath taking ceremony of the Chemical Engineering Licensure Examination passers was held last November 30, 2023, at the Tent City, Manila Hotel, City of Manila. The ceremony included the awarding of the top performing schools in the recently conducted licensure examination. The plaque awarded to UPLB DChE, in recognition of this achievement, was received by the Chairman of the Department, Dr. Monet Concepcion M. Detras.
In her acceptance speech, she congratulated all the newly minted chemical engineers, specially mentioning the graduates from UPLB. She said that this award “will serve as a lasting reminder of [the students’] hard work, resilience, and determination”, and it “stands as a testament to [the students’] intellectual prowess and ability to overcome challenges” as most of the graduates have taken up courses and eventually completed their bachelor’s degrees during the height of the pandemic. She also emphasized that the award “stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication, hard work, and passion” of all the people within the UPLB academic community, including its faculty members and staff. Furthermore, she shared the award with the parents, families, and friends of the newly minted chemical engineers who “steadfastly supported the students and the institution as a whole”. Lastly, Dr. Detras congratulated the colleges and universities who have also achieved distinction as top performing schools and mentioned that UPLB takes pride in being the “torchbearers of excellence in chemical engineering education” and calls on all the chemical engineers to “persist in pushing the boundaries of knowledge, inspiring future generations, and contributing meaningfully to the advancement of chemical engineering”.