BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Physicians Licensure Examination 2021 topnotcher Maria Inez Sellado Benedicto of La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, wants to serve her community first, prior to her medical residency program.
Benedicto, younger sister of La Carlota City Councilor Richard Benedicto, said she is still overwhelmed by the results of the licensure examination.
In a media interview, Benedicto, 26, said it had been her childhood dream to be a doctor and not even the COVID-19 pandemic could stop her from pursuing it.
Mayor Rex Jalandoon, who is also a doctor, said that the city government of La Carlota, and the Sangguniang Panlungsod, will give recognition to Benedicto, who gave honors to Negros Occidental, especially La Carlota, for topping the physicians licensure examination.
Jalandoon said he was told by Councilor Benedicto that her sister is planning to serve the La Carlota City Health Office prior to her residency.
Being a topnotcher in the board exams is nothing new for Benedicto, who was also the 7th placer in the 2015 licensure examination for Medical Technology, after graduating from the University of Negros Occidental Recoletos in 2015 as Magna cum Laude.
Jalandoon said that Benedicto is a consistent honor since her elementary to college. She is also a class valedictorian of PAX Catholic Academy in La Carlota City.
He added that the accomplishment of Benedicto will serve as an inspiration and a model to the youth.
Benedicto, of the West Visayas State University-Iloilo, shared the top spot with Jude Philip Pozon Cebrecus of Cebu Institute of Medicine, with the highest score of 87.83 percent.
Of the 1,546 examinees, a total of 1,084 of the passed the Physician Licensure Examination (PLE) for 2021, administered this month by the Professional Regulation Commission’s Board of Medicine in Iloilo, Cebu, Baguio City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Legazpi City, Lucena, Zamboanga and Tacloban, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, in his social media account, said that WVSU-Iloilo got another milestone after Benedicto topped the licensure examination.
Benedicto has truly inspired more Ilonggos to continue to aspire for their dreams.*
