The August-September 2026 Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam (PNLE) saw multiple Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) graduates excel and top the exam.
The examination produced 28,652 registered nurses, with four AdDU graduates topping the list: Clifford Jay Cafe, Jad Lara Baid, John Loyd Castillo, and Alynah Gabriele Alicaway, who ranked 2nd, 7th, 9th, and 10th, respectively.
Cafe, ranking 2nd, reflected on his journey in preparing for the licensure examination, sharing his need to effectively manage multiple responsibilities and obligations as a student and scholar.
“Since the August PNLE was earlier than the usual November cycle, I had to attend review sessions while completing my academic requirements and rendering the required hours for my scholarship,” Cafe said.
Despite being delayed by a year, he gained a new perspective and used it to try to make the most of his time in nursing school.
“I used it as motivation to make the most out of the opportunity I had been given. I wanted to finish nursing school strong, not simply for the recognition, but because I knew how much my family and I had sacrificed to get me there,” he shared.
Having graduated in 2025, John Loyd Castillo, ranked 9th, expressed the pressure he felt about taking the exam a year later rather than sooner.
“I also dealt with a lot of pressure. My family, relatives, friends, and even some of my batchmates expected me to top the boards… There were definitely moments when those expectations made me overthink and put a lot of pressure on myself,” Castillo stated.
Castillo further shared that he used this pressure as motivation to concentrate and work harder on the exam.
“Instead of letting it make me doubt myself, I tried to turn it into motivation to work harder and make the most out of the time I had,” he said.
Preparation still key
In the lead-up to the exam, Cafe estimated that he had answered 500 to 600 questions per day, on some days reportedly exceeding 1,000.
“I started with a minimum of 100 practice questions a day, then increased this to around 500 to 600 questions daily during the last 30 days. There were even days when I answered more than 1,000 questions. I would constantly evaluate my scores and ask myself whether my current level of preparation was enough for the actual examination,” Cafe explained.
Castillo mentioned that the university’s School of Nursing (SON) protocols helped him internalize the concepts and topics within the field’s complexity.
“We were constantly challenged through difficult exams and oral presentations, where we sometimes had to memorize and understand 10–20 diseases in just one semester… I really believe AdDU has one of the strongest nursing programs, and that foundation helped me tremendously during the review,” Castillo said.
Cafe encouraged future AdDU nursing students to trust their preparation and exercise diligence in their preparation.
“For future AdDU nursing students preparing for the PNLE, my biggest advice is to trust your preparation and understand that everyone’s journey will look different. Do not let low scores discourage you, and do not compare your progress too much with that of your classmates,” Cafe said.
Castillo echoed these sentiments and reiterated the sacrifices students must make to attain their goals.
“You have to be willing to make sacrifices, but you also have to be aware of what you really want. Once you know your goal and you’re willing to put in the work, everything is up for grabs,” Castillo said.
All in all, AdDU garnered a passing rate of 96.15% with 125 passers, above the 76.69% national passing rate.
The August-September 2026 PNLE was held on August 29-30 and September 11-12 across various testing sites in the country.