Nearly 20 recent medicine graduates born in Catanduanes or with islander’s blood have passed the Physician Licensure Examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) earlier this month.

According to the results released last week, 4,006 out of 4,716 examinees, or a passing rate of 84.9 percent, hurdled the board examination.

They include Anjela Fae Amador of Virac, Donelie Kaye Asanza of Virac, John Carl Balmadrid of Virac, Diana Semeona Frias of Viga, Erlind Joyce Rubio of Virac, Nena Rose Sion of Pandan, Mariel Mae Tayam of San Miguel, Lyzka Templonuevo of Virac, Lilette Torreña of Virac, Rochellee Tenerife of San Miguel, Maria Beatrice Teves of Baras, Catherine Joyce Urgel of Panganiban, Ross Auro Valeza of Virac, Merphil Janelyn Zafe of San Andres and Jossel Zape of Caramoran.

Dr. Anjela Fae Jintalan Amador is the daughter of the late Bebot and Jesica Amador of San Isidro Village, Virac. A former student leader at the Catanduanes State University where she took up nursing, she studied medicine at Our Lady of Fatima University and did her postgraduate internship at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Hospital.  

Dr. Donelie Kaye Tapel Asanza is the daughter of former councilor and long-time provincial board member Nel Asanza of Cavinitan, Virac.

Dr. John Carl Molina Balmadrid is the son of capitol employee Carlos T. Balmadrid and Mrs. Josena M. Balmadrid of Hawan Grande, Virac. A graduate of Hawan National High School, he took up BS Biology at CSU and then College of Medicine at Bicol Christian College of Medicine (AMEC-BCCM) in Legazpi City.

The Quezon City-based Dr. Diana Semeona Frias also graduated from Our Lady of Fatima University, with BS Psychology as her pre-med at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. A former psychometrician and counselor at Asia Pacific Collage, she was a medical intern at DOH- Philippine Centers for Specialized Health Care (PCSHC).

Dr. Erlind Joyce Rubio, the daughter of Dr. Epifanio V. Rubio and Dr. Jane C. Rubio, studied at CSU Laboratory Schools from kindergarten until elementary and high school. She went to Far Eastern University in college, graduated cum laude with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology.

After finishing Medicine at Our Lady of Fatima University, she had her year-long internship program at the DOH-Philippine Centers for Specialized Health Care. Their medical mission in Catanduanes was awarded as The Best in Service Award for garnering the most number of patients and towns served in their seven-day stint in the province.

Her sister also came from the same internship progra, and is now an incoming 3rd year Anesthesiology Resident in East Avenue Medical Center.

Dr. Rubio the daughter is planning to enter the residency program of General Surgery and subspecialize in Pediatric Surgery.

One with Pandan blood is Dr. Nena Rose Santelices Sion, a member of La Salle Bacolod Class 2018 who traces her local roots through her mother, Dr. Ma. Angustia Santelices Sion, and grandfather, Atty. Julian Alberto Santelices.

Twenty-six year-old Dr. Mariel Mae Tayam, also a CSU graduate, passed her nursing board exam in 2013 and then took up Medicine at Our Lady of Fatima University.

She is the daughter of PNP Non-Uniformed Personnel Noel Buado Tayam of District 1, San Miguel and PNP-NUP Marites Hermoso Tayam of Malolos City, Bulacan.

An inclination for the health profession runs in her blood as her grandmother, Dr. Peñafrancia Buado Tayam, retired as Virac municipal health officer, while her two aunts are also doctors: pediatrician Arlene Tayam Lamorena and internist Gelaine Tayam Panim.

Dr. Lyzka Camille Templonuevo, the daughter of Leo Templonuevo and Rosemarie Gonzales, took  her BS Nursing pre-med course at the University of the Philippimes-Manila and her Medicine proper at the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

Dr. Lilette Torreña, a graduate of St. Luke’s College of Medicine in 2018, is the 3rd of four children of spouses Eliseo Soriao Torreña and Leny delos Santos-Torreña, proud members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo and both State Auditor IV at the Commission on Audit (COA).

An alumnus of both the Catanduanes State Colleges Elementary Laboratory School (2005) and Catanduanes National High School (2009), she took up BS Pharmacy at the University of Sto. Tomas, graduating in March 2013 and passing the board exam three months later.

She then enrolled in her Medicine proper course at the William H. Quasha Memorial College of Medicine at St. Luke’s Medical Center, completing her dream in July this year.

Dr. Rochellee O.Tenerife, 29, on the other hand, finished medicine proper at San Beda University after becoming a Registered Nutritionist and Dietitian in 2010 as a graduate of UP Los Banos. She is the daughter of the late Pio Tenerife and Araceli O. Tenerife of Progreso, San Miguel and Virac, Catanduanes. She also graduated from Catanduanes National High School

Dr. Maria Beatrice Pestaño Teves is the 3rd of four children of former Baras Mayor and now TGP Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves Jr. and Lumen Pestaño-Teves, and sister to Mayor Paolo Teves of Baras. After graduating cum laude in Bachelor of Science in Child Development at UP Diliman in 2014, she went into medicine proper at the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Catherine Joyce Urgel, 25, is the daughter of Merito Sanchez Urgel, Jr. of Panganiban and Julieta Turreda-Urgel of Viga but grew up in their residence at Moonwalk Road in Virac. She was once a winner of the Little Ms. Christmas Cheers search at the town plaza.

An alumnus of CSU Laboratory High School in 2010, she graduated with a psychology degree at University of Santo Tomas in 2014 and became a Registered Psychometrician in 2015.

After finishing medicine proper at San Beda University last year, she had her internship at Manila Doctors Hospital Batch.

Dr. Russ Auro Sabeniano Valeza, is the son of Rustum Lero Valeza and Aurora Sabeniano Valeza of West Garden Subdivision in Bigaa, Virac. A valedictorian of Calatagan Elementary School in 2001, he also became a valedictorian at the Manila Central University (MCU) College of Medicine.

A registered nurse and alumnus of CSU Laboratory High School Batch 2005 and CSU College of Health Sciences Batch 2009, he underwent Internship at MCU-FDTMF Hospital.

After graduation, he worked for five years as board exam lecturer for nursing and midwifery board exams before deciding to go pursue medicine with the help of sponsorships from private individuals.

Dr. Merphil Janelyn Bagadiong Zafe, who considers Lictin, San Andres as her home, finished her course in medical technology at the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA before taking up medicine at University of Perpetual Help - Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University. She once worked as medical technologist at St. Baraquiel Medical Clinic and Diagnostic Center.

There were no available details about Dr. Jossel Vera Zape other than the tidbit that he was once valedictorian of his class at Caramoran Rural Development High School. The same is true for Tina Candelaria of San Andres, Kimberly Pia Camacho also of San Andres, Kristoffer Obogne of Viga and Celestine Tating of Gigmoto, with the latter a medical technologist who enrolled in the medicine program at Far Eastern University - Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation.