The results of this year’s Guidance Counselor Licensure Examinations administered by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) last 28-29 August 2019 in Manila, Cagayan de Oro City, and Cebu City were released on September 2, 2019. Out of the 458 examinees who took the said exam, 286 or 62.45% passed the exam nationwide.
From the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU), 100% or 6 out of the 6 of those who took the exam this year passed. All were first-time takers and belonged in the sixth batch of graduates of the Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling (Non-Thesis Track) program.

The following are ADNU’s 2019 list of graduates and successful examinees:

1. Arlene R. Andes, RGC (Camarines Sur National High School, Department of Education, Naga City)
2. Shayne TY. Bonavente, RGC (Network Operations and Computer Services, Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City)
3. Maria Ardelya A. De los Santos, RGC (College Guidance Center, Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City)
4. Annielou B. Manalo, RGC (Ateneo Child Learning Center, Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City)
5. Angelo Melgar, RGC (Guidance Office, Mariners Polytechnic Colleges, Naga City)
6. Ma. Kiara Sapinoso, RGC (College Guidance Center, Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City)

As a background, in 2014, the first batch of graduates of the Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling (Non-Thesis Track program) successfully passed the National Exams with the same passing rate of 100% (8 out of the 8 examinees; all first-time takers), producing one national placer (Ms. Marie Elaine A. Florece, 4th placer) – the first time that a Bicol-based school has made it to the top ten since the PRC ran its first Licensure Exam in Guidance and Counseling in August 2008.

In 2015, ADNU was able to produce two national placers: Ms. Cathy T. Villarroya (3rd placer), and Ms. Fatima May P. Alarcon (8th placer), with 100% rating or ten (10) successful number of examinees; all first-time takers.

In 2016, 11 out of 11 examinees from ADNU passed the 2016 licensure exams; all were first-time takers.

In 2017, 3 out of the 3 of those who took the exam passed; all were first-time takers.

In 2018, maintaining the 100% passing rate for the past four years, 2 out of the 2 of those who took the exam passed (all were first-time takers).

Before the 2014 results, ADNU also had 100% passing rate in the 2010 and 2011 Licensure Exams for Guidance Counselors. They were the following: Mr. Solomon M. Abardo and Ms. Rudya A. Roallos, respectively, both are graduates of the Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling (Thesis Track) program.

The results, as mentioned earlier, are a testament to the fact that ADNU has consistently maintained a 100% passing rate, all first-time takers, in this Licensure Exams. With this, ADNU can be considered one of the top-performing schools in the country offering Guidance and Counseling program.

Since RA 9258, otherwise known as the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 was passed into law and implemented, ADNU has already produced 44 Licensed/Registered Guidance Counselors. Forty-two (42) of which gained their licenses by taking the board exam and two (2) of them got their licenses without an exam (through RA 9258’s grandfather’s clause). A master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling is the minimum requirement for one to be allowed to take the Guidance Counselor Licensure Examination.

All these achievements serve to further inspire the ADNU Graduate School to remain faithful to its goal to: “facilitate the total personal and professional growth of counselor trainees to meet the guidance and counseling needs in the Bicol Region and the Philippines.”

In all of these, we say: To God be the Glory, Primum Regnum Dei!