Other countries may also demand nursing board retake

May take cue from US

By Jerome Aning
Inquirer
Last updated 10:26pm (Mla time) 02/16/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said on Friday he was worried that other countries might imitate the United States in requiring those who passed in the 2006 nursing licensure tests to retake portions whose results were allegedly leaked to exam takers.

"This is okay to me since the retaking would be for those going to the US only, but what if other countries also doubt the results and demand a retake?" Brion said in a press conference.

The labor secretary said it would be up to the Professional Regulatory Commission to provide a system for those who wanted to retake. He said he would meet with PRC chair Leonor Tipon-Rosero, the nursing board, and representatives of the graduates to determine what the government's next move should be.

"Any decision reached should remove once and for all the cloud of doubt that continues to hang over the exams but without putting the Court of Appeals decision in a bad light," he added.

For her part Rosero said PRC would abide by the appellate court’s decision on the alleged nursing test leak. She clarified that although a PRC license was not needed to practice in the US, it would be needed for those seeking an immigrant visa.

On October 13, 2006, the Court of Appeals ordered a "selective retake" of the Tests III and V of the licensure exams for 1,687 examinees who benefited from the PRC-ordered re-computation of the grades in the two parts whose results were allegedly leaked.

A group of students from the University of Sto. Tomas, which questioned PRC's re-computation before the CA and wanted all 17,000 passers to retake Tests III and V.

On October 16, the UST students asked the CA to reconsider its decision; their motion remains pending.

Another group of successful examinees represented by former senator Rene Saguisag also has a pending motion to cite Brion in contempt when he refused to allow the oath-taking of the passers until after the case is resolved with finality.

Rosero said that of the 1,687 whom the Court of Appeals said would have to retake Tests III and V, 1,200 actually did so and 90 percent of them had passed.