The College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) remarkably maintained its status as the lone top performing school in the recently released result of the 2023 Licensure Examination for Agriculturists (LEA) last December 4. The College registered a 99.02 passing percentage (101 passers out of 102 examinees) as against the national passing rate of 34.18% (3,423 passers out of 10,014 takers). A school is considered as top performing school if it has 50 or more examinees and at least 80% passing percentage.

The UPLB graduates who are included in the top 10 slots are: (2nd) Kathleen Joy D. Franco-BS Agricultural Biotechnology (Institute of Crop Science or ICropS-Crop Biotechnology), 87.33; (3rd) Quenee Anne Z. Aurin-BS Agriculture-BSA (Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology or IWEP-Weed Science), 86.67; (4th) Carmel Rose M. Rolloque-BS Agricultural Chemistry (Joint program with the Institute of Chemistry-College of Arts and Sciences), 86.50; (5th) Joel John S. Cariño-BSA (ICropS-Agronomy), 86.33; (8th) Chiara Angeli K. Dela Peña-BSA (ICropS-Agronomy), 85.67 and Ghar Christian R. Tesoro-BSA (Institute of Animal Science or IAS-Animal Science), 85.67; (9th) Daniella Jean E. Pamulaklakin-BSA (IWEP-Entomology), 85.50; Luis Angelo T. Tabasa-BSA (Agricultural Systems Institute or ASI- Soil Science), 85.50; and Caila C. Villegas-BSA (ICropS-Horticulture), 85.50; (10th) Krizza Jane C. Manatad-BSA (ICropS-Agronomy), 85.33; Jairo P. Rabano-BSA (ICropS-Horticulture), 85.33; and John Kenneth L. Tabiolo-BSA (IWEP-Plant Pathology), 85.33.

The LEA was given by the Board of Agriculture last November 20-22 at Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) testing centers located in Metro Manila, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Calapan, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Koronadal, Legazpi, Lucena, Pagadian, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Zamboanga, Kidapawan and Palawan. (With information from prc.gov.ph and CAFS Office of the College Secretary)

by Imelda M. Gesmundo