MMSU is PH’s top pharmacy school; produces 6 topnotchers
By Ian Paul Villanueva
Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has once again asserted its dominance in health sciences, emerging as the country’s top-performing pharmacy school with 85 passers and six (6) topnotchers in the April 2026 Pharmacists Licensure Examination.
With a commanding 90.43% passing rate, MMSU secured the No. 1 spot among schools fielding 50-99 examinees. This marks the third time since 2024 that the university has been recognized as such. This historic performance was also headlined by six MMSU passers who broke into the national top ten, the first time for the degree program since 2009.
Leading the successful cohort is Kyla Camille Ortal, who placed second in the exams, followed by Hendrix Rob Cleto (3rd), Gizelle Dhaye Damo (7th), Sofia Peralta (8th), Jelsey Miarah Velo (9th), and Cyrus Strauss Opeña (10th).
On April 30, the Department of Pharmacy of the MMSU College of Health Sciences (CHS) held a Thanksgiving and Testimonial Ceremony at the MMSU Hostel to honor the passers and celebrate the historic exam results.
Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), who previously served as MMSU President, noted that this milestone is the result of a long-term commitment to academic rigor and research.
“This achievement is not by chance. It is the result of a strong and sustained culture of excellence,” Chairperson Agrupis remarked. She attributed the success to strategic university investments, stating, “We worked to strengthen the university’s research infrastructure by investing in research centers and laboratories, so that both faculty and students could pursue more advanced and meaningful research.”
For MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., the passers’ strong performance is not a one-time victory but proof that the university has grown to provide effective and sustained services for the students.
“It was one of my worries when I became president that our performance in these examinations would slide because MMSU had set a very high standard. But now, I am confident with your exceptional performance. It proves that we have already established a strong intellectual and academic framework in MMSU, that whoever the president is, our processes and frameworks provided to the students are excellent,” he said.
Expressing her elation, CHS Dean Cheryll Didi Nellie Obra encouraged the passers to serve their communities as they practice their profession. “Welcome to the real world of your profession. I wish you well, and I hope that you will truly serve your communities with compassion and excellence,” she said.
Dr. Obra also recalled how pharmacy students would often complain of ‘never-ending’ exams, adding that the rigor of their undergraduate years was necessary for their success.
“Kapag 'Day with the Dean,' ang laging comment ng mga pharmacy students ay ang hindi maubos-ubos daw na exam ninyo. Ang sabi ko, ‘Baka ito naman ang result ng palaging exam na ibinibigay ng mga taga-Department of Pharmacy.’” (During 'Day with the Dean,' the constant feedback from pharmacy students was about your never-ending exams. I told them, ‘Perhaps this is the result of the frequent examinations administered by the Department of Pharmacy.’)
Rank 2 placer Kyla Camille Ortal echoed this sentiment in her response, emphasizing that their success was the result of their resilience throughout the four-year program. “This victory is not only about passing the board exam; this victory is about surviving everything that came before it,” she shared.
Ortal thanks the university administration and the faculty and department of pharmacy, as well as her parents and family, for their support and sacrifice. “No words can fully capture what your love and sacrifices mean to us. Our success is your success. You were with us from day one, through every sleepless night, every breakdown, every prayer, every financial sacrifice, and every silent worry you carried without telling us,” she said.
The addition of 85 new licensed pharmacists shows that MMSU excels in providing high-quality education, as demonstrated by its strong exam results this year.
May, 01, 2026 03:12:pm
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