JERICK  CHRISTIAN P. Dagdagan, a cum laude graduate of the BS in Fisheries program at CASAT, landed on the top spot of the Fisheries Technologist Licensure Examination held Oct. 19-20. Three others from MMSU made it.

Dagdagan finished his studies in 2010 but opted to work immediately. He was a fisheries development advocate at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office in San Fernando, April to August.  He would later move to Davao to be assistant manager for technical operations at the Jorona Aquatic Resources and Training Corporation until April this year when he decided to finally review for the board examination.

It was not easy for Dagdagan. MMSU, due to lack of registrants, was not able to organize a formal review program, and so Dagdagan planned to go to Central Luzon State University.  Unfortunately, CLSU was also unable to open a review program. Dagdagan and the other examinees ended up doing self review. He said he just consulted his teachers at CASAT when there were items he could not understand.

Dagdagan is the eldest of four children of Vicente, a security guard, and Mary Grace, a nurse at the Governor Roque B. Ablan Memorial Hospital. The family lives in Brgy. San Simeon in Currimao. It is actually a double treat for Dagdagan’s parents as his brother Jake Valentin, who graduated last April, also passed the board exam. The other passers are Laugelyn Sanguir and Roger Savella.

With 11 takers (seven first takers and four repeaters), MMSU has a passing percentage of 42.86 against the national average of only 28.53 percent.

Dagdagan confessed to News for the Week that taking up fisheries was only his last recourse. He would have taken up nursing or chemical engineering but, due to late enrolment, lost a slot in those programs. The reason: he was “nabarkada” and lost track of time.  At CASAT, he is described by his teachers as brilliant and determined. He was also active in school organizations and was sent to competitions, both academic and cultural. He was also the college’s bet in table tennis.

Prof. Facundo Asia, CASAT dean, expressed elation that although students from his college face a lot of challenges, poverty first and foremost, Dagdagan’s feat proves that the college’s students are a cut above the rest. CASAT is the national university for fisheries education in Region I.

The last time an MMSU graduate placed first in a licensure examination was in 2008 when Aldwin G. Gregorio topped the physical therapist examination.