BONTOC – A daughter of both farmers in Banao, Bauko, Mountain Province ranked number two in the recent national Midwifery Licensure Examination with a rating of 90.60%.

Francis Mae M. Palangdosan, 18 was the third among the six children of Asprel and Maria Palangdosan whose source of living in sending their sibling in school is farming.

Francis Mae graduated as valedictorian at Banao Elementary School and Banao National High School. Upon graduation, she enrolled in the Ladderized Program for Health Workers of the University of the Philippines (UP) School of Health Sciences (SHS) – Baler Campus in Baler, Aurora Province.

The program aims to train clinically competent and socially conscious health workers who will stay and serve in depressed and underserved communities, especially in the rural areas rather than to work abroad.

In a phone interview with Francis Mae, she is very thankful to the Almighty for the blessing that she received. She said that her success is anchored on her strong belief in the power of prayers and her will to believe that she can achieve her dreams. “Kapag ano ang hiniling mu sa Panginoon, dapat maniwala ka na matutupad yun”, Francis Mae added.

Francis Mae plans to pursue her career to be a doctor and come back to the province to serve our people. She shared that she will be enrolling in Bachelor of Nursing as a continuation of the UP- SHS Ladderized Program for Health Workers.  She hopes to finish the course and pass the Nursing Licensure Exam (NLEX).  This she said is her ticket to continue availing of the program.  She also said that she is determined to enrol in the college of Medicine and subsequently, take the Physicians Licensure Examination.

Meanwhile, all the beneficiaries of the UP- SHS Ladderized Program for Health Workers who are from Mountain Province passed the Midwifery Licensure Examination. These include Maria S. Bolinget of Fidelisan, Sagada, Alma A. Ayao-ao, Julie Dae Anne L. Yassan and Vanessa L. Aspilan all of Sadanga.

Students enrolled in this program are expected to finish a health care/medical degree in lesser time. Under this ladderized program, the scholars will first be trained as Community Health Workers. After passing the service leave (community practice) and Midwifery Licensure Exam, the scholars will take up Bachelor of Science in Nursing followed by service leaves and the Nursing Licensure Exam (NLEX). Scholars who pass the NLEX can continue to avail of the program and further enrol in the course, Doctor of Medicine and take the Physicians Licensure Examination thereafter.

UP- SHS offers a scholarship package covering tuition fees, miscellaneous and laboratory fees, books and uniform allowances with the condition that the scholars will render a two-year service to the government for every year of scholarship.

The main campus is located in Palo, Leyte while its extension campuses are in Baler, Aurora and Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

In relation to this, interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Executive Assistant’s Section of the Office of the Governor, Provincial Capitol, Bontoc, Mountain Province to inquire for the requirements to avail of the scholarship program.

Meanwhile, all the 26 UP-SHS scholars from Mountain Province are also grantees of the Mountain Province Student Financial Assistance Program (MPSFAP) of the provincial government.  Thus, each provincial grantee receives P3, 000.00 per semester to augment their financial needs in school especially so that they are not staying with their respective families.