


Friday, June 01, 2007



The rules for nursing retake scheduled in June and December 2007 as provided under Executive Order No. 609 are more exacting than what the law and equity demand under the circumstances.

When the Supreme Court did not require retake of the June 2006 nursing exams, in effect it recognized the general innocence of the passers or the lack of airtight evidence against them. If at all, the apparent orchestrators of leakage are two board examiners and some review schools, not the examinees.

Had retake of two leakage-tainted licensure exam subjects been required by the Supreme Court, it is safe to assume that Secretary Arturo Brion and the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) would have implemented the retake pursuant to the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, under which passing the board exams—including removal exams for those who previously failed in some but not all subjects--requires getting an average grade of at least 75% WITH NO GRADE LOWER THAN 60% in any subject. This rule has been accepted by CGFNS and all other foreign institutions that hire Philippine nurses, so adhering to it when CGFNS imposed retake of the two leakage-tainted subject should entail no problem to PRC and the affected passers.

Therefore, Executive Order No. 609 that drastically made onerous the nursing rule retake is unjustified and incomprehensible. Instead of requiring 75% average grade with no grade lower than 60% in any of the two subjects, the Executive Order requires 75% passing grade for EACH of BOTH subjects. Thus, even if a retaker gets a grade of 74% in one subject and 99% in the other subject, or an average of 86.5%, he still fails. However, under the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, he already passes with very high average grade!

Not satisfied with the arbitrarily high prescribed passing grade, the Executive Order DOES NOT ALLOW A SECOND CHANCE for those who will not pass the very strict passing grade requirement—there is NO SECOND RETAKE for them even if they may want to shoulder the cost of a second exam!!!

The fact that the required 75% passing grade for EACH of the TWO SUBJECTS is unnecessarily quite ONEROUS is evident from the prevailing general rule in government exams under existing laws, which set required average passing grade WITH NO GRADE BELOW a lower minimum grade in any subject, as shown by the following examples:

Under the applicable Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, passing grade is average of 75% with no grade lower than 60% in any subject.

Under the Philippine Accountancy Act of 2004, passing the CPA board exams require an average grade of 75% with no grade lower than 65% in any subject.

Under the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Act of 1998, passing the mechanical engineering licensure exams require an average grade of 70% with no grade lower than 50% in any subject.

In the Philippine bar exams as reformed under the Supreme Court Resolution on Bar Matter 1161, passing the exams require an average grade of 75% with no grade lower than 50% in any subject.

So, what is the big idea behind this totally unnecessary and avoidable government-imposed more-difficult-to-attain passing grade for the retakers? Why make their passing the retake more difficult than is necessary when they were in fact innocent VICTIMS of the government's failure to conduct an honest nursing licensure exam? Does the much higher passing standard constitute an intentional design to make more June 2006 passers fail the retake exam in order to vindicate pro-retake high government officials who prejudged that the 17,000 passers are incompetent and have to retake the exam?????? (That it is not right to make such sweeping prejudgment is proven by some of the passers who subsequently passed NCLEX exams, which do not absolutely require nursing license as an exam prerequisite.) Do many innocent June 2006 passers have to become permanent victims of the government's failure to prescribe the correct average passing grade for the nursing retake pursuant to the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002????? Doesn't the government realize that the rule to be followed on the retake is that on removal exams under this law--because the function of the retake should be precisely to undo the effect of leakage in the licensure exam by giving ANOTHER EXAM for the leakage-tainted subjects but with the SAME RULE as to PASSING GRADE? In short, the RETAKE should simply SIMULATE the taking of REMOVAL EXAMS under the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002!

Moreover, in the first place, the CGFNS-required retake is actually just an offshoot of what FILIPINOS themselves said on the nursing exam scandal, as follows:

CFO Chairman Dante Ang and some nursing educators said that the 17,000 passers are of doubtful competence and need a retake. They even petitioned the Court to order the retake. They based their biased prejudgment and petition on the implication of leakage on roughly 20% out of 500 total exam questions--which innocent passers hurdled in the first place--and totally IGNORED the SIGNIFICANCE of passing the much more numerous 80% remaining valid and unleaked questions. What these seemingly holier than thou Filipinos said, CGFNS believed.

Of the two leakage-tainted subjects, Test 3 has 80 valid questions out of 100 questions. As the required passing grade in the nursing licensure exam is general average of 75% with no grade lower than 60% in any subject, it is still within mathematical possibility and probability that at least 60 questions out of the remaining 80 valid questions were correctly answered by some passers—thereby validly meeting the required 60% out of 100 questions in the subject even if the 20 leaked questions are nullified. If the passers' grades in other subjects are high enough to meet the 75% average passing grade, then they have validly passed the licensure exam for as long as they will pass the retake on the other leakage-attended subject. In short, retake of JUST ONE--NOT TWO--SUBJECTS is called for under the situation—and it is violation of the rights of those who obtained at least 60 correct answers out of the remaining 80 valid questions to totally nullify this subject and disregard their complying grade out of the 80 remaining valid questions. The reasonableness of excluding Test 3 in the retake is appreciated by no less than the legal counsel of the complainants from Baguio, as shown herein in ANNEX A. However, because CFO Chairman Dante Ang et al played god over the passers and pronounced ex cathedra that all passers--including those who obtained 60% or higher grades in Test 3-- need to retake two subjects, CGFNS believed them.

In essence, the Philippine Government said through its ill-advised Executive Order No. 609—which defied the reasonable required passing grade under the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002—that the retake passing grade should be 75% of each of the two affected subjects. Again, CGFNS believed them and consequently adopted this more stringent rule as its requirement for the issuance of VisaScreen, as shown in ANNEX B hereof.

As can be seen, the present CGFNS retake requirement for VisaScreen issuance is merely a take off from what some Filipinos, including Philippine Government officials, said. As far as CGFNS is concerned, these Filipinos are supposed to know better. If they said bad things against the June 2006 passers, if they demanded retake of two subjects intead of just one, and if they required the more difficult 75% minimum passing grade for both of the two subjects object of retake, why shouldn't CGFNS believe them, why should it dispute what they said? Thus, the difficult CGFNS retake requirement and what may befall many passer-retakers from the more onerous retake rule are handiworks of their own countrymen and government !!!!!!!!

For the sake of propriety and fairness to the passers, the Office of the President has to issue a more lenient and reasonable AMENDED EXECUTIVE ORDER on the nursing retake. At this point, if it cannot do that without the prior conformity of CGFNS, then it should do whatever it takes to do justice to the aggrieved passer-retakers and their families.

C/o Gen. (Ret.) Guillermo Pecache
Chairman, Anti-Graft League of the Philippines
No. 1 Regalado Street Extension
1118 East Fairview, Quezon City



--------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Cheryl Daytec <>Date: Oct 7, 2006 8:18 AM Subject: Erratum:To:, ,,,, Geoffrey Andawi <>,,,
Dear Concerned Citizen,

I'm sorry that I did not correctly state what I meant in the following paragraph:

"Personally, I agree with Mr. Anonymous' view that Test III may be enough basis to measure the competencies of the examinees. It might interest you to know that I also broached this idea to my clients but most of them are for the retake of Test III. I am just a lawyer and, as Atty. Saguisag understands very well, the clients are the boss. I understand the point of my bosses. That 20 questions of Test III were leaked affects the integrity of the entire Test. Still, if it were up to me, I could compromise on Test III. I would not be unhappy if the CA were to say that there is no need to retake Test III."

Let me restate it this way:

Personally, I agree with Mr. Anonymous WHEN HE SAID that THE REMAINING (MEANING UNLEAKED) QUESTIONS IN Test III may be enough basis to measure the competencies of the examinees FOR THE SUBJECT AREA MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING. It might interest you to know that I also broached this idea to my clients but most of them are for the retake of Test III. I am just a lawyer and, as Atty. Saguisag understands very well, the clients are the boss. I understand the point of my bosses. That 20 questions of Test III were leaked affects the integrity of the entire Test. Still, if it were up to me, I could compromise on Test III. I would not be unhappy if the CA were to say that there is no need to retake Test III.

On second reading of my letter to you, I noticed other errors but the idea, I hope, was not lost despite the errors. So, I am not correcting them anymore.

Thank God, I could correct my mistake as there is a wide, wide room for it. As it happens, I was not dealing with a human life when I was writing you - any mistake I would have made would have been irreversible! (I hope I made you smile even if you do not agree with me).

Very truly yours,

Cheryl L. Daytec-Yañgot


(As posted to the Internet)

When must I re-take Tests 3 and 5 to be eligible for a VisaScreen Certificate?

June, 2006 Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination test passers must re-take Tests 3 and 5 as provided in Executive Order 609 stating that a "special voluntary examination" for this purpose will be given both in June and December, 2007. A June 2006 passer may take this special voluntary examination in either one of those months, at the examinee's choice. Executive Order 609 does not authorize re-takes of Tests 3 and 5 after December 2007.

What score do I have to get in order to be eligible for VisaScreen Certificate?

You must obtain a passing score of 75 percent or better on each Test. An average score of 75 -- in which one score is above 75 and one below 75 -- will not be sufficient to qualify for VisaScreen certification.

If I take the re-take of Tests 3 and 5 in June 2007, and I fail to get a score of 75 in one or both tests, can I re-take one or both Tests in December 2007?

No. After you have re-taken Tests 3 and 5 once in a "special voluntary examination," no further re-take is authorized by the Executive Order of the Philippine Government.

received via email

Monday, May 28, 2007

Retrogression Update: HCA Commends White House, Congress for Moving Forward on Immigration Reform

But Reiterates Need to Include Long Term Care
Worker Language in any Final Agreement

For Immediate Release
May 22, 2007

Wasington, DC –Despite the fact the recently-passed U.S. Senate immigration bill fails to include necessary language to help boost the supply of long term care workers in the U.S. workforce, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) today praised the Bush Administration and Congress for making a constructive, bipartisan effort to jumpstart a comprehensive immigration overhaul, and said seniors and the long term care profession alike have an enormous stake in ensuring acceptable, effective guest worker and nursing shortage provisions are included in any final bill.

“Despite an impasse on a variety of other legislative fronts, the Bush Administration and Congress deserve praise and support from the long term care community for moving closer to passing one of the most significant and needed governmental reforms in decades,” stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. “It is unfortunate the Senate’s immigration package did not specifically address long term care, and we intend to ensure that guest worker and nursing shortage language like that offered by U.S. Representatives Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is advanced through this process and included.”

Yarwood said that while AHCA is still studying the entire bill, the Gutierrez-Flake “Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy (STRIVE) Act” includes “reasonable and realistic language that will help us ensure a chronic staffing shortage in our long term care facilities does not become a national health care catastrophe in the decades ahead.”

The AHCA President and CEO noted that America’s health care system, in particular, is straining due to a shortage of key caregivers necessary to care for a rapidly aging population. From the standpoint of long term care, he said facilities nationwide “are ready, willing, and able” to offer tens of thousands of good-paying jobs that, if filled, will help continue improving the quality of seniors’ care in nursing homes.

“It is an undeniable fact that many of the jobs being created by America’s economy are jobs American citizens simply are not filling – in fact, jobs no one is filling,” continued Yarwood. “Our laws should allow willing workers to enter our country to help fill this void after all security concerns have been satisfied, and we are especially interested in seeing through to final passage a bill codifying the specific need to fill key frontline care giving positions.”

The high demand for long term care workers is already documented by the federal government as well as by AHCA/NCAL. A recent study by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates the U.S. will need between 5.7 million to 6.5 million nurses, nurse aides, home health and personal care workers by 2050 to care for the 27 million Americans who will require long term care – up over 100% from the 13 million citizens requiring long term care in 2000.

In addition, an AHCA study examining staff vacancy rates in our nation’s nursing homes found approximately 52,000 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are needed immediately – just to meet existing demand for care.

Basic Human Anatomy ang Physiology Review Series 2

Basic Human Anatomy ang Physiology Review Series 2

1. Which of the following structure houses vital centers for control of our vital signs?
a. Pons

b. Medulla oblongata
c. Midbrain
d. Cerebrum

2. Which sequence of reactions occurs when a person looks at a distant object?
a. Pupils constrict, suspensory ligaments relax, lenses become less convex
b. Pupils dilate, suspensory ligaments become taut, lenses become less convex
c. Pupils dilate, suspensory ligaments become taut, lenses become more convex
d. Pupils constrict, suspensory ligaments relax, lenses become more convex

3. The main function of the rods is:
a. Depth perception

b. Color vision
c. Vision in dim light
d. Refraction

4. Which of the following statements is false concerning the sense of taste?
a. There are four basic types of receptors
b. The ability to taste is affected by the sense of smell
c. Taste buds include the fungiform, filiform and circumvallate
d. Taste and olfactory receptors are located in the nasal cavity

5. The anterior chamber of the eye is filled with which of the following fluid?
a. Vitreous humor

b. Cerebrospinal fluid
c. Aqueous humor
d. Interstitial fluid

6. The transparent structure through which light enters the eye is:
a. Cornea

b. Pupil
c. Lens
d. Retina

7. Which of these is not a plasma protein?
a. Fibrinogen

b. Gamma globulins
c. Thromboplastin
d. Albumin

8. No cytoplamic granules are present in:
a. Monocytes

b. Basophils
c. Eosinophils
d. Neutrophils

9. Which of the following secretions is not properly matched with its source?
a. Liver, albumin
b. Kidney, erythropoietin

c. Platelet, fibrinogen
d. Stomach, intrinsic factor

10. The activator of the reaction fibrinogen ---> fibrin is:
a. Thrombin

b. Factor XII
c. Prothrombin activator
d. Thromboplastin

11. All of the following conditions impair coagulation except:
a. Vitamin K deficiency

b. Vascular spasms
c. Heparin
d. Severe hypocalcemia

12. Which of the following plasma proteins is most important in maintaining the proper osmotic pressure of the blood?
a. Albumin

b. Gamma globulin
c. Fibrinogen
d. Beta globulin

13. Myelination of the nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system is the job of the:
a. Schwann cells

b. Neuroglia
c. Neurons
d. Epithelial cells

14. A patient has suffered a cerebral hemorrhage that has damaged the precentral gyrus of his right cerebral cortex. As a result:
a. He cannot voluntarily move his left arm or leg
b. He feels no sensation on the left side of his body
c. He feels no sensation on all body parts
d. He cannot voluntarily move his right arm or leg

15. Seat of intelligence and abstract reasoning is located in which lobe of the cerebral hemispheres?
a. Frontal

b. Parietal
c. Occipital
d. Temporal

16. All of the following are motor nerves except:
a. CN V

b. Oculomotor
c. CN IV
d. Hypoglossal

17. The spinal cords end at the level of:
a. T12

b. L2
c. C7
d. L5

18. Cardiovascular effects of the sympathetic division include all but:
a. Constriction of most blood vessels
b. Dilation of the vessel serving skeletal muscles

c. Increase of heart rate and force
d. Dilation of the blood vessels serving the skin and digestive viscera

19. Nearsightedness is more properly called:
a. Myopia

b. Hyperopia
c. Presbyopia
d. Emmetropia

20. Hyposecretion of antidiuretic hormone will result in:

b. Diabetes mellitus
c. Diabetes insipidus
d. Anuria

Note: Answers and Rationales both for review series 1 and 2 wil be posted very soon (probably after the NLE exam this june)

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology Review Series 1

This is a review of the basics of human anatomy and physiology 1
i'll post more soon..

1. The structural and functional unit of life is:
a. A cell

b. An organ
c. The organism
d. A molecule

2. Homeostasis in the human body is controlled primarily by which two organ systems?
a. Cardiovascular and integumentary
b. skeletal and endocrine

c. Nervous and endocrine
d. cardiovascular and respiratory

3. Which of the following organ systems is matched most accurately to the “life function” it provides?
a. Integumentary --- movement
b. Nervous system --- excretion

c. muscular system --- maintaining boundaries
d. nervous system --- responsiveness

4. If you were to assume the anatomical position, you would:
a. Lie face down
b. Lie flat on your back with the palms of your hands flat on the floor
c. Stand erect with the palms of your hands facing forward
d. Stand erect with the palms of your hands cupped toward your thighs

5. The term “sagittal section of the brain” means that the brain was cut:
a. Across horizontally
b. Into anterior and posterior parts

c. into right and left part
d. on the diagonal

6. The primary lipids found in the plasma membrane are:
a. Phospholipids and cholesterol

b. Neutral lipids
c. Fat soluble and water soluble vitamins
d. Cholesterol and neutral lipids

7. A person drinks 6 bottles ob beer and has to make several trips to the bathroom. This increase in urination reflects an increase in what membrane transport process occurring in the kidneys?
a. Dialysis

b. filtration
c. Active transport
d. Osmosis

8. Microvilli are likely to be found in cells specialized for:
a. Contraction

b. Protection
c. Absorption
d. Insulation

9. The process in which fairly large particles are engulfed and brought into the cell is:
a. Pinocytosis

b. Phagocytosis
c. Diffusion
d. Cell drinking

10. Which of the following organelles consume oxygen?
a. Peroxisomes and mitochodria
b. Lysosomes and ribosomes

c. Lysosomes and peroxisomes
d. Mitochondria and rough ER

11. The most external skin region is composed of:
a. Simple columnar epithelium

b. Stratified squamous epithelium
c. Areolar connective tissue
d. Dense fibrous connective tissue

12. Which of the following is/are found in the dermis?
a. Melanocytes
b. Keratin

c. Stratum corneum
d. Pain and touch receptors

13. When the body temperature rises, which of the following takes place?
a. Eccrine glands become active
b. Arrector pili muscles contract

c. Pacinian corpuscles are stimulated
d. Blood is prevented from the reaching the skin

14. Lymphoma just burned herself on a hot pot. A blister forms and the burn is painful. Lymphoma’s burn is most likely a:
a. First-degree burn

b. Second-degree burn
c. Third-degree burn
d. Fourth-degree burn

15. The membrane lining of body cavities open to the exterior is:
a. A mucosa

b. A serosa
c. The cutaneous membrane
d. A joint

16. A bone that has essentially the same width, length and height is most likely:
a. A long bone

b. A short bone
c. An irregular bone
d. A flat bone

17. Sites of hematopoiesis include all, but:
a. Red marrow cavities of spongy bone
b. The diploe of flat bones

c. Cavities in bones of infants
d. Yellow marrow cavities in bones of an adult

18. The process of ossification in long bones includes:
a. Production of new bone matrix by osteoclasts
b. Breakdown of hyaline cartilage
c. Initial formation of bone matrix, with later replacement by cartilage
d. Destruction of epiphyseal plates shortly after birth

19. What kind of tissue is the forerunner of long bones in the embryo?
a. Elastic connective tissue

b. Dense fibrous connective tissue
c. Hyaline cartilage
d. Fibrocartilage

20. The only bone in the skull without any articulation is the:
a. Vomer

b. Nasal
c. Hyoid
d. Mandible

i'll post the answers soon

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