Polibiz
'No retake'
(I am yielding my space to the privilege speech delivered by Hon. Cecilia Hubag-Capadosa, SP Member, 2nd District during the Regular Session held October 3, 2006)
Mr. Presiding officer, Honorable Colleagues, friends in the Tri-Media, concerned parents, new nurses, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
This representation stands for and on behalf of the grieving and agonizing parents of the officers and members of the Association of New Nurses of Panay (ANNOPA) and Western Visayas, not only as chair of the Committee on Education and Information and the Committee on Women and Family Affairs but as a concerned parent of a nurse who took the exam and passed it last June 11-12, 2006.
Last August 29, 2006, this august body has approved unanimously, Resolution 2006-109: A Resolution Strongly Opposing Moves to Require the Successful Nursing Examinees last June 11 and 12, 2006 to retake the Licensure Examination for Nurses.
We were glad when Malacañang expressed its stand on "NO RETAKE" together with the recommendation of PRC (Professional Regulation Commission), pending the Temporary Restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court of Appeals.
The ANNOPA, through its Legal Counsel filed a petition of intervention as oppositor on the said TRO which hearing was set last September 14, 2006.
While waiting for the court's decision, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced last week that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is ordering the 42,000 nursing graduates who took the June Nursing Examination to take the test again to save the integrity of the nursing profession.
The declaration of Malacañang has again created chaos and confusion on the part of the new nurses and added agony on the parents.
Although PRC is firm on its stand for "No Retake" we fear that it might be overpowered and pressured by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is influenced by some advisers and cabinet members' opinion.
We need your support dear colleagues, with the help of the TV, print and broadcast media, to air our sentiments for NO RETAKE so that the president may reconsider her latest decision.
This representation would like to pose a query especially to our lawyer colleagues, if President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has the power to order the PRC to conduct a retake, although, there is still a case pending in court which is yet to be settled?
According to lawyer Rene Saguisag, the President's order has no predictability, stability, and respect for the judicial system which could create a bigger problem. As stated by Executive Secretary Ermita, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now crafting an Executive Order congruent to the RETAKE issue, but couldn't this be a ground for possibly accusing her for contempt of court?
Such a move would be grossly unfair to the thousand of diligent nurses who toiled and studied hard to hurdle this exam. Their collective conscience is clear that they passed the exams because of their acquired competence and mastery of the various subjects and not through dishonest means. Why punish those who are not guilty? Investigations conducted so far have pinpointed the areas where cheating took place. If there is a need of retake, then such move should be confined to those areas where cheating had taken place.
We, the parents of these nurses in Iloilo and Western Visayas have invested so much in the education of our children. We taught them positive values and instilled in them the value of hard work. Now that they have passed the board exam, they should be allowed to pursue their dream and ambition as nurses, and not be made as pawns in an apparent political posturing to gain a so called "pogi" points. It is time they reap the fruit of their hard labor.
The concerned parents and the new nurses of Western Visayas are counting on us because they believe as you and I do believe that they are innocent and have never benefited from the "leak".
This representation is willing to hear any comment or suggestion that could aid to any legislative action which this august body may deem to approve.