ALKHOBAR, 13 February 2003 – Thirty-two Filipino students in the Kingdom passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for the school year that starts in June 2003.

Vice Consul Germinia Aguilar-Usudan of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh released the list of the successful passers in the Kingdom today. Esperanza Rizalina Ibañez sent it recently to Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla, UP assistant director for admission tests.

According to Usudan, out of the 32 qualifiers, 14 are from schools in Alkhobar and Dammam, and nine each from Riyadh and Jeddah.

A total of 149 students from 10 Filipino schools in the Kingdom took the UPCAT this year.

Ten successful examinees are from the International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA), which posted a 26 percent pass rate from out of 38 senior students who took the test.

The Philippine School in Dammam (PSD) had a 50 percent passing rate, with four out of eight examinees.

In Jeddah, five out of 17 examinees from the Al-Hekma International School (AHIS) made it, yielding a 29 percent pass rate.

The International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) had four qualifiers out of 25 hopefuls, a 16 percent pass rate.

From Riyadh, the Second Philippine International School in Riyadh (SPISR) posted a 33 percent pass rate, with five successes from 15 examinees.

The Millennium International School (MIS) and the International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR) both scored 10 percent with two qualifiers out of 19 candidates from each school.

None of the candidates from Philippine Community School in Alkhobar (Philcosa), Al-Ma’areefa International School (AMIS) and Riyadh International School (RIS) made it in this year’s UPCAT.

Usudan, who was also designated by Ambassador Guinomla as special assistant on school affairs, said that while the passing rate is only about 21 percent, the number of passers in the Kingdom was higher compared with the last two years. There were only 16 successful candidates in 2001 and 25 in 2002.

The number of UPCAT passers among Filipino students in the Kingdom is also considered remarkably high compared with most schools in the Philippines.

“I am very proud of the excellent performance of our Filipino students in the Kingdom. We do hope that we will have more successes next school year,” Usudan said, explaining that failure to qualify in the UPCAT does not necessarily mean they failed the examinations. UP maintains a tight quota system of each course.

UP is the premier state university in the Philippines and its very tough entrance examination is probably surpassed only by the Philippine Military Academy’s test (PMA).

Hundreds of thousands of high school students throughout the Philippines aspire to study at the prestigious University of the Philippines where tuition at the university is subsidized by the government.

List of UPCAT passers

International Philippine School in Alkhobar – Jenna Marie Carlos, Patrick Noel de Asis, Kathleen dela Paz, Jeffry Golingay, Rochelle Manuel, Mikel Glenn Ocido, Catherine Michelle Panotes, Melvin John Sedano, Earlwyn Sta. Rosa, Kristel Urena.

Philippine School in Dammam – Emarc Perri Magtanong, Kristina Mae Manalaotao, Issa Paulino, Veronica Tupaz.

Al-Hekma International School – Rerlyn Alzate, Sarah Jane Catigan, Jofel Kristine Marie Samonte, Yelena Tinian, Charlene Tuvera.

International Philippine School in Jeddah – Jean Mariell Balagat, Dianne Karla Cruz, Nizhreen Mapandi, Anisa Sadain.

Second Philippine International School in Riyadh – Rose Daynelle Canbanay, Ma. Shaluah Humangit, Christian Raymond Lopez, Joharah Lou Pabalate, Don Rodil.

Millenium International School – Anna Mariel Roda, Shaereen Vencilao

International Philippine School in Riyadh – Czarina Marian Aliasas, Lorcel Erika Venturina