Tarlac State University was recognized as one of the top-performing schools in the September 2026 Civil Engineers Licensure Examination (CELE) during the oathtaking ceremony for new civil engineers, organized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on November 10, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City.
The university ranked fourth under the category of “with 50 or more examinees passed and with at least 80% overall passing percentage”, marking the first time that the Civil Engineering Department earned this distinction following its previous accomplishments in producing individual board topnotchers.
Representing the University during the ceremonies were Dr. Miriam S. Galvez, Dean of the College of Engineering; Engr. Neil Andrew I. Meneses, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering; and faculty members Engr. Bonjobee R. Bello and Engr. Luis Angelo B. Lacson.
According to Dr. Galvez, the achievement was supported by the college's student preparation initiatives, particularly its five-month intensive in-house review program, funded by the university and provided free of charge to students. Conducted before graduation, the program allows students to undergo review while still enrolled. TSU also shoulders the cost of hiring external reviewers to administer the sessions.
Aside from the in-house review, faculty members conduct additional examinations and review sessions every Saturday and Monday, covering major subjects, mathematics, and other areas related to the licensure examination. These sessions are provided at no additional cost to students, with faculty members giving extra time and effort to help prepare them for the board examination.
Dr. Galvez credited the faculty members' dedication and commitment to guiding students beyond their regular teaching responsibilities.
“Siguro, ang pinaka-notable ay ‘yung dedication nila. Sobrang nakatutok sila sa mga estudyante. Kahit hindi na nila oras, andiyan pa rin sila. ‘Yung dedication nila sa pagtuturo, andiyan talaga,” she said in an interview.
She also acknowledged the continued support of the university administration under the leadership of TSU President Dr. Jasper Jay N. Mendoza, particularly in providing the necessary budget for the college's review program.
“Siyempre, nagpapasalamat ako sa administration dahil sa kanilang continuous support sa College of Engineering, lalo na sa pagbibigay ng budget, kasama na rito ‘yung in-house review. Sana ay magpatuloy ito para hindi maputol ‘yung programa. Nagpapasalamat din ako kay President at sa mga Vice Presidents natin, pati na rin sa Budget Unit dahil sila yung nag-a-allocate ng kailangan nating support para sa College of Engineering,” she added.
TSU recorded a 98.21% passing rate among first-time examinees and an 81.69% institutional passing rate, surpassing the national passing rate of 37.16%. Of its 71 examinees, 58 passed the licensure examination, producing 58 newly licensed civil engineers as per the results released by the PRC on October 2, 2026.
Photo by: Engr. Justine Bernard Hasegawa
