From magna cum laude to nursing board topnotcher, Dianne Tacazon Tolentino has turned academic excellence into a remarkable national triumph. The University of Northern Philippines graduate emerged as the country’s top performer in the August–September 2026 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE), earning an impressive 92.20 percent rating, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced on September 18. Her feat not only marks a defining moment in her young professional journey but also adds another proud chapter to the legacy of excellence at UNP.
At just 22 years old, Tolentino, a native of Sitio Quimbanban, Barangay Binalayangan, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur, the daughter of Mr. Danilo Tolentino and Mrs. Russel T. Tolentino, achieved a remarkable national feat by emerging as the Top 1 among 28,652 successful examinees out of 37,359 candidates who took the licensure examination. Her outstanding performance has brought pride and distinction not only to her alma mater, the University of Northern Philippines, but also to her home province of Ilocos Sur, placing her community on the national stage of nursing excellence.
Tolentino’s journey to the top of the licensure examination was anchored in a remarkable record of academic excellence that began in her earliest school years. She consistently ranked first in her class from Grades 1 to 6, culminating in her graduation as elementary valedictorian. At St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur, she continued to distinguish herself academically, finishing senior high school as salutatorian.
When it came time to pursue higher education, Tolentino chose the University of Northern Philippines (UNP), drawn by its proximity to her family and its reputation for producing competent professionals and board topnotchers. The choice was also deeply personal: her mother, uncles, and aunts are all UNP alumni, whose experiences and confidence in the University helped strengthen her own trust in the institution. For Tolentino, UNP was more than a convenient choice—it was a family tradition and an institution whose legacy of academic excellence she aspired to carry forward.
At the University of Northern Philippines, Tolentino’s academic journey reached another milestone as she graduated magna cum laude and emerged as the top graduate of her nursing class—an achievement that preceded her historic performance in the licensure examination.
Her decision to pursue Bachelor of Science in Nursing, however, was rooted in something deeper than academic ambition. Personal experiences of caring for loved ones shaped her desire to become a nurse. She was particularly moved by her parents’ health struggles and by the loss of her grandmother in 2019 to an aneurysm. Her grandmother’s hesitation to seek medical attention, brought about by shyness and financial constraints, left a lasting impression on Tolentino and strengthened her resolve to make a difference in the lives of others.
“From then on, I dedicated myself that I will take care of those who are close to me,” Dianne said. “And of course, to give back to the community and to my patients in the future.”
That sense of purpose became a driving force throughout her nursing education and, eventually, her preparation for the licensure examination. For Tolentino, the road to the board exam began as early as her first year in college. She started gathering review materials used by previous topnotchers and regularly answered practice questions, gradually building the discipline and familiarity she would later rely on during the formal review period.
As the examination drew closer, her preparation intensified. She would wake up as early as 4 to 5 a.m. to study before her 7 a.m. classes, reviewing notes and working through practice questions. After classes, she would return home for a quick meal before resuming her studies. Even ordinary breaks became opportunities to learn, as she listened to review lectures while eating or taking a bath. Altogether, she devoted more than 12 hours a day to review, transforming preparation into a demanding routine sustained by determination, discipline, and a clear sense of purpose.
The intensity of Tolentino’s preparation came at a cost. During the review season, she was hospitalized three times, yet each setback only briefly interrupted her routine. After every hospitalization, she returned to her studies, determined to stay on course toward the goal she had set for herself.
Long before the results were announced, Tolentino had already envisioned the possibility of becoming the PNLE Top 1. Beginning in her second year, she openly shared and “manifested” her aspiration, even writing “Top 1, PNLE 2026” on church bulletins as a personal reminder of the dream she was working to achieve.
For Tolentino, however, manifestation was never a substitute for preparation. She viewed it as a way to build confidence, strengthen her focus, and keep her goal firmly in mind. The achievement, she emphasized, ultimately demanded sustained study, discipline, and hard work.
“Nothing will happen if you just manifest, but you’re not studying,” she said.
Her experience accentuates a simple principle behind an extraordinary achievement: a dream may begin with a vision, but it takes persistent effort to turn that vision into reality.
As her remarkable achievement spread across social media and news outlets, Tolentino took the opportunity to share a message with fellow UNPians and aspiring nursing topnotchers who may one day follow in her footsteps. She urged them to believe in themselves and in the preparation they have invested in, reminding them that self-doubt should never overshadow the hard work already done.
For Tolentino, faith and perseverance must go hand in hand. She encouraged aspiring nurses to trust in God while remaining committed to their goals, emphasizing that determination and sustained effort eventually bear fruit. “Hard work pays off and I am a testimony of that,” she said.
She also encouraged students to look beyond personal ambitions and draw inspiration from the people who support them. Studying, she said, can be an expression of love and gratitude—not only for oneself, but also for one’s family, friends, and God.
Above all, Tolentino urged those facing difficult seasons not to give up. Drawing from her own journey, she reminded them that struggles are temporary and that perseverance can lead to brighter days. “There will always be a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said, adding that the darker the tunnel becomes, the brighter the light will be at the end.
In reflecting on her achievement, Tolentino placed God at the center of her journey, sharing that prayer became her source of strength whenever she felt discouraged or lost motivation. Her faith, she said, helped her regain focus and persevere through the challenges that came with pursuing her dream.
She likewise expressed profound gratitude to the University of Northern Philippines, which she described as her “home” and the institution that helped shape her into the nurse she is today. She thanked the UNP College of Nursing community for its unwavering support and encouragement from the beginning of her academic journey.
Above all, Tolentino dedicated a special tribute to her parents, whose sacrifices and reassurance that financial limitations would never stand in the way of her education sustained her throughout college.
“To Mommy and Daddy… my one mission in life ever since was to make you the proudest,” she said.
UNP officials hailed her achievement as a “historic triumph in nursing excellence,” underscoring the University’s continuing contribution to the development of highly competent and compassionate nurses who serve communities across the country.
As Tolentino prepares to embark on her professional career as a registered nurse, she carries with her more than a remarkable board examination distinction. She brings forward the values that have shaped her journey from the classroom to the national stage—faith that gives her strength, family that gives her purpose, and an unwavering commitment to caring for others.
