The March 2026 Physicians Licensure Examination produced 1,954 new doctors, but much of the online attention quickly shifted to one unusual detail: the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) did not disclose the name of the exam’s topnotcher.
In its official results, the PRC announced 1,954 out of 2,781 examinees, or 70.26%, passed the exam.
It also said the results of five examinees were withheld pending a final decision under licensure rules, while one other examinee’s result was withheld for verification.
That appears to have extended to the person who would otherwise have led the rankings—the board topnotcher.
It did not elaborate on what led to the decision.
Instead of celebrating a named top scorer, some Filipinos online began jokingly congratulating “Name Withheld” or random physician candidates they knew.
In one social media exchange , a user wrote: “Congrats Name Withheld. Sure no hit ka. Walang kapangalan.”
Some Filipino social media users even tagged newly licensed doctors they knew or mock-congratulating friends because no official topnotcher could be publicly identified.
Top-performing schools
While the top examinee was not named, the PRC still released the exam’s school performance breakdown.
Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation topped the list in the March 2026 cycle among schools with 100 or more examinees.
Davao Medical School Foundation, meanwhile, led the 50 to 99 examinees category.
