After over a week of speculation, the identity of the viral topnotcher of the March 2026 Physicians Licensure Examination (PLE) has finally been revealed.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) updated its April 10 Facebook post on April 17 to include the name of the top passer of the PLE, who was previously identified only as “Name Withheld.”
The topnotcher for that batch was Erwin Ken Parchaso, a graduate of Lyceum Northwestern University–Dagupan City.
Parchaso was also congratulated by his school for his achievement.
“This exceptional accomplishment reflects outstanding excellence, dedication, and the strong foundation of medical education within the Lycean community,” the post of Lyceum Northwestern University said.
The March 2026 PLE produced 1,954 new doctors out of 2,781 examinees, with earlier PRC postings noting withheld results for some candidates pending final decisions under licensure rules and verification.
It earned buzz among Filipinos, who poked fun at the incident, with some even joking about congratulating their friends since no official topnotcher was publicly identified at the time.
READ: When doctors’ board exams topnotcher was left unnamed
Meanwhile, the PLE, also known as the medical board exam, is the final step toward becoming a doctor in the country. It is taken after an individual graduates from medical school with a Doctor of Medicine degree.
An individual may work as a general practitioner or undergo medical residency training in hospitals once they pass the exam.
— with reports from Interaksyon/Ana Crescini
