MANILA, Philippines – Alona Tibayan Canovas expressed her overwhelming gratitude to God after not only passing but also ranking Top 7 in the February 2025 Respiratory Therapists Licensure Examination (RTLE) with a rating of 91.25%.
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| Photo courtesy: Alona Tibayan Canovas (FB) via PEP |
“Salamat sa Ama, higit sa hiniling ang ibinigay Niya sa akin,” she said on her Facebook post last February 15.
“Maraming salamat din po sa inyo mame Josie, dade Jeffrie at ate Adia Elwin, sa suporta na ibinigay ninyo sa akin bago at pagkatapos man ng board exam. Para sa inyo po ito.”
“Maraming salamat din po sa lahat ng bumati.”
“Sa Ama po ang lahat ng kapurihan,” she ended.
In an interview with PEP, she shared that she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy from the University of Batangas in May 2024. According to her, she initially had no idea what respiratory therapy was, but her interest grew through research, especially at the height of the pandemic.
Like many other college students, she also struggled with paying tuition fees. Classes had already started, but her name wasn’t yet on the official list of students because she enrolled late.
Even during her internship, she was almost pulled out of the hospital where she was assigned due to unpaid tuition fees. They had to settle their balances with the school just so she could secure the necessary documents required to apply for the board exam.
As for becoming a topnotcher, Alona never expected it to happen. While reviewing, she had thought how nice it would feel to become a board topnotcher—if only to make her parents proud.
So when the results came out, Alona was overjoyed—not just for herself, but especially for her parents, knowing how hard they worked and struggled financially just to get her through school.
Alona is now working at Metro Lemery Medical Center after passing the board exam.
Congratulations, Alona!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express