MANILA, Philippines – For many young Filipinos, choosing a college course is shaped by dreams, practicality, and circumstance.
For Jonalyn Dalanon of Masbate City, it was an unexpected opportunity that ultimately led her to national recognition.
At just 23 years old, Dalanon emerged as Top 1 in the October 2025 Fisheries Professional Licensure Examination (FPLE), earning an impressive rating of 91.25 percent.
A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Fisheries at Cebu Technological University–Carmen Campus, her achievement is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and purpose.
In an interview published by CDN Digital on October 23, Dalanon candidly shared that fisheries was never part of her original plan.
In fact, she admitted that it did not even rank among her top three preferred courses. During senior high school, she had little to no understanding of what the discipline entailed.
That changed when a scholarship opportunity from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) opened, and a teacher encouraged her to apply.
Coming from a financially challenged background and formerly a child beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Dalanon recognized the scholarship as a rare chance she could not afford to ignore.
What began as a practical decision gradually became a calling. Through her studies, she discovered that fisheries goes far beyond fishing. It covers aquaculture, capture fisheries, post-harvest processes, and the conservation of aquatic resources critical to food security and livelihoods.
“Fisheries is not merely about the notion of catching fish,” she explained.
Her journey to the top was far from easy. While preparing for the board exam, Dalanon balanced work and review, dedicating weekends and every spare moment to studying.
She also credited mentoring sessions under the Fisheries Development Network for sharpening her exam strategies.
Today, her message to Filipino youth is clear and heartfelt: forgive yourself when you fail, because failure simply means you are trying.
Congratulations, Jonalyn!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express