Poverty drove her to study hard till she topped the board exam

LAOAG CITY, Nov. 9 — Hardship in life is sometimes rewarded with big success. This was proven true by Noralyn Fernandez Sacoco, who put Ilocos Norte in the national limelight for topping the recent Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)-Elementary Level.

A BSEEd graduate of the Data Center College of the Philippines in this city, Sacoco’s 89.40 percent rating made her the topnotcher in the Professional Regulation Commission’s LET-Elementary Level exam last Aug. 17, 2014, the results of which came out last week.

Sacoco, the fifth among six children of a farmer and housewife from Barangay Nambaran, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, said prior to the exam, she prayed hard that Almighty God my help her pass the test in order to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. She reviewed her books and notes diligently but she did not expect to come out on top, she added.

“Our hardship in life pushed me to finish my college education because it is the only means, I thought, to help my parents uplift the financial status of our living,” said Noralyn, a scholar of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte.

Last Monday, Sacoco received a medal of excellence from Laoag City Mayor Chevylle Fariñas. Joining her to receive the citation was fellow top passer Ivy Dancel Rosete, No. 9 in the LET with a score of 87.60 percent rating.

Rosete, graduated from the Mariano Marcos State University- College of Education (MMSU) – Laoag City campus.

Both Sacoco and Rosete also received certificates of recognition from Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos in simple rites held at the provincial capitol here. (Freddie G. Lazaro)