These are truly unprecedented times.

The Physicians Licensure Exam (PLE) 2020 is being conducted in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic while two very strong typhoons, Rolly and Ulysses have ravaged the country, especially Luzon where three exam sites are situated. In the wake of these disasters, damage to infrastructures and heavy flooding have left a number of examinees struggling to study amidst the chaos. Not to mention that last night, November 13, 2020, the flood gates of Magat Dam in Ifugao were opened unleashing tons and tons of water, inundating downstream areas of Isabela and Cagayan, most notably Tuguegarao City, one of the exam sites for the PLE 2020. This has left exam takers there, along with others who are also affected from Rizal and Marikina, unable to proceed with the examination. They were also told to finish the remaining exams of the PLE in March 2021 instead, further delaying them another four months.

In the light of these, here we petition the Board of Medicine to postpone the Week 2 of PLE 2020 in one (1) or two (2) weeks to give time for the affected takers to recuperate, regroup and find ways to finish this board exam along every other board taker the country. We are appealing to your compassion to see to it that the 6 months worth of preparation these exam takers will not be put to waste. They have gone through enough duress in the past two nights to have their taking the exam tomorrow, November 15, added on top their worries for their survival. We are cognizant of the logistic problems this might pose. We, however, refuse to leave our colleagues behind in the aftermath of the worst typhoon to hit our country in years along with the worst level of flooding in recorded history of this country. For in medicine we are taught to extend compassion towards our patients and we believe our colleagues should be no exception.