Lipa City, Batangas – September 16, 2025. With increasing and highly complex social and economic problems, a group of professionals perform the special task of strengthening the Filipino community. Such professionals are called social workers.
Social work received formal recognition as a profession in the country with the enactment on June 19, 1965 of Republic Act No. 4373, also known as the “Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for Other Purposes.” Under the law, social work practitioners were required to have an academic degree in social work and to pass licensure examinations. The Board of Examiners for Social Work was created in 1965, composed of a Chair and four members, appointed by the President of the Philippines, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.
Nearly six decades later, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) continues to uphold this mandate by conducting licensure examinations for aspiring social workers. This year, the PRC announced that 7,334 out of 9,647 examinees successfully passed the September 2025 Licensure Examination for Social Workers, reflecting a national passing rate of 76.02 percent. Among the successful candidates, the University of Batangas Lipa City (UBLC) proudly attained a 100 percent passing rate for its first-time takers, underscoring the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and professional readiness.
The results were released on September 16, 2025, just three working days after the last examination day, highlighting the swift and efficient process of the PRC. The licensure examination was administered by the Board for Social Workers, composed of Chairperson Hon. Evangeline M. Guinto and Members Hon. Fe J. Sinsona, Hon. Maria Lyra T. Del Castillo, Hon. Vincent Andrew T. Leyson, and Hon. Jerusa C. Arnante-Homo. Exams were held across 18 testing centers nationwide.
From UBLC, Batch 2025 first-takers Kristine Joy Pagunsan and Jasmin Villanueva successfully earned their licenses, marking a significant milestone for the institution’s Social Work program. Their achievement contributes to the university’s consistent track record of producing competent professionals who embody excellence and service in their respective fields.
The University of Batangas Lipa City commends its new social workers for their dedication and perseverance, reflecting the university’s mission of nurturing graduates who are academically proficient and socially responsible. This milestone once again affirms UBLC’s reputation as a leading institution in Batangas, committed to empowering its students to thrive in their chosen professions.