98.75% ba talaga ang rating ni Top 1 sa PLE March 2026?
PRC recently revealed that the PLE topnotcher whose name was initially withheld is Dr. Erwin Ken Parchaso. But there's a lot of chismis, speculations, and possibly misinformation floating around that I hope would be addressed:
# 1) Ano ba talaga rating nya? What's the **SOURCE** of accounts who claim to know Dr. Parchaso's rating?
As of writing (April 20, 2026), the PRC has NOT released any OFFICIAL announcement showing Dr. Parchaso's rating.
And yet, you see accounts across various social media platforms claiming to know his rating without providing where they obtained that information from.
• Reddit: Comments from 11 days ago making similar yet inconsistent claims that the Top 1 scored **"98%"**, **"98.5%"**, and **"98.75%"**, respectively (refer to screenshots).
• Facebook: An information/entertainment page named Pinoy History claimed that the Top 1 had an "almost flawless rating."
Note that this page has over 2 MILLION FOLLOWERS, with their post garnering thousands of reacts and hundreds of comments and shares. No source for the rating was provided, yet it was presented as a FACT.
Link to the post: Pinoy History post
https://www.facebook.com/share/1P8vcP6Qvs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
(or refer to screenshots)
• Twitter / X: A sports fan account has reiterated the claim that the Top 1 gained a **"98.75%"** rating. This tweet has reached 300,000+ views, thousands of likes, and hundreds of retweets.
Link to the tweet: Tweet about PLE Top 1's ratings (or refer to screenshots)
https://x.com/baby_lavia/status/2046096297225306155?s=46
There's nothing wrong with chismis. My problem is that **these speculations are being spread around HUNDRED THOUSANDS of people as though they were VERIFIED or OFFICIAL FACTUAL information even if they are NOT**.
At least not yet, unless PRC releases an official announcement of Top 1's ratings.
# 2) First-time taker ba sya or retaker? And if retaker nga, did he fail in his previous attempts or did he simply not show up during the previous exam/s?
This is easier to determine. A tweet claimed that Dr. Parchaso is a first-time taker, citing that this information comes from personally knowing the doctor's wife (refer to screenshot or this link: Tweet claiming Top 1 is a first-time taker)
https://x.com/blfandesu/status/2046136196901097774?s=46
However, a reddit account makes the opposite claim, saying that Dr. Parchaso is a retaker on the basis that **his name appeared on the "October 2024, March 2025, and March 2026" PLE room assignments in Baguio City** (refer to screenshots). Fortunately, these room assignment documents can be viewed through the PRC's official website.
**Upon verification through the official PRC website, Dr. Parchaso's name appeared 3 times in the PLE Room Assignments (Baguio): October 2024, March 2025, and March 2026.**
October 2024 PLE Room Assignments
March 2025 PLE Room Assignments
March 2026 PLE Room Assignments
https://www.prc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2%20WEBSITE%20RA-PHYSICIAN_Baguio_3-2026_watermark.pdf
The aspect left unanswered is if he has indeed failed his first 2 attempts, or if he simply did a "no show" where he did not attend 1 or both of his previous test-taking dates.
# 3) What was the reason why PRC initially withheld his name?
Here's another reason why I dislike believing details from chismis or anonymous, unverified sources. Two weeks ago, when we first saw the "[NAME WITHHELD]" label in the PLE topnotcher list, many speculated that the reason was that this test-taker cheated.
The fact that the test-taker has now been officially considered a doctor by the PRC debunks those previous claims.
But why was his name withheld in the first place? Was it because PRC needed extra verification on the taker's status as a retaker? Because his rating was exceptionally high as what many are claiming? Or some other reason?
**For the sake of Dr. Parchaso's peace of mind (as well as to quell everyone else's speculations and inform future test takers), the PRC should make an official statement stating why the Top 1's name was initially withheld.**
I hope we can be more mindful of what we share online. If galing sa unverified source ang information natin, or gusto natin magshare ng isang bagay na galing sa chismis lang, please **emphasize to others that such information is UNVERIFIED and UNOFFICIAL**.
May we also correct others who have incorrectly believed and are treating such speculations to be facts. Especially those content creators who are mindlessly passing off chismis as facts for the sake of engagements.