BAGUIO CITY The failure of her father to take up his desired course in college, specifically criminology, which should have been his stepping stone to become a law enforcer was partially achieved by her passionate and well-rounded 19-year old daughter who landed in second place in the April 2015 Criminology Licensure Examination.
Nicole Atiwag Begnaen, a Bachelor of Science and Criminology graduate of the University of the Cordilleras, narrated her father, Eric Palangdao Begnaen, was decided to take the criminology course upon entering college but his father reportedly forced him to take up engineering for him to be in a better status of life considering that the engineering course was popular then in the early 1990s.
Ironically, the younger Begnaen told the Herald Express that her father failed to graduate from his course that was chosen by her grandfather because of the influence of friends who reportedly stopped going to school then.
Nicole’s mother also convinced her to take up engineering then but her desire to take up criminology which she decided while in high school prevailed until she graduated from her chosen course in September 2014.
“Placing second in the rigid criminology licensure examination was a surprise. I did not expect that I will be able to go that far because during the first two days of the exam, I already suffered depression due to fears that my answers to the questions were wrong based on our discussions with my classmates after each day,” Ms. Begnaen stressed.
She plans to take up the entrance examination of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), the producer of top police junior officers, in order to become a future police officer or enter the teaching profession considering that most of her former instructors are convincing her to teach.
“I will have to seriously weigh my options. I will also have to seek the proper advises to guide me on my future plans,” she said.
Begnaen was able to garner a rating of 90.05 and was 1.05 percent short of landing as the topnotcher of the examination which was held in different examination centers nationwide on April 7-9.
She expressed her gratitude to her parents for their all-out support to her in pursuit of his chosen filed of profession, her batchmates for their unwavering comfort to her when she was depressed while taking the examination and to her instructors and the UC administration for their overall support and the foundation that they have laid down for them during their stint in the institution.
When asked about her thoughts on the January 25 Mamasapano massacre where 44 PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commandos, 14 coming from the Cordillera, were murdered, Ms. Begnaen said it is one of the things that frustrate her because of the supposed misjudgment in tactical and operational decisions but it also serves as an inspiration for upcoming police officers to appropriately execute tactical plans and observe close coordination with other law enforcement agencies and the military.
She claimed she has no interest in entering the military but what she plans to pursue is try her luck in PNPA.
Dr. Ariel Pumecha, Dean of the UC College of Criminal Justice Education, described Nicole to be studious, passionate and active in student organizati9ons and extra-curricular activities inside and outside the university.
“Our graduates gave their best in the recent licensure examination that is why UC was able to retain its title as the top criminology school in the country,” Pumecha stressed.
Upon entering the College of Criminal Justice Education, Pumecha aid the potentials of the students are gauged, assessed and evaluated through a series of tests to allow their instructors to work on their weaknesses, pound on their strengths and capitalize on their opportunities for them to be molded as well-rounded professionals in the future once they are expose to real life.
UC was able to achieve a 100 percent passing rate with all of its examinees successfully passing the examination, adding another feather on the institution’s cap as the top criminology school for 36 times with 34 times having a 100 percent passing rate.
