Maging isang fashion designer o interior designer ang pangarap ni Hannah Katrice B. Blastique, 23, ng Cavinti, Laguna.
Pero dahil aniya sa “practical reason,” ang pinili niyang course sa De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute ay Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Nagtapos siya noong June 28, 2024.
At naging Top 7 sa May 2025 Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination with a rating of 88.60 percent.
Nakapanayam si Hannah ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) last May 23 via Facebook Messenger.
Kuwento niya, pangalawa siya sa tatlong magkakapatid.
“Engineer po ang tatay ko, pero kapag wala po siyang project o job offers sa abroad, pagsasaka o paghahayupan gaya ng manok, baboy, at baka po ang pinagkakaabalahan niya bilang pandagdag kita po.
“Ang nanay ko po ay may sari sari-store at tindahan ng mga gamit po sa probinsiya namin.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE ALMOST ENROLLED IN AN ART SCHOOL
Pagtatapat ni Hannah: “Nursing was never my first choice.
“I originally wanted to pursue something in the arts—fashion design or interior design, anything that allowed me to express my creativity.
“I even applied to SoFA Design Institute, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, and iAcademy.
“I was close to enrolling, but in the end, I had to let go of that dream for practical reasons.”
Ang kanyang naging katwiran, “Choosing nursing felt like the more secure path, especially in a country where stability often outweighs passion.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE IS ALSO AN ONLINE SELLER, BUT…
Pagbabahagi ni Hannah, isang kakaibang challenge ang naranasan niya sa college.
“I have been an online seller since I was 18. Me and my sister run a small online business and relies mostly on live selling.
“Ironically, one of my lowest grades was in Entrepreneurship! I got a 75 during our midterms.”
Bakit?
“It wasn’t because I didn’t understand the subject, but because of one missed group submission that happened to fall during Holy Week.
“There were a lot of miscommunications within our group and the section.
“That single moment struck me and it stung–especially because it felt like my real-life experience wasn’t enough.”
Nakatulong sa kanya ang pamilya, mga kaibigan, at boyfriend para ma-survive niya ang buhay-college.
“But more than anything, my faith gave me strength and hope during the hardest times.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE’S PAINFUL MEMORY IN COLLEGE
Aminado si Hannah na gaano man katibay ang isang tao, laging may pagsubok na yayanig sa taglay na katatagan.
“It’s easy to assume that pain transforms into power. But that’s not always the case.
“It can break you then build you or break you alone. The latter almost got me.”
Nangyari ito sa kanya during her clinical graduation kung saan iaanunsiyo ang Top 10 students sa batch.
Aniya, walang nakaaalam kung sinu-sino ang nasa Top 10.
“A surprise, as they say.
“I still remember that day vividly. My family traveled all the way from our province to Dasmariñas. They wore their best outfits, proud and excited to see me recognized on stage.”
Excited din si Hannah at may maganda siyang dahilan kung bakit.
“I had the second highest GWA [General Weighted Average] of our batch and it’s safe to assume to be part of the top 10 of the batch."
Pero taliwas sa expectations niya ang nangyari.
“When the names were called, mine wasn’t one of them.
“My heart dropped the moment they announced the 11th name in place of the 10th. Then 9th…8th…
“My heart is racing, head aching, body shaking, and eyes are bawling.”
Nang hindi matawag ang kanyang pangalan: “I was stuck in a sea of graduates, frozen. I couldn’t move. I felt helpless. I felt betrayed.
“While everyone was happy celebrating their moments of win, parents shouting to their hearts with joy, mine was heartbroken.
“No one informed me of any changes. I was blindsided.”
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Kung sa iba, ang recognition ay isa lang medalya, certificate, o saglit na pag-akyat sa entablado.
Para kay Hannah: “It was more than that—it was the tangible proof of everything I had poured into the past four years.
“It represented my perseverance, my sacrifices, and the battles I silently fought just to keep going.
“It was something I earned with every ounce of strength I had.”
Kaya napakasakit para sa kanya na sa mismong araw ng kanilang clinical graduation ay hindi natawag ang kanyang pangalan.
“What hurt the most wasn’t just the absence of my name– it was the silence that surrounded it.
“I didn’t know. My family didn’t know.
“We stood there, hopeful and proud, waiting for a moment that never came.
“That silence shattered me.”
Umuwi ang pamilya ni Hannah sa kanilang tahanan na sobrang lungkot.
“My family carrying confusion and heartbreak, and me carrying something heavier: silence, shame, and unanswered questions.”
Pag-amin ni Hannah, hanggang ngayon, “I still carry the weight of that day.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE'S FAMILY SEEKS EXPLANATION
Humingi ang pamilya ni Hannah ng paliwanag sa kanyang kolehiyo.
“A meeting with my tatay and Ate was set up in August of 2024.
“And there, it was confirmed that it was a decision based on something I wish not to disclose but was confirmed not to be based on anything, not even our handbook.
“It was, as they said, a judgment call.”
Pagbibigay-diin ni Hannah: “I respect our institution, and this is not to stain the college’s name, whom I deeply care about.
“I am just here to tell my story.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE SKIPS NOVEMBER 2024 BOARD EXAM
Lalo lang nasaktan si Hannah matapos ang meeting.
“At that time, I had already paid for my dormitory, enrolled in a review center, and was preparing for the November 2024 Philippine Nurses Licensure Exam.
“After the graduation incident, I couldn’t bring myself to study anymore. I became numb.
“My drive was gone. I couldn’t sleep, it was hard to wake up, and I couldn't feel joy.”
Pinilit ni Hannah na magpakatatag dahil ayaw niyang malungkot ang kanyang my parents.
“But this time, I can’t push through anymore.
“So, I made a difficult decision. I withdrew from the November 2024 PNLE.
“I needed time to grieve, to breathe, to heal.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE GETS SERIOUSLY ILL
Mula August 2024 hanggang January 2025, namalagi si Hannah sa kanilang tahanan para mag-focus sa kanyang mental health.
“Eventually, I re-enrolled in a review center, but this time chose a fully online setup.
“It was risky—I had doubts. But looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made for myself.”
Pero may isa pa pala siyang kakaharaping pagsubok noong nasa final stretch na siya ng pagre-review.
“Unfortunately, in the last month before the board exams, I fell ill.
“I was in and out of the hospital for over a month.
“It started with food poisoning, followed by stress-induced irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), then flu, a urinary tract infection, and an incidental discovery of a 1.7x1.6 cm renal cyst.
“Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, I was diagnosed with dengue with warning signs—I was urinating blood and my nose was bleeding.
“My heart rate beats up to 140 bpm and my temperature does not stabilize despite aggressive treatment.”
Dagdag pa rito, “I had an excruciating lower back pain unrelieved by pain relievers.”
Noong una ay inakalang may kidney stones siya dahil sa kanyang clinical symptoms.
“I underwent a series of lab tests, including a CT stonogram, to rule out other possible conditions.
“But when the results came out, everything was negative.”
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HANNAH KATRICE BLASTIQUE FALLS ILL WHILE PREPARING FOR BOARD EXAM
Dapat ay napayapa na ang kalooban ni Hannah dahil negatibo siya sa kidney stones, pero hindi pa rin.
“Instead, my doctor told me I might be experiencing a ‘fever of unknown origin.’
“And that terrified me even more!
“There’s a different kind of fear that settles in when not even the doctors or the diagnostic tests can tell you what’s wrong.”
Ani Hannah, ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataong natakot siya para sa sariling buhay.
“It felt like my body was slowly shutting down, and no one could explain why—all of this, on top of my anxiety on the nearing board exams.
“In an effort to get answers, my doctor ordered more tests.”
Nang lumabas ang resulta: “I tested positive for dengue.
“On April 29, just six days before the PNLE, my white blood cell count dropped to 1.85, alarmingly low.
“My parents, seeing me so weak and vulnerable, asked if I still wanted to push through with the exam.
“Without hesitation, I said yes.”
Sambit ni Hannah: “Even in those darkest days—when I could barely eat, sleep, or study, I held on to one goal: to do justice for myself by enduring it all because I know that no one else will but me and myself alone.”
Dahil sa kanyang kalagayan, apektado ang daily activities niya.
“I missed several final coaching sessions. I took two out of three pre-board exams while sick, one of them while confined in a hospital bed.”
Gayunpaman, isang magandang pangyayari ang naganap.
“It wasn’t until May 1, just four days before the board exam, that my WBCs started to increase, therefore, I was officially able to fight off dengue.”
Nang araw na iyon, pagkauwi niya sa kanilang bahay: “I broke down in prayer.
“I cried to the Lord and surrendered everything to Him. I had nothing left but faith.”
Ibinahagi rin niya ang napagdaanan sa pagre-review dahil sa kanyang kondisyon.
“Unlike others, I wasn’t able to answer 300 to 500 questions a day and increase up to ten-fold the intensity level of studying during the last month of review.
“Instead, mine revolved around medications, rest, and healing.
“After everything that had happened, I didn’t expect to make it. I was simply praying to pass.
“But by God's grace, I didn’t just pass. I became one of the topnotchers in the May 2025 PNLE.”
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HANNAH KATRICE ON BOARD EXAM RESULT
Pero nagpatuloy ang health struggles ni Hannah nung actual board exam.
“It was because I had a hard time focusing. I have struggled with insomnia since late 2023, and I have been trying all measures to correct it since January.”
Hindi niya naresolba ang kanyang insomnia.
“During my first day of exams, I had zero sleep.”
Isang matunog na “Yes!” naman ang sagot ni Hannah nang tanungin kung nangarap siyang maging topnotcher.
Kaya nang lumabas ang resulta at isa nga siya sa mga nanguna: “I felt a mix of overwhelming gratitude, relief, and happiness.
“It was proof that all the pain, sacrifices, and struggles I had to overcome were not in vain.
“More than the recognition itself, it was a confirmation that despite the setbacks and challenges, I was still capable of achieving my goals.
“When I got home, I cried.
“Looking back, I never thought I’d come this far as I have almost given up on myself.”
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Inialay ni Hannah ang tagumpay sa Panginoon, sa kanyang pamilya, at sa mga taong lantay ang naging pagtulong sa kanya, “Especially when I hit rock bottom.”
Sa ngayon naka-focus siya sa recalibrating and strengthening ng kanyang body.
“After my oath-taking, I plan to fully concentrate on building my nursing career.”
Ito naman ang mga payo ni Hannah sa mga gustong maging nurse at sa lahat ng may goal sa buhay: “Failure will come, it is inherent to us.
“But make sure it happens for the right reasons, so it becomes a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.
“The challenges you face are not setbacks; they are the very fire that will build your strength and character.
“Surround yourself with people who believe in you, but more importantly, believe in yourself and trust the journey, even when it’s painful.”
Aniya, dapat na gawin ito kahit may mga pagdududa at kahit pa may pain.
“Success isn’t about never falling. It’s about rising every single time you do stronger and more determined than before.”
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