Like thousands of other takers across the country, 22-year-old Royce Arjan Fantillan was anxiously waiting for the results of the April 2026 Pharmacists Licensure Examination.

While casually scrolling through social media to pass the time and calm his nerves on Wednesday afternoon, April 22, notifications suddenly popped up. The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results of the board exam.

“I opened Messenger and saw our group chat blowing up with messages. Then I saw a picture of the list of topnotchers,” Fantillan recalled.

In disbelief, the fresh graduate from the University of San Agustin (USA) in Iloilo City went straight to the official PRC announcements to double-check.

Fantillan saw his name on the list of Top 10 examinees. He secured the top spot with a stellar 94.65 percent rating.

“To be honest, it was overwhelming. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it, but when it finally sank in, I immediately hugged my parents. They were the very first people I wanted to know,” he shared.

The ‘unlikely’ topnotcher

What makes Fantillan’s feat so relatable is his candid admission: he doesn’t consider himself to be naturally studious.

“I get easily distracted,” Fantillan confessed. “It’s hard when you’re not inherently a studious person; it’s difficult to force yourself to learn. But once I get started, especially when I know the exam date is fast approaching, that’s when I really go all out and study intensely.”

Like many examinees, Fantillan wrestled with the sheer volume of concepts he needed to catch up on. Yet, he found his rhythm not in the quiet isolation of his room, but through the vibrant cafe culture of Iloilo.

“I couldn’t study well inside the house. I preferred going out, finding a new environment in coffee shops with good ambiance,” he said.

Fantillan, who hails from Poblacion West in Oton, Iloilo, credited his support system as his true secret weapon.

“The secret is really studying hard, but what pushed me to top the exam were my friends who studied with me, and my family who gave me the support, time, and space I needed,” he said.

Though he played coy about his goals, Fantillan harbored a quiet ambition. After topping their comprehensive exams in the university and consistently ranking high in his review center, a seed was planted.

“I was in denial, but deep inside, I really targeted the top spot. I set an expectation for myself that if I could do it in SanAg (USA), I could conquer the board exam too. I expected to be in the top ten, but I didn’t expect to be Number 1,” he revealed.

The grueling two-day exam held on April 18 and 19 tested his limits.

“It was hard. The questions were very new, and it relied heavily on testmanship,” he said.

Fantillan dedicated this monumental milestone to his family. With a retired seaman father as the sole breadwinner, he described their life as a modest, middle-class existence. His parents’ unwavering support allowed him to focus entirely on his dreams.

His alma mater, USA, also emerged as the only top performing school with more than 100 takers in the board exam, registering an impressive 82.43 percent passing rate (122 passers out of 148 examinees).

So, what’s next for the nation’s top pharmacist?

“I think I deserve to relax and go on a vacation for a few months before I look for a job,” Fantillan said with a smile on his face.

Eschewing the traditional route of community pharmacy, Fantillan has a different vision for his career.

“I want to join the academe; that’s my preferred career path. And who knows, I might study medicine, too,” he said.

Through the grace of God, the backing of a loving family, and countless cups of coffee, Fantillan didn’t just pass the test—he conquered it, proving that with the right environment and a strong support system, even a self-proclaimed “unstudious” student can rise to the very top.IMT