By Dolly Yasa
Reyno Jison Abasolo, a 42-year-old teacher from Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, has topped the Special Professional Licensure Examination (SPLE) for Professional Teachers held in June 2024.
Abasolo ranked No. 1 in the secondary education category with a score of 90.60 percent, leading 399 passers out of 597 examinees.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results on Friday, June 27, 2025.
According to the PRC and the Board for Professional Teachers, 181 elementary teachers out of 325 examinees (55.69 percent) and 399 secondary teachers out of 597 (66.83 percent) passed the SPLE held June 8 in several international testing centers.
These centers included Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Doha, Qatar; Manama, Bahrain; Salmiya, Kuwait; Singapore; and Taipei, Taiwan.
Abasolo earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Management Accounting from Binalbagan Catholic College in March 2004.
He completed 27 education units at Central Philippine State University–Sipalay Campus in 2015.
He worked in human resources for nine years before beginning an international teaching career in 2017.
Since then, he has taught in Laos, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, and now Uzbekistan.
He currently teaches Grade 7 and 8 mathematics at the Presidential School of Uzbekistan.
Abasolo took the SPLE in Dubai.
He told the Daily Guardian that he postponed taking the board exams to pursue overseas employment, as his previous schools did not require a teaching license.
His parents, who both passed away, did not finish college but ran a small business to support their children’s education.
“They put premium on education. They made sure we get the best education they can give, given that we were poor,” he said.
Abasolo is the eldest of four siblings, all of whom are professionals—Dory Chris and Pamela are chemical engineers, and Aemon is a teacher.
After passing the SPLE, Abasolo said he has not yet decided whether to return to the Philippines to practice.
“For now, I am happily employed here. Maybe in the future, I can give back or find another venue to give back,” he said.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “And the hard work pays off. Indeed, if you put your heart and mind into something, you’ll achieve great things. Thank God for the wisdom.”
He dedicated his achievement to his late parents: “This is for Pops and Mom, to whom I made a promise that I will do my best to make them proud.”
Abasolo also thanked Gurong Pinoy for helping him prepare for what he called “the biggest exam of my life.”
Meanwhile, 5th District Rep. Atty. Dino Yulo announced that his office will award Abasolo a PHP100,000 cash incentive for his outstanding achievement.
Yulo said it is part of a standing program to reward top board passers from the 5th District of Negros Occidental.
