MANILA, Philippines – KZ Tandingan is one proud daughter, as she shared that her Mother, Marites Lobrigas Tandingan, is officially a registered nurse on Wednesday, November 30.
| Marites Lobrigas Tandingan, KZ’s Tandingan’s mom, passes the NLE at age 56 | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ KZ Tandingan |
On Facebook, the celebrity singer shared a long post about her mother’s journey to achieving her dream. She shared that her mother, Mommy Tess, is actually a licensed midwife and became a clinical instructor. When her mother fell in love, married, and eventually had her first child, she had to balance her career and role as a mother.
Working on her career as their family grew was no easy task. So, Mommy Tess decided to choose their family over her career. KZ shared, “She attempted to balance being a mom and working, but in the end, she made the decision to abandon the career she had fought so hard to achieve in order to concentrate on caring for her children.”
When KZ and her sister were already big enough, Mommy Tess decided to enroll and pursue nursing. However, she got pregnant again with KZ’s brother. But instead of giving up, the determined mother enrolled in a university with a flexible schedule, so she could continue.
Through the hardships, Mommy Tess continued to attend classes until finally, when KZ’s younger brother turned 3 years old, their mother graduated and received her nursing diploma.
But the end was still far because she still had to pass the Nursing Licensure Exam (NLE). At age 43 or 44 years old, KZ’s mother took the NLE and failed.
She wrote, “At 43 or 44 yrs old, she tried taking the NLE without a proper review because there was just too much on her plate, and sadly she didn’t pass. She was so heartbroken that she thought maybe she’s too old or that she didn’t have what it took anymore.”
Finally, more than 10 years since she took her first NLE and at the age 56 years old, KZ’s mom took the NLE another shot.
KZ shared, “She confined herself to her and my dad’s bedroom for almost six months and reviewed for the exam in secret. Only the family knew about it because she didn’t want people to be disappointed just in case she didn’t pass it again. She would study so hard that she’d fall asleep while reading her books and sometimes forget to take a break to eat.”
After taking the exam, she collapsed in the arms of KZ’s father, worried that she would fail again at achieving her dream.
Finally, the November 2022 results came out early Wednesday. KZ proudly shared that her mom finally achieved her hard-earned nursing license. She finally passed the NLE.
She wrote, “Today, 18 days after, the results came out, and I’m so proud to share that my mom, 56 yrs old, MARITES LOBRIGAS TANDINGAN is now a REGISTERED NURSE.”
LONG POST AHEAD BUT DEFINITELY WORTH THE READ! ❤️ ------------------ At the age of 18, my mother obtained her license...
Posted by KZ Tandingan on Wednesday, November 30, 2022
KZ wrote a heartwarming message to her mother, thanking her for her sacrifices but also for being an inspiration. She wrote, “Mommy, I can’t thank you enough for loving us so much that you sacrificed your career just to make sure we had the best future. Today, is a reminder that God sees everything and that He rewards His children in His perfect time. Congratulations Mommy Tess! I’m so proud of you. I love you.”
— Sally, The Summit Express
