NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.

San Antonio, Texas – Arlene G. Painagan of Carmen, Bohol, Chief Nursing Officer at Cedar Hills Behavioral Hospital, has been selected as one of the Best 25 Nurses in South Central Texas by the San Antonio Nursing Consortium.

The award recognized Painagan from among 700 nominees in Texas, USA.

In a Facebook post, Painagan, also a lawyer, expressed gratitude for the honor, which she described as holding “a value that surpasses any monetary award.”

“With 33 years of service as a Registered Nurse and a strong commitment to the nursing profession and community, I am thrilled to be recognized among the top 25 nurses,” Painagan wrote.

She dedicated the award to the skilled nursing staff and patients at Cedar Hills Behavioral Hospital, where she serves as CNO, and thanked hospital management for encouraging excellence in clinical practice.

The honor also carries a deeply personal importance for Painagan, a member of the Philippine Nurses Association of San Antonio (PNASA).

She noted that the recognition echoes the excellence of her two sons who are also nurses: Iam Alastaire, a Cardiac-ICU Nurse who recently received a Community Service Award of the Year, and Ace Aedrianne, a Trauma Nurse honored with a Rising Star Award of the Year.

Painagan added that she is excited for her other son, Sean Homer, who is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the United States next week.

“It’s because we strive for excellence in every endeavor,” she wrote. “Wherever we go, we aim to excel in whatever we do.”

The San Antonio Nursing Consortium’s annual awards spotlight outstanding nursing professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, clinical skill, and dedication to America’s health.