NAPOLCOM PNPE cheat sheet

Analogies: identify the relationship type (synonym, antonym, part-to-whole, cause-effect, function, degree) before choosing an answer.

For synonym/antonym items, eliminate choices that are too broad or too narrow; the correct answer matches the exact sense of the stem word.

Sentence completion: use the context clues (contrast words like 'although', 'despite'; continuation words like 'and', 'moreover') to predict the missing word before looking at choices.

Word meaning: a word's connotation (positive, negative, neutral) can determine the correct answer even when definitions are close.

Reading comprehension: the main idea is often stated in the first or last sentence of a paragraph; supporting details answer who/what/when/where/why.

Inference questions: the correct answer must be logically supported by the passage, not merely plausible in real life.

Grammar: subject-verb agreement-singular subjects take singular verbs; ignore prepositional phrases between them.

Pronoun reference: a pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender; ambiguous reference is an error.

Vocabulary building: learn common prefixes (pre-, post-, anti-, sub-) and suffixes (-able, -tion, -ous) to decode unfamiliar words.

Percentage: part = rate × base; to find the rate, divide the part by the base and multiply by 100.

Percentage increase/decrease = (new − old) ÷ old × 100; a 20% increase followed by a 20% decrease does not return to the original value.

Ratio and proportion: if a:b = c:d, then ad = bc; scale drawings use the same principle.

Average (mean) = sum of values ÷ number of values; to find a missing value, use sum = mean × count.

Work problems: if A can do a job in x days and B in y days, together they finish in xy/(x+y) days.

Distance = rate × time; for opposite directions add speeds, for same direction subtract speeds.

Simple interest: I = P × r × t; compound interest: A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt).

Number series: check differences, ratios, squares, cubes, or alternating patterns before assuming a single rule.

Geometry: area of triangle = ½ × base × height; circumference = 2πr; area of circle = πr².

Syllogism: if All A are B and All B are C, then All A are C (valid); if All A are B and Some B are C, no definite conclusion about A and C.

Contrapositive: 'If P then Q' is equivalent to 'If not Q then not P'; the converse ('If Q then P') is not equivalent.

Assumption questions: the correct answer is a necessary unstated premise; negate it to test-if the argument falls apart, it is the assumption.

Strengthen/weaken questions: identify the conclusion and evidence; the answer affects the link between them.

Cause-and-effect: correlation does not imply causation; alternative explanations weaken a causal claim.

Logical ordering: arrange events by time or size using the most restrictive clue first.

Deductive vs inductive: deduction moves from general to specific (certain), induction from specific to general (probable).

Either/or fallacy: assuming only two options exist when others are possible; the correct answer often introduces a third possibility.

Conditional chain: A → B, B → C, therefore A → C; a chain can be extended only in the direction of the arrows.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,641 islands (2016 estimate) located in Southeast Asia, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east.

The three main island groups are Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the capital is Manila, while the largest city by population is Quezon City.

The Philippine government has three branches: executive (President), legislative (Congress), and judicial (courts).

The official languages are Filipino and English; there are over 170 regional languages.

The Philippine peso (₱) is the currency; the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is the central monetary authority.

The Philippines is a member of ASEAN, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization.

Basic science: water boils at 100°C at sea level; the human body has 206 bones; photosynthesis uses CO₂ and water to produce glucose and oxygen.

The national symbols include the Philippine eagle (national bird), sampaguita (national flower), and narra (national tree).

The 2022 Philippine national elections elected Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as President and Sara Duterte as Vice President; they took office on June 30, 2022.

The Philippines hosted the 30th ASEAN Summit in 2017 and continues to engage in South China Sea/West Philippine Sea disputes under international law.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (2018) created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to replace the ARMM.

The Philippines' COVID-19 vaccination program began in March 2021; the state of public health emergency was lifted in July 2023.

The 2023 Philippine GDP growth was about 5.6%, driven by services and household consumption.

The Philippines and the United States continue to implement the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with additional sites designated in 2023.

The Maharlika Investment Fund was signed into law in July 2023 to create a sovereign wealth fund.

The Philippines assumed the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 (following Laos in 2024 and Malaysia in 2025).

1521: Ferdinand Magellan reached the Philippines and was killed in the Battle of Mactan by Lapu-Lapu's forces.

1565: Miguel López de Legazpi established the first Spanish settlement in Cebu, beginning colonial rule.

1872: The Cavite Mutiny led to the execution of priests Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (GomBurZa).

1892: José Rizal founded La Liga Filipina and was exiled to Dapitan; Andrés Bonifacio founded the Katipunan.

1896: The Philippine Revolution began; Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896.

June 12, 1898: Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite.

1899: The Malolos Constitution established the First Philippine Republic; the Philippine-American War began.

1946: The Philippines gained independence from the United States on July 4; the 1987 Constitution was ratified on February 2, 1987.

The President is the head of state and government, commander-in-chief, and is elected to a single six-year term.

The Vice President is elected separately and may serve two consecutive six-year terms; the VP is not automatically a member of the Cabinet.

Congress is bicameral: the Senate (24 senators, six-year terms, maximum two consecutive) and the House of Representatives (not more than 250 members, three-year terms, maximum three consecutive).

The Supreme Court is composed of a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices; they are appointed by the President from a list by the Judicial and Bar Council.

Local government units are provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays; the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) governs them.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is a constitutional commission that administers elections; it has a Chairman and six Commissioners.

The Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit are independent constitutional bodies that guard against graft and ensure fiscal responsibility.

The party-list system reserves 20% of House seats for marginalized sectors, elected through a nationwide vote.

The 1987 Constitution has 18 articles; Article I is the National Territory, Article II is the Declaration of Principles and State Policies.

Article III is the Bill of Rights, guaranteeing due process, equal protection, freedom of speech, and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Article VI vests legislative power in Congress; Article VII vests executive power in the President; Article VIII vests judicial power in the courts.

Article IX establishes the Constitutional Commissions: Civil Service, Commission on Elections, and Commission on Audit.

Article X covers local government; Article XI is Accountability of Public Officers; Article XII is National Economy and Patrimony.

Article XIV mandates free public elementary and secondary education and protects academic freedom.

The Constitution may be amended by a constituent assembly (Congress), a constitutional convention, or a people's initiative (signatures of at least 12% of registered voters, with 3% in each legislative district).

The Bill of Rights protects against ex post facto laws and bills of attainder; the writ of habeas corpus may be suspended only in cases of invasion or rebellion.