THE University of Cebu (UC) has achieved what no other higher education institution has, whether here on our shores or abroad, in the history of naval architecture and marine engineering.
My use of hyperbole, in this case, is justifiable because it aptly describes the historical feat.
After all, to use the words of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, “producing one or two topnotchers may be considered a fluke, but having a clean sweep is on a different level.”
To those who still don’t know what I’m gushing about, 12 UC graduates took the top 10 spots in the 2017 Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering board exam.
Clinching the no. 1 spot with an overall rating of 89.90 percent is Barangay Lipata, Minglanilla resident Jayvie Albarando.
He told SunStar Cebu’s Justin K. Vestil that he had to give up binge drinking with his friends and computer games for almost a year so he could concentrate on the review.
He was followed by Randolph Tabernero. The 21-year-old native of Liloan taught as a part-time instructor in his alma mater while preparing for the exams.
To round up the top 8 are Reanne Mangubat and Lyndon Hanz Pernites (3), Vince Alex Villahermosa (4), Lendon Arcillas (5), Jochelle Tumulak (6), Brylle Enad (7), KC Rare Emnace (8), Christakhis Nino Nodalo (9) and Kit Boniefel Bontor and Charisse Ivy Talle (10).
UC president Augusto Go admitted that the news stunned him.
“I am very much surprised just like anybody else nga all the top 10 are from one school. I have been a president in this university for the last 53 years, this is the first time that it happened,” Go said.
The school has decided to set aside its tradition of giving out cars to topnotchers, opting instead to hand out cash incentives to the 12 topnotchers.
Go explained that majority of their naval architecture and marine engineering students are scholars of foreign shipping firms that hire them upon graduation.
Still, if UC graduates continue to dominate, no, make that hog the top 10 results of future Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering board exams, it might consider going into car dealership.
Osmeña, too, announced that registered voters of Cebu City who made it to the top 10 will receive cash incentives from the City Government.
That automatically rules out Albarando, Tabernero and Tumulak, who is a resident of Lapu-Lapu City, but I don’t know about the others.
Under the City’s Topnotcher Incentive Ordinance, those who rank first in board exams will get P50,000; second to fifth, P25,000; sixth to 10th, P15,000.
Once again, my hats off to the school and its graduates.