THREE Cebu graduates made it to the Top 10 of the recently concluded Mining Engineer Licensure Exams (Mele) conducted from Aug. 9 to 11, 2021.
The recent achievement of Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) graduates Hobbie Alonzo Capuyan, Artsheil Aldrene Gilig and Genevieve Langga, who placed second, fourth and seventh, respectively, lifted the spirits not only of the CIT-U community but of the entire Cebu amid this difficult time of the pandemic.
Capuyan had a rating of 88.10 percent, while Gilig and Langga had a rating of 87.75 percent and 87.15 percent, respectively.
Their achievements were recognized through a virtual ceremony and recognition hosted by the University on Saturday, Aug. 21.
CIT-U also garnered an overall passing rate of 79 percent, higher than the national passing rate of about 75 percent.
Capuyan, in a message he delivered virtually, emphasized that mental and emotional health are as important as physical health.
He also encouraged students and licensure exam takers to take good care of themselves especially this time of the pandemic.
Recalling his experience, he said if he did not look beyond his self doubts and just made his own fears get the best of him, he would not have topped the Mele.
“No dream is too far-fetched. That is what I always say to myself when I was still studying,” he said.
“If a man was able to do something that was thought to be impossible like going to the moon, maybe I can also do my own version of impossible like topping the board exam and so I dreamed. I made great effort. I prayed. I placed faith on myself and I took the exam and then I did it,” he said.
Gilig also encouraged students and licensure exam takers to “go the extra mile,” widen their scope, have enough rest and have faith in God and in themselves.
Being a topnotcher, he said, was something he never really expected, especially since the questions during the first and second day of the exams were far from what he expected.
“But it’s not all about working and studying hard until you passed out; rest is equally important,” he said.
He said doing all-nighters was not his “thing” because for him it is difficult to retain information when one is tired and sleepy.
Instead, he would sleep and wake up early to condition himself.
He said he also put in extra effort of covering more topics other than the ones provided by the examiners, which he said was, indeed, useful during the actual examination.
Langga, for her part, likened her journey to the transformation of a Phoenix (specifically referring to the pet of Albus Dumbledore, a character from the Harry Potter books and movies), which, she said, was reborn after “bursting into flames.”
“For a moment, all of our dreams and goals were put to a pause which crushed our spirits...but somehow, things are just arranged beyond our human understanding. After a year of postponement, we have finally conquered the board exam and at last we made it,” she said.
The three topnotchers also expressed their gratitude to God, to each of their families, loved ones, friends, mentors and supporters who were their inspiration in the journey.
Lawyer Corazon Evangelista-Valencia, CIT-U vice president for academic affairs, said the achievements of Capuyan, Gilig, Langga and the other board passers have inspired the CIT-U community that no amount of setbacks, not even the pandemic, can hold them back if they put in the effort.
She also congratulated the University’s Mining Engineering Department for consistently showing exemplary performance.
She said the Commission on Higher Education, during its 27th Founding Anniversary this year, gave CIT-U a certificate of commendation for being one of the top 10 performing higher education institutions in the country in the Professional Regulations Commission Licensure Examinations for Mining Engineers in 2017 and 2018.
Valencia said a great number of CIT-U’s graduates occupy top-tier positions in the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Valencia said CIT-U has produced 721 board exam topnotchers, of whom 84 were first placers.
Meanwhile, during the virtual recognition on Saturday, Capuyan, Gilig and Langga wore the Wildcats’ Cap, the CIT-U’s modern symbol of character and triumph.
Their names were virtually placed in the university’s Wall of Fame along with fellow topnotchers in past licensure examinations.
There was a virtual ceremonial turnover of checks for their monetary award.
Also present during the virtual recognition ceremony were CIT-U president Bernard Nicholas Villamor; John Gregory Escario, vice president for administration; and Dr. Evangeline Evangelista, dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture and concurrent chair of the Mining and Engineering Department. (WBS)