SOLVING math problems was more than a school subject for Rico Elao. It was a passion he discovered in Grade 1, a foundation that later led him to top the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination (Cele).
The 22-year-old from Barangay Guadalupe, Alegria in southwestern Cebu, ranked first nationwide with a rating of 94.10 percent in the March 2026 exam. A graduate of Cebu Technological University–Dumanjug Extension Campus (CTU-DEC), he tied with Marc Pasumbal of Mapua University–Manila, according to the results the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released on Tuesday, April 7.
Despite the achievement, Elao said he did not expect to land at the top, although he was confident he would pass after answering more than half of the test. He said he believed he would make it, but he found it hard to declare he would top the exam, keeping the goal to himself.
“But when it comes to topping (the exam), it’s hard to tell yourself that you’re sure you’ll be number one,” he said.
“If someone had asked me before, I wouldn’t have said I was aiming for it because I wasn’t sure — but after topping the exam, I now can admit that I really was,” he said.
He learned of his feat on the afternoon of April 7, when his older brother broke the news at their home. Elao said he jumped in disbelief.
Early math passion
Elao traced his journey back to his childhood, when he began enjoying problem-solving and earned recognition in mathematics during his elementary years.
“When I was in Grade 1, I already knew that I really liked this subject,” he said.
He recalled playing common Filipino games like marbles and rubber bands. He said one thing he was always sure of was his love for math, regardless of where he was.
“That’s the one thing I’m sure about myself — no matter where I am,” he said.
Competitions and challenges
While he finds math fulfilling, he said the subject is not always easy.
“It’s not always enjoyable. There are times when it’s really difficult, but once you understand it, it feels really good when you’re able to solve it,” he said.
He said not giving up on difficult problems helped him persevere through engineering school and board exam preparation.
Before topping the board, Elao had already made his mark in competitions. He won the Don Tomas Mapúa National Civil Engineering Quiz Show in 2024 and became the national civil engineering quizzer champion in 2025 in Manila.
Supportive family
Elao said his success came not just from hard work, but also from the support of the people around him.
He credited his sister for helping him continue his studies. She decided to enroll him at CTU-DEC, closer to her workplace in Barili, to save on costs. The eldest of six siblings, she is the first to graduate from college. Among those she supported, Elao — the fifth child — was able to finish his degree.
“I really persevered to finish,” he said.
Their parents, who are farmers in Alegria, would have struggled to support his education on their own.
“If it were just them, it would be really difficult,” he said.
Elao said mobile games once distracted him in high school and college. A turning point came in his second year when engineering department chairman John Renel Capillanes recognized his potential and encouraged him to focus.
“You have potential,” he recalled Capillanes telling him.
He then removed distractions, focused on his studies, and later graduated magna cum laude. Capillanes also helped him secure a scholarship at a review center, allowing him to prepare for the board exam as early as his second year without extra costs.
“That’s where it started,” Elao said, thanking the campus teachers and mentors who helped him.
Learning beyond limits
Elao adapted to the limited laboratory facilities on his campus by turning to online resources.
“If there’s something I don’t understand, I just watch it on YouTube,” he said. He noted, however, that hands-on learning is still different.
He recalled feeling both excitement and anxiety during the two-day exam. He slept for only about two hours before the first day, but he pushed through with preparation and discipline.
He said he did not aspire to study in big-city universities and was content studying anywhere. His success was not due to hard work alone, he said, crediting his teachers and thanking his parents and sister for their support.