Five of the top 10 placers in this month’s national Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination were graduates of the University of Cebu.
An elated UC owner and president Augusto Go said this may mark the first time that a school had five topnotchers in one course.
“I was unable to sleep last night, Oh my God….that’s fantastic. God is so good”, Go said in a radio interview.
The result of the March 2012 licensure examination was released Monday evening.
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said only 650 out of 1,089 passed the examination.
UC College of Mechanical Engineering dean Engr. Benedict Banquil said only one out of 27 board takers from UC failed.
Richard Anoba Anore landed in fourth place with a 91.40 score followed by Cabrini Vicada Romarate in fifth place with a 91.05 score.
They were followed by sixth placer Katherine Noel Nadela with a 89.95 average, Jeffrey Semblante Olofernes at ninth with a 89.05 score and Jose Neil Aniban Salve at 10th place with an 89 score.
Of the five topnotchers Anore and Romarate were both natives of Poblacion Alcoy; while Nadela hails from Buhisan, Cebu City.
Salve also hails from Ticad, Bantayan town in Bantayan Island while Olofernes came from Camotes Island.
The 22-year-old Romarate, the seventh of nine children of tailor shop owners Roman and Silveria Romarate in Alcoy town, said he couldn’t describe his feelings after someone texted him that he was one of the topnotchers.
“I was shocked, I didn’t expect it,” Romarate said after checking the results online.
A working student, Romarate said he works at the UC labs in his free time.
Romarate credits his success to his mother Silveria who encouraged him to continue his studies.
“She said it’s the only inheritance that she and my father can leave to us their children,” Romarate said.
The 22-year-old Nadela, the third of five siblings said she was a scholar of the Children of Asia, an organization run by nuns, in her studies.
Nadela said the test was so difficult, she didn’t expect to be in the top 10.
Salve, the 25-year-old son and youngest of four children of a laborer in Bantayan said he would try to find work here or abroad to help his family.
Go said the five topnotchers could get a cash reward from the school.
But he said the amount will still be computed. Go said the results of the exam would warrant a celebration since it is a rare achievement.
He said UC had three topnotchers in the mechanical engineering course two years ago.
He credits the success to the school’s faculty and facilities and the enthusiasm of students to learn.
Go said he is also happy because most of the students of UC come from the middle class family.