Top 3 finish for CSC in Nov. 2011 Civil Engineering Board Exam

Top 3 finishers for Catanduanes State University – (Top) BENJIE T. PANTINO, (Bottom Left) BENJAMES T. GO and (Bottom Right) JERWIN L. RENDON sweep top 3 positions in the November 2011 Licensure Examination for Civil Engineers.

VIRAC, Catanduanes (Nov 27, 2011) - They all share lots of common denominators aside  from having almost similar sounding names.  And these parallelisms must be the lucky charms that catapulted them to the top.

Benjie T. Pantino, Benjames T. Go, and Jerwin DL. Rendon made another resounding history for the Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC) when they snared the Top 1-2-3 ranks in the November 2011 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Benjie earned a rating of 98.05%, Benjames got a score of 97.35% and Jerwin obtained a rating of 97%.  They all hail from the capital town of Virac, had been the CSC’s award-winning contestants in several regional and national CE quizzes and were consistent dean’s listers.  Most of all, they are their hardworking parents’ dutiful sons.

Topnotcher Benjie, who is from Marilima, Virac, is a son of a farmer and housekeeper.  He graduated valedictorian at Magnesia Elementary School and Magnesia National High School. 

Second placer Benjames finished his elementary education at Virac Pilot Elementary School as Salutatorian and his secondary education as 7th Honorable Mention at Catanduanes National High School.  His father works as foreman and his mother is a housekeeper.

Third in rank Jerwin finished his elementary education at Pajo Baguio Elementary School as Valedictorian. His father is a tricycle driver and his mother is a housekeeper.

“Mga maorag talaga ang mga professors mi,”  (Our professors are indeed excellent), he said.  He also affirmed the potency of their teachers’ approach in further distilling their lessons for better understanding through multi-lingual instruction.

“I never thought I will top the exam.  The test was somewhat easy but very tricky for me.  And it took some time before it sank in on me that I topped the test, Benjie added.

Euphoria engulfed CSC students, employees and alumni as news started spreading early evening of November 23 in social networking sites and all proclaiming the unparalleled grand slam of Catanduanes State Colleges in the CE board exam. 

Dr. Minerva I. Morales, SUC President III of Catanduanes State Colleges, commended the Department of Engineering for consistently producing board topnotchers.  “It is a concrete measure of quality instruction.  We salute the faculty members.  However, with the Top 1 to 3, and considering their economic status, it also proved that ‘flowers can indeed bloom amidst thorns.’  Out students bloomed where they were planted, watered and cared by the mentors at CSC.  With God’s grace, the harvest was bountiful,” she said.

This feat brings to 24 the number of topnotchers produced by the Catanduanes State Colleges in the Civil Engineer and Junior Geodetic Engineer Licensure Examinations. Just mid this year, Ramon O. Gonzales, son of abaca farmer from Viga, Catanduanes, placed fifth in the May 2011 CE board exam.

Pantino’s achievement is also the third time CSC has produced a First Placer.  Ruben T. Quintal, the second CSC graduate who topped the CE board in 2005, earned the highest ever rating in recent years at 98.25.  He held this distinction for several years.

The pioneer achiever who paved the way for the CSC’s illustrious roster of topnotchers was Edwin T. Ogerio of Tubli, Caramoran, Catanduanes, who topped CE Board Exam in 1992. 

Other CSC topnotchers in order of rank were 4th Place - Hazel Boragay (1993), 6th Place - Devy S. Santos (2006), Norman N. Tarnate (2006), 9th Place - Richard Tabuzo (1997), Christopher Yuga (2001); 10th  Place - Jomar T. Pitajen (2006), Raisa Joyce de Vera (2006), Ronnel G. Gianan (2007). 11th Place - Mary Ann Traqueña (2004);  12th Place - Keyel Isorena (2005),  Nathaniel Turado (2005);  15th Place - Ananias Fernandez, Jr. (2001);  16th Place - Gilbert del Valle (2005);  17th Place - Aldrin Tapel (1998);  19th Place - Vicente Tayam, Jr. (2002). 

CSC also produced placers in the Junior Geodetic Engineer Licensure Exam in 1992 (4th placer, Manuel Zuniega Jr.), 1993 (4th placer, Hazel Boragay) and 1996 (2nd placer, Carlo Magno Guerrero).

The complete list of successful CE examinees from CSC are Aguilar, Fuschia May T.; Agunday, Noel P.; Aldea, Jaypee T.; Alejandro, Richmonilyn T.; Arcega, Arjay C.; Bagadiong, Alfredo Jr. Z.; Borja, Edrey C.; Borja, Jan Rassel M.; Broñola, Evelyn T.; Caballero, Benjie T.; Dela Cruz, Jerremy M.; Delos Santos, Daisy T.; Dolores, Famino Paul J.; Gianan, Arjen M.; Gimenez, Jonathan S; Go, Benjames T.;

Lanon, Mark Laurence M.; Ligsay, Rogelio Jr. C.; Lizaso, Jessel T.; Magdaraog, Sonia Richelle B., Magtangob, Rosalyn; Magtangob, Sherwin C.; Molod, Dexter C.; Nakpil, Renalyn Erika P.; Panti, Marife T.; Pantino, Benjie T.; Pantino, Michelle T.; Pinlac,

Ronnie V.; Quintal, Lorenzo Miguel T.; Rodriguez, Inoue Philip L.; Rendon, Jerwin D.; Samonte, Anna Vanessa O.; Santos, Henry Jr. T.; Santos,  Jayson T.; Tabinas, Janny G.; Tabuzo, Ervin T.; Tanael, Ronnel T.; Tapia, Raymond T.; Taway, Danilo V.; Tejada, Joseph E.; Tindugan, Xylene Kristel T.; Torrente, Dave T.; Torrente, Kelly T.; Villanueva, Archie T.

CSC earned a passing rate of 69.84% which is above the 34.28% national passing rate

CSC will stage a fitting recognition ceremony in honor of the topnotchers, passers and their parents as well as the faculty members and staff of Department of Engineering headed by College of Technology Dean, Engr. Emmanuel Soriao and its OIC, Engr. Pedro R. Arcilla, Jr. (GSR/CSC)