The pandemic may have taken its toll on society’s mental and physical health, but there are just some Godsent plans that just could not be interfered with.
One may scroll in a Palaweno’s feed, and they would most likely see how the 100% passing rate of the Architecture Department of Palawan State University – College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology brought rejoice to the institution and most, if not all, of the active lurkers in the social media point-of-view in the city. The success was made by the university’s pride, the architects: Ar. Micah Almorfe, Ar. Riomel Badilla, Ar. Renz Ian Machado, and Ar. Johnmer Santillan—Batch 2019 graduates of CEAT.
The examination was held in the partnering test centers in Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, San Fernando, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga, there had been 2,205 individuals who have taken the test, and about 62.13% or 1,370 of it were declared as licensed architects on January 27.
Driven by their love and sacrifices for their craft, here are the before-and-after journey stories of the new architects of Puerto Princesa City towards one of their greatest triumphs in life.
The princess in the four, Ar. Micah recalled her preparations before, during, and after the examination, saying that she had been reviewing for the board exam for almost a year. Still, several postponements were done due to the surge of COVID-19 cases.
“I started reviewing in January 2021 and planned to take the June ALE (2021), but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I decided to postpone my exam,” she said.
Ar. Micah also talked about how it was difficult for her to cope since she is already in Manila, one of the exam’s locations, but the consequent postponements led her to take the January 2022 ALE instead.
“I studied for exactly a year and six months in a review center, and (then) I used the remaining months to due self-reviews until my time for the (enrolled) refresher course,” she further elaborated and said that taking reviews. The exam itself was a sacrifice for her time and effort as she also maintains being on the momentum.
“During those months, I did sideline pa rin as a source of income and for it (the sideline) to also serve as a break from my exhausting reviews,” she added.
On the most-awaited day of the release, Ar. Micah said that the 4-day countdown till the release was filled with anxiety and self-doubts because even if she knew she did well on the first day of the exam, she might not have done the same on the second day for its unexpected difficulty.
“Tanghali pa lang po, I am already on my phone waiting for the PRC to post the list of (successful) examinees. I am left with unsureness and nervousness during those days,” she added.
“Narelease po yung result at exactly 6:30 PM, and upon seeing my name on the list, nawala agad yung anxiety, doubts,” she also recalled her fascination upon seeing that she topped by 77, as if in coincidence with her assigned room number, No. 7, during the examination days.
“I knew from the start na there’s something about 7, so sobrang saya ko pati ng family ko, maraming sacrifices at pagsubok pero God said to me na “It is your time,” Ar. Micah added.
Throughout her trip in taking the heights of achieving her dream, she expressed her unending gratitude towards the people who have been helping her since then.
“Sa family ko na sumuporta sakin through thick and thin and to my special person who has been supporting me emotionally, mentally, and spiritually,” she said, also remembering about her other relatives are in Legazpi, the same place where she took the exam.
“My greatest gratitude is to God because He is the one who (really) guided me on those exhausting months of preparation for the exam,” she said.
“I know that the support and prayers of the people around me helped with the success of my exam, being able to pass on my first take,” she ended her statement recalling how God has always been her center for all her successes in life.
One of the gentlemen who have successfully taken the licensure examination is Ar. Johnmer Santillan. He recalled that they would have to go through an apprenticeship before attaining the eligibility to take the test.
“Malaking tulong po ang apprenticeship program when it comes to the exam dahil iba pa rin po kapag may hands-on experience,” Ar. Johnmer also said that it would be easy to remember what they studied if there is an actual application to it.
“Nag-invest rin po ako sa lahat ng mga basic architecture books na alam kong magagamit ko sa exam at humingi rin po ako ng tips sa mga classmates kong nauna nang maging licensed architects,” he added.
He articulated how his enrollment in review centers has helped him ace the exam despite having struggles in the online setup due to the pandemic. He also shared his habit of daily devotion since the start of his review until now that he is already a licensed architect.
“Pag gising pa lang po sa umaga, nagbabasa na ako ng bible dahil iba po kasi ang feeling na sa umpisa pa lang ng araw ay ramdam mo na ang presensya ng Panginoon,” he stated about his belief that it is only up to God if it would already be his time to be a licensed architect.
During the release date, he recalled drinking coffee while listening to worship songs as he was also scrolling through his social media feed when he saw that the ALE result was already posted.
“Nagdasal muna ako bago ako nag-lakas loob na mag-scroll sa list of passers,” he said.
“Syempre, may halong kaba po yun nung hahanapin ko na yung pangalan ko,” Ar. Johnmer also shared that he firstly discovered his success when he received a message extending greetings to him.
“Nung nakita ko na po yung pangalan ko sa listahan, napaiyak po talaga ako. Yung kaba na naramdam ko before and during the exams, pati na rin lahat ng hirap sa pagrereview kasama sila (now architects) Renz at Riomel, napawi po talaga,” he further remembered.
He said that the success was because of God’s faithfulness to His promises.
“Madami man po kaming delays na na-encounter, sa tatlong beses na na-cancel ang exam, naniwala po akong perfect timing ito ng Panginoon para sa amin,”
“Nagpapasalamat din po ako sa aking pamilya na umpisa pa lang ay wala nang ginawa kundi suportahan ako sa aking mga pangarap, ang mga kaibigan at kaklase na alam kong pinagdasal din kami para makapasa,” Ar. Johnmer said.
He also extends his gratitude to the Architecture Department of Palawan State University who have honed them to become who they are now, that even if they acquired much difficulty in defending their thesis, he said that it was all worth it, for it was the same thesis that have helped him in the “design problems” portion of their board exam. He also said thanks to his current workplace who have supported him during his review as they also allowed him to take day-offs as he prepared for the upcoming exam.
He also emphasized how he is grateful for his mentors, Ar. Charlene Chiu and Ar. Januario B. Picoy, and to his then college professors ko, Ar. Jay Kirk Salvacion and Ar. Dexter Valecia, for their implored wisdom and knowledge in his journey. Even more, he is also indebted to the undying love and persistence given by the love of his life, Vanny.
“Araw-araw akong pinapaalalahan na mag-aral at palagi niyang pinaparamdam sa akin na kaya ko. All-out support talaga siya simula thesis days pa lang hanggang ngayon na architect na ako,” he also further reiterated that Vanny is that one person that he is so thankful for, next to God who is the Creator of all.
“Maliban sa Panginoon, siya (Vanny) ang may pinakamalaking contribution sa success na natamo ko ngayon,” he said.
Ar. Riomel Badilla, also from the same batch as the others, named “discipline and enough time” as his preparation for the exam.
“Discipline at naglaan din po ng enough time (to review) kasi online review lang at sa bahay lang po kaya marami distraction, sigur 2-6 hours/day depende po sa mood,” he said. Aside from that, he also spent the two remaining weeks before the exam to read at least 8 hours a day.
He did not have the usual exam rituals that one may often story about. Instead, he prayed all the way and rested just enough to regain the energy that he had spent on studying.
The same as his batchmates who were also his co-examinees, he did not check the results right away because of his crippling jitters that have already taken over his system for almost two nights out of the total of four working days before the publish of 2022 licensed architects.
“Nung may tumawag na sakin at nag-congrats, napatalon at sigaw na lang po ako. Sa mga post sa fb ko na lang din nakita,” Ar. Riomel articulated how he felt the relief for all of the difficulty that he went through for the preparation.
He also recalled how it took him 11 years to finish the course, driven by his coinciding interest in computer games and vices in which he saw that he really needed the Lord’s help for guidance, same goes for his parents and current girlfriend who have also witnessed his blood, sweat, and tears in overcoming his journey to becoming a now licensed architect.
Lastly, out of the four, it is Ar. Renz who is few with his words but managed to convey what is just right and full of wisdom and determination. He also did not do any other exam rituals but to pray and use the “law of attraction” in claiming that he is already an architect even before taking the exam.
On the same day of the release, he recalled how the moment turned from being too edgy to ecstatic as he also cried out all his sacrifices along the way.
“Napatalon talaga ako sa sobrang saya! Then, sobrang nanginig talaga ako as in. Nakakakaba pala talaga hanapin name mo sa list,” he said as he thought about the past few years of sleepless nights that turned into success.
Just like his batchmates, he, too, is grateful for his beloved who have also supported him throughout the review and cancellations of the supposed exam.
“Si Hannah, siya talaga yung motivator ko na mag-review, kung ma-cancel yung exam, icocomfort niya ko kasi grabe na yung preparations ko tapos biglang macacancel,” he said while he also glad that his girlfriend was his prime provider through emotional or financial needs whilst she is working from home.
“Kaya lagi ko sinasabi na tagumpay namin ‘tong dalawa, di lang sakin, syempre parents ko rin, lalo na mga tito at tita, at syempre si Lord,” he storied.
As the four embark into their most awaited (and finally official) transition to the professional world, may their stories be an avenue for inspiration to those who had their plans delayed due to the pandemic. Not that one should be thankful for the stops and turns given by the virus, but one should always keep in mind that if the world rejects, God is waving “wait”.
The deadly biological warfare that the world is experiencing right now might have urged everyone to take pauses, even permanent alteration of plans, but it is truly God who takes on the wheel when everything seems chaotic, the moment that we come to surrender to ask for his guidance.