Lapus
When he was in Grade 4, Rusty Lapus just started learning to play chess from his father Gonzalo as well as developing his love of Math.
At the time, Lapus said he realized he wanted to become an engineer.
Last week he learned that his childhood dream came true when he landed sixth in the top 10 of the May 2017 Civil Engineering Licensure Examination.
Lapus, a graduate of Cebu Technological University (CTU), is the lone top examinee from Cebu who ranked sixth with an average rating of 92.85 percent.
“I dedicate this one for my father. If he was still with us then I would hug him and thank him,” the 21-year-old topnotcher said.
The elder Lapus died in October last year due to a tumor in his intestine that became cancerous.
Lapus turned 21 last May 3 and celebrated his birthday by visiting his father’s grave.
“Pa, para ni sa atong pamilya (Pa, this is for our family),” he recalled saying at his father’s grave site.
Lapus said his youngest sister told him the results while he was reading the Bible inside their house in Barangay Media Once, Toledo City.
“Top six ka!” (You’re top six!),” he recalled his sister telling him.
Lapus said he was stunned at first then he verified his sister’s announcement through the website of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) which released the board exam results last Thursday evening after three working days.
There were 2,514 out of 6,998 examinees who passed the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination.
The exam was taken in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Pagadian, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga.
Lapus said he aimed to top the licensure examination.
“There’s no problem when you dream. Bahalag dili top one pero top man gihapon (No matter if it’s not number one so long as you’re in the top),” he laughed while talking to Cebu Daily News.
Lapus regularly goes to pray at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral while taking his regular review sessions.
He is the sixth in a brood of 10 and the first professional as well as the first engineer in their family.
His father Gonzalo was a mechanic while his mother Remegia watches over a store in Toledo City.
Since his family could not afford to send him at college, Lapus was a consistent scholar at CTU with a 1.5 grade average.
Lapus graduated cum laude at CTU last March 31, 2017.
After passing the board exam, the 21-year-old Lapus said he plans to review for the Master Plumbers Licensure Examination in July this year.