CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Trust the Lord and do your part if you aim to be on top.”
This is the mantra that Ronie Tarriga II believed in as he worked hard to finish his studies and later landed as the first placer in the May 2019 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination.
Tarriga, 21, a resident of Barangay Dumlog in Talisay City, is a working student at the University of Cebu (UC) Main Campus located on Colon Street, Cebu City.
He finished his civil engineering degree within four and half years despite his busy work schedule at the university’s research office.
Tarriga graduated on October 2018.
He was a working student since his first year in the university.
But he resigned on his fourth year to focus on review classes at the Gillasania Engineering Review and Training Center for one and a half years.
Around that time, the quizmaster of a quiz bowl competition that he participated in referred him to the owner of the review center.
The owner offered him a slot in the review center free of charge.
Tarriga says aspiring engineers should be able to grasp the concept of civil engineering in order to pass the exam.
Tarriga’s father, Ronie, 51, was a former manager of an automotive trading company based in Mandaue City.
He has since lost his job while his mother, Lilian, is a housewife. Ronnie is the youngest among four siblings.
“So when my elder sister graduated and became a certified public accountant (CPA), she helped our parents in our expenses at home and in sending us to school,” Tarriga shares.
His older brother, 30, is looking at completing his degree in Management Accounting.
He has two elder sisters: the 29-year-old CPA and the 28-year-old graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM). Both sisters finished their degrees at UC and also worked as scholars.
Tarriga says he is grateful to his Alma Mater for the support that was extended to him.
With his recent success follows the offers to work for various companies.
For now, he plans to teach in college.
Tarriga’s recent success comes at the perfect time as his mother will celebrate her 61st birthday on Monday, May 13.
“For those who are also planning to take the licensure exam in civil engineering, just keep on fighting, because a moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory,” he says. / celr