Engineer Omar Lusares, 23, emerged top 4 of the April 2025 Registered Electrical Engineers and Registered Master Electricians Licensure Examination. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Among the names that rose to the top of the April 2025 Registered Electrical Engineer Licensure Examination stunned not only the public but, most surprisingly, his own family.
Omar Lusares, 23, didn’t tell his parents he was taking the board exam.
When the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results and the name “Omar G. Lusares” appeared in bold letters at Top 4, his parents were left laughing in disbelief – then crying with pride.
“I had told them that I would not be taking the board exam in April, but instead, I would be going for it in August,” Omar shared with CDN Digital in an interview.
“So when the results came out, they were shocked to see my name among the list of topnotchers. They couldn’t help but laugh and celebrate,” he added.
The news hit them like lightning—equal parts shock and overwhelming pride.
It was the kind of surprise that only someone as quietly determined as Omar could pull off.
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Who is Omar?
Hailing from Barangay Apas, Cebu City, Omar is the middle child of a humble, hardworking family.
His father, Danielo, is a tailor; his mother, Eliza, is a housewife and small business owner. Though neither parent worked in the field of engineering, their perseverance and discipline deeply shaped Omar’s work ethic.
He grew up like many children, uncertain of his strengths and often intimidated by school. “I used to hate going to school because there was nothing I was good at,” he recalled.
His greatest weakness? Mathematics.
“Mathematics was one of my weaknesses,” Lusares said.
But that changed in his 2nd grade when a dedicated teacher began tutoring him on weekends.
It was through those Saturday sessions and participation in the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) programs that Math became not just manageable, but his secret weapon.
Preparation and journey
Lusares’ path to success was paved with quiet dedication. His review method was intensely structured: solve ten problems, stretch.
Finish fifty? Take a short break. Rinse, repeat.
“After solving 10 problems, I typically stretched to reset my focus, and after completing a set of 50 or 100 problems, I took a 5- to 10-minute break. My first technique involved repeating the process of solving challenging problems,” Lusares explained.
To reinforce his understanding of complex equations, Lusares experimented with various memorization strategies.
“Another technique I used was repeatedly writing down formulas until they could be written through muscle memory,” he said.
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When he struggled with the sheer volume of theoretical questions, especially in term-definition-type items, he turned to a mobile app where he could simulate quizzes and build familiarity.
Each solution became a small victory in a long battle.
His secret support system was his family, friends, mentors from Coach G AcadEEmy, and faculty from the Cebu Institute of Technology – University (CIT-U). These people, he said, provided fuel to keep going.
However, amid all the guidance and support, Omar never lost sight of the most profound force shaping his path, and that is God, the ultimate source of strength and wisdom.
Exam experience
The board exam itself was an emotional gauntlet. Three days that would determine the outcome of years of late-night study sessions, quiet sacrifices, and silent prayers.
Lusares entered the exam room with a mixture of resolve and uncertainty.
For the Engineering Sciences and Professional Subjects, he felt ready. The formulas, the concepts, the problem-solving strategies, these were the fields he had tilled and harvested over countless reviews.
But when the Mathematics portion began, a wave of doubt slowly crept in.
“I felt confident after submitting my answers for the ESAS and EE Professional Subjects but not for the Mathematics. The introduction of new topics in Mathematics, such as Engineering Data Analysis and Numerical Methods, made me feel uncertain,” Lusares explained.
The unfamiliarity of the new topics—ones that hadn’t been covered in-depth in his review materials—threatened to derail his focus. He knew he had prepared, and prepared well, but the unexpected has a way of shaking even the most composed examinee.
Still, Omar didn’t panic. He turned inward.
He leaned on ritual: the quiet, grounding practices he had cultivated in his preparation. He paused. Closed his eyes. Slowed his breathing.
In that moment, he wasn’t in a test center. He was back in his study corner, solving hundreds of problems, repeating formulas until they flowed from muscle memory.
He reminded himself that this exam was just another problem to solve—one more challenge in a long journey that began in the second grade, when Math was his enemy.
His heartbeat slowed. His hands steadied.
“My mindset on exam day was to be focused and confident. To stay calm, I closed my eyes while remembering my preparation and breathed slowly and deeply,” he shared.
By the time he submitted his final answer sheet, there was no anxiety left—just a quiet exhale, a sense of release.
When he submitted his final answers, he felt something rare—peace.
It was the peace of a man who knew he had given everything—every ounce of effort, every moment of doubt turned into discipline, every quiet night turned into preparation.
Achieving top 4
Still, even with all the hard work and preparation, the result felt surreal.
Omar Lusares—once a young boy who struggled to keep up with multiplication tables—was now among the top four examinees in the entire country.
The transformation was not just academic; it was deeply personal.
“I graduated from elementary school without being part of the top 10 honor roll, and I also finished senior high school without any academic honor. Deep down, I was determined to make sure that the hard work I had put in from younger me would pay off,” he said.
For years, he had been quietly collecting small victories—learning to love the very subject he once feared, earning respect from mentors, building confidence problem by problem.
In college, his fire never dimmed. Instead, it burned brighter.
“I believed that I could be more. So I invested more time and effort. When the results were finally released, I was both happy and satisfied.”
Graduating Magna Cum Laude was already a milestone.
But securing the Top 4 spot on the national board exam?
That was a victory. That was redemption.
More than just a rank, it was a chance to rewrite a story once weighed down by self-doubt.
And yet, the moment became even more unforgettable because of one thing: he kept the whole exam a secret from his parents.
Plans, aspirations
Now that the spotlight is on him, one might expect Omar to feel burdened by expectations, pressured to aim even higher. But his feet remain firmly planted on the ground.
“I do not feel pressured to achieve even more. I am lucky that I have a great family and friends who are understanding, supportive, and always encourage me to decide my own path at my own pace.”
There is no urgency to outdo himself. No fear of peaking early.
Lusares sees his achievement not as an endpoint, but as a sturdy launchpad.
“As of now, I want to focus on building my career and getting experience in the field of electrical engineering, particularly by working on real-world projects that will help me strengthen my technical skills.”
He dreams of contributing to meaningful engineering projects—ones that solve problems, serve communities, and expand his understanding of the craft.
Further studies and specializations may come later, but for now, experience is his compass.
He’s not chasing titles or accolades. He’s building a life—quietly, methodically, and with the same patient determination that turned a struggling Math student into a national topnotcher.
A message to fellow dreamers
To those still in the trenches of preparation, Lusares leaves this advice:
“Dedicate time and effort to studying the review materials and references. Next, solve practice problems and do it again. You can only say that you mastered a subject if you can replicate the process. As our Coach G says, ‘Repetition is the key to mastery!’ Lastly, believe in yourself! You cannot be confident if you are not prepared. So, learn to solve! Get prepared! Be Confident!”
And perhaps the most powerful lesson of all: You don’t need to announce your dreams to the world. Sometimes, the most profound victories are the ones that surprise even the people who know you best.
/clorenciana
