MANILA, Philippines – John Kirt Reyes Baguio's family is extremely proud of him because, not only did he rank in the top 10 of the November 2022 Civil Engineering Board Exam, but he is also the first engineer in their family, where typically the men become construction workers.
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| Photo courtesy: John Kirt Reyes Baguio (Facebook)/ SM Foundation |
Kirt, a scholar from a mall, is the child of a construction worker and a vendor. According to an article released by SM, his father had always dreamed of having an engineer in their family. As a result, Kirt pursued engineering at Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Technology.
Fortunately, he passed the mall’s scholarship program, which eased the financial burden of his studies. He wanted to help his family break free from the cycle of poverty. The scholarship also allowed him to work part-time. However, he never expected that his father, who had dreamed of seeing him become an engineer, would pass away before that dream could be fulfilled. Sadly, his father did not live to see his son's achievement.
“Ang biggest challenge ko po siguro ay ‘yong mawala si Papa. Pangarap ko ito, ngunit mas pangarap niyang magkaroon ng engineer na anak. On my last semester in college, kinuha na po siya ni Lord. Pero alam ko pong ginagabayan niya pa rin ako, so I continued our dream and heto na po ako ngayon,” he shared.
So, when he graduated and began his review, Kirt's goal was not just to pass, but to make it into the top ten. He achieved this by placing in the top 10 with a passing rate of 92.90%.
On November 29, 2022, after the board exam results were released, Kirt posted on his Facebook account about his journey. Of course, he made a special mention of his late father, who inspired him to choose a career as an engineer.
“Thank you papa! alam kong simula nung nawala ka, kasama pa rin kita sa mga panalo ko!” he said.
Congrats, Engr. Kirt!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
