MANILA, Philippines – John Philip Minancillo was saddened when he didn't see his name on the list of topnotchers of the August 2024 Mechanical Engineering Licensure Exam, despite being the top 1.
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| Photo courtesy: John Philip Minancillo (FB) |
But his sadness quickly disappeared when he was flooded with messages on Messenger and his classmates informed him that he topped all examinees.
It turns out, he just looked at the wrong list!
According to an exclusive interview by The Summit Express with Minancillo, he is a 24-year-old graduate of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cebu City. During his time as a student, he was a National Quizzer and the representative of his department.
His dream degree program was actually Civil Engineering, but he said that one person influenced him to pursue a path in Mechanical Engineering instead.
He also shared that during his first year in college, he struggled with adjusting to life after Senior High School, had a weak foundation in Mathematics, and faced financial difficulties.
He mentioned that his exposure to the desire of becoming a topnotcher started during his time as a national quizzer. This motivated him to enroll in a review center to prepare for the licensure exam. He admitted that the three main challenges he faced during the review sessions were pressure, time management, and lack of sleep.
Aside from the pressure to pass the board exam, he also carried the added burden of high expectations for him to make it to the topnotcher's list due to his background as a national quizzer. Because of this, he would only get around 4-5 hours of sleep while reviewing. That's why he was overjoyed to find out that not only did he pass, but he also ranked as the top 1!
His next plan is to find a job in the Philippines, as working abroad is not on his mind yet. His advice to aspiring topnotchers is not to give in to pressure, but rather, use it as inspiration. He also emphasized the importance of being resourceful in finding review materials, mastering the subjects, and never stopping the process of reviewing and learning.
Congratulations, Engr. John Philip Minancillo!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
