The Top 1 of the November 2024 Licensure Examination for Agriculturists (LEA), a graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños, shared reflections on his journey from college to taking the board exam.
Ian Gabriel Mangulabnan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Extension.
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| Photo courtesy: Facebook/Ian Gabriel Mangulabnan |
In his Facebook post on November 30, Ian shared his reflections on his journey.
He began the post with a line from the lyrics of the song "Damdamin" by Syd Hartha.
It says, “darating ang para sayo sa tamang panahon at pag dumating sayo’y para talaga sayo” -syd hartha, damdamin!”
“these lyrics by syd perfectly encapsulate the emotions surrounding my LEA journey. at nov 22 din mismo rinelease ang kantang ito! wala lang ang galing lang.”
“let me share my reflections a week after the release of the results (at wala rin akong long post noong grumad ako last year, kaya bawi na lang ngayon hehe) sorry na rin agad sa mga nagsawa na sa mukha ko sa mga post,” he said.
Here are Ian's three reflections:
First Reflection: Having a solid family/foundation/support system
According to Ian, having a solid family, foundation, or support system is truly the most underrated privilege one could have. He mentioned that he had come across this idea in a post before and completely agrees with it. He expressed his admiration for those who took and passed the exam while juggling work, studies, family care, and other responsibilities in life, crediting the people who serve as their pillars of support.
Second Reflection: Exam results do not determine our overall worth/value
He explained that the board exam results were based solely on answering 600 items—a small fraction compared to the vast array of concepts and knowledge in the field of agriculture. These results do not reflect their expertise in the field or the many concepts that were not included in the exam. Ian acknowledged that he still has much to learn from research, practice, farmers, and farming communities.
Moreover, he emphasized that the results are just the tip of the iceberg—what people see on the surface—while board exam takers understand the hardships they endured during their preparation. He said, "Kaya regardless of the results, we should be proud of ourselves. We need to stay grounded while also keeping our heads up."
Third Reflection: Enjoying and being in the moment is key
He shared a principle he learned from "Ichigo Ichie" and continues to live by, especially during his board exam journey. He transformed his anxiety and fear into excitement and anticipation. He enjoyed the process of reviewing, embraced the dull moments of waiting in the testing room/center, and even found joy in taking the actual exam itself. He didn’t allow fear and nervousness to overwhelm or control him.
“Chill lang talaga. Be in the moment. Nandun na tayo eh. Yun yung naging mindset ko. My co-takers can attest to this HAHAHA. Pero ayun, we just have to trust ourselves and what we know,” he emphasized.
Towards the end of his post, he expressed gratitude to everyone who congratulated and supported him throughout his journey, especially to God.
Congratulations, Ian!
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
