He may be a "late boomer" but 23-year-old Ildefonso Ortega Jr. of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City proved that a non-honor but focused student can land the first place in a difficult board examination such as that administered for mechanical engineers.
Ortega, son of Ildefonso Sr. and Elisalda Ortega of E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, was first placer in the 2007 Mechanical Engineering Board Examination, and his efforts to separate studies from extra-curricular activities paid off.
Dean of the College of Engineering of UNO-R Christopher Taclobos told the DAILY STAR yesterday that he and the rest of the college feel elated that Ortega's sacrifices earned him the honor of being the country's first, in the examination administered in Cebu.
Taclobos said it was in 1983 when UNO-R got the first place in the examination through Rowan Joguilon. Ildefonso graduated valedictorian from Sta. Theresa Elementary School in EB Magalona and finished high school at Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Talisay City.
He was not an honor student but we expected he would top the examination, Taclobos said. At present, two Cebu-based companies are offering jobs to Ortega. I encourage him to first take his Master's studies, Taclobos added, when asked of the possibility for Ortega to be employed as a faculty member of UNO-R.*GCT
Source: Visayan Daily Star
Saturday (May 5, 2007)