Cebu civil engineering exam topnotcher aims to pursue ‘green building’

CEBU, Philippines – Twenty-two-year-old Analiza Mabini cried tears of joy when a friend called her Saturday morning, November 25, to tell her that she was now a licensed civil engineer and was a topnotcher of the November 2023 Civil Engineers Licensure Exam (CELE).

Born and raised in Palompon town, Leyte province on June 16, Mabini grew up in a humble home with her father who works as an electrician and her mother who is a housewife. 

Wanting to help her family, Mabini made it her mission to land an academic scholarship in one of Cebu’s top private universities. 

Upon hearing that the University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJ-R) offered a full academic scholarship, Mabini said in a press conference on Saturday afternoon, she knew exactly where she would enroll.

After four years, Mabini graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structural Engineering at USJ-R on May 20.

A few months later, Mabini ranked 5th in the list of examinees who passed the CELE held on November 17 and 18. Based on official results released on November 24, only 6,180 out of 18,582 examinees passed. 

That day, Mabini became the first civil engineer in her family.

“After learning that, I called my family and my sister and we all cried together [in joy],” Mabini said.

Better housing, better lives 

Now licensed civil engineer, Mabini’s main advocacy is green building.

Under the Philippine Green Building Code, green building is defined as the practice of adopting measures that promote resource management efficiency and site sustainability while minimizing the negative impact of buildings on human health and the environment.  

Mabini, who grew up seeing impoverished neighborhoods, believes that civil engineers must find ways to make housing accessible for the poor and address concerns on pollution. 

“Civil engineers should build structures that would help our country’s progress,” the engineer said.

Talent and grit

According to Elvira Sales, the chairman of USJ-R’s Civil Engineering Department, Mabini was always an achiever and a talented officer of the university student chapter of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE).

“She listens and is determined to learn and doesn’t settle for what’s given by the academe,” Sales said.

Dennis Anthony Kilongkilong, the dean of USJ-R’s School of Engineering, added that Mabini gave speeches every year of her college life, consistently reaching the top of the dean’s list.

Mabini said that her achievements were the result of discipline and self-management.

According to the topnotcher, she spent a good amount of time looking for a competent review center, adding that a review center’s services are vital for any engineering graduate looking to succeed in the licensure exams.

It is also important, she added, that exam takers have at least 8 hours of sleep per day, allocate days for studying, and pray to God.

“My advice is study hard, aim high, believe in yourself because there will be many times when you will doubt yourself and it’s okay to cry every once in a while because that will make you stronger,” Mabini said.

As of this writing, the university is set to award the topnotcher with a cash incentive worth P75,000 and a brand new laptop. – Rappler.com