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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Civil Engineer Licensure Exam topnotcher shares 'basic' review tips, admits viral response was a joke

Civil Engineer Licensure Exam topnotcher shares 'basic' review tips, admits viral response was a joke

Published Dec 3, 2022 12:41 pm

November 2022 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination (CELE) topnotcher, Carl Jervin Magtira, who recently went viral online for his cool and collected response to a friend asking about how the board exam went shared his "basic" review tips for aspiring engineers.

"Congrats master Carl Jervin Magtira . Never have I doubted you man. Day 1 pa lang alam na." Photo courtesy of Richard Pabroquez (Facebook)

Twenty-six-year-old Magtira, who graduated from the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 2020, said in a Manila Bulletin interview that future examinees need to "avoid memorizing how to solve the problems but instead focus on understanding the concepts."

"There are problems that you can easily solve in spite of having shortcut formulas so long as you know the principle behind the question," he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

"Sometimes it is even better if you find your own way of solving. It will take you a long time to answer, but at least you know you are comfortable in what you are doing," he continued.

Meanwhile, Magtira advised those who attend online reviewers to try solving the given practice problems before the session starts.

That way, it becomes easier to determine what topics or problems are difficult to understand, he said.

He garnered an average rating of 95 perfect and was hailed as the topnotcher out of 8,029 November 2022 CELE passers by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Photo courtesy of Carl Jervin Magtira

Magtira had an instant shot of fame not just for garnering the highest percentage in the board exam but also because of the viral Facebook post of his batchmate, Richard Pabroquez.

The post has 206 thousand reactions and 6.7 thousand comments as of writing.

But he revealed that his response was a joke and it was just his way of calming the nerves of those who are excited and nervous about his exam results.

"I only had the confidence to say that because I know to myself that I will pass the board," he said.

"I admittedly had a hard time after the two-day exam but I also had a feeling that I can make it to the top 10," Magtira added.

When asked if he had any best and worst moments during his review months, the topnotcher only said he cannot think of any since his everyday routine was just the same except when he started becoming more serious on reviewing last November.

Magtira also said that he did not follow any superstitious beliefs for good luck during the exam.

A humble and helpful friend

In a separate interview, uploader Pabroquez described Magtira as a humble and helpful friend who is "willing to teach the people around him."

"Contrary to what my post may have implied, Carl is very down to earth. He is not the 'show off' type of person. He is a quiet student but you will be surprised that he is the topnotcher in our exams," he said.

"I can see his passion for teaching. He also helped a lot of people during our college years that is why sometimes I call him 'master Carl' because I passed an engineering subject with his help," Pabroquez added.

He also said that Magtira was popular among other students as well as instructors due to his exceptional academic skills, especially in mathematics.

RELATED STORY: 8,029 pass November 2022 Civil Engineer Licensure Exam

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topnotcher trending cele Richard Pabroquez November 2022 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination Carl Jervin Magtira
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