ENGR. JOHN CARLO A. PEÑAS

9th Place, April 2025 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination

Cum Laude, Ateneo de Naga University

Faculty Member, Naga City Science High School (DOST scholarship return service)

Champion, World Engineering Day Hackathon 2023, World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)

Champion, Skills Olympics 2023 Digital Road Design Competition, Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF)

From a rural elementary school in Lagonoy to the national stage, Engr. John Carlo A. Peñas has proven that perseverance and discipline can turn dreams into reality.

He placed 9th in the April 2025 Civil Engineer Licensure Exam, graduating Cum Laude from Ateneo de Naga University. Today, he also serves as a faculty member at Naga City Science High School under his DOST scholarship return service.

Beyond the board exam, John Carlo has already made waves internationally, winning as Champion in the WFEO World Engineering Day Hackathon 2023 and Champion in the CMDF Digital Road Design Competition 2023.

But his journey wasn’t easy. Failing the UPCAT in 2020 and battling self-doubt during his review, he reminded himself: “If others are 10 times smarter, then I just need to be 10 times more hardworking.”

His success rests on three guiding principles: maintaining a positive mindset to strengthen self-belief, practicing consistency and discipline in his study habits, and embracing healthy living to keep both body and mind at their best. For Engr. John Carlo Peñas, every sacrifice made during review was an investment toward his dream. As he reminds future engineers, “Do your part, stay committed, and everything will eventually align for you.”

Personal Journey

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and where you studied?

I am Engr. John Carlo A. Peñas, and I placed 9th in the April 2025 CELE. I see myself as someone who aspire to achieve academic excellence. I also come from humble beginnings. I studied elementary at Lagonoy North Central School, located at a rural island. I spent my high school at Naga City Science High School, and completed my undergraduate degree at Ateneo de Naga University. I also enjoy playing badminton and video games with my friends!

2. When did you start preparing for the board exams?

I started preparing for the board exam from June 2024 to April 2025. While waiting for our graduation ceremony, I had already begun self-reviewing PSAD topics to refresh concepts. I was originally supposed to take the CELE in November 2024, but I felt that I still had many topics to master and wasn’t confident enough to make it to the top 10. At the last minute, I decided to take the April 2025 CELE instead, so I could go all in and aim for the top.

3. What motivated you to pursue civil engineering and to aim for the top?

As I can remember, I was in 3rd year college when I started dreaming of topping the board exam. Palagi kong sinasabi sa mga friends ko na gusto kong mag-top sa board exam, at kahit mga engineer namin nung OJT, alam na gusto kong mag-top hahaha. Maaga nagsimula yung urge sa akin na i-aim yung pagiging topnotcher. Naging motivation ko yung mga opportunities that come with being a topnotcher. Gusto ko rin patunayan sa sarili ko na kaya ko.

Study Habits and Strategies

 1. How did you structure your review (daily routine, schedule, or approach)?

Mahilig ako manood ng mga testimonials from topnotchers, and I patterned my daily routine after them. Though, I made several changes sa daily schedule ko kasi hinanap ko yung best fit sa preferences ko. I suggest to future board exam takers, pwede nyong gamitin yung schedule ng iba as a guide, pero kailangan pa ring i-personalize since iba-iba naman yung body clock and optimum study time ng bawat reviewee.

2. What review materials or techniques worked best for you?

Review materials ng review centers, CE Ref, and yung mga trends sa mga subjects. Ito yung mga materials na binigyan ko ng focus during review. Yung pag-aral ng trends sa mga subjects, I found it very helpful, especially sa MSTE na very broad yung scope ng topics.

 Sa study techniques naman, ginawa ko yung mga napapanood ko at naging effective sa akin. Nagdikit ako ng mga formula sa walls para palaging nakikita, active recall, spaced repetition, and the Feynman technique. I suggest sa mga magte-take ng board exam, manood kayo ng mga video or magbasa ng libro (I suggest “Outsmart the Board Exam”) about study techniques tapos i-explore kung ano yung effective para sainyo.

3. How did you handle subjects or topics you found difficult?

Wag na wag mahihiyang magtanong. May mga topics na hindi agad maiintindihan at kailangan ng gabay ng mga instructors. Surround yourself with people na pareho ng mindset para may kasabay ka sa pag-aaral ng mga mahihirap na topics.

Mindset and Challenges

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced during your review journey?

Self-doubt. Despite ng mga effort ko during review, naging mahirap kalabanin yung doubt sa sarili na hindi ko kakayanin. Simula pa lang ng review, alam kong behind na ako sa mga reviewees na gusto rin mag-top. Nag-back to basics ako nung review. Madami akong hindi alam. Madami akong backlogs kasi halos bago sa akin yung mga topics. Isa ito sa naging reason kung bakit nag-review ako for the 2nd time. I was doubting myself.

Ever since, I have always challenged myself for academic excellence. Pero hindi naging smooth road ang lahat. I have experienced failures na naging source ng doubt sa sarili ko. Way back 2020, I did not pass the UPCAT. University of the Philippines was my dream university, but I failed the entrance exam. Ito siguro yung first heartbreak ko hahaha. Naging source ito ng doubt na kung gusto kong maging topnotcher, kailangan kong makipagsabayan sa mga mas magaling sa akin. Back then, topping the CELE felt like a very long shot.

Natatandaan ko yung isang CE testimonial na napanood ko, kapag 10 times mas matalino sayo ang gusto din maging topnotcher, kailangan mo lang maging 10 times mas masipag para makipagsabayan. Ito yung isa sa mga pinanghawakan ko. Sinagad ko ang sarili ko nung review dahil gusto kong makita kung hanggang saan ang kaya ko. I’m glad na I was able to prove to myself na kaya ko rin pala.

2. Did you ever experience setbacks or low points? How did you bounce back?

Two months before the April 2025 CELE, my family faced our greatest heartbreak. I stopped reviewing and lost focus. It was a very difficult time for us. That was when I chose to put my fate in God. Honestly, I wasn’t a very religious person, but I know that prayers helped me a lot during my lows.

Advice to Future Takers

What are your top 3 review tips for future board exam takers?

1. Positive Mindset. Always try to keep a positive mindset. May mga times during review na mahihirapan ka, so try not to be pessimistic. Kailangan mong i-build yung self-confidence mo, kasi sayang oras kapag puro doubt sa sarili. Kapag may sacrifices ka during review, for sure may babalik sayo. Just do your part, then everything will align for you. Also, praying works. You need all the support you can get, if it’s too hard to handle, just pray.

2. Consistency. Kailangan mo ng mataas na discipline. I reviewed for almost a year and naging consistent ako sa schedule ko all throughout. I suggest i-build mo na yung study habit mo ngayon pa lang para hindi ka na mahirapan during review. Naging madali para sa akin labanan yung temptations kasi gusto ko talagang mag-top. Siguro kailangan mo rin mahanap yung reasons mo para may motivation ka hanggang matapos ang review.

3. Healthy Living. During review, inalagaan ko rin physical health ko. Light exercise every morning, healthy food as much as possible, vitamins, at tigil muna sa pag-inom. May psychological effect din kasi sa akin yung pagiging healthy, iniisip ko na mas healthy yung brain cells ko hahaha.

Good luck, Future Engineers!