Sariling sikap ang diskarte ni Jobert De La Cruz para makatapos ng civil engineering.
Nagtrabaho siya bilang karpintero, factory worker, at fastfood crew habang nag-aaral sa University of Cebu.
Top 10 siya sa May 2019 Civil Engineering board exams.
Ang gusto lang ni Jobert noong bata pa siya ay maging fireman.
Noong third year high school nito, naging favorite niya ang elective subject na Drafting, particularly, pagguhit ng architectural plans at paggawa ng miniature houses.
Dito na siya nagkainteres na maging civil engineer.
Gayunpaman, nang matapos siya ng high school noong 2010, hindi agad nakapag-enroll sa college si Jobert dahil sa kahirapan.
Tumulong muna siya sa kanyang ama na isang karpintero.
MASALIMUOT NA BUHAY-KOLEHIYO
Sa loob ng isang taon na pagiging karpintero, mas nabuo sa isip ni Jobert na civil engineering talaga ang kukunin niyang kurso.
Aniya sa panayam ng engineering community na GineersNow.com, “My father is a part-time carpenter, and I used to be his assistant every time.
"That’s the biggest factor why I choose civil engineering, I liked to build and draw plans.”
June 2011, sinubukan niyang mag-enroll. Ang problema, ang mga grado niya noong high school ay hindi qualified para sa civil engineering course.
Nagdesisyon siyang kumuha muna ng BS Industrial Technology Major in Civil Technology. Ramdam agad niya ang hirap ng buhay-kolehiyo.
Sabi ni Jobert sa interview, “The most difficult part of my college life was really the money.
"Literally, I am so poor that I can only bring with me PHP20 for my food allowance when going to school.”
Isa pang dagok sa kanyang buhay estudyante: nasunog ang kanilang bahay sa Mandaue City, Cebu noong November 2011. Wala silang naisalba.
Bagama't nagpilit pa rin daw si Jobert na mag-enroll para sa second semester, kinailangan naman siyang operahan sa appendicitis noong March 2012.
Nabaon lalo sa utang ang kanyang pamilya, kaya nagdesisyon siyang huminto muli sa pag-aaral at magtrabaho sa isang factory.
Taong 2014, nang may konti na siyang ipon ay nag-enroll si Jobert sa University of Cebu sa kursong civil engineering kung saan walang grade requirement para makapasok.
Noon na rin siya nagtrabaho bilang part-time fastfood crew para may pantustos sa kanyang pag-aaral.
PASANG AWA sa college, nagpursigeng ipasa ang board exam
Dahil pinagsasabay niya ang pag-aaral at trabaho, aminado si Jobert na apektado ang kanyang grades.
Lahad niya, “Since I am a working student from my first year until I graduated, I have failed some of my subjects and even dropped some.
"Actually, my grades in college are majority 3.0, equivalent to 75%.
“During that time, my only goal is just to pass the subjects even I do not gain much knowledge. I’m always on survival mode.”
Kung hindi man maganda ang kanyang performance sa college, nang maka-graduate ay sobrang desisido si Jobert na maipasa ang board exam.
Pagbabahagi niya, “The next morning after I graduated, I open my reviewer books directly, even the formal review is not starting yet.
“I really pushed my limits. I wake up at 7:00 a.m. every day. After having breakfast, practice solving problems, [and] study, study, study until 10:00 p.m.”
Nagpapahinga lang umano siya kapag kailangang kumain.
Nag-enroll din siya sa review center dahil maraming subjects ang hindi niya natutukan noong nag-aaral pa siya dahil sa kanyang trabaho.
“I cannot afford a boarding house near the review center. I need to travel every day, and it is time and energy-consuming. Every minute really counts for me that time.”
Batay naman sa kanyang karanasan, mahirap talaga ang board exam.
“It’s difficult. I almost want to give up on the Subject MSTE [Mathematics, Surveying and Transportation Engineering].
“That was the first subject on the exam. And I feel I cannot land on the top 10 because there are many problems I cannot solve.”
NAPAHAGULHOL NANG LUMABAS ANG RESULTA
Kaya naman walang paglagyan si Jobert ng tuwa sa labis na kaligayahan nang lumabas na ang resulta.
“I fell asleep when the result came out, and one of my friends tagged me on a post on Facebook and checked it 11:00 p.m.
"I landed top 10 in the exam! I really cannot believe it...
“I and my siblings that time slept in the same room. I poked them and spread the good news. They were very happy.”
Itinago naman niya sa mga ito ang kanyang pagluha.
“I really cried the next morning while I’m taking a bath.
“I owe this to God. Without Him I am nothing, and, of course, to my loved ones and friends who supported me during my hard times.”
Dahil sa kanyang tagumpay sa board exam, binigyan siya ng University of Cebu ng PHP100,000. Nakatanggap naman siya ng PHP10,000 mula sa review center.
Sa ngayon, college instructor si Jobert sa University of Cebu.
Instructor din siya sa Gillesania Engineering Review and Training Center (GERTC).
Ang payo niya sa mga gaya niya noon na kapos sa pera pero gustong makatapos ng pag-aaral, “Be always motivated.”