Isa si Jacob Mojares, mas kilala bilang Cob, sa naniniwala sa itinakda ng tadhana para sa isang tao.
Ito ay matapos niyang malampasan ang lahat ng pasubok na kinaharap niya as a college student and board-examinee.
Nagtapos si Cob ng Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering sa Cavite State University (CvSU ) last April 2023 bilang Magna Cum Laude.
Top 6 naman siya sa October 2023 Electronics Engineers Licensure Examination. May rating siya na 86.70 percent.
Sa kanyang Facebook post last November 3, ibinahagi ni Cob ang kanyang mga pinagdaanan.
Aniya, “I wasn't supposed to be here.
“Hindi ako dapat ECE at wala ako dapat sa Cavite State University. But a few years ago, it was as if the forces of the universe wanted me to be where I am today.”
MAHILIG SA SCIENCE AND MATH
Isa si Cob sa pioneer batch ng K-12 program.
Dahil bago ang programa, hindi niya alam kung anong strand ang pipiliin.
“Unsure and undecided, I took up Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM).
“Never have I ever thought of being an engineer before I entered ABM. I just wanted to fulfill my parents' dream for me to finish my studies and have a decent job.”
Nagustuhan naman niya ang ABM, pero naramdaman niyang iba ang isinisigaw ng kanyang puso—ang STEM, o Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Pero dahil hindi na puwedeng magpalit ng strand, ipinagpatuloy na lang niya ang ABM. Top 2 siya sa kanilang klase.
Noon na rin niya na-realize na, “Since I love science and math much more, I wanted to take up chemical engineering.”
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NAHIRAPANG MAKAHANAP NG ENGINEERING SCHOOL
Nakapasa at aging eligible si Cob sa Department of Science and Technology scholarship. Siya lang ang non-STEM passer sa kanilang high school.
Dahil dito, inisip niyang matutuloy ang pangarap niyang maging chemical engineer.
“Akala ko okay na—pero hindi pa pala when the application season to universities came about.
“Buong bakasyon akong naghanap ng university. I failed to secure sa chemical engineering in one of the big four universities.
“Nagkaproblema rin ang application ko sa state university namin sa Batangas kahit sobrang taas ko sa Stanine. All because ABM ako and they only accepted STEM students to take up engineering programs.”
Ang Stanine o STAndard NINE ay paraan ng pag-scale ng test scores base sa "nine-point standard scale."
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Hindi umano siya aware na may ganitong patakaran sa strand kapag magkokolehiyo na.
Sa isang private school sa lugar nila ay hindi naman applicable ang DOST scholarship, at sakali mang puwede ay kulang ito para matustusan ang kanyang pag-aaral dahil sa private school siya nag-aaral.
Ani Cob, “I was so devastated, I felt like my dream to become a chemical engineer wasn't really for me.”
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HIS LAST SHOT PARA MAGING ENGINEER
Pero may isa pang chance si Cob, ang Cavite State University. Nagkataon ding kalilipat lang noon sa Cavite ng kanyang lolo, lola, at ninang.
Pero may isa pang problema.
“Walang chemical engineering at isang program na lang ang open—BS Electronics and Communications Engineering.”
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Nag-alanganin siya noong una, pero sabi niya sa sarili, "Lord, kung ito po ang para sa akin, tatanggapin ko po."
Iyon na rin lang ang nag-iisa niyang chance para maging engineer.
Natanggap siya sa CvSU, at nag-enroll sa BSECE.
At sabi ni Cob, “The rest was history. I never thought that I would learn to love this university.
“It’s not perfect, but there's a lot of reason to love the journey here.”
Sabi pa sa kanya noon ng kanyang pamilya, "’Malay mo, dito ka talaga dinala ng Diyos para maging magaling.’"
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COLLEGE LIFE IN CsVU
Naging matagumpay ang kanyang buhay-college. Nanalo siya sa iba’t ibang competitions at laging matataas ang grado sa lahat ng subjects.
“I loved all sides and corners, the positives, and negatives, to the point na I told myself na: ‘Ah! Ito pala ang rason kung bakit hindi ako dinala ni Lord sa chemical engineering.’”
Aminado naman si Cob na hindi madali ang electronics engineering.
“Nakakapagod, pero as long as masaya ka sa ginagawa mo, hindi ka titigil at susuko.
“Kung para sa iyo, para sa iyo. Ibibigay sa iyo iyan—pero dapat may effort. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I was really destined na mapadpad sa CvSU at makapagtapos ng BSECE.”
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FIRST ECE BOARD TOPNOTCHER FROM CsVU
Ibinahagi niya ang kanyang karanasan para may matutunan ang ibang tao.
“That it's completely okay to discover yourself. Never be afraid to explore things that you don't know. Lahat naman ng bagay ay natututunan, you'll never know until you get there.”
Nakagawa rin ng history si Cob dahil siya ang kauna-unahang topnotcher sa ECE board examination mula sa CvSU.
“Never have I ever thought that I could make it even this far. But with the help of the Lord and all the people around me, I really did succeed not just to become an engineer, but also a national board exam topnotcher.”
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Labis ang pasasalamat niya sa pamilya, sa mga tao at institusyon na malaki ang naging papel para siya ay maging “conqueror” gaya ng pinangarap para sa sarili.
Payo naman niya sa lahat, sa bawat larangan ay laging may kumpetisyon.
“It's up to you how you're going to fight your battles. But always remember na lahat ng small actions natin every day, whether beneficial or not for our growth and learning, ay may consequences.
“It will either repay you or charge you with big interest. Truthfully, you will always reap what you sow.
“Also, as cliché as it may sound, but to me, it is imperative to always give your best shot para wala kang pagsisihan sa dulo.”
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