“It was his dream… Napagdecide ko icocontinue ko dream ng papa ko” - 23-yr-old from Isabela lands as top 8 in 2026 Civil Engineering Exam

Tumauini, Isabela – A young man from Isabela who was once unsure of which path to take is now among the country’s top board passers, carrying not only his own dream but also one that began with his father.

Engineer Seth Patrick Bacani, a native of Tumauini, placed 8th in the March 2026 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination with a 91.45% rating, according to results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on April 7.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering major in Structural Engineering from Cagayan State University – Carig Campus and ranked 6,438th among 18,370 examinees who took the examination.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, Bacani shared that civil engineering was not initially his first choice. As a child, he was more interested in computer and mobile games, which led him to consider a computer-related course.

As time passed, that interest gradually faded, leaving him uncertain about what course to pursue after senior high school. At that time, he turned to his father for guidance.

His father, Danilo, who once dreamed of becoming a civil engineer, told him to choose what he truly wanted. However, he later asked again if civil engineering would be a good course. His father replied that it was a good choice but reminded him to think it through carefully. From there, he decided to take civil engineering.

“It was once his dream to become a civil engineer. Tinanong ko si Papa, ‘Pa, anong course kaya ang dapat kong kunin?’ Sabi niya, ‘Basta ikaw, Bunso. Kung ano ang gusto mo, ‘yun ang piliin mo.’ Days later, tinanong ko ulit siya, ‘Pa, maganda ba yung Civil Engineering? Marerecommend mo ba siya sa akin since nasubukan mo na?’ Sabi niya naman, ‘Oo, maganda ‘yun, nak, pero pag-isipan mo pa rin.’ Kaya ayun, napag-decide ko na rin na kunin yung course na ‘yun since pasahan na ng grades; icocontinue ko na lang yung dream ni Papa,” Bacani shared.

As he progressed through college at CSU, he said he gradually found his passion in the field. He began to appreciate its concepts, challenges, and purpose, realizing that it was not only about fulfilling his father’s dream but also about building a future for his family.

Challenges before the triumph

Before achieving a 91.45% rating, the 23-year-old said his journey was marked by sacrifices during his review period.

He recalled sleepless nights spent studying multiple subjects, often setting aside personal time to prepare for the March 2026 CELE. According to him, there were moments of stress and overwhelm, but he chose to push forward, trusting in the Almighty.

“There were moments na na-stress at na-overwhelm ako, pero pinilit ko lagi mag-push kasi alam ko na bawat effort at sacrifice ko is for something bigger—para ma-achieve yung dream ko at para ma-proud ang pamilya ko,” he added.

The sacrifices paid off

When the results were released, Bacani shared that he was with friends playing mobile games to ease the tension while waiting.

He said he first learned that he passed the exam, but it did not immediately sink in. It was only when one of his siblings checked the list of topnotchers and saw his name that the achievement truly became real for him.

“The story pala nun, naglalaro kami ng ML ng friends ko kasi gusto naming mawala yung kaba habang naghihintay ng results. Tapos, after the game, tumakbo yung isa kong ate and said, ‘Passer ka na!’ Pero honestly, hindi pa ako fully happy that time kasi hindi ko pa totally na-process. Tapos yung isa kong ate chineck yung list of topnotchers, at nung makita niya, top 8 ako—biglang nag-hiyawan kami, nagtatalunan, nagyakapan sa tuwa, at lahat kami—magkakapatid, pati na rin ang mga relatives na nasa compound namin. Sobrang thankful ako kay God for guiding me and blessing me to reach this point,” he shared.

The Isabela native went on to say that a dream—whether personal or shared with family—can be achieved through perseverance and faith.

He added that he hopes to become an engineer who will serve his province and the country by contributing to safe, sustainable, and quality infrastructure.

“Since major ko po structural engineering, maga-apply po ako ng trabaho sa mga structural firm po, if papalarin sa mga big company po,” he concluded.