By: Lorrah Ashley Ang
Photo courtesy of: Leslie Duvao | Letran Engineering Society Photo Layout by: Maverick Rhoy De Vera | The LANCE
The fighting Arriba spirits of Letranites reached the peak with a sturdy path, and with the guidance of the Colegio, they prevailed, paving the way for Letran and the Engineering Department.
From the College of Engineering and Information Technology (CEIT), Letran’s very own Jomari Cruz, Doroteo De Guzman III, Carl Jonas Lopez, and Deejay Malejana stood among the 4,268 passers of the Civil Engineers Licensure Examination (CELE), now officially recognized as professional civil engineers.
A sense of pride and fulfillment was brought to the Colegio, marked by a 30.77% passing rate, surpassing the national rate of 30.39% in the November 2025 CELE.
Approaching Goals with Strength
Reaching the top was certainly not an easy task, beginning with the starting point oftheir college years at Letran. For Engr. Jomari Cruz, his foremost goal was to finish his academic requirements, particularly his thesis, while juggling his CELE review to prepare for the board exam.
“These were the crucial challenges that I've ever faced, because I was a graduating student at that time, so there's no way I could fail those challenges,” Cruz shared.
During his years in the Colegio, honing skills was a priority for Engr. Doroteo De Guzman III. “My main priorities were to finish all my design and major subjects and equip myself with skills that will help me in the future after graduation,” said De Guzman.
He also established a strong foundation for himself to confidently transition from academic life to the demands of the engineering industry, anticipating his goals early on toward a fruitful career.
Seeing the struggles of the country, particularly in flood control projects, evoked a sense of motivation for Cruz in pursuit of his career. His support system also provided him strength, especially during moments when he needed it most. “Words of encouragement from my parents and friends, whom I appreciated for being supportive at all times,” he emphasized.
Similarly, for De Guzman, the driving force behind achieving this milestone was his family and his lifelong dream of becoming a civil engineer. “Their support and my determination to turn that dream into reality pushed me to persevere through challenges and stay focused on my goal,” he shared.
Looking beyond graduation and setting clear plans for the future prepared these Letran passers, their loved ones pushing them to fulfill their dreams.
Leaping Over Obstacles
The cost of becoming a civil engineer meant reshaping oneself to align with this dream and willingly face the challenging journey ahead, especially the board exams that arenot only difficult,but also demanding, as Engr. Carl Jonas Lopez shared from his own set of challenges.
“Preparing for the board exams is not cheap. It requires many ‘material’ things, including personal space which I didn’t have at home,” said Lopez.
He was grateful for his loved ones, who provided his needs in preparation for CELE. For him, the immense pressure he felt was not from them, but from their silent expectations. Still, this became a source of inspiration, empowering him to persevere.
“They believed in me, so all I needed was to believe in myself too.”
For Engr. Deejay Malejana, finding the balance between managing time, pressure, and rest became his biggest challenge in preparing for the board exam. Working while preparing for the exam was his most difficult hurdle. These experiences nurtured personal growth and helped him see things from a broader perspective.
“It taught me how to be resilient and helped me appreciate the efforts of the people around me, especially my partner.”
With the guidance of the Colegio, the path to becoming a professional civil engineer was not easy, but it instilled the strength to fight with the spirit of a Letranite—a true knight.
As Lopez emphasized, civil engineering was not an easy path and challenged him in ways he did not expect. But, Letran shaped him to be a fighter—to keep going even when the odds felt impossible, which eventually led to his personal motto: “Suntok lang nang suntok. Hindi man ngayon, pero balang araw tatama din ’yan.”
From six years of being an irregular student in college to finally achieving his breakthrough as a registered civil engineer, Lopez learned resilience, courage, and faith in the process.
For Malejana, being a Letranite since high school up to college taught him to apply the values integrated within him.
“Pursue excellence and success will chase you,” he quoted.
The courage to take the leap despite knowing the challenges ahead reflects the values taught to them as Letranites—imparted by the Colegio to guide them during crucial moments in achieving their dreams.
Building Knowledge and Joy in Triumphs
Proud and grateful—these are the words that best describe how Inst. Jhon Cristian Colesio, Area Chairperson of Engineering, felt upon learning the results of the board examination, as well as the recent awards brought by the civil engineering students at the Junior Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (JPICE) – Lungsod ng Maynila Bridge Building Competition.
For him and the entire Engineering Faculty, it is an honor to witness and celebrate the accomplishments of their students. “Our Civil Engineering students at Letran are not only academically capable, but also holistically formed within the Colegio,” he emphasized.
The Letran Engineering Society (LES) and The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers – American Concrete Institute Philippines – Colegio de San Juan de Letran Student Chapter (PICE-ACIP-CSJL-SC) also extended their heartfelt congratulations to the CELE passers for their well-achieved victory, symbolizing inspiration for the Engineering Department.
The advancement of the Engineering Department under CEIT has been made possible through the collaborative effort between the Colegio and the engineering students of Letran-Manila. From theoretical learning to real-world application, the specialized laboratories of the department molded students to master essential skills. These facilities include the soil and surveying laboratory and the hydraulics and fluid mechanics laboratory for civil engineering, the machine shop for both civil and industrial engineering, and the electrical engineering laboratory and electronics engineering laboratory for electrical engineering.
PICE-ACIP-CSJL-SC, with its focus on civil engineering, equipped students with the expertise they need not only for the board exam but also for their future as civil engineering professionals. Through mock board examinations, seminars, educational tours, review sessions, bridge-building and tower-making competitions, and many more activities, they helped sharpen and prepare the civil engineers to be where they are today.
Highest Peak, New Ventures
Reaching new heights all began with a tiny seed of hope—one that grew stronger through the guidance of the Colegio, the support of friends and family, and the shared experiences of those climbing the same ladder toward the goal of becoming a civil engineer.
As imparted by Inst. Jhon Cristian Colesio, Area Chairperson of Engineering, “May you always be engineers with a heart for the people. Serve with integrity and embody the values and teachings you learned inside Letran.”
Moreover, he left a motivating message to aspiring civil engineers: “Keep dreaming and striving for excellence. As we always remind them, laban para sa pangarap.”
Letran’s pride—a new set of licensed civil engineers—serves as an inspiration to those still facing their own challenges. As the climb of preparation concludes, another ladder opens, paving the way for new paths and heights as newly licensed professional civil engineers.