Hard work and Success: Getting To Know Paul John Pame

With our daily evening routine to check random online news about what’s happening around the globe, good reads about people and potential destinations for vacation next year as the last quarter approaches, we arrived to this very appealing news about the list of board passers of the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examinations result on September 25, 2013.

Disclaimer: This post was originally published on this website last October 6, 2013. The response of our interviewee might not be relevant and current. However, we are hoping that you still enjoy our featured interview with Cebu Institute of Technology-University graduate and Mechanical Engineer licensure top notcher from Leyte, Paul John Pame.

A student from Cebu made it to the Top Notchers’ list of newly-licensed Mechanical Engineers. His name is Paul John Pame, a graduate of Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U), and we have asked him questions for an interview.

Hi, Paul! Congratulations for being the Top 6 of the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examinations in the Philippines. How does it feel? What was your first reaction when you found out you are one of the top notchers?

Thank you. I feel that I am at the peak of my happiness when I found out the results of the licensure examination and I can’t express thoroughly my feelings at that time. I just see myself wearing a big smile days after the results.

Where did you find it out first? And how? How did your family members react to this good news?

If I’m not mistaken, it was around 9 PM Wednesday (I was with my girlfriend and my friends watching a movie) when a friend of mine (Pia Java) texted me “Congratz Kuya” and I suspect that results were already released. At that moment, grabe kaayo ang kulba plus nangurog pagyud ako tuhod (my nervousness was overwhelming and my knees are also shaking).

I then told my friends (who were also my college mechanical engineering classmates that took also the exam) that the results are now available. We then rush to the internet cafe near our boarding house and look for our names at the PRC website on the list of passers. When I saw my name in one of the top notchers (Top 6), I hug my girlfriend and I said ‘thank you’ and then I called my mother to surprise her.

During my conversation with my family, especially my mother and father, I can feel their joy and all that I have said that time was “Thank you kaayo ma, pa sa support, and prayers” (“Thank you very much ma, pa, for the support and prayers.”).

His love for Physics and some influence from his older brother, Juvelito M. Pame, RME, made Paul decide to pursue Mechanical Engineering after he graduated high school at New Ormoc City National High School. Accountancy and Mechanical Engineering are his two options for a degree in college. But since his brother is his mentor, who was studying Mechanical Engineering that time when Paul is still on his one step higher to his education, he enrolled the same course his brother took.

What is your personal background or experience that encouraged you to pursue Mechanical Engineering? Any member of the family who is also an engineer (or currently taking an Engineering course?)

I think it’s my inclination to Physics and Mechanics because when I was in high school, those were the subjects where I always excelled and I really love to study in those fields and the subjects describe Mechanical Engineering. Also, my older brother influenced me to take the course since he was also taking Mechanical Engineering at CIT-University.

What were your preparations before the ME board exams? Where did you take the tests and how were you feeling while reviewing for the big examination day?

I started my review at the last week of April 2013 and then I enrolled at PRIME Review Center for my review, refresher and coaching courses. Monday to Saturday is my schedule for my self-review at the boarding house and also at the review center, while Sunday is my rest day, I spent the time going to church in the morning, going out with my girlfriend and friends around the city. During my review, I study (solve problems and read textbooks) 10-12 hrs a day, sleep 6-8 hrs a day, and the rest I play computer/mobile games, watching movies on my friend’s laptop, etc.

I took the examination at Salazar Institute of Technology since that was one of the examination venues aside from SWU and UC-Mambaling. Before the big day, I was feeling nervous and I was asking myself if my preparations were enough to pass the exam. To ease myself, I pray the rosary.

Paul John Pame, from Lim-ao, Kananga, Leyte, was honored the Cebu Institute of Technology-University “King of Engineers 2013″. He was also the batch Valedictorian, a Presidential Awardee for Academic Excellence, and he graduated with honors as Summa Cum Laude.

When did you graduate college? Can you tell us an experience where you have the hardest day of your life during your college days until you graduated? Did you decide to take a rest first before taking the exams or you immediately enrolled to a review center?

I graduated last March 23, 2013. I think the hardest part during my college days was the last semester before I graduated because all the subjects were difficult plus there are these strict instructors in our department and that semester was different compared to the previous semesters I took. At that time, all I did is to give everything I got, pass and get a good grade in every subject, finish my projects, reports, and thesis before the deadline, prepare and defend well before and during the project and thesis defense.

After graduation, I took a rest for a month. I go out of town with my family, girlfriend and some of my friends. Also, I was also conditioning myself for the review.

Did you encounter challenges during your time you reviewed for the board exams? What are those? How were you able to surpass those problems?

Yes, I did. Coping with the fast phase of the review and conflict with some of my classmates. In the review, the phase of the discussion is very different compared to college discussions because a subject in the review will be discussed for only 3-6 hours and compared to college, the whole subject is being discussed for one semester and the only thing I did is to adapt with this. The training I received during my college days was very useful for me to cope with this problem. Also, I had a conflict with some of my friends but at the end of the day we just sit and talk with our problems and shake hands with each other.

What one thing at school that will make you remember your hardships and happy moments as an Engineering student? Any school blooper story to share?

I think it’s not a thing but it’s a ‘person’, the CIT-University Mechanical Engineering Department Chairman, Engr. Edgardo A. Concepcion. Whenever I see him, I always remember those moments that I had a hard time finishing my reports in his subjects, defending our thesis to him and answering those difficult theoretical and technical questions, answering those difficult problems during our quizzes and major exams, and fabricating our projects. But, at the end of my college life, my experiences with him was worth it. I will always consider him as the face of the ME Department’s success.

I don’t think this is a blooper but this is the best memory that I can imagine. To tell you honestly, our department chairman, Engr. Concepcion rarely smiles or laughs in a class and of all the faculty members in our department or even in the whole campus, he is the instructor that never smile, laugh, or even crack a joke during discussions. You will always see a very silent class and serious faces of the students when he discusses. But there was a time in our MECC subject that he cracked a joke and smile, and after that, the whole class laughed and I think it took almost 30 minutes for us to calm down and stop laughing because it is very rare for him to do that.

What was the environment at school as an Engineering student? How about as a reviewee? Did you compromise things you love doing because of the time needed to review for the licensure exams? What are those?

At school, it was a competitive environment but friendly competition with my classmates especially with some of the scholars of who would top in the exam. It was also the same during my review course but the set-up is very different because my classmates during review came from different schools all over the Philippines and I was bringing the name of the school so I have to best in daily exams, weekly exams and especially during the actual ME Board examination.

I did not compromise some of my hobbies but I lessen the time of doing those things just like playing computer games especially NBA2k13 and DotA. When I was in college, I play computer games 3-5 hrs a day but during my preparations for the licensure exam, I can only play 1-2 hrs and there are also days that I don’t play computer games.

Can you remember the first thing you did after graduation day? After finishing the board exams? After you found out you passed the board exams? After you found out you’re one of the top notchers? Who is the first person you called or talked to when you found out you are Top 6?

After graduation: Together with my Family, girlfriend, and relatives, we ate at my grandparent’s house in Lapu-Lapu City.

After finishing the board exams: I went to Sto. Niño Church together with my girlfriend.

After I found out I passed the board exams: I hug my girlfriend.

After I found out I am one of the top notchers: I called my parents.

The first person I talked to when I found out that I passed was my girlfriend (I looked first on my name in the list of the passers before I looked at the list of top notchers) and when I found out that I am one of the top notchers, I then called and talk to my mother.

What will be your message to those students who are taking Engineering course (specifically Mechanical Engineering)? Any words of encouragement?

To all the students, no matter what you are taking, have passion on it and you just have love what you are doing. If you love what you are doing, success will come next. ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

“Success = Hard work + God’s grace,” Paul mathematically wrote to express his ways to succeed in life.

Thank You Message

First of all, I want to say Thank You to our Loving Father, Lord God, for all the blessings that He had showered to me and my family. To my family especially my parents, Genaro G. Pame Jr. and Evelinda Y. Monte, for all their support since I was very young and until now, without them I wouldn’t accomplish these things. To my brothers, Juvelito, Genald, and Mark, thank you for being the best brothers.

To my girlfriend, Athenna S. Sabella, thank you for being an inspiration to me and for supporting during my ups and downs. To my friends who have been encouraging and supporting me always and for being there during laughs and sorrows. To my mentors during my college days especially the faculty members of the Mechanical Engineering Department of CIT-University, thank you for the knowledge and wisdom that you have shared and imparted to us. And lastly, to my Alma mater, Cebu Institute of Technology – University, for training and developing us towards reality in life and for the world-class quality education.

ALSO READ: Getting to know Island Media Asia (Part 1): Michael McDonnell

After passing the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examinations, Paul John Pame plans to work in line with his field of profession. After 5 or 6 years from now, he will pursue a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering here in the country or abroad.

Congratulations, Engr. Paul John Pame! We wish you all the happiness and success in life and hope you achieve even more with your new career. Thank you for the opportunity to interview you. You are so kind to CebuFinest.com!

You make us proud!

Follow Paul John’s adventures on Instagram.

See the Top 10 September 2013 Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination from PRC.