The Story behind the Yolanda Survivor Who Landed 10th place in the Engineering Licensure Exam

A year after the devastating Super Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban, the unfortunate victims are still struggling to get back on their feet. Today’s story of hope and perseverance of a Yolanda victim will show us their gradual healing from the calamity.

INSPIRATION. Dovann Arrabis said his family inspired him to study hard and make the top 10 list of the civil engineering licensure exams. Photo by Dale Israel

Probably one of the most-affected areas from the typhoon is northern Cebu. This is where Dovann Arabis and his family were residing. Little did they know that one night will threaten to destroy their lives and Dovann’s education.

At that time, Dovann was in his last semester for his 5-year course Civil Engineering in Cebu Technological University. When he heard about the news of the typhoon, we immediately went to check for his family’s condition. Among hundreds of other families, they lost their property and home.

Dovann, who was supposed to be studying for his incoming licensure exam, stopped reviewing and helped his family instead. According to Rappler.com, Dovann said that he still couldn’t recover from the shock from what happened to them until after two months.

Despite of this, he did not let the problem get along with his dream. The guy persevered to finish schooling and started reviewing for his exam. “Mao to nga sige lang gyud ko ug tuon, tig kadlawn na ko makatulog, kung daot ko ron, mas daot pa ko sauna,”  (I would study until dawn and was even skinnier than before)

But all of his hard work and perseverance was paid off in the end when he landed 10^th in the Engineering Licensure Exam last May 2014. He was among the two students from CTU who made it to the top ten. Aside from this, he also graduated as Magna Cum Laude at CTU.

Now, Dovann is working for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office with the monthly salary of P29, 000. He was now able to help and support his family. Dovann is truly a living inspiration for all of our people out there who have been encountering problems in their lives. Nothing is impossible if we have the will to do it.

Source: Rappler