“Three days before the exam, I sharpened my own pencils while praying an Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. I used to envy others who had their parents or mentors to help them, but I came to realize that I wasn’t alone because God was with me all along.”
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Examination, Bar Exam, Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), Psychometrician Licensure Examination, at iba pa, ilan lamang ito sa natural nang kasunod na yugtong inaasahang maipasa ng mga nagsipagtapos sa kolehiyo.
Ngunit bago makarating sa puntong ito at makapasa, samo’t saring kuwento ang maaaring makuha sa kanila.
May ilang magsusunog ng kilay at bulsa para magbuhos ng buong enerhiya sa pagre-review, may ilang hindi. May ilang kakapit sa mga pamahiing epektibo umano kapag magsasagot ng alinman sa mga naturang pagsusulit. Ngunit may ilan din na tanging ang pananampalataya ang sandigan para pagtibayin ang puso at isipan.
ALAMIN: Gaano katagal bago mapanis mga hinandang pagkain noong holiday?
Ganito ang naging kuwento ni Fhamel Castillo Detomal mula sa Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental na umantig sa maraming tao.
Sa eksklusibong panayam ng Balita kay Fhamel nitong Sabado, Oktubre 11, ibinahagi niya ang naging paglalakbay niya bago maging isang ganap na Registered Psychometrician (RPm) dala-dala ang matibay na pananampalataya sa Diyos.
“When I reached my third year in college, life became even more challenging. I got busier with my academics, and it was also the time when my younger sibling got pregnant, my mama and dada separated, and my mama started living in another house. Not long after, my dada passed away,” panimula ni Fhamel.
“I felt the urgent need to find more ways to earn because I knew no one else would shoulder our responsibilities. I took every side hustle I could find[...] I met my boyfriend, Aaron, who became my partner in facing life’s challenges. Together, we started a small chili paste business to earn extra income,” pagkukuwento pa niya.
Ayon kay Fhamel, hindi umano naging madali ang paghahanap ng trabaho upang magkaroon siya ng pantustos sa kaniyang pamilya at isabay ang pagre-review para sa exam.
“After graduation, I realized how difficult it truly was to find a job[...]”
“I started saving little by little because I planned to take the board exam and enroll in a review center. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t save enough since I always prioritized our household needs,” ani Fhamel.
“After about four months of working, I began to lose motivation to pursue the exam. Still, I kept working because I had responsibilities to fulfill at home. But God has His ways of reminding us of our purpose,” ‘ika pa niya.
Pagpapatuloy ni Fhamel, hindi umano niya nakayanang mag-enroll sa mga review center dahil sa pagiging praktikal sa mga pampersonal niyang pangangailangan.
“Still, I couldn’t afford a review center. I thought it was more practical to use that money for our daily needs like rice and groceries, so I decided to self-review instead. Three months before the board exam, I joined a pageant with big prizes. I focused my attention on it, and my review got pushed aside. The pageant lasted for about two months, and when it ended, I only had one month left before the exam,” saad niya.
“I prayed hard, asking the Lord for a sign if I should still take the exam because I felt so behind compared to others. I had no structured guidance and wasn’t sure if I was doing enough[...]” ayon pa kay Fhamel.
Ayon kay Fhamel, isa sa mga naging preparasyon niya ilang araw bago ang kaniyang exam ay magtasa ng mga lapis at magdasal nang paulit-ulit.
“Three days before the exam, I sharpened my own pencils while praying an Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. I used to envy others who had their parents or mentors to help them, but I came to realize that I wasn’t alone because God was with me all along.”
“A day before the exam was also my birthday. I didn’t review that day; instead, I went to church, lit a candle, and prayed to the Lord. I told Him[...]”
“My greatest weapon during the exam was prayer[...] I prayed. When I received the answer sheet, I prayed. And before submitting it, I prayed again. The prayer I always said was “The prayer that has never been known to fail,” the novena to St. Jude Thaddeus,” pagkukuwento ni Fhamel.
Noong matapos ang exam, pumunta agad umano siya sa simbahan upang magdasal at umiyak dahil sa mga sagot na hindi siya sigurado.
“After the exam, I immediately went to church. I cried so hard while praying because I felt that I didn’t know many things and that several of my answers were uncertain[...]”
“When I returned to the boarding house, I cried again. I was alone, and I completely broke down. My chest felt so heavy with worry and fear. But even in tears, I continued to pray until I eventually fell asleep without realizing it,” ani Fhamel.
Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng pagdududa ni Fhamel sa sarili, hindi siya binigo ng kaniyang mga panalangin at lumitaw ang kaniyang pangalan sa mga pumasa sa Psychometrician Licensure Examination na inanunsyo ng Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) noong Oktubre 2, 2025.
“Keep going even when it feels hard, because those struggles are shaping you into the person you are meant to become. When the day of your exam comes, take a deep breath, do your best, and let faith or whatever gives you strength carry the rest. Believe that you are capable, and remember that in God’s perfect time, everything will fall into place,” mensahe ni Fhamel sa mga kasunod na kukuha ng naturang exam.
Samantala, pinasalamatan ni Fhamel ang mga taong nagkaroon ng malaking parte upang hindi umano siya sumuko.
“Aaron, I want to sincerely thank you for all the sacrifices you made just to help me reach where I am today. You have always been my constant support, my source of strength, and one of the reasons why I have achieved many of my goals in life,” saad ni Fhamel.
“Secondly, to my family, despite all the challenges, misunderstandings, and hardships that we went through, please know that you are one of my greatest reasons for continuing to fight in life[...] And lastly, to my college circle, I am beyond thankful to have met such genuine friends[...] To Vanne Bahalla, my prayer buddy and motivator during review, thank you for always lifting us up spiritually and emotionally[...] And to my best friend, Elgane Arconada, thank you for being my constant confidante,” pagtatapos pa niya.
Mc Vincent Mirabuna/Balita
