He topped the mechanical board exam. Hearing achievements like this would bring a notion that the person is a consistent honor – but he is not.

Brylle Gilbuena, the top scorer in the MELE, did not receive any academic honor during college.

In addition, he did not even finish the entire test because he found the exam extremely challenging.

Mechanical Engineering Board Top 1 Did Not Finish the Entire Test

Is it possible to become a top 1 board exam passer even if you didn’t finish the entire test? Absolutely! This is what a young topnotcher from Cebu proved, who was both surprised and overjoyed upon learning the results—a reward for all his hard work and determination.

Brylle Gilbuena, a 22-year-old Cebuano, achieved the highest score in the Mechanical Engineer board exam with a grade of 88.10%.

Out of the 1,904 who took the exam, only 1,083 passed, with Gilbuena securing the top 1 rank despite not answering all the questions in the test.

The young man, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering, is a product of the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM).

Top 1 in Board Did Not Receive Academic Honor in College

In a report by ABS-CBN, he shared that he found the exam extremely challenging, particularly in Math and Science subjects.

“For five hours, I was not able to answer all 100 questions,” he said.

Brylle’s story becomes even more inspiring because, during college, he did not receive any academic honors, partly due to being a working student, which made it difficult for him to balance work and studies.

However, he was an honor student during both elementary and high school.

Growing Up in Family Where Both Parents are Unemployed

The youngest of five siblings, Brylle grew up in a family where both parents were unemployed. His elder sister served as the family’s breadwinner, supporting their needs, including his education.

Aside from his family, Brylle is deeply grateful to God for his success.

“Before I start studying, I pray and read the Bible so that God will guide me and I trust Him to ease my worries. I told myself, whether I pass the board or not or if I will top the board or not, I will praise God,” Brylle said.

He added that he had to delay taking the board exam due to financial difficulties. To save up for his review expenses, he worked as a Senior High School teacher at UCLM for five months.

All his perseverance paid off when he passed the board exam, and his alma mater rewarded him with a brand-new car as a token of appreciation for bringing honor to the school.