18/08/2026
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐
๐
University of the Philippines - Mindanao
Back in 2025, I was supposed to take the Food Technologists Licensure Examination. To be honest, I was carrying a heavy weight inside. It was not pressure coming from my family or friends, but from the silent battles in my own mind. Fresh out of college, I felt lost, quietly envying classmates who had clear and straightforward paths ahead. In a moment of panic, I enrolled in a review center and tried my best to keep up, but I quickly reached an emotional breaking point. My heart told me it was simply not yet my time, so I made the difficult decision to step back and hold off on taking the board exam that year.
Stepping back turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. That pause opened the doors to digital content creation, where brand collaborations tapped me, organizational partnerships grew, and I finally took the leap to move to Manila. Everything began falling into place just as I had prayed. It taught me that when you surrender your worries, frustrations, and doubts to God, His plans will always exceed your expectations. He provided far more than I ever asked for, and none of this would exist without Him.
When I decided to finally take the exam this year, the challenge was completely different. Juggling brand shoots, work deadlines, and full schedules meant I could not build a steady study habit or routine. For six months, my review materials, manuals, etc. remained mostly untouched except during Sunday face-to-face sessions.
With only twenty days left before the board exam, I had to lock in. I crammed 6 months of review materials into less than three weeks. It was an exhausting, high-stress rush where my brain felt completely drained, and the fear of failure was suffocating.
In those moments of deep anxiety, I was constantly reminded that I was not fighting this battle alone. The song "You Are With Me" by Victory Worship became my daily anchor. To my Victory BGC family, thank you for being my sanctuary every Sunday after review classes, bringing peace to my overthinking mind and calming my weary heart.
To the Heavenly Father, thank you for turning what seemed humanly impossible into a clear testament to Your grace.
Throughout this journey, God placed remarkable people around me to lighten the heavy load:
To my family, Mommy (Mercy Cuevas), Daddy, Ate Tweety (Mary Glydel Azur Cuevas), and Ate Kyla (Kyla Cuevas), thank you for your unconditional love and for understanding why I needed to spread my wings in Manila. Even across the distance, your prayers, sacrifices, and unwavering belief gave me the courage to pursue both my dreams and this license.
To my review buddies and rant partners, Lily Angeline Nabong, Gab, and Angeli thank you for the mukbangs ๐, endless conversations, and laughing through our mutual panic. You made everything bearable. We walked into that review room terrified, and now we walk out together as officially registered Professional Food Technologists AAAAAAA!!!
To my pillars here in Manila, Kiel Coronel, Kuya David John Yatco, and Kuya Rugene Ramos, thank you for making this big city feel like home when I was far from family. Thank you for including me in your plans, praying over me, taking me out to unwind, and speaking life into me whenever self-doubt crept in. Those carried me through.
To all of my friends who helped me in my review sessions, especially faithful prayer warriors, Tj De la Cruz, Kuya Armand Glenn Martin, Kiannah, Khezia Baldonado, Tere, Kayla Angela Camus, Ronalen Maga, Lingats, Ryan Tolentino Calatong, Chan Dizon, Ate Hello Shayne, Kuya Bubbles, larcington, Eddie Boy Suyat, Justine, and everyone close to my heart who interceded for me, thank you for standing in faith on my behalf.
To my college circle, Blezzie Desales, Hannah Acedo, Frances Valens Togonon, Ron Danya Alcantara, Rikki Czarina Dio, Lily, and Heart P. Beldad, thank you for checking in on me and constantly reminding me of what I was capable of achieving.
To my partner brands and clients, thank you for your extraordinary patience and flexibility while I was balancing production deliverables with intensive review.
To Quantum Review Center, thank you for breaking down complex topics into concepts that sparked genuine curiosity. Your materials and test strategies trained us to think critically under pressure. To Ma'am Lara Lumbres na hindi nagsawang ipaalala sa amin yung mga deadlines namin hahaha at sa paniniwala na kaya namin 'to; Thank you, Ma'am!
To my alma mater, UP Mindanao and Department of Food Science and Chemistry - UP Mindanao thank you for shaping us into professionals whose core mission is to serve the nation and uplift the lives of others.
This license is not proof of my own perfection or ideal preparation. It is a living testimony of God's sustaining grace. When my own strength ran out, God carried me across the finish line. As Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." All glory, honor, and highest praise belong to the Heavenly Father alone.
