The roads to success for Ildefonso Ortega Jr., Lopito Oftana Jr., and Jose Antonio Sedigo Jr. are not as straight and paved as we could ever imagine. Their lives were full of challenges and the honors they received as the 1st, 3rd, and 6th placers in the ME Board exams this April 2007 (and October 2006 for Sedigo) were all hard-earned.

As tribute to these engineers, it is thus befitting to induct them into PRIME's Hall of Real-Life Heroes. Their stories inspired countless students from all walks of life to do their best in order to achieve their dreams.

Engr. Ildefonso Ortega Jr. was not an honor student in college. Like most of today's teens, he was once lured into the trap of computer-gaming. He failed several subjects and was even booted from his previous school as a consequence, and did no better for a couple of years, until he realized the value of education and the efforts of his parents. He honed his in-born intelligence and crawled his way back into becoming the person he is now... the 1st placer in the recently concluded ME Board Exam - April 2007. Who would ever say that computer-addiction is bad? He used this in PRIME's online exams, one of the tools that stimulated his enhanced learning.

Like Ildefonso, Engr. Lopito Oftana Jr., the 3rd placer in the April 2007 ME Board exam, received no honors during his graduation in college. He was branded as a "leftist" after he strayed away from his group and chose PRIME Review Center. The reason why he chose PRIME was because of the rumors he heard about its superior notes and lectures. At the end he said "rumors they were not!". He had the last laugh and had the best finish among his batchmates. Who would ever say that being a leftist is bad? He made a left turn to the right direction.

Last year's October 2006 ME Board exam 6th placer from PRIME is no different from the two. He never had a "laude" attached to his name when he graduated. All he had was a strong belief in himself and the determination to beat the odds. After the board exam was concluded last year, he passed with flying colors as the 6th placer.

PRIME has not always been blessed with students with honors in college, but it has been blessed with students of strong determination and instructors with extreme dedication. These two factors transformed ordinary students into achievers that no one could ever expect.

Who would ever expect a jeepney driver to top the board exam? Nobody. But that's what Rodel Ygot of PRIME achieved last April 2006 ME board exam as a 3rd placer.

Just do your best, and let PRIME do the rest.