Given the right opportunity and support, many Filipino children, including those from low-income households, are able to achieve outstanding feats. One perfect example is Engineer Aaron Paul Lolor, a former monitored child of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
In October 2024, Aaron ranked Top 4 in the latest Geodetic Engineers Licensure Examination (GELE), with a rating of 86.60%. He is a resident of Barangay Villahermosa in Daraga, Albay.
4Ps Monitored Child Now a Top Ranking Geodetic Engineer
Out of the 1,343 who took the Geodetic Engineers Licensure Exam (GELE) last October, less than half or only 650 passed. Among the top scorers is Engineer Aaron Paul Lolor, a former 4ps monitored child.
A Family of Nine
Based on an article from DSWD Field Office 5 – Bicol Region, Aaron comes from a family of nine — his mother, father, and seven children. The fifth child among them, Aaron has two younger siblings who are also determined to finish their schooling.
Aaron’s parents had a small tailoring business that provided income for their daily needs. After joining the 4Ps, they received health grants and educational grants, which helped support their expenses in school. “Mas naging okay kami nang dumating and 4Ps (Our lives got better when 4Ps came),” Aaron recalled.
Dedicated Student and Achiever
At a young age, Aaron has always been motivated and driven to excel. He attended Bagumbayan Central School during his elementary years, before studying at Anislag High School and Daraga National High School for junior high and senior high, respectively. When he was in Grade 8, he served as a sports writer in high school and competed in the Provincial Exemplary Child Search in Albay.
During the pandemic, Aaron encountered challenges in studying and pooling resources for his tuition. This did not deter him, however, and he was determined to finish his college education.
Graduating from College
Initially, Aaron had wanted to study a business-related course, since he took the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand in senior high school. Eventually, however, he shifted to Geodetic Engineering, which he came to be passionate about. “It wasn’t my dream course,” he explained, “But I grew to love it as I studied and discovered its relevance.”
Meanwhile, Aaron’s interest in writing also remained. He was editor-in-chief of the college paper at Bicol University-Legazpi, in addition to attaining other leadership and academic achievements. Since 2020, he was also a Merit Scholar of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). And recently, he graduated Cum Laude!
Passing the Board with Flying Colors
After graduation, Aaron’s next step was to take the Geodetic Engineers Licensure Examination (GELE). As he prepared, he was determined to be among the top passers. “Gusto ko talagang mag-top sa board exam, pero nang makita ko ang mga tanong, na-stress ako (I really wanted to top the board exam, but when I saw the questions, I got stressed),” he said. “Hindi ko talaga in-expect na magta-top ako (I did not expect to be among the top passers).”
Aaron not only passed, but ranked fourth highest among 1,343 test takers. It was definitely a proud moment for him and his family!
Bringing Pride to His School
In school, the Bicol University Integrated League of DOST Scholars congratulated Aaron for successfully passing the GELE. “Your hard work, commitment, and perseverance has led you to this significant achievement, and we commend you for your dedication to excellence,” the group announced on their Facebook page.
Notably, in addition to Aaron, there were two other test takers from Bicol University who ranked among the Top 10: Engineer Ray Jay Balderama (6th), and Engineer Jabes Duevo (8th). Congratulations to all of you!
Bringing Pride to the Community
Of course, Aaron’s local community, Barangay Villahermosa, was extremely proud of his achievement. Interestingly, he is currently a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Kagawad in their barangay, and the council greeted him on their Facebook page, as well.
“This remarkable milestone is a testament to your unwavering dedication, resilience, and hard work,” the SK Council of Barangay Villahermosa posted. “Your achievement brings immense pride and inspiration to the youth and the entire Villahermosa community.”
Growing as a Family
Beyond financial support, the 4Ps program provides other interventions, including Family Development Sessions (FDS), which tackle positive values and growth of family and community members. “Aside from the financial assistance, the program brought us closer together,” Aaron shared. “We would help each other complete the sessions, and it made us more united as a family.”
Ultimately, Aaron is thankful for the 4Ps program and how it has impacted their lives. “We used 4Ps as a tool, we used it well, kaya (so) we are very grateful,” he stated.
“Graduating” from 4Ps Program
In May 2024, the Lolor family has “graduated” or exited from the 4Ps program. Basically, this means that their household has achieved “self-sufficiency” based on the result of their latest Social Welfare Development Indicator (SWDI) assessment. Together with other graduating families, they are now able to sustain their needs — a feat made possible through the DSWD’s flagship program.
Achieving Dreams with Help from 4Ps
“4Ps has been of great help especially during those needy times way back in junior high school,” Aaron said, as cited in a post by 4Ps’ official Facebook page. “Without 4Ps, I think my family would’ve struggled a lot given that 5 of us were in school during that time. Such opportunities should not be wasted, my younger siblings and I are living testimonies to that fact.”
To this day, Aaron reflects on his experience with gratitude. “For others, 4Ps may just be financial aid, but for me, it was my motivation to do well in school, knowing that the government was helping us. I wanted my family to be proud,” he reflected.
Final Thoughts
Now that Aaron is a a top-ranking Licensed Geodetic Engineer, not only did he make his family proud… but also his school, his hometown, and the entire 4Ps community! Without a doubt, his story is bound to inspire other 4Ps monitored children to reach for their dreams, too!
Recently, there have been other former 4Ps monitored children who have finished college and topped licensure examinations. One of them topped the board exam for social workers; check out this article to learn more about her success story!