MATHEMATICS will always be a difficult subject if you ask any student.But for Angelo Hinayas Sigue, a graduate of the Cebu Technological University (CTU), his fear of the subject didn’t stop him from claiming success during the recently concluded May 2022 Civil Engineering Licensure Examination.Sigue, who hails from Lapu-Lapu City, ranked sixth in the exams with an average of 92.60 percent. He was one of two Cebuanos who were included in the exam’s topnotchers this year.Aside from Sigue, Kaizen Daniel Oriel, a graduate of the University of San Carlos, ranked eighth in the exams.In an interview with SunStar Cebu, Sigue admitted that he never thought of taking engineering as a profession.But he decided to give it a try after he was inspired by his older brother, Ramel, who topped the same exam in 2015, landing in ninth place.“Engineering was never my field of choice. There was even a time that I felt so down during my first year in college when I got a low grade in math. But knowing my brother also topped the exam, he inspired me and gave me a wake-up call to study harder,” Sigue added.Sigue, 23, is the fourth of five siblings of ice cream vendors.Sigue said he almost lost motivation and interest to review for the exams due to the postponements that occurred as a result of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.But he was able to bounce back after he was reminded of his goal to become one of the exam’s topnotchers.“If you are tired, just rest and never give up. I keep on repeating that in my mind every time frustration starts to consume me. It works every time as I really want to top the test,” he added.To prepare himself for the grueling exam ahead, Sigue participated in several mathematic competitions and quiz bees while he was still a student.The competitions, Sigue added, helped him in sharpening his problem solving and analytical skills.Just before the results of the exams were released, Sigue admitted that he was excited and anxious at the same time.“It took them (his family) until 1 am to wait for the result. Then, my brother woke me up to tell me the news. I was so happy, for I know God never left me throughout my journey,” Sigue added.Now that he is already a professional civil engineer, Sigue plans to expose himself more in the field.He also plans to pursue a master’s degree in engineering to further increase his knowledge.He said he was extremely thankful to all his loved ones and teachers, both from CTU and his review center, whom he said, are the main reasons behind his success.Sigue also urged the aspiring engineers like him to never give up on their goals and have strong faith.“Keep the fire burning and always hit the nail on its head. When the time is right, it will be given to you. Just keep praying and always do your best,” he added.