Never lonely at the top: Fahadale Abbas of St. John Paul II College of Davao tops Criminology Board Exam

As a child, Fahadale Abbas, 22 cannot recall a moment when he had somebody from the family guiding him how to write his name or the alphabet.

Describing himself as ‘literal na pobre,’ Fahad only had his dream of becoming a policeman someday as his inspiration and his desire to be the top 1 in the board exam his driving force.

He shared that back then, he only eats twice a day. He never hated their family’s situation because he knows that time will come, he will be able to give them a more comfortable life.

“My lola was ‘no read, no write’ that’s why I only study on my own,” said Fahad who told this reporter that he would love to inform her about his achievement recently. But she passed away when he was still studying in college.

He recounted that he used to sleep beside her in their payag in Brgy. Gumitan in Marilog District as he also confessed that he is a lola’s boy. He would love to tell her about his experiences and how he finished top 1 in the recent Criminology Licensure Exam with 91.20 percent rating that changed his life forever, making him a renowned personality in the campus and in the country.

Proof to that, when Fahad went down from the office of the Vice President of St. John Paul II College, a group of Criminology students having their formation for ROTC suddenly called him, trying to catch his attention and to which he replied with a smile.

Adding to that, he can no longer accept friend requests on his Facebook account. Every time he opens the application on his phone, he observed that it starts to slow down maybe because of the number of messages that he receives from friends, acquaintances, and even strangers alike.

Admittedly shy, Fahad was hesitant to have a sit-down interview with this reporter but was later convinced by his former teacher Martino Aldepolla, upon learning that the late school president, Ernie Evangelista would be proud to have him as the first topnotcher in the criminology licensure exam from their school and be interviewed by media entities.

Born in Pualas in Lanao del Sur, Fahad is the sixth child among nine. He was brought in Brgy. Gumitan in Marilog under the care of his grandmother. He is proud of his family whose source of living is farming. He, too has his share of farming duties as he helps his family in cultivating the land when he goes there during weekends.

He could have landed a job in their barangay after finishing a two-year course, Associate in Computer Technology but his desire to become a policeman is stronger that it prompted him to apply for scholarships so that he can enrol in a four-year course. He was glad that he decided to enrol in St. John Paul II College as he was groomed to learn and later pass the board exams.

Job offers from different schools and review centers are also coming after he became top 1 but for now, he wants to focus on his preparations to apply as policeman.

Though he has reached his desire to top the board exam, Fahad never considers himself intelligent. “Naningkamot lang,” he said in jest. Though he recounted that maybe he is brainy as a kid as he was the first honor in Grade 1.

Kidding aside, Fahad admits that he has sacrificed some things that he normally does including time for romantic relationship, basketball, online games and even Facebook. He said he never wasted time for any distractions.

On the day that he took the board exam, for him it helped that his favorite subject back in college, Jurisprudence was the first he took during those three days which boosted his confidence. His prayers were also answered and years of preparation while still in college paid off. He ranked first out of more than 19,000 passers last November 2019.

“Way kaya ang tinuod nga brayt nga tapulan sa tinuod nga kugihan ug determinado sa pagskwela,” he said, adding: “Way lain sekreto para mopasa kundi i-love ang pagbasa.”

Meanwhile, in recognition for his contribution to the school, Fahad was recognized by St. John Paul II College in a ceremony headed by Dr. April Evangelista last January 24 at the school quadrangle.

Dr. Evangelista said that she is proud of Fahad’s achievement and the school is very happy to have one of its graduates as topnotcher, adding to the list of alumni who also made it on top.

The Professional Regulation Commission will also administer his oath-taking in Davao City on February 15 and also in PICC in Pasay on February 21.

For Fahad, he is the lone topnotcher for this year yet he never feels lonely as his family, friends, the school and Allah are always with him from his humble roots until he reached the top.