Lenrey Suelas, first electrical engineer from Iliranan tribe, rises through grit and sacrifice

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Born into a poor Bukidnon Indigenous People (IP) family in the mountainous barangay of Codcod in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Lenrey Suelas never imagined becoming an electrical engineer.

He knew he was neither strong in mathematics nor inclined toward abstract concepts.

His first dream was to become a seaman. But his life trajectory changed in 2020, just as he was about to enter college.

With high grades in senior high school, Lenrey was recommended by their tribal chieftain, Matias Sueño, to apply for the Merit-Based Scholarship (MBS) program of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Through the MBS program, Lenrey still held on to his dream of becoming a professional seaman. Little did he know that the MBS program is only for state universities and colleges.

The news left him frustrated.

NCIP simply explained that he would be disqualified from receiving the P25,000 per semester stipend if he pursued Marine Engineering or Nautical Science in a private institution.

Left with no choice, Lenrey followed NCIP’s recommendation on where to enroll. In his mind, what mattered most was finishing college, becoming a professional, finding a job, and helping his parents, Renante and Analin, as well as his three younger siblings.

NCIP referred him to the Technological University of the Philippines–Visayas (TUP-V) in Talisay City. It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, so Lenrey was unable to take an entrance exam but was later admitted under special consideration. The course available to him was Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

So Lenrey eventually became a part of the pioneering batch of the program at TUP-V. There were 40 students enrolled in the course.

Adjusting

The adjustment, however, came as a shock after Lenrey realized that the course revolved around highly abstract concepts and demanding mathematical requirements. For him, it felt unforgiving.

The challenge became even greater because his senior high school strand at Our Lady of the Mountains Mission School in Codcod was Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), far removed from engineering.

Mathematics, especially, proved difficult for the mountain boy. But he persevered. He remained diligent in his studies. And he was also grateful that his classmates never left him behind.

“They’re like brothers to me. They helped me cope with my subjects,” Lenrey said. “Also, I never experienced bullying in school because I am an IP,  or because of my looks.”

His biggest setback came during his third year in college when he contracted severe pneumonia. Being absent for one month, Lenrey suffered academically until he failed in one of his subjects.

Being absent for one month, Lenrey suffered academically until he failed in one of his subjects. That time, he though of quitting school, but TUPV offered him the chance for a one on one tutorial just to cope with his failed subject.

In the end, he overcame the setback. However, the delay prevented him from joining the August 2025 graduation rites. Even so, he remained qualified for graduation in December 2025, keeping him part of TUP-V’s pioneering Electrical Engineering batch.

He is now set to officially graduate this July or August.

Before that, Lenrey was given the opportunity to take the board examinations in Cebu City with his batchmates on April 21 and 22. Six days later, on April 28, Lenrey was among the 20 out of 23 TUP-V examinees who passed the board exam.

Nationwide, only 3,769 out of 6,555 examinees, or 54.497 percent, passed the Electrical Engineer Licensure Examination.

“Grabe gid ang kalipay sang amon tribu nga nakapasar ko sa board exams (Our tribe was really happy that I passed the board exams),” he said.

“Bisan diin lang, bisan kay sin-o lang, gina-pabugal gid ko nila nga labing una nga electrical engineer sa amon tribu (Anywhere, to whoever, they’re proud to have me as the very first electrical engineer in our tribe), he added. “It melts my heart, indeed!”

This, as Lenrey is also considered as “mahal na dugo” (precious blood) because both his parents are true-blooded IP from Bukidnon tribe members since birth.

Bukidnon tribe under Iliranan council in Codcod has about 100 households.

They belong to the more than 400,000 indigenous people’s population in Negros Occidental right now.

Promises for the future

Now 22, Lenrey hopes to secure a job in a power generation company in the country.

“That’s my next dream,” he said.

Still, Lenrey said he remains committed to helping his family and the Iliranan tribe once he secures stable employment. As the eldest and only son among four siblings, Lenrey feels responsible for helping his three younger sisters finish college just as he did.

Having experienced hardship since childhood, Lenrey said he does not want his sisters to go through the same struggles he endured, from planting and harvesting vegetables to selling them at Libertad Market in Bacolod on weekends.

“Kita sang akon duha ko ka mata kon ano kabudlay sang trabaho sang parents ko. Ginbaligya nila ang tatlo namon ka karabaw para lang makabakal kami duta kag maka-patindog kami balay sa Handumanan, Bacolod para may istaran kami, para mapa-siguro lang ang amon edukasyon,” he confided.

(I saw with my own eyes how hard my parents worked. They sold our three carabaos just to buy land and build a house in Handumanan, Bacolod so we would have a place to stay and secure our education.)

Now that he is a registered electrical engineer, Lenrey said it is time to find work and help his three younger sisters, who also dream of following in his footsteps.

One of his sisters is now a second-year engineering technology student at TUP-V. Another has already passed the entrance examination at the same university. Their youngest sibling is entering senior high school and also hopes to study at TUP-V in two years.

“We need to strive. We need to work. We need to help our family and, of course, our tribe,” he said.

Lenrey said that if the Iliranan tribe is proud of him, he is equally proud of the community that raised him.

“Our tribe taught us good values, especially patience in facing hardships in life,” he said. “It made me who I am today.”

Thus, Lenrey a product of grit, vowed that, forever, he will be grateful to an IP community that raised him well until he became a registered electrical engineer. – Rappler.com