IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ For nearly a decade, Roland John R. Visco carried a quiet burden many would have abandoned long ago: a dream repeatedly deferred by failure.
Visco took the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) for sixteen times. His name did not appear on the list.
And yet, he kept going.
In September 2025, perseverance finally had its moment. Visco, now 35, passed the LET โ a victory earned not through ease or privilege, but through years of rejection, self-doubt, and stubborn hope.
โI told myself every failure was not a full stop,โ Visco shared in interviews circulated online. โIt was just a comma.โ
A long road to the classroom
A graduate of Sports and Recreational Management from Cavite State University, Viscoโs passion has always been teaching โ particularly physical education.
But the road to becoming a licensed teacher proved far more difficult than he ever imagined.
The LET, especially the MAPEH component, became his recurring obstacle. Each failed attempt chipped away at confidence, tested finances, and raised painful questions from others: Hanggang kailan ka pa susubok?
All this while juggling life as a working professional, a husband, and a father of two.
Unlike many examinees, Visco did not have the luxury of full-time review centers. Most of his preparation came from self-study, lived classroom experience, and borrowed time โ reviewing after work, during breaks, or late at night when the house was finally quiet.
When giving up would have been easier
There were moments, he admits, when quitting felt like the most reasonable option.
But something kept pulling him back โ the belief that teaching was not just a career, but a calling.
The introduction of a Physical Education major in the LET later aligned more closely with his strengths, giving him renewed confidence to try once more.
That โonce moreโ became his 17th attempt.
This time, the result was different.
More than a personal victory
Visco is now a licensed professional teacher and currently works as a PE instructor at the City College of Tagaytay. But his story has resonated far beyond his classroom, striking a chord with thousands of Filipinos who see themselves in his struggle.
In a country where licensure exams often determine the fate of dreams, Viscoโs journey exposes a quieter truth: failure is common, but perseverance is rarely celebrated.
His message is simple, almost disarming in its honesty: โFall down 16 times, stand up 17 times.โ
Hope for those still waiting
For many LET takers โ and for anyone who has failed an exam, missed an opportunity, or felt left behind by time โ Viscoโs story offers a counter-narrative to shame and discouragement.
Success, it reminds us, does not always arrive on schedule. Sometimes, it waits to see who refuses to walk away.
And sometimes, the longest journeys make the most meaningful teachers.
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