Sibling success: Brothers graduate as valedictorian and summa cum laude four years apart
Some siblings share clothes, hobbies, or even the same favorite food. But for Carlos and Christian Oñate? They share something a little more impressive: graduating with their school's highest academic honors—just four years apart.
Carlos, the older sibling, finished his Bachelor of Public Administration degree at the University of the Philippines back in 2022 as summa cum laude. His younger brother similarly achieved an impressive feat by becoming valedictorian of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance Class of 2026.
While they walked different paths and earned different distinctions, it's clear that both shared the determination to give their best, showing that siblings can inspire each other to reach greater heights.
A desire to serve
In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, Carlos shared that his interest in politics and governance began at a young age, which led him to choose Public Administration for college.
"Although, accountancy, business and management ako, I've long been interested kasi about politics and governance, even nung bata ako. Pero marami ang nagtatanong, ba't hindi na lang [Political Science] kung gusto nating political? But 'yung difference kasi ng Public Ad is that it is politics in action," he said.
"Sa Pol Sci, nag-aaral kayo ng mga dynamics. 'Yung sa Public Ad kasi inaaral mo what works kasi it has to focus on government, it has to focus on bureaucracy," he added.
Christian, meanwhile, followed his older brother as he also wanted to serve the public.
"They say that if you want to effect change, you need to be part of that change. So kumbaga, if you want to inculcate change in the government, you have to be part of the government," he highlighted.
Before he even entered UP, he already knew that he wanted "a life far greater than himself."
"I was never enticed by the promise of wealth or the allure of power, but the promise of public service. My brother and I share the keen interest in government and public affairs, so every time may news, may current events, we sometimes debate on it, discuss it among ourselves, so talagang nandun na 'yung hilig namin sa public service at saka sa governance," Christian said.
One would think that with goals like these, the pair hailed from a political family, but Carlos shared that none of their family members ever held government positions.
"Kaya mas napunta kami doon sa Public Administration na track rather than doon sa Political Science because we really want to know how this entire thing works and how we could contribute some form of change to it," he said.
Habits that helped them succeed
There's no doubt that the road to the top spot wasn't easy. For Christian, one of the biggest challenges he faced was getting through mountains of readings.
"Minsan, 7:00 a.m. 'yung class, and you have no choice but really to finish the readings kahit gaano pa 'yan karami. Kasi in UP, hindi ka pwedeng pumasok nang hindi nagbabasa," he said.
"Hindi rin pwedeng mabola 'yung professor eh, kasi talagang tatanungin ka niya ng sangkatutak na probing questions na dapat masagot mo. And it is only through that process na malalaman niya if you really did your homework," he added,
Another hurdle he had to overcome was managing the numerous writing requirements that came with the program.
"Meron ka nang feasibility study, may policy paper ka pa, may policy briefer ka pa, may thesis ka pa. So all these kinds of papers, you have to juggle all at once," he said.
Despite these challenges, Christian made it a point to always get ahead of the task.
"First day pa lang, as soon as your professors give you the syllabus, dapat you are able to identify ano 'yung set of readings na kailangan mong basahin, ano 'yung timeline na gusto mong gawin. Sa sarili mo, dapat makagawa ka ng sariling time frame kung kailan mo dapat matapos 'yung gawain mo," he advised.
"During your free time, as much as possible, try to get as many readings as possible kasi it would really help you during in-person classes," he added.
Aside from that, he also strives to recite in class and share his insights, as this "gives you more chance to learn and more opportunity to grow as a person."
During exams, he allotted a week or two to review his notes and revisit his lessons.
The journey was even more formidable for Carlos, who experienced the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think it was a common misconception, especially among older generations, that when the pandemic struck, education became easier because there's technology, because it's only through Zoom. But I always say that Zoom classes are even harder than physical classes. Imagine just sitting in your laptop doing a three-hour class," he lamented.
Carlos similarly tried to get ahead of deadlines for his schoolwork.
"I really avoid procrastination. So first in, first out ako as much as possible," he said.
Since most of his exams are essays, he tries to review his lessons with the goal of being able to explain the concepts himself.
Finding motivation, not pressure
The Oñate brothers are not the only ones in the family who have made their mark in the academic field. Their sister, Michaela Angelica, also achieved a milestone of her own, graduating as a magna cum laude in her Business Administration and Accountancy course.
Carlos said that their parents have always instilled in them to work hard for their dreams.
Asked about pressures to live up to each other's achievements, Christian admitted that there were moments when he felt the weight of expectations, especially as he followed in Carlos' footsteps at UP NCPAG and had a few professors recognize him as his younger brother.
"There [was] pressure all along. But I think it also helps that my brother himself never pressured me but rather inspired me to just enjoy the process of learning and at the same time, [taught me to] make sure that whatever it is that you do, it is worth the taxpayer's money," he said.
Carlos added, "I think 'yung concept ng pressuring either from parents or siblings, it always starts on the wrong foot eh. Because you can never compare generations eh. These are always apples and oranges, so what worked during their time will not necessarily work during his time."
Looking back on the journey, Carlos said that he hopes their story would be "more inspiring rather than pressuring."
"All of these remain a bonus. Your college journey is more than about the grades that you get or more than about the medals na isasabit sa inyo. Kundi, it's really about learning your program, meeting the friends that you have because believe me, in the next chapter of your life, which is the work journey, sila rin yung support system mo," he emphasized.
Christian, meanwhile, wants the Filipino youth to "find the purpose in everything that you do."
"It's harder to give up if you dedicate whatever it is that you do for something greater than yourself," he said.
"On our part, it is for those who work endlessly regardless of how low our wages are. It is for those people na araw-araw nakikipagsapalaran to make ends meet for their families. It is for us to set forth better policies not only to instigate reforms, but also to make our government more just and trustworthy," he continued.