TL;DR: The Philippines' most established civil engineering review brands are Besavilla (founded 1980, oldest) and Padilla/PRC Review Center (nearly 30 years, Cebu HQ), alongside Megareview Tutorial Center (founded 2008, includes Megareview Baguio) and Gillesania Engineering Review & Training Center (GERTC) with its MERIT subsidiary in Manila. Cebu is the hub for most of these brands. The 2026 CELE board exam is set for March 26-27 and September 26-27, per PRC's official schedule, with recent passing rates ranging from about 29% to 37%.
Picking a civil engineering review center is one of the biggest decisions a fresh BSCE graduate makes before sitting the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination (CELE). Unlike some board exams where one or two brands dominate nationwide, CE review is split among a handful of long-running specialists — some over 40 years old — each with a different footprint across Manila, Cebu, and other regional hubs.
This guide compares the major civil engineering review centers by history, branch network, and format, then breaks down what's actually published about CELE itself: the 2026 exam schedule and recent passing rates. If you're weighing where to review in Cebu specifically, or trying to make sense of similar-sounding brand names like Gillesania, GERTC, and MERIT, this covers the ground. For general board exam preparation and requirements, see our civil engineering board exam guide.
What is the best civil engineering review center in the Philippines?
There's no single center that dominates CE review the way some brands do for other board exams — the field is led by a small group of specialists, each with decades of focus on civil engineering specifically. Besavilla Review Center (1980) and Padilla Review Center (nearly 30 years) are the two oldest and both trace their roots to Cebu. Megareview Tutorial Center (2008) has built a strong recent topnotcher record. Gillesania Engineering Review & Training Center (GERTC) and its MERIT Review Center subsidiary round out the major names. The right choice depends on your city, budget, and whether you prefer face-to-face, online, or hybrid review.
Comparison: Major Civil Engineering Review Centers
| Review Center | Founded | Headquarters / Branches | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Besavilla Review Center | 1980 | Cebu City (2 locations); Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Davao | Face-to-face |
| Padilla Review Center (PRC Review Center) | ~1997 | Cebu City HQ; ~10 branches nationwide | Face-to-face, online |
| Megareview Tutorial Center | May 2008 | Manila, Cebu, Baguio, Davao | Face-to-face |
| Gillesania Engineering Review & Training Center (GERTC) | ~2001 (per "25 years" claim) | Cebu (Banawa), Manila (Recto) | Face-to-face, online |
| MERIT Review Center | Subsidiary of GERTC | Sampaloc, Manila | Face-to-face |
Founding years for Padilla and Gillesania/GERTC are approximate, based on the centers' own "years in service" and "years educating" claims rather than a single confirmed incorporation date. Branch counts and formats are drawn from each center's own published materials and are not independently audited — confirm current details with the branch before enrolling.
What is Besavilla Review Center known for?
Besavilla Review Center is the oldest civil engineering review center in the Philippines still operating, founded in 1980 by Engr. Venancio I. Besavilla Jr. in Cebu City. It has since expanded into two Cebu locations — a main branch in Don Bosco Village, Punta Princesa, and a downtown branch on Osmeña Boulevard corner Sanciangco Street — plus branches in Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos City, and Davao. Besavilla covers both Civil and Geodetic Engineering board exam review. Its long operating history makes it one of the default names Filipino engineering graduates recognize regardless of which city they're reviewing in.
What does Padilla Review Center (PRC Review Center) offer in Cebu?
Padilla Review Center, also marketed as PRC Review Center, is headquartered in Cebu City and has operated for nearly 30 years, expanding to roughly ten branches nationwide. Per the center's own published figures, it has produced 232 topnotchers and 18 first-placers with an above-80% passing rate, and it has been recognized as the Most Outstanding Engineering Review Center in Cebu across multiple years. It's led by Engr. Perfecto Padilla Jr. and offers both face-to-face and online formats. Because these figures come from the center's own materials rather than an independent audit, treat them as the center's claimed track record rather than a third-party verified statistic.
What do Gillesania (GERTC) and MERIT review centers offer?
Gillesania Engineering Review & Training Center (GERTC) is led by review director Engr. Diego Gillesania, author of the DITG engineering review book series, and markets itself around "25 Years of Educating Aspiring Engineers." It runs two branches — one in Banawa, Cebu City, and one on Recto Avenue in Manila — offering both online and face-to-face civil engineering review, structured as roughly 13-week review cycles followed by around 8-week refresher cycles, twice a year. MERIT Review Center, based in Sampaloc, Manila, is listed in review-center directories as operating under the same Gillesania organization. If you're comparing "Gillesania," "GERTC," and "MERIT" as if they were three unrelated centers, they're actually one family of brands sharing instructors and materials.
What is Megareview known for in civil engineering review?
Megareview Tutorial Center was founded in May 2008 by Dr. Amelia T. Marquez and has built its reputation specifically around civil engineering and master plumber licensure review, with branches in Manila, Cebu, Baguio, and Davao — including Megareview Baguio, which is listed for CE board exam review only in SchoolFinderPH's directory. Per the center's own published materials, Megareview has held the highest number of CE board exam topnotchers since the current Board of Civil Engineering took office in May 2015. Its Baguio branch, in particular, gives Cordillera-based graduates a CE-focused option without traveling to Manila or Cebu.
Which civil engineering review centers operate in Manila?
Manila hosts branches of most major CE review brands rather than a single dominant local player. Besavilla and Megareview both run Manila branches, Gillesania's GERTC has a branch on Recto Avenue, and its MERIT subsidiary is based in Sampaloc. Excel Review Center is another long-established Manila-based option, structuring its program around separate Review, Refresher/Coaching, and Total Package tiers with an installment payment system, according to a copy of the center's own reviewee handbook — though current published pricing wasn't available at the time of writing. If you're in Metro Manila, expect to choose based on schedule and location rather than a shortage of options.
Which civil engineering review center is best in Cebu?
For anyone specifically searching for a civil engineering review center in Cebu, the city is arguably the center of gravity for CE review in the Philippines — both Besavilla and Padilla trace their roots there, and Megareview and Gillesania's GERTC both maintain active Cebu branches. Padilla Review Center is Cebu-headquartered with the most extensively published track record (232 topnotchers, above-80% passing rate, per its own figures). Besavilla runs two separate Cebu locations. GERTC's Cebu branch sits in Banawa. Megareview's Cebu branch is on Jones Avenue near Osmeña Boulevard. There isn't one clear "best" — compare which branch's schedule and format fits your timeline, then verify current fees directly.
What is CELE and how is the board exam structured?
CELE is the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination, administered by the Professional Regulation Commission through its Board of Civil Engineering. It's given twice a year across two exam days, covering Mathematics, Surveying, and Transportation Engineering; Hydraulics and Geotechnical Engineering; and Structural Engineering and Construction. For a full breakdown of subjects, requirements, and a week-by-week study plan, see our complete CE board exam guide.
Disclaimer: Exam schedules, fees, and passing rates change per administration — always verify current figures on the official PRC website (prc.gov.ph) before making enrollment or exam decisions.
When is the 2026 CELE, and what's the current passing rate?
The 2026 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination is scheduled for March 26-27 and September 26-27, per PRC's official 2026 licensure exam calendar. Based on PRC's official results releases, recent CELE passing rates have run as follows:
| Administration | Examinees | Passers | Passing Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 | 18,370 | 6,438 | 35.06% |
| November 2025 | 14,043 | 4,268 | 30.39% |
| April 2025 | 16,913 | 4,940 | 29.21% |
| November-December 2024 | 18,436 | 6,835 | 37.07% |
Figures sourced from PRC's official examination results releases. Passing rates fluctuate by administration — more than six in ten examinees typically do not pass on any given exam date.
How to choose a civil engineering review center
Match the center to your city. If you're in Cebu, Padilla, Besavilla, GERTC, and Megareview all have local branches — compare schedules rather than traveling to Manila unnecessarily. If you're in Baguio and only need CE review, Megareview Baguio is a direct option; other Baguio review centers cover different exams, as covered in our best review centers in Baguio guide.
Check the review cycle length against your exam date. GERTC runs roughly 13-week review cycles plus 8-week refresher cycles twice yearly — line this up against whichever CELE administration (March or September) you're targeting.
Ask what published track-record numbers actually measure. Topnotcher counts and passing-rate claims from review centers are self-reported unless attributed to an independent source. Treat them as a starting point for comparison, not a guarantee.
Confirm fees directly with the branch. Few CE review centers publish exact current tuition online; where figures are available (like general engineering review ranges in Cebu, roughly PHP 6,000-PHP 10,000), they can shift by cycle and city.
Consider format. GERTC and Padilla both offer online options alongside face-to-face classes — useful if you're not based near a physical branch.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH, and see the full list of review centers nationwide.
Sources
- Megareview Baguio — SchoolFinderPH directory
- Megareview Tutorial Center — About Us
- Besavilla Review Center — school listing
- Gillesania Engineering Review & Training Center (GERTC)
- PRC Review Center / Padilla Review Center — topnotcher, first-placer, and passing-rate figures as published by the center and previously verified in SchoolFinderPH's Best Review Centers in Cebu guide
- Excel Review Center — Reviewees Manual
- PRC — Schedule of Licensure Examinations for the Year 2026
- PRC — March 2026 Civil Engineers Licensure Examination Results
- PRC — April 2025 Civil Engineers Licensure Examination Results
