Every Louisian carries a story shaped by faith, hard work, and the values learned at the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao. For School Year 2026 to 2027, USLT continues its Louisian Success Story (LSS) series. This feature highlights the journeys, achievements, and life lessons of USLT alumni who continue to make their mark in their chosen fields and communities.
Kicking off this year’s series is Engr. Victoriano Cabrera Abana, a 2006 Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) graduate and a former USLT scholar who rose from humble beginnings in Linao East, Tuguegarao City to become a national board examination topnotcher and a Senior RF Engineer in Las Vegas, Nevada.
His story is more than a story of professional success. It is a story of a Louisian who carried the values of True Christian Living and Excellence beyond the university, proving that where a Louisian begins does not define how far he can go.
For Engr. Victoriano Cabrera Abana, becoming a successful engineer in the United States began with a childhood marked by hardship. Born and raised in Linao East, Tuguegarao City, Engr. Abana grew up with very humble beginnings. His father left when he was barely a year old, while his mother worked as a housekeeper with a very meager salary to raise him and his younger brother.
“Most of what we ate came from whatever we could get helping out during corn and vegetable harvests on the farm. Some nights, dinner was just rice and salt,” he recalled.
Studying at what was then Saint Louis College of Tuguegarao, now the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao (USLT), was a dream his family could not afford. Through the scholarship of their parish priest, Fr. Clement Daelman, CICM, Engr. Abana completed high school. For college, he became the first scholar of the USLT Alumni Association.
He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering in 2006 and received the university’s Special Academic Excellence Award for having the highest weighted average in his graduating class.
His determination continued after graduation. He spent six months preparing for the 2006 ECE Board Exam, studying ten to fourteen hours a day. His hard work paid off when he placed first in the country.
“I felt the hand of God in that, because I know I’m not the most intelligent person in the room,” he said.
The achievement opened doors to an international career. After working for Ericsson Telecommunications Philippines, Engr. Abana moved to the United States, where he worked on projects in New Orleans, Hawaii, San Diego, and Los Angeles. He now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and serves as a Senior Engineer in Radio Frequency Engineering at T-Mobile USA, helping keep the network standing strong through some of the busiest events in the country.
Through it all, Engr. Abana has carried with him the values he learned at USLT. “USLT gave me more than an engineering degree. It gave me the people and the discipline that shaped who I am,” he quoted.
For Engr. Abana, True Christian Living and Excellence remain values that continue to guide him, both as an engineer and as a father. “I’ve carried both into my career, always trying to do the right thing and do it well,” he said.
Now a U.S. citizen, husband, and father of two, Engr. Abana considers gratitude to be his greatest measure of success.
His message to today’s Louisian students is rooted in the same faith and perseverance that carried him from Linao East to the United States. He emphasized, “It wasn’t talent that got me from the barrio of Linao East to a Senior RF Engineer role here in the U.S. It was ambition, showing up every day, working harder than felt fair, and trusting that God would always provide.”
His journey shows that the Louisian spirit does not end at graduation. It travels with every alumnus, carried through faith, hard work, excellence, and the values that remain wherever life leads.
Congratulations, Engr. Abana, for all your success in life! Your story is truly an inspiration and a source of motivation for the entire Louisian community.
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