As https://docs.phalcon.io/en/latest/reference/models.html#understanding-records-to-objects says, you can edit the objects once its loaded in the memory.
    $settingCategories = SettingCategory::find();
    $this->view->setVar("settingCategories",$settingCategories);
    foreach($settingCategories as $settingCategory){
        if($settingCategory->type == "2"){
            $settingCategory->type = "asd";
            $settingCategory->intersection = "asd";
        }else{
            $settingCategory->type = "blaa";
            $settingCategory->intersection = "blaa";
        }
        $settingCategory->type = "test";
    }type is still its default value when I loop through it with volt:
{% for settingCategory in settingCategories %}
<div class="tab-content">
    <h4>{{ settingCategory.name }}</h4> 
    <h4>{{ settingCategory.type }}</h4> --> still (int) integer!?
    <h4>{{ settingCategory.intersection }}</h4> --> undefined
</div>
{% endfor %}