Alumni in Focus
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These are stories of three people who chased their dreams and are now shining at the top of the ladder of success. They shine not only because they are on top of the companies they belong to, but also because of their advocacies which they promote while handling different projects for their companies.

Roel Z. Castro (BS AB ’87) President & CEO A Brown Company, Incorporated (ABCI)

We might think that Mr. Roel Z. Castro has it all because he is the CEO of ABCI, a company specializing in power generation. Truthfully, he still wants many things, but these are not for himself but for others. First, he strives to promote industrial development together with environment protection. Because of that, he makes sure his advocacy is reflected in the power plants built by ABCI which are designed to be environment-friendly. With that, the blueprint of the ABCI power plants include a spot for fruit trees to be planted. He explains that the trees are the scale of how environment-friendly the power plant is. When birds of different kinds visit the area and contribute to the pollination of these fruit trees, this means that the area of the power plant is safe enough for the birds to roam around. Second, he dreams for his employees to grow individually as a person and a professional. He encourages his employees’ families to be part of selected company activities. He also sees to it that the employees receive some financial reward for their contribution to the success of ABCI projects. Third, he longs for the development of the locals in the places where the power plants are located. Together with the employees of ABCI, he devised a plan for the locals to be directly involved in their project through construction. ABCI’s project in Concepcion paved the way for Mr. Castro to help the locals by training them in power plant construction. The locals were able to learn and develop another useful skill for them to use in their future endeavors. Mr. Castro’s priority is to always give back in any way possible to everyone involved in the success of a project. He is a CEO that promotes the welfare of everyone under his wings.

Maynoll D. Montalbo, M.D. (BS B, ’99 cl) CEO & Founder Mont Albo Massage Hut

Dr. Maynoll D. Montalbo, a BS Biology graduate (cum laude) is an avid fan of traditional massage in the Philippines, locally called hilot. He experienced all the benefits of hilot, but never did he imagine that creating an enterprise of this traditional massage would lead him to a road not taken. He made this road his own, that at the end of this road of hardship, he had finally experienced happiness. He graduated from UP College of Medicine in 2006, but due to his family’s financial problem, he created another way to provide for his family. He decided not to pursue further studies, and borrowed money instead to make soap. A key to unlock his success, a client ordered 70,000 pieces of soap. The profit he had gained from his mini business allowed him to start a smallscale one, the Mont Albo Massage Hut. A business born out of Dr. Montalbo’s perseverance, Mont Albo Massage Hut opened its doors to the public on March 11, 2007: a two-storey apartment which was converted into the first branch of the Mont Albo Massage Hut in Makati City. Now, the Mont Albo Massage Hut has spread throughout the Philippines with 41 branches. Dr. Montalbo believed in the power of hilot and its contribution to people’s health. With that, he made it easier for Filipinos to access hilot through Mont Albo Massage Hut. For him, the enterprise is also a way for him to promote local culture because Filipinos have started to forget traditional ways of therapies such as hilot. In order to rise again, Dr. Montalbo retraced his footsteps, found a rock and turned it into gold. No matter what life throws at him, he catches it and makes something useful out of it.

Excerpts from Mont Albo Massage Hut website and Facebook page

 

Fabian G. Espiritu (BSA, ’59) President & CEO FarmTech Foods, Incorporated

Mr. Fabian G. Espiritu never wastes any land. He turns any unused area into something valuable. As a proof, he converted his garage in Silang, Cavite into a processing plant. This led to the birth of his company, FarmTech Foods, Incorporated. He attributes the success of the company to the Department of Science and Technology who assisted him in his quest for upgrading the company’s current technology by financing. Because of Farmtech Foods Inc. and DOST’s partnership, the company of Mr. Espiritu provides jobs for numerous people and assists local farmers in supplying raw materials not only for his company, but also to other companies that require various raw materials. The CEO & President of FarmTech Foods, Incorporated does not only care for his company’s growth and success, but also aims to support the growth of local farmers.

Excerpts from Johnson, H. (n.d). Peaceful power.The CEO Magazine, pp. 73-76. and https://news.oneexpert.gov.ph/ in-the-spotlight/from-garage-to-riches/

*This article is also in the Bukas Newsletter, Issue No. 6, July 2018.