Home Feature Corporate Social Responsibility10 inspiring stories to remind you to hold on to hope

10 inspiring stories to remind you to hold on to hope

May 14, 2020

10 inspiring stories to remind you to hold on to hope

Being stuck indoors for most of the last nine weeks or so due to the imposed community quarantine can be tough on our well-being, and hearing bleak news on the novel coronavirus day after day can be overwhelming.

 

During these trying times, the best thing we can do is to hold on to hope. There may seem little to be hopeful for in the fight against this pandemic, but as with everything else, there is always a bright side.

Now more than ever, we’re celebrating kindness, everyone is lending each other a helping hand, the development of a potential vaccine is underway, and there are life-changing lessons waiting for us in the future.

 

Over the years, AboitizPower has witnessed hope in action, be it in scholars making it through college despite the odds or team members navigating their way to success through hard work and dedication.

Allow us to share with you stories that will hopefully inspire and give you the #PositiveEnergy boost you need to get through this difficult period.

  1. Of rags and second chances
The women of Ermita in Cebu City gladly welcomed the livelihood and skills training program on rag production introduced by AboitizPower subsidiary Cebu Private Power Corporation (CPPC) to the community in 2016. Catalina Gabutero, now in her 80s, was the most enthusiastic about it. After all, it was sewing and selling rags that helped her send some of her 25 grandchildren to school.That is why when the project was stopped months after it was launched, Nanay Taling, as she is fondly called by her family, continued to make rags despite limited resources as a way to encourage her fellow beneficiaries not to give up.On July 25, 2018, Visayan Electric Company and CPPC launched Project Second Chance, an initiative aimed at repurposing and reprocessing old employee uniforms by having the Ermita tailors turn the materials into rags, floor mats, and other items, which the distribution utility will buy back once finished.With newfound hope in this project, Nay Taling and the women of Ermita can look forward to a better future. 

  1. AboitizPower scholar overcomes obstacles
Before graduating from high school, Patrick Anoba was convinced he won’t go to college, knowing quite well that his family might not be able to financially support his dream. He thought it was impossible, but he never stopped looking for ways to overcome this obstacle.A former scholar of Hedcor and Aboitiz Foundation, Patrick graduated cum laude with a degree in Agribusiness from the University of Southeast Philippines-Mintal in 2018. Read on to find out what kept Patrick going despite his earlier misgivings.

  1. Young educator takes teaching to new heights
Teaching is, without a doubt, a rewarding career for those who aspire to make a difference through quality education.For Angeline “Angie” Quiatchon, teaching means so much more than the lessons taught inside the four walls of a classroom. Recognizing her essential role in preparing the youth to become productive members of society, Teacher Angie of Bitin Elementary School in Laguna has made learning more engaging and more meaningful for her students.Discover how Teacher Angie benefited from the “Read to Succeed” program of AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI) and how she paid it forward.

  1. Therma Visayas expands college scholarship program in Cebu
When Junie Valendez decided he wanted to pursue engineering in college, even his family did not think he was serious. His father, a carpenter, and his mother, a housewife, were grounded by reality. With four other children to take care of, they just didn’t have enough financial resources to help Junie achieve his goals. But instead of becoming resigned to his circumstances, Junie drew motivation from his position in life.  In this story, let Junie walk you through a journey of hardship, hope, perseverance, and success.

  1. Scholar tops board exam for teachers
During his first year in college, Risando “Micko” Namoc, Jr. would walk seven kilometers from his school to his home in Digos City, not because he wanted to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but because he was trying to save as much from his allowance at the end of each day.Micko was then taking up Education with a major in Mathematics at the Cor Jesu College and was fortunate enough to have stayed with a relative in the city since his family’s house is in Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, about 35 kilometers or an hour’s trip away.Life may have been hard for Micko all these years, but his struggles are now behind him after he landed on the sixth spot in the Licensure Exam for Teachers in December 2018, besting 127,000 other board takers.What did Micko plan to do after this life-changing achievement? Read on to find out.

  1. TVI scholar graduates magna cum laude despite detour
Princess Desire Abao once dreamed of wearing a dentist’s white coat, but instead of examining teeth, she’s now looking at circuits and electrical connections.The jump from dentistry to electrical engineering may seem far-fetched to some, but for Princess, it’s all about helping others and her community.Princess was among 19 college scholars supported by Therma Visayas, Inc. (TVI) and Aboitiz Foundation who graduated in 2019. She may have traded her white coat and dental tools for safety goggles and electrical equipment, but her dream of helping others remains the same.What made Princess change her mind, though? You’ll find the answers in this story.

  1. Former payong-payong driver finds route to success
Filipino success stories often depict people going to far off places in pursuit of a better life,  navigating through unfamiliar territory, and enduring homesickness to ensure a more comfortable life back home.Then there are some stories about people who do not have to look far for success, those who are able to bloom where they are planted.Such is the story of Anthony Ortega, a homegrown team member of AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI), who became the company’s employee number one when he was hired in 2011.Check this story out to take a look at the path Anthony took to get to where he is today.

  1. Young woman fulfills dreams with AboitizPower
Not so long ago, a young woman on her bicycle would pass by a breathtaking landscape of rice paddies and mountains on her way to work. While taking pleasure in the beauty of nature, she also could not help but notice the transmission lines, steam pipes, and geothermal fields in the background. She grew more curious about the facilities and promised herself that one day, she would learn what these are for.True enough, she found out about electricity in more ways than she imagined possible. Maria Kimberlyn Terbio, more popularly known as “Ate Kim” of AboitizPower’s Cleanergy Center in Laguna, is now more than just a young woman on a bicycle. She is now fulfilling her dreams of helping people and working hard to make it happen every day.Learn about Ate Kim’s transition from being a Cleanergy Center visitor into one of the most accommodating tour guides at the facility.

  1. Cleanergy Center grants a special wish
The Cleanergy Center in Laguna, managed by AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI), was built to bring the Cleanergy experience closer to the community. Cleanergy, a portmanteau of the words “clean” and “energy,” is AboitizPower’s brand for clean and renewable energy.Since it opened in 2013, not only has the facility been helpful in educating the youth on clean and renewable energy, it has also been a catalyst for fulfilling the dreams of many young individuals. In partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation Philippines, the Cleanergy Center helped a then 12-year-old boy battling leukemia make his wish of becoming an engineer come true.On April 21, 2017, Jonard Morfe traveled more than 400 kilometers from his hometown in Casiguran, Aurora to visit the Cleanergy Center in Bay, Laguna. Shy at first, Jonard became more comfortable as the tour progressed, especially when he met enthusiastic team members and resident engineers.How did Jonard find his visit to the facility? Find out in this heartwarming story.

  1. AboitizPower linemen help restore electricity in Cagayan
When Typhoon Ompong ravaged Cagayan and nearby provinces in 2018, it felled thousands of power lines, leaving tens of thousands of households, businesses, and vital installations like hospitals without power.Donald Guibao, a lineman at the Zambales-based Subic EnerZone Corporation (SEZ), was in his office drafting the day’s work orders when he was told he and his team will be sent to the province of Cagayan to help with power restoration efforts there.He was part of the 28-man team of workers from AboitizPower distribution utilities – Davao Light and Power Co., Visayan Electric Co., and San Fernando Electric Light and Power Co. – who were pulled out from their jobs, traveled hundreds of kilometers, with their tools and equipment to help fellow Filipinos in their time of need.This narrative takes us to the present, where many of our frontline workers risk their lives every day in the battle against COVID-19. May this story and the stories of countless others on the frontline make us become more grateful and hopeful knowing that help is always just around the corner.To stay resilient in uncertain and frightening situations, it is important to remember that bright spots exist, and to cling to these glints of hope as much as we can.What other bright spots can you think of? If you have stories of hope you would like to share, we’d love to hear them!

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