MARICEL ROQUE - EXPERT WELDER
August 5, 2007 start of training – January 7, 2008 Graduation
Before Graduation of December 18, 2008, Maricel and her classmates were hired by AG&P as 3G/4G SMAW welders. Maricel was assigned as rookie welder in the Production Welding Department under the supervision of Mr. Dapat and also became a part of the In-House Special Operations projects being handled by Mr. Renato M. Alarcon, Executive Director of AG&PFI.

Maricel was the youngest of 6 by Rolando Roque and Erlinda Ilagan. Her father was an AG&P employee assigned to work in Nigeria as a Welding foreman. Unfortunately, Maricel's father died of Malaria in Nigeria while finishing a year contract with the company. Two (2) of her brothers also died early.

At 18, a highschool undergraduate, Maricel tried her luck in Laguna to work with Techno Park as a line assembler in an electronics section. She also worked under the Technopark production department then became a visual inspector.

The first work she had was in an auto shop where Maricel helped technicians and mechanic handle tools and company materials.

Maricel narrates that if it where not for her mother who single-handedly brought the family up, she could not have achieved more. The challenge was enormous, compellingly hard but rewarding.

Due to insufficiency of income, Maricel was forced to return to Batangas to assist the mother in rearing the younger kins. She helped inside the house until an invitation came to her from the sangguniang Barangay of San Roque, Bauan to attend free trainings in AG&P. Maricel without any better option got enlisted. By pure luck she was called by Training Supervisor, Mr. Ben S. Aclan, for an interview. She went to regular recruitment processes and passed the examinations.

45 days training was Maricel's solitary investment to a new skill."I thought life was filled with hardships with an unending trail of frustrations. I was accustomed to street labor and rowdy environment. What love to me wasn't that relevant. Sex was just part of growing up as drugs were to some of my contemporaries. I grasped the unfiltered air near dumps day-in and day-out as I saw my mom and relatives grappled over dried 'galungong'.
The more I searched for better life, the more I became frustrated. Was it because I lacked education? Was it because I was a town mischief? Was it because I was the family's blackship?
The 45 days training in welding NCII with AG&P Company of Manila, Inc woke up this stone heart to realize that there was hope for a lowly girl of San Roque. Mr. Ben Aclan's value formation opened my eyes to realize that behind this perfidious life hid a better part of Maricel, the skillful one, the earnest one! Mr. Aclan made me feel important. He made me feel needed. I graduated a common welder but because I had goals, I excelled over my contemporaries in a years work.
I am still working with AG&P and became FCAW and GTAW welder in less than a year. My salary wasn't that much but I was able to sustain a family of my own. I was married to my welding classmate and we just finished building our bungalow shed.
Life was filled with hardships with an unending trail of frustrations but I got over them by making each my strength to move ahead. Without challenges, life would be dull. I survived with AG&P. I am and will always be ON-THE-JOB!" Maricel Roque, a mother.

ARIES SALAZAR – PIPE FITTER

At age 26 Aries wondered where he would be after five years. The dumpster would be unorthodox if he doesn't find work soon after realizing that it was not because of education that dispossessed him from employment but the vacancy shortage that lurked amidst trade and commerce inside and outside the country. He had no expertise as competition gorged him down.

Aries called himself 'Malas' (bad luck) after being drawn back several attempts to find a decent job. He worked in Panasonic Calamba for five (5) months and was laid off due to recession. He ventured to become a factory production operator and was excused due to company shut down. He worked with the government doing masonry in a construction project but again rebuked after finishing operations. He sundered cements and hauled hollow blocks in a PAGCOR project in Luneta just to earn a buck for his future but ceded after 3 weeks of non stop rains and natural catastrophes. His health defeated him in labor and he could not do anything even if he wanted to continue.

He thought going overseas would be a reinvention of his career but was victimized by fake recruiters. His savings vanished with his aspirations to pursue life as he looked sadly back to the family who hoped for a better future by him.

Aries is the 3rd child from 9, among 4 brothers and 4 sisters, of Alberto and Erlinda Salazar. Eldest brother to his kin, Aries was expected to foster the family. He had nothing left to offer but an insolvent bank book, a one page curriculum vitae and a feeble spirit until he met Rhea Roxas in a job fair in Balayan, Batangas.

Sponsored by a philanthropist, Rhea Roxas, a social worker from the Nasugbu Asukarera, and member of the Association of Barangay Captains of Nasugbu, Aries came to AG&P with only a fig of hope and a folder containing a page resume. He had nothing but a P150.00 pocket money for transportation that didn't even come from his mother but borrowed from a girlfriend.

Rhea narrated that she accidentally discovered AG&P Company of Manila Foundation Inc. over the internet. The blogs shown in google earth search engines, when you type "employment, skills training", sends you to AG&P Company of Manila Foundation Inc. where welding, pipe fitting, scaffolding and other skills trainings are available. The web page was a vocation for both Rhea and Aries.

During the interview Aries was faced with interrogations about biography, experiences and math. He could not meet the expectations but was respectfully insistent. Miss Roxas felt his need as her personal priority and sent the kid to AG&P Foundation. Mr. Renato M. Alarcon welcomed Aries to training and gave him discounts on every expense. However small gifts taken by Aries were became inspirations to aim high and to dream high.

Pipe fitting was Aries' choice.

After 45 days training, teachers narrated how Aries excelled in pipe fitting theoretically and in hands-on exercises. His good attitude towards edification and work inspired 43 other students to successfully set-up the biggest pipe rack in Bolo, Bauan, Batangas for the completion of their 'revalida' to the craft. Aries bridged gaps among students, teachers and the faculty. He was jolliest and a total skills performer. His perseverance rewarded him with the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to become a first-class-world-class fitter.

On April 9, 2009 Aries will become a full pledge Pipe Fitter fortified with good values, English proficiency, engineering designs readership, pipe mathematics and professional certificates. He will be nominated to go to Kasakhstan Russia under the AG&P projects. The Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila Foundation will be there with Aries. With AG&P, he will always be on the job!