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There are Heroes in our midst
Monday, February 15, 2010
Raymund Tamayo

A black gauntlet snaps into place. A cape whips over a dark rubber back. A bat-shaped buckle locks. On the opposite end of the room, a silver-throwing bird is chosen from a weapon’s array. Gloved hands lift a black eye mask. Tunic armor clicks shut, turning to reveal the chest-borne insignia of a robin. Two dark avengers stand suited, ready to take on the night…
            That is fantasy.
            This is reality.
            It was a typical post-Christmas evening. Subic EnerZone linemen Edgardo Geronimo and Kyle Credo were going business as usual, patrolling the highways of Subic Bay Freeport Zone as that swing shift’s emergency crew. They glide through the urban metropolis resembling two mythical caped crusaders of comic book fame. Carrying the Subic EnerZone and Aboitiz brand essence of Passion for Better Ways, they were ready, willing, and driven to serve when called upon.
            Then that call came. Yes, it wasn’t a bat signal lighting up the black sky, only a radio call from SEZ’s central control station, but these two men were as enthusiastic to save the day for the customer in need.
            It was passion in motion.
            In just under fifteen minutes they arrived at the scene met by an almost hopeless customer, at once going down to answer the concern. They found out that the house has a defective main breaker. The trouble was at the load side, meaning it was not Subic EnerZone’s responsibility as a power distributor anymore, it was the freeport’s maintenance crew that should do the work and solve the problem.
            SEZ control station radios again, calling back the two linemen, telling them to pull out. “That is not our responsibility any longer,” the voice on the radio announced. The older lineman answered and declined. “We are here and working on a temporary solution. We will stay,” he said refusing to leave.
            It was a passion for excellence, a refusal to succumb to mediocrity.
            After a few hours, the freeport’s maintenance crew arrived. Following some inspection, the maintenance people told the perturbed customer that they cannot do anything. “We don’t have a spare breaker,” on of them said and left. The customer felt angry and helpless.
            But help hasn’t abandoned him yet. The two Subic EnerZone linemen continued to work and find a way — Never mind if it was dinner time. Never mind if it’s not their problem anymore. Never mind whose responsibility it was — For them, the most important thing right then and there was that they were serving a customer in need. And they will not leave a customer until that need was satisfied.
            It was a passion for service, a selfless dedication.
            By 11:00 pm, power has been restored. Everyone thought it was over. Just as the two linemen were getting ready to head off, the transformer supplying the neighborhood overheated. It took them another hour to work on the transformer.
            It was past midnight when everything was finally at peace. Mission accomplished. The linemen left exhausted but proud of what they did. They left happily, not knowing that a sum of money was on their emergency vehicle’s dashboard.
            Driving off to feed themselves, the younger one abruptly noticed the cash. “Let’s give this back,” he said without hesitation. So they went back to the customer’s house and returned the money.
            It was a passion to carry an honorable name, a commitment to integrity.
            The customer was left in awe. He couldn’t believe that this kind of service still exist today. With so much gratitude, he wrote a letter to Subic EnerZone’s SVP & COO, expressing his thanks and recounting the two linemen’s heroic tale that changed his perception of how a monopoly power utility should rightfully and dutifully serve its customers.
            These linemen had undergone a tremendous ordeal, but never once let go of the values instilled in them. They had gone beyond all expectations and left a customer satisfied and amazed by the excellent service they had let him experience.
They have personified Subic EnerZone’s promise of world-class customer service, excellence, perseverance, and honesty. They lived out the brand having etched their names in history as unsung heroes no more but an inspiration to many, for all time.
            Edgardo Geronimo and Kyle Credo.
            Brand Heroes.
            This is a true story.