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BY HERBERT VEGO
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Rooting for an Antiqueño at DPWH
THE last time we snooped around the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), we chanced upon three contractors talking about personnel revamp. One of them was predicting that the incumbent regional director, Wenceslao Leano, would win bigger assignment in Metro Manila.
“In that case,” another one conjectured, “Al Fruto has the biggest chance of taking over Leano’s regional post because of his sterling performance.” Fruto has been DPWH’s assistant regional director since March this year.
“It all depends on Sec Villar who would have to recommend him for presidential appointment,” a third man butted in, referring to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.
Without stopping by to join the contractors, colleague Vicente “Danny Baby” Foz and I decided to hear the true story from “the next regional director” himself. We were lucky; he was in his office.
Until then, Engineer Jose Al Fruto, as project manager of the gigantic P5.4-billion Iloilo Flood Control Project, had been spending most of his time on field.
He laughed when we told him what we had heard downstairs.
“I wish they would not be so noisy,” he turned serious. “It’s not appropriate for me to anticipate higher-level decisions.”
He was right. He knows from experience he has to hard-earn each promotion.
Nevertheless, I told Al, – who looks ten years younger than his 52 summers – that I would pray for his next promotion. I am always proud of a fellow Antiqueño making good. He hails from Bugasong, Antique, where he finished elementary and high schools.
Having finished Civil Engineering at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City in 1986, he took the board exams in the same year but did not have to wait for its result before landing a job. He applied for the job of engineering assistant at DPWH and was accepted. Upon passing the board, he was promoted civil engineering aid in July 1987. He remembered the daily pay he was receiving for it: P32.41.
He has since then moved up to executive positions. At one time or another, he was district engineer of Iloilo City, regional chief of staff and assistant regional director.
Among the projects for which he has played important roles are the Iloilo City Esplanade, the Diversion Road, the Iloilo Circumferential Road and the Iloilo Convention Center.
The Esplanade, an elongated walkway along the Iloilo River, has become a tourist spot – the reason why it will be further face-lifted and expanded at a cost of P235 million.
Married to the former Estelita Acuña, Engr. Al Fruto waxed prouder of his only son Christian Allen, 23.
“He has flown higher and farther,” Al said proudly Allen.
We laughed, catching the joke, knowing that his young son is now an international pilot of the Philippine Airlines.
But kaprobinsya Al himself has still a long way to go, too. His retirement age is still 13 years away.
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President Francis Allan Angelo of the Iloilo Press Club (IPC) proudly announces that the club may now occupy its office at Barangay San Pedro, Iloilo City. As Francis was telling us yesterday, the IPC and the Iloilo City Government (represented by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog) will formally sign the memorandum of agreement on the 50-year usufruct of the IPC lot in Molo district on Nov. 11, 2016, 3 p.m., at the City Hall penthouse.
The City Council has unanimously approved Mayor Mabilog’s request for authority to sign the MOA during its regular session on Nov. 8.
No one could be happier than businessman Rommel Ynion, the building donor. To put it simply and impervious to their past political rivalry, he and the mayor are friends again. Yahoo!/PN
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