By Jovit D. Caballero

At 50, Alex Eblacas, Fleet and Motorpool Assistant Manager from Mabini, Batangas, knows what it means to travel far — not only on the road, but in life. Today, he commands an entire fleet — not just of vehicles, but of people who look up to him. His story isn’t about riches or fame, but about how far persistence — and a relentless drive to thrive — can carry someone who refuses to stop moving forward.

Alex grew up in Igbaras, a remote town in Iloilo Province surrounded by mountains. The youngest of three siblings, he was raised by hardworking farmer parents who spent their days toiling in the fields — out at dawn and returning only late at night. Life in their secluded home was far from easy: there was no electricity, no transportation, and no proper roads connecting them to the rest of the community. Yet in that isolation, Alex and his siblings built an unbreakable bond, looking after one another while neighbors lived kilometers away.

As he grew older, Alex witnessed firsthand the perseverance of his parents, who worked tirelessly to send his older siblings to school. During weekdays, when his brother and sister were away studying, little Alex would accompany his parents to the fields. While they spent long hours planting and harvesting under the sun, they would carefully secure him in a patadyong — a traditional handwoven cloth often used as a skirt, wrap, or even as a makeshift carrier — where he would quietly play by himself or fall asleep until it was time to go home.

Those simple days in the fields eventually gave way to school life. When Alex entered Igbaras Central Elementary School, it was during the Martial Law era — a time when people lived with caution under strict rules. For a child, it meant walking to school in quiet fear, seeing soldiers patrol the streets with rifles in hand. He and his siblings had no money to bring, only the will to learn as they walked nearly five kilometers each day. At school, they relied on free feeding programs, which became their lifeline and gave them the strength to make it through their classes.

At school, Alex found joy beyond the classroom when he was chosen to represent their team in the Little League, a sports league for baseball and softball. His team even advanced to the Western Visayas regional competition, but just as their dreams of going further grew, the Palarong Pambansa was canceled that era, keeping them from reaching the national stage. Still, Alex carried no bitterness. Overall, life was simple and often challenging, yet he never felt envy because everyone in their community lived with the same hardships and shared the same way of life.

He continued to pursue his passion for sports during his years at Igbaras National High School, but by then, life’s challenges were pressing harder. His older sister was preparing to enter college, yet financial hardship stood in the way. Their aunt from Zamboanga stepped in and took her in so she could continue her studies there. Left with only his older brother at home, Alex chose to help his parents in the fields. Together, the two would look for farmlands they could harvest, their earnings never kept for themselves but added to the family’s modest budget for daily survival.

Whenever Alex found extra time, he would rent a padyak to drive after classes on weekdays and for the whole day on weekends. After paying the boundary to the owner, he would take home around sixty pesos — a small amount, but enough to contribute to their family’s needs. Life took another turn when his older brother finished high school; soon after, their aunt in Zamboanga also took him in, leaving Alex as the only child left at home with their parents.

After finishing high school, Alex was set to join his aunt in Zamboanga for college. By then, both of his siblings had already graduated and moved to Manila in search of work. Still, Alex pressed on to Zamboanga, determined to earn a degree. His heart was set on Electrical Engineering, but since the school where his aunt worked — Zamboanga Arturo Eustaquio Colleges — only offered Civil Engineering, he had little choice but to take it instead. The course, however, soon became a heavy burden. After a year of pressure and homesickness, Alex made the difficult decision to leave college behind and return home to Iloilo.

Back in Iloilo, Alex found himself retracing his old steps — farming by day and driving a padyak whenever he could. But it was during this time that he realized he did not want to remain a burden to his family. With renewed determination, he made the choice to return to college. By then, both of his siblings were already working, giving him the chance to study in Iloilo City, though it meant taking on added expenses for rent and daily needs far from home. Alex enrolled in a vocational course in Practical Electricity at Central Radio and Electronic School. Thanks to some of his credited Civil Engineering units, he was able to finish the program in just a year and proudly graduated.

After graduation, Alex flew to Manila and stayed in Muntinlupa, where his siblings were living at their uncle’s house. Starting his career was far from easy — he settled for several contractual jobs, each lasting only five months, as he searched for a role aligned with his field. He worked as an Equipment Operator at GMRC Paint Factory, a Hydrant Operator at Worldwide Paper Mills, and an Appliance Assembler at Standard Manufacturing, each for about five months. Though the positions were short-lived, Alex never lost hope, treating every experience as a steppingstone toward something greater.

Finally, in a stroke of luck, Alex was hired as an electrician by Romago, Inc., a company that served various construction projects across Luzon. Because of the nature of his work, he was often reassigned — from Carmona to Ortigas, then Baguio, and eventually Tagaytay. It was in Tagaytay that fate introduced him to Dolly, the company secretary who would later become his wife. A few months after their relationship began, the two decided to tie the knot. Soon after, Alex was reassigned back to Ortigas, where a new door opened: he found an opportunity with Southbend Management Services, Inc., part of the Lopez Group of Companies, starting his career there as a building maintenance worker.

In 2007, a year that proved to be especially fortunate for him, Alex’s dedication at Southbend caught the attention of Macky Artieda, then part of the HRAD team at MNTC. MSA scouted him and brought him onboard for the construction of the NLEX Compound in the same building maintenance role. After a year, he was reassigned under the supervision of Glenn Campos — a figure who would become more than just a boss, but a true mentor. GGC strengthened Alex’s belief that nothing is impossible; that with the right mindset, resourcefulness, and determination, anything can be achieved. Under his guidance, Alex’s responsibilities expanded — still managing building maintenance, but now also handling fleet operations and supporting IT services. That same year also marked a blessing in his personal life: the birth of his only child, Jonas. It was during this season of both professional growth and fatherhood that Alex began to hone his expertise in fleet management. Today, he continues to flourish under the Asset Management Division, guided by JJ Go, where his persistence and the lessons from his mentors truly shine.

At present, Alex balances work and life with a quiet sense of fulfillment. Every weekend, he makes the trip back home to Mabini, where his wife Dolly works at the municipal hall and their son Jonas, now in 12th grade, prepares to chase his own dreams. In between, Alex has discovered a new passion in hiking — a reminder that the same persistence that once carried him through hardship now fuels his steps toward new horizons. Truly, his journey stands as a living testament to what it means to rise from less in life to enough at last.

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