Farewell Message of Engr. Eutiquio M. Guantero Jr., PEE, IIEE CRCSA Founding President 1998-1999

Thank you very much for hosting this unforgettable farewell party for me. This clearly shows the great respect, friendship and strong camaraderie between is that was developed among IIEE-CRCSA officers as well as the Membership thru the years of working together in the fulfillment and achievement of the Chapters Goal and its Noble Objectives.

I am really very proud and deep in my heart happy to take note of the Chapter’s enormous achievements, multi-awards, success and excellent progress since it was created and formed in 1998.

The painstaking task, hardship, sacrifices, humiliation and difficulties, we had endured during the early days of the Chapter’s formation, now it bears abundant golden fruits WITHOUT ANY DOUBT which almost all members enjoyed and benefitted.

With my due respect, I would like to take this opportunity to wholly express and convey my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to all Past and Present IIEE-CRCSA Presidents for their DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP,THE JOB WELL DONE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS as well as Board of Directors and the very supportive General Membership who VOLUNTARILY  served, sacrificed and dedicated themselves for the Chapter’s cause, with good purpose and objectives to be realized, achieved, with continuity and maintain it as of today and for tomorrow.

I humbly and greatly wish also that new sets or future IIEE -CRCSA Officers shall maintain the CHAPTER’S status quo and prestige that we had enjoyed and achieved.

Time has come that I have to leave Saudi Arabia for good and be back to our beloved country to start with another journey of my life as part of my life destiny that God has assigned or given to me.

I never dreamed nor had an ambitioned before to stay or worked here in Saudi Arabia for 37 years but because of God’s will, the good work opportunity and the sincere special request from my previous SEC big bosses to stay and to continue working for them.

In March 2007, I retired with 25 years of continuous service the SEC and I stayed in our country for one and a half years opening some business then suddenly my SEC VP for Operations and Maintenance came to Manila and was looking for me together with the owner of the consulting firm (Palace Consulting Engineers). This is what he said to me: “Guantero this is not your place you must go back with me to Saudi Arabia”. So, I humbly replier to him welcome to Manila sir. I am already retired what should I do there? Then he replied and said “I will give you a good job and your visa is ready”. With these words or message from him I was deeply touched of how my former boss gave me so much importance of my previous work, the technical experience and expertise that I had to work with him again. So I decided to come back and I joined the Protection Engineering Department (PED) of SEC-NG for more than 10 years.

When I came here in Saudi Arabia in 1981, Riyadh City is half desert with no malls nor tall buildings. Batha was the only place for shopping and at the same time meeting place of every Filipinos during weekends. Life was difficult here during those years, no means of entertainment, no media nor smart TV or mobile phones. Our only source of entertainment was the music tapes which we bought in Batha and have it played and listened at home with Sansui Audio Amplifiers.

My first work mission here was the implementation of the rural electrification projects in the Central Region Area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia thru memorandum of understanding (MOU) & contract signed between the Philippine Government and Saudi Government thru Saudi Consolidated Electric Company, Central Region a wholly owned and controlled corporation by Saudi Government.

We had constructed various medium voltage 33kV & 13.8kV Overhead (O/H) or Underground (UG) lines and substations within the city of Riyadh, outside Riyadh Area, Al Qassim, Ad Dawadmi, Al Hail. Al Kharj and Wadi Dawasir, throughout undeveloped areas of the Central Province of Saudi Arabia.

In the rural areas Filipinos are well known and welcome by rural local folks because when they see us at their area they are happy and know that electricity will be available inside their homes someday for their comfortable living.

I worked with SEC for four generations or under four companies namely; Riyadh Electric Company, Saudi Consolidated Electric Company (SCECO), Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and now the National Grid (NG) with also under four Saudi Kings; King Khaled, King Fahad, King Abdullah and now King Salman Ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.

This is part of life, there is the beginning and the end.

My sincere request to all fellow brothers in the Electrical Engineering (EE) profession especially to IIEE-CRCSA Members to keep in touch with each other and continue our communication even if I am not here anymore (I am already outside Saudi Arabia) thru emails and social media.

Deep in my heart and mind I will never forget you. I was overwhelmed with too much mixed emotions that I felt today and with the delicious foods that you bring and personally cooked by your own specialty.

Again thank you very much for this party. Good luck, God Bless, Mabuhay and Long Live IIEE-CRCSA!

Goodbye,,,