‘90s telegram spells 25 years of joy for employee

It’s not the app as we know it these days, but a telegram in the late 90s served its purpose just the same for Michael Surla, a PLDT employee who has been with the company for 25 years.

“It was a small piece of paper that changed my life,” Surla said. “That telegram included details that told me to report to PLDT for possible employment.

“I could still recall how happy and excited I was at that very moment. Just the thought of being considered as a candidate for a job opening in a prestigious company such as PLDT is so flattering for a then-fresh graduate like me,” he added.

Driven by his enthusiasm to be a part of the company, Surla landed a job in PLDT in 1997.

For the past 25 years, he has found a lot of opportunities to grow and learn in PLDT — from seminars to local and international training offered by the company.

one of his most unforgettable moments in the company was when he accepted the challenge to be transferred from International Transmission Maintenance Center to Surveillance Division.

“I was on my 10th year in ITMC when I got the call. ITMC was my comfort zone, but I wanted to expand my horizons and take on learning opportunities. Being in the department where I belong now, which is the network operations Center, I am happy to experience and be a part of our company’s transition from Legacy to the new Generation network and now to the Transport network Transformation era,” Surla said. PLDT is a place that nurtured him to become the person that he is. It has always been more than just a workplace. It became a second home where he met friends and role models who have become his life coaches. Surla currently works as a Section Supervisor under the Fixed network assessment and Surveillance Division. He said he will continuously strive to become a better version of himself — believing that in the end, there is a right time for everything.