Marco Villanueva, 32, grew up in a quiet barangay in Laguna, always fascinated by how things worked. As a child, he’d dismantle old radios just to see what was inside, much to his father’s frustration. That curiosity eventually led him to a degree in civil engineering, followed by board exams, and a job at a local construction firm.
But like many young engineers in the Philippines, Marco hit a ceiling. The pay wasn’t enough, and projects were often delayed or canceled. While he loved his country, he couldn’t ignore the reality: his parents were aging, his sister was entering college, and his own dreams of building a better life were on hold.
So when a former college batchmate offered to refer him to a company in Dubai, he didn’t hesitate. After rounds of interviews and paperwork, Marco packed his hard hat, steel toe boots, and ambition, and flew to the United Arab Emirates.
His first day on the job felt like steeping into another world. Towering skyscrapers, sprawling highways, and desert heat that seemed to wrap around his lungs. Marco was hired by a multinational construction frim based in Sharjah, handling a large commercial development project.
At work, Marco dealt with engineers from India, Egypt, Lebanon, and the UAE. It was a melting pot of cultures, languages, and egos. But Marco stood out not by speaking the loudest, but by being thorough. He double checked measurements, questioned assumptions, and treated laborers with respect.
One time, when a structural drawing didn’t align with on-site conditions, Marco worked overnight to redesign the layout. The next morning, his supervisor a no nonsense Jordanian named Samer told him, You saved us from a costly mistake. You’re sharp, Filipino. That compliment stayed with Marco for weeks.
But life outside the site wasn’t as structured. The isolation hit him hard. He missed his father’s corny jokes, his mother’s arroz caldo, and the chaotic warmth of home. In the quiet of his small flat, loneliness would creep in like sand through a crack in a window.
Still, Marco pushed through. Every month, he sent money home. His sister was able to enroll in architecture school, inspired by her Kuya. His parents had their medications covered and the leaky roof fixed.
There were moments of pride too like when Marco led the safety audit team, or when he presented his first project report to senior management in English. He grew not just in skills, but in confidence.
On his third year, his company offered to sponsor him for a project manager certification, with a long term contract to boot. He said yes.
That night, he sat by his window overlooking the lights of Dubai. He thought of the young boy tinkering with radios, the man who left his country with uncertainty, and the engineer who now helped shape city skylines. He called his father and simply said, Tay, your son is doing okay.
Because behind the steel, the concrete, and the math Marco was building more than structures. He was building a future, one bolt, one beam, and one silent sacrifice at a time.
