Before becoming chief operating officer of Meralco, the largest private electric distribution company in the Philippines, Engr. Ronnie Aperocho was just a humble student from a remote community in the southern part of Mindanao.

Engr. Aperocho called home the quiet and quaint farming community of Sto. Niño in South Cotabato — a far-flung municipality located more than 1,400 kilometers away from his office in bustling Pasig City, Metro Manila.

During a recent visit to his alma mater, M. Roxas Elementary School, an emotional Aperocho shared how he started his long journey to success to the students in a mix of Ilonggo, Tagalog, and English: “Time flies so fast. While I was looking at you, I was reflecting on myself wearing the same short pants, except now, you already have uniforms and many of you wear shoes. During our time, we had no uniform. There were times when I went to school without slippers. I had to walk so far that my slippers would not last long. But having a worn-out slipper or having no slipper at all did not deter me then from going to school.”

Due to limited class offerings, Engr. Aperocho had to attend two different public schools: M. Roxas Elementary School for first, fifth, and sixth grade and J. Blanco Elementary School for second, third, and fourth grade.

In 1981, despite the odds, he finished elementary school at the top of his class. He then faced the next stages in his academic years: high school at Koronadal National Comprehensive High School where he, again, graduated with honors. The young aspiring engineer then packed his bags, left home, and pursued a degree in Electrical Engineering at the Mindanao State University in its Marawi campus, more than 200 kilometers north of his hometown. As a result of his hard work and perseverance, he topped the October 1991 Electrical Engineering Board Exam.

Two years later, in 1993, the self-described “promdi” (from the province) joined the Meralco workforce. “I graduated from Mindanao State University which many people from Metro Manila would describe as a third-class university, but it did not affect me,” he said.

Inside Meralco, he honed his skills to rise from the ranks. From his humble beginnings, he wore many hats, starting as a Junior Control Engineer in System Operations. Notably, among the many positions he held were customer assistance engineer, project manager, executive assistant to the networks head, head of the Meralco Pasig Sector, head of the Meralco South Distribution Services, and eventually, head of networks.

Despite his career progression, he was still driven by his passion for continuous learning. He then traveled further and got his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University/The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Carrying more titles and heavier responsibilities in the field of electrical engineering through the years, he went on to become the utility firm’s current executive vice president and chief operating officer and sits on many Boards, including One Meralco Foundation’s (OMF). Just recently, he was recognized as the 2024 Most Outstanding Professional in the field of Electrical Engineering by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

“Fueled by hard work, malasakit, and determination to be a better version of myself and escape poverty, I really worked hard and rose from the ranks to be in my position right now,” he shared proudly.

He also underscored how his parents, despite their financial circumstances, persevered so he could continue his schooling, which he attributes to his success. Engr. Aperocho also encouraged the parents present during the school activity to learn from what his parents did to their children.

“If you love your children, never give up on sending them to school because that’s the only way you can somehow improve ‘yung pamumuhay nila (their lives), the only way na masasabi natin na mabibigyan natin sila ng kinabukasan (we can provide them a better future),” he said.

To the children, he stressed: “I just wanted to share with you that you can succeed in life, even if you came from a relatively unknown community of (Barangay) M. Roxas in the far-flung province of South Cotabato.”

“Nothing is impossible. Let’s not say that we’re poor, our parents can’t afford to send us to school, it’s impossible for me to become someone important in the future. Nothing is impossible. Everything is possible as long as you work hard, as long as you strive hard, as long as you set your dreams that someday, you will succeed.”

His Grade 1 adviser, Virginia E. Funa, fought back tears as she praised her “studious, silent, and very diligent” student who went back to Sto. Nino to inspire other students.

“Ronnie is our inspiration in our barangay, who studied diligently despite facing hardships,” she shared in Ilonggo.

As his way of giving back, Engr. Aperocho, along with OMF, distributed hundreds of school kits to the students of J. Blanco Elementary School and M. Roxas Elementary School. These school kits include school supplies inside a customized backpack.

Each school also received computer sets and a printer to help improve the productivity of students, teachers, and school administrators. To further express his gratitude to the educational institutions that contributed to his success, he also donated water tanks for each school.

“Where I am now is already beyond my expectations, but of course, I thank God for all these blessings. And at this stage of my career, at this stage of my life, what I want is to give back to the community and to really inspire people, the young generation like you,” he concluded.