DUBAI: Efren “Bong” Mendoza credits his lucky stars for landing a job — and being the only Filipino at that — at the office of a high-profile government entity in Abu Dhabi as I.T. operations engineer in 2008. The Oriental Mindoro, Philippines native has always been a dreamer and is quick to seize an opportunity when he sees one.
Sheer luck and humility aside, Mendoza, The Filipino Times’ 2017 I.T. Professional of the Year awardee, is not one to shy away from hard work. In fact, he cites this quality, along with honesty, dedication and integrity as part of the OFW’s DNA.
Mendoza, who also holds the distinction as the first Filipino to be directly employed at the Ministry of Labour from 2006-2008 as network engineer prior to working for the Abu Dhabi VIP, was also fortunate to have chosen a highly in-demand and relevant career.
“From the start, I have always liked exploring something new, and information technology caught my attention. IT became my passion,” he tells The Filipino Times.
Mendoza, however, says that while information technology is a lucrative profession, it is also not without risks.
The government’s emiratization initiative to effectively assimilate UAE nationals into the labor market has also been a source of worry for him. He doesn’t let this deter him, however, from continuing to perform his tasks well.
“Whatever happens, I’m still grateful for having been given an opportunity to work with those two institutions. It’s already a huge achievement for me because only a few individuals are given this opportunity. I feel honored to have gained the trust of my colleagues and superiors,” Mendoza shares.
The BS Computer Engineering graduate of Adamson University first worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for nearly five years before coming to the UAE in 2006. He credits his stay in Saudi Arabia as the main reason why he never had difficulty fitting in in another Arab country.
Mendoza mentions three people he looks up to: his father as his mentor and best friend, his big brother for steering him in the right career path, and HH Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, for his “humility, generosity and love of country.”
He advised fellow IT professionals to not be complacent and continue to learn to empower themselves.
“Information technology is fast changing and increasingly getting complex. To be proficient, IT professionals must continue educating themselves by attending trainings and seminars, and by getting certified,” he says.
As cybersecurity is a major issue in this digital age, Mendoza advises his fellow Filipinos to be vigilant on cyberspace.
“We should be smart enough to protect our own personal data like bank information. Also, please don’t overexpose yourself on social media. Human mistake is the biggest threat to cybersecurity,” he warns.
The Filipino Times Awards 2018 will be held on 7 September in JW Marriott Marquis Dubai in association with du as the platinum sponsor. The TFT Awards, which is now on its 4th edition, is proud to have RAKBANK as the gold sponsor and Al Tayer Motors-Ford as the car partner. Category sponsors of The Filipino Times Awards are Nikon, Pancake House International and Bawiq, while the support sponsors are NMC Mabuhay Clinic, Hot Palayok Restaurant & Grill, CMG Cargo, MPQ Tourism and Dofreeze-Eurocake.
