Before I share it again, let me just say that I have really gotten over the angst of being "kicked out," and as what is said in the Godfather movie, I have come to accept that it "is all business, nothing personal."
I don't even hate those colleagues of ours who executed our "termination" and those who were left behind to take up the cudgels. I actually pity them as they are not actually in charge.
They are merely puppets.
I therefore beg your indulgence ...
Dear PETRON,
The dawn of the new day is breaking.
On noon of June 30, the Philippines will have a new President. By the end of business hours July 31, you PETRON will have a new persona.
The country will have a new commander-in-chief. You the company will have a new character.
Your change is about to be completed. A change that started less than 2 years ago. A change that is so profound, so sweeping and so far-reaching that it will transform your trait and alter your attributes.
Yet despite this change you will still be the mighty PETRON. You will remain the industry leader, and you will still be the force to reckon with.
You are the foremost brand in fuels. You have the biggest refinery in the country, and you have the largest network of gas stations in the archipelago. You present a magnificent portfolio, and you offer vast opportunities for growth.
You are without doubt, the undisputed number one.
That is why you were desired. That is why you were targeted, and that is why eventually, you were obtained.
You were acquired because of your rich history, because of your exceptional pedigree, and because of your superior possessions, property and resources.
But most of all, it is because of your most valued asset -- your people and your business partners.
By far you possess perhaps the most hardworking employees and partners in this industry. Your people have an unparalleled work ethic, and your people are the most loyal and committed ever.
They are the reason why you are undeniably on top. They are what make you awesome, and they are what make you great. They are what make you human, unlike the others who are devoid of such personality.
They are the P behind your logo. They are the P behind your products. They are the P behind your profit.
They are the salesmen, the engineers, the analysts, the utility men, the clerks, the accountants, the technicians, the office staff, the lawyers, the auditors, the AAs, the managers, the executive officers and the directors.
They are the dealers, the haulers, the contractors, the suppliers and the investors.
They are the pump attendants, the store personnel, the mechanics, the drivers, the security guards, the janitors and the maintenance crew.
They have names. And they are proud to associate their names with you PETRON.
They are proud of their calling. And they put a lot of effort to make you perfect.
They are however imperfect. But their imperfection is that which drives them to think smarter, work harder, and perform better.
At times they are flawed. But their hearts and souls are flawlessly Petron. Their life is proudly Petron-centered. Their cars run only on Petron fuel. Their house meals are cooked only on Petron Gasul.
They do not just work for you. Or work with you. They live and breathe you. They stand by you. And some of them even died for you.
I am one of the above. No, not one of those that died for you. Not yet anyway.
I am one of the people behind the P in you PETRON. Until recently, I was.
What I am now, I owe a great deal to you.
You were the wall of my welfare, the passport of my progress, the garden of my growth and the dwelling of my development.
You gave me so much. You gave me more than what I had before.
And to whom much is given, much is expected. So In return, I wholly embraced you PETRON, what you stand for, and what you represent. Like others in the company, I considered myself not just your employee. I was your envoy. I was your emissary.
I gave you PETRON my everything.
My body and my mind.
My heart and my soul.
My blood, my sweat, my tears and everything in between.
I say this with no exaggeration. No hyperbole. No embellishment. No overstatement.
I say it to you because it is just right. It is just fair. It is simply just.
You gave much. I gave nothing less.
You needed me. I wanted you.
You demanded loyalty. I included faith.
You required devotion. I placed trust.
You had a vision. I took on the mission.
You set a target. I aimed to exceed.
You are number one. I was your number one fan.
You fueled our excellence. And as your people, we fueled your growth.
We mobilized our talents so that your motorists can move more efficiently.
We marshaled our skills so that your market share can grow.
We went the extra mile so that your customers can get the extra mileage.
And we volunteered when needed so that we can give meaning to your core values.
We’ve always wanted you to succeed. We’ve always wanted you to grow. We’ve always wanted what is best for you.
We believe in you Petron. Until recently we did.
But now you want us to go.
We question, “WHY?” you reply, “WHY NOT?”
It is that simple. It is that plain. It is that absolute. No ifs. No buts. No chance.
What we have before was unity. What we have now is irony.
What took us a lifetime to build, it only took you a moment to end.
We still want to believe, but you want us now to leave.
You don’t want us anymore, even if we still need you.
You now turn your back on us, so where do we turn to?
Wherever we turn up with, we will be different. We will be dissimilar.
Perhaps we will be better, and this is because of you.
We have learned a lot from you. But we will never be burdened by you. You will continue to inspire us, as we aspire and rebuild our future.
We will recover. And we will discover . . . that there is indeed a life after you.
On the other hand, you PETRON will remain almighty. You will remain to be on top. You will still be the biggest, the largest, and the leading oil company in the country.
But you will never be the same again.
Mark Anthony C. Lopez
PS - - To all of YOU in and out of PETRON whom I have had the privilege to cross path, cross swords or simply come across, THANK YOU. You all made me who I am, whether you like it or not, whether you want it or not, and whether you believed in me or not.
You know who you are.
