Circumstances we face in life are not just something that happens by chance. They can be signs of what God wills for us. We just have to discern them in our life.

One day, a friend in the construction company called me up and asked if I could be nominated to a board in a government agency that regulated the licenses of contractors. Notwithstanding my reservations due to the notoriety of corruption in the construction industry in our country, I agreed with the understanding that my name would be included only to complete the required number of nominees and would not be chosen. To my surprise, I found out later that I had been appointed a member of the three-man board of this government agency.

Talking this over with my friends at the Focolare, I understood that nothing happens by chance, and it was God who was calling me. I said my yes and asked, “How could I make a difference?” Chiara Lubich told us only to love, and Jesus will do the rest.

The chairman and the other board members are all respectable people who truly want to serve the industry and help in nation-building. We tried to do everything out of love for everyone. Concerned for our fellow contractors, we were able to streamline the licensing process. We reduced the time for license renewal from three months to fifteen days. This also resulted in reduced cost of doing business both for the contractors and the agency.

For the benefit of the public, we had to ensure safety in all job sites and held safety seminars, a requirement for license renewal.

Furthermore, to serve the government, we had to increase efficiency in our work. As a result, the income of the agency increased by 58%.

To professionalize the industry, we had to do our share in correcting the impression that the construction industry is corrupt. I was tasked to promote the Code of Ethics and Social Responsibility among all contractors nationwide who were required to attend a seminar as part of the continuing education program of the industry. Little did I know that this caught the attention of people in the Department of Public Works and Highways who made all their bidders sign not only the Code of Ethics but also an Integrity Pledge which I was asked to help formulate.

One of the problems involved was the agency staff and the illegal price-fixing of licenses. With the help of a local Economy of Communion consulting company, we provided the Rainbow Life Seminar which aims not only to enhance their values but also to help build relationships among them and between the staff and the board. We understood that this practice existed not only because it had become part of the organizational culture but also out of necessity because of the inadequate salaries they received. With the chairman of the board, we had offered to help out in other ways like offering their spouses and children assistance in finding work. Soon, walls between departments started to crumble, everyone became more open, and the work done became more service-oriented.

For instance, the spouse of one of our staff who could not find work because of his advanced age was able to work with us for eight years as a warehouse man until his retirement.

One lady shared that, after working with the agency for more than 20 years, this was the first time someone from the board had organized something like this, reaching out to them and taking time to get to know them. Another said that he was willing to change and refrain from corrupt practices, believing in God’s providence and practical love from the board.

It was evident that the walls that had crumbled paved the way for relationships that last until today.

Vic Lahoz