Engr. Ignacio Aguito Facing All Challenges with Professionalism

What is your current job and title? 

I’m a freelance plumbing contractor, plumbing designer, consultant, a dedicated businessman and a Plumbing Instructor and Assessor for Plumbing NC-l, ll and lll for TESDA. I’m also the National Secretary of the Philippines Society of Master Plumbers and Plumbing Engineers (PSMPE), a part owner of the MEPF Technical Institute located at SFDM Quezon City.

What led you to choose this as your career? 

Choosing a career is every person’s goal and dream. Knowing fully the construction business, I practiced my civil engineering profession for quite some time then I saw a big career opportunity in the plumbing trade when the construction boom is at its peak and there is a scarcity of plumbing practitioners in the construction arena. With my expertise and years of practice in plumbing and with the help of my peers and partners in the profession, I gambled and tried my luck and fortunately, success has been good to me. To others this profession is but a small business but for me it is a rusty goldmine, a lucrative business that once polished and being taken care of will put you in a financial freedom.  

What course did you take to attain the career that you have right now? 

I studied and finished civil engineering. Plumbing then is just a minor subject and not comprehensive although there’s some plumbing arithmetic and a little hydraulic analysis. I attained this career when I was assigned to work in the plumbing department. I purchased, collected and read a lot of plumbing books and other references related to the trade. Gaining the knowledge, skills and expertise in the system I took the board exam for master plumber and passed it as a board topnotcher.  

Out of those years of training, which one was the most fulfilling? 

Training helps us to grow and sharpens our mind. In my years of training I considered every one is fulfilling because it creates business opportunities, gaining knowledge, gathering new technique and ideas, keeping in touch with colleagues and peers, and meeting different people. But of course the most fulfilling one was training abroad because not only are you studying and acquiring different standards, systems and approach that they have, but also to understand how plumbing system has evolved in different countries, and how plumbing system been executed and implemented methodically as far as green plumbing is concerned globally.   

Do you think you have covered everything you wanted to do as a plumbing engineer? 

In my years of experience in plumbing works, I have been into designing, contracting, consulting, training and mentoring. I must honestly say that I have not yet covered everything the way I wanted to do as a plumbing engineer because it is a never ending system. It requires a lot of continuing studies, research, and experiments because of the magnitude of this new system that may bring upon the very fast changing environment. 

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered being a plumbing engineer in a 3rd world country like ours? 

Challenges come to our daily lives, both small and big. It’s really a part of our normal life. In my long years of working with the plumbing industry, I have encountered a lot of it especially in designing new plumbing projects, reviewing for new incoming technologies, challenges on many bid proposals and facing the big-time players and contractors. I consider the biggest challenge I have encountered was when I been tapped to be the moderator in the major international event in a plumbing expo of water technology. The world’s kingpins of plumbing industries are coming to be the keynote speakers and lecturers. No less than the president of American Society of Plumbing engineers Engr. William J. Hughes and his delegation. I kept asking myself, “Why me?” Being a professional, I am duty-bound to perform the task given to me. I’ve seen a lot of veteran moderators in many events especially in television, for them it seemed so easy and fun but it is far more different when you‘re on stage. I felt nervous, scared and a bit shaky. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life, but I am very thankful for I learned a lot. And mind you guys, I am now the regular moderator in every event of the Philippine Society of Plumbing Engineers (PSPE) be it a national convention or local events. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the person who pushed and put me to that event. I suggest you try and see it for yourself. 

What is the best advice that you can give to aspiring plumbing engineers? 

To those who are aspiring to be plumbing engineers, this career needs commitment, patience, perseverance, dedication and sacrifice. This career involves the awareness of providing better plumbing system for persons with disabilities as well as health care facilities. The plumbing engineers take the role of providing supply of quality services for water utilities and increase handling safety for health and sanitation. They are also involved in designing water efficient plumbing system and re-cycling, harvesting rain water for other water conservation projects.  The plumbing engineers may face huge and mammoth tasks and responsibilities but it is highly rewarding. The plumbing industry is a multi-million peso industry and being a plumbing engineer is the best career choice of a lifetime. You help people, help protecting the environment and saving the planet.  So, to the aspiring plumbing engineers, go for your goal and dreams. Love your work, do it with passion and dedication, never stop learning. Success by being influential and famous in life cannot be measured by how much wealth you have but always think of the welfare of others. Be straight and never think of short cuts to your livelihood as well as to your potential clients.