Finding Purpose in Every Step
Meet Mervin Bantiyan, Senior Manager for Industrial Maintenance at Aboitiz Construction. To his colleagues, he is a steady presence — someone who leads with both skill and heart, ensuring that maintenance solutions across industries deliver value while more than 700 team members are safe and supported. But behind his professional role is a deeper story of growth, reflection, and a relentless search for meaning.
At the center of his journey is a simple yet powerful question: What is your purpose? This thought has guided Mervin through crossroads in his life, especially during times of uncertainty. For him, purpose is what connects everyday struggles and triumphs to something bigger. It gives weight to choices, light to challenges, and meaning to every step of the journey.
A Journey of Evolving Purpose
Before joining Aboitiz Construction, Mervin thought he had already discovered his calling. He first believed it was in cement production, imagining himself retiring in a cement plant. Later, he turned to teaching in the academe, convinced that sharing knowledge was his true path. These roles gave him stability and fulfillment, but deep inside, he felt his purpose was still unfolding.
That defining turn came when he joined Aboitiz Construction two years ago. Tasked with helping develop the company’s maintenance services, he was pushed out of his comfort zone and stretched in new ways. What began as another career move soon became an opportunity to grow, to lead, and to rediscover his purpose.
Purpose in Service and Responsibility
For Mervin, purpose is rooted in service. He finds fulfillment in listening to people’s stories, understanding their challenges, and creating solutions that turn obstacles into opportunities. Today, he leads maintenance services that cover cement and mining operations, renewable energy sites, water treatment facilities, and even food industries.
Balancing technical work, client needs, and the well-being of hundreds of team members is no small task. Yet, instead of seeing it as a burden, he embraces it as a calling — one that allows him to serve, protect, and create value not only for Aboitiz Construction but also for the lives touched by their work.
The Power of Great Transformation
Looking back, Mervin considers his Aboitiz journey one of the most transformative experiences of his life. What began as another career move became a turning point — a place where he discovered responsibility, service, and leadership. For him, purpose and transformation go hand in hand: transformation shapes who you are, while purpose directs where you are going. Together, they turn struggles into lessons and opportunities into breakthroughs. His message is simple yet powerful: Be open to transformation. Once you discover your purpose, be ready to transform again — that is how you grow into the best version of yourself.
