By Ryan Christopher V. Manzanano

Karl Andrei O. Cendaña, a 22-year old Transportation Development Officer I of the Department of Transportation’s Project Implementation Unit and one of the first graduates of Philippine Railways Institute’s Fundamental Training (FT) Course, successfully entered and is now pursuing a career in the railway sector. 

Cendaña is an alumnus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a degree in Railway Engineering Management. He was one of the PRI scholars of  the FT Course’s first cycle, which was conducted from June 21 to November 5, 2021. Since his college years, Cendaña became interested in joining the PRI training courses believing that it would also help him deepen his understanding and learning in the country’s railway industry, aside from the knowledge he gained from school. Not long before his  graduation, he was endorsed as one of the  top 5% PUP students to join the FT course.

“Ang pinaka tumatak sa aking mga natutunan ay ang mga safety practices na itinuro at pauli-ulit na nabanggit sa training. Ang mga ito’y nadala at nagagamit ko ngayon sa aking trabaho,” quips Cendaña, sharing some of his takeaways from the PRI training. He also shared how he employs the pointing and calling method in his work, especially on inspection activities. He mentioned his appreciation of the various  topics under the Tracks and Guideways Specialized Competency, which were not taught in his college program.

Furthermore, Cendaña described how the PRI helped and prepared him professionally. He said, “ Hindi na po ako na-culture shock sa work kasi po during the training, as professionals na rin po yung trato sa amin ng PRI. Na-prepare po kami mentally sa training pa lang.”