BUGUIAS FARMER’S SON TOPS BENECO LINEMEN TRAINING PROGRAM
Raffy V. Valdez topped the BENECO lineman training
By Laarni S. Ilagan
ALAPANG, La Trinidad — Before dawn breaks over Benguet’s misty mountains, vegetable farmers bend over rows of cabbage and carrots, braving frost and cold winds. Among them once was Raffy Valdez, a farmer’s son from Lilit, Poblacion, Buguias—who has now climbed to a new kind of field: the electric poles of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO). The 29-year-old topped BENECO’s first post-pandemic linemen training program, leading 26 graduates out of 32 trainees who endured a demanding 32-day course.
“Unexpected,” he said simply after the ceremony in Alapang. “I just did what I could.” For eight years, Valdez worked at BENECO’s Man-Asok Mini-Hydro Power Plant in Sebang, inspecting turbines and maintaining generators. His supervisor, Rudy Balag-ey, described him as dependable. That technical discipline prepared him for the physical and mental challenges of the lineman program. Valdez’s journey was not easy. He once studied electrical engineering at Saint Louis University but dropped out due to financial constraints. He later trained in Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) at the BENECO Skills Development and Training Center. His younger brother, Alien Klent, a computer science student in Baguio City, proudly witnessed his graduation. “He worked hard at the hydro plant and even helped send me to college,” Alien said. Their parents couldn’t attend—they were busy at the farm—but their pride was evident.
Training the “Warriors of Light”
The linemen’s course demanded grit and endurance: 336 hours of classroom sessions, fieldwork, and intense physical training. Days began with push-ups and jogs, followed by lessons in pole climbing, line construction, and power systems. Of the 32 who started, only 26 finished. Valdez recalled the pain and fear of the first climbs: “Every step we say aray. Some slipped, some fell, but we endured it. Every climb reminds us that success doesn’t come easy.” Many trainees came from humble beginnings. Nelmer Basilio of Sablan left aviation studies to help his family farm. His mother, Mercy, said the program suited him better—“hands-on, not just academics.” Another trainee, Harem Quiocho, learned the importance of safety: “If it’s unsafe, don’t do it. Life first.” Some were continuing family legacies. Dar Ibrahim Pasuquin, 19, nearly quit but remembered his lineman father’s words: “Follow the trainer and don’t give up.” Upon graduating, he smiled and said, “Pops, we’re the same now.”
A Profession of Courage and Service
BENECO General Manager Melchor Licoben, himself a former lineman, told the graduates their work sustains the light of communities. “When storms come and lines fall, you are the ones people wait for,” he said. The cooperative spent nearly ₱2 million on the free training, valued at ₱30,000 per participant elsewhere. Licoben reminded them that the ceremony was just the beginning: “You are the men who climb before sunrise so others can wake up with light.” Veteran linemen echoed that reminder. Johnwell Quipot, whose 19-year-old son Cyrus Kyle graduated from the batch, said he had challenged his son to “take the training if you truly want it.” His only rule: “Safety first, always.” Dave Addom, a 19-year veteran lineman, advised the new group to remember the basics—follow procedures, attend toolbox meetings, and always assess the worksite. “It’s hard to find a job right now,” he said, “but harder still to find one with this kind of impact.”
Climbing Towards a Brighter Future
For Valdez, finishing on top is just the start. He hopes to continue working with BENECO and master the craft further. “Safety is a mindset,” he told his fellow graduates. “We must carry it every time we wear our PPE.” Then, with a mix of humor and honesty, he gave his final reminder: “Rule number one—don’t be stupid.” For these men—the farmers’ sons, contractors, and dreamers who conquered fear and fatigue—the work ahead will be tough. But each pole they climb carries the same lesson: at the top waits not just light for their communities, but pride for the homes they come from—the mountains of Benguet, where the warriors of light are born.
