Romel Calvelo
Romel
Calvelo
Spacecraft Analyst, based in Subic Bay, Philippines
I am very passionate about helping our community. I used to be the president of the Rotaract Club of Metro Olongapo in our community, and as volunteers, we did a lot of service projects that aimed at solving the most pressing problems of our communities today. The themes can range from education, maternal and child health, to the environment. I believe our action, big or small, can bring a difference and benefits the community.
I joined ABS in January 2016 as Satellite Controller, and I was promoted to Spacecraft Engineer in 2018. Back then, we were still flying seven satellites, but in 2017 we deorbited ABS-3. I was lucky to be one of the controllers on duty and executed the commanding. Now we have 6 satellites in orbit, and we look forward to launching new satellites in the future.
I think everyone should learn to be adaptive to change. During the challenging times posed by the global pandemic, the company has allowed us to work remotely. At first, being able to work from home was nice, but as days went by, working in the comfort of your home can be a challenge as you cannot talk to your colleagues every day like you did before the pandemic. It takes self-motivation and the right mindset to remain productive and deliver results.
My favorite memory was when I attended the 2019 Boeing Satellite Customer Conference in California. First time in the US, first time to attend a satellite conference, first time to meet colleagues from other satellite operators around the globe…the experience was one for the books.
“You did a great job!” from my superiors. You normally don’t get recognized for something that you do every day at work, but when you do, it’s very fulfilling. Being appreciated by your superiors because of your work motivates you to do even better every day.
