Realising their dreams in the UAE

In the mid-1990s, life as overseas Filipino worker Jes Galang knew it came to an abrupt end when he said goodbye to punching a corporate time clock in Dubai and hello to starting up his own business.

"It was always an aspiration of mine — even though I might make less money — to work for myself," said Galang, 66, a native of Pampanga province in the Philippines.

No longer an oil-and-gas exploration worker, Galang turned his talents to running two restaurants in Dubai and began importing on the side dry foods, fruits and novelty foods.

He worked hard in the eatery but soon realised his dreams of no longer being an employee lay in starting up his own food distribution company.

In 1995, he founded Galang LLC, and in no time was shipping in a large container full of goods for distribution throughout UAE.

He ordered the goods from Central Philippines and Manila.

"I started very small in Karama where I could only fit one 20-foot container," Galang said in an interview. "I started out with one assistant."

Fifteen years later, Galang employs seven people at his Al Quoz warehouse in Dubai where his business is ranked in the small business category with annual profits of up to Dh1.5 million.

"Now I can carry about five 40-footers," Galang said holding a bag of the highly popular Cebu Dried Mangoes.

Big challenge

The big challenge, he said, was to decipher what the Dubai market wanted and demanded.

"In the learning process, I first began to import what I liked but I soon realised that I had to import what the market wanted. "I first imported about 50 cases, but now we import about 1,000 cases per container."

Looking back, Galang said moving from employee to employer was the smartest decision he ever made.

"I now have more control of my own destiny and I have freedom because I can do more of what I like," he said.

Filipino national Angelo Timbol also saw the light in the mid-1990s after working for 15 years as a paid employee in the industrial supply sector.

With little more than a sterling reputation among Dubai businesses in the sector, Timbol formed his own corporation in 1996 — Jetty Oilfield, Marine and Industrial Supply. He has never looked back.

Diversification

"It was just a matter that people trusted me in the market. I didn't have any capital at all," Timbol said. "People came to know me, it started and the business grew slowly over the years."

Timbol now employs five full-time employees.

In the past 14 years, Timbol managed to sock away enough money every once in a while to buy up to six plots of land back in the Philippines as investments toward his future.

In 2006, he decided to diversify the business, sold off his properties and then purchased a massive parcel of property in Capas, Tarmac, about 100 kilometres north of Manila which he promptly named Jetty Ville.

While still juggling the supply company, he and his wife Maria have for the last five years overseen the construction of Jetty Ville, the park resort and planned subdivision.

Photographs show a central resort with three swimming pools, cottages, playgrounds and playgrounds.

The thrust of the business plan is to cater to overseas Filipino workers: "We want to make it affordable for the average worker. Jetty Ville opened in March and can accommodate 1,000 people."

For those who want to buy lots for retirement homes, Timbol said the idea is to provide "low-cost land that is affordable."

He estimates the development is worth around $1 million (Dh3.6 million) and said the project started with his dream of some day becoming his own boss.

"It's very simple — just save your money," he said.