Story by John Laurence L. Teologo
There is a quiet kind of success that cannot be fully captured in attendance sheets, reports, or project milestones. Sometimes, it is found in familiar faces that keep returning, not because they have to, but because they believe in what can be achieved together.
For Maezel Cardel, Program Coordinator for Education and Innovation under Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc.’s (PSFI) Shell-funded programs, success is reflected not only in the initiatives she has helped implement in Calapan, but also in the relationships she has built with the communities she serves.
That connection runs so deeply that community members have given her a nickname of her own: “Mae-Shell.”
A playful combination of Maezel’s name and the organization she represents, the nickname has become a term of endearment. It can be heard in the eager voices asking months in advance, “Ma’am Mae-Shell, kailan po ang activity?”
It can also be seen in communities that once stood on the sidelines but now take the lead, ready to volunteer, serve, and uplift one another.
For Maezel, these are among the truest markers of impact: trust earned, relationships strengthened, and people empowered to create change together.
As PSFI celebrates its 44th anniversary with the theme “Driven by Purpose. Powered by People.,” Maezel’s story reminds us that meaningful change has never been about programs alone. It is made possible by people who choose to serve, partners who choose to collaborate, and communities that choose to believe.
Finding purpose in the community
Long before she officially joined PSFI, Maezel had already found joy in working with people.
Before becoming part of the Foundation, she served as a Book Nook Officer under the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). During one of her assignments, she met members of the PSFI team, who were looking for a local Program Officer familiar with Calapan and its communities.
As someone from Lazareto, Calapan, Maezel understood the community’s realities, aspirations, and ways of working. When she was encouraged to apply, she did not hesitate.
“I immediately submitted my application because I’ve always loved being involved in community activities, whether sports leagues, training sessions, or barangay events,” she recalled.
For Maezel, the opportunity offered a way to continue serving beyond the boundaries of a traditional workplace.
Magtatrabaho ako sa community at mas makatutulong ako sa community. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam. Teacher ako by profession, pero hindi ko muna nakikita ang sarili ko sa classroom. Masaya at fulfilling ang ginagawa ko ngayon sa komunidad.
On July 15, 2022, Maezel officially joined PSFI as its first Program Officer during the Foundation’s direct implementation in Calapan. It marked the beginning of a journey that would transform not only the communities she served, but also her understanding of what it means to work with purpose.
After years of working closely with communities and helping advance PSFI’s programs, Maezel was recently promoted to Program Coordinator for Education and Innovation under the Foundation’s Shell-funded programs.
Her new role marks another chapter in a journey rooted in service, strengthened by experience, and shaped by the people she has worked alongside.
From uncertainty to ownership
As PSFI’s first Program Officer during its direct implementation in Calapan, Maezel witnessed both the excitement and uncertainty that came with introducing new initiatives to communities that were still unfamiliar with the Foundation’s work.
Scholarship applications poured in by the hundreds. Community members were curious but cautious. Like any new relationship, trust had to be earned.
Instead of simply delivering activities, PSFI worked alongside the local government and communities. Its programs complemented existing initiatives while creating new opportunities through BiyaHERO, Shell LiveWIRE, Community Activity Support, and skills development programs.
Because these activities were implemented within the communities, people witnessed their impact firsthand. Beneficiaries were not distant names in a report. They were neighbors, friends, and family members whose experiences encouraged others to participate.
Slowly, unfamiliarity gave way to trust. In time, trust grew into ownership.
Today, Maezel no longer has to invite volunteers one by one. Months before tree-planting activities, Brigada Eskwela, or coastal cleanups begin, community members are already asking how they can take part.
“Dati, kailangan pa naming magtanong sa barangay kung sino ang puwedeng sumali. Ngayon, sila na mismo ang nagtatanong at nagkukusang sumama. Kapag nalaman nilang may activity, nag-uusap-usap na sila at sama-sama nang nagvo-volunteer.”
For Maezel, their willingness to show up speaks louder than any accomplishment listed on paper.
“Masarap magtrabaho sa community. Nakakataba ng puso.”
A dream that never expired
Among the many people Maezel has encountered, one scholar’s journey continues to remind her why creating opportunities matters.
One of PSFI’s earliest initiatives in Calapan in 2022 was Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL), the Foundation’s technical-vocational scholarship program. Among its scholars was a man in his fifties carrying a dream he had postponed for decades.
“Kasi Ma’am, noong kabataan ko pa, hindi namin naranasan ang marangyang buhay. Nagtrabaho ako sa construction at natutong maghinang. Pangarap ko talagang maging welder. Certificate na lang talaga ang kulang. Pero nagkaasawa ako, nagkapamilya, kaya hindi ko naituloy. Ngayon, gusto kong tuparin ang pangarap ko.”
Through SKIL, he completed his training and earned his Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC I certification.
Despite living farthest from the training venue, he was consistently the first to arrive. Even after graduation, he continued sharing updates with Maezel.
He began accepting small welding projects, including window grills and basketball rings. In time, he was entrusted with roofing and larger infrastructure projects, allowing him to increase his income and create better opportunities for his family.
His journey did more than change his own circumstances. He also became an inspiration to others, encouraging them to apply for scholarships and pursue opportunities available to them.
From his story, Maezel learned a lesson she now shares with other beneficiaries:
“Natutunan ko sa kanya na hindi hadlang ang edad para matuto. Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.”
His experience reflects the heart of PSFI’s work. It is not simply about providing assistance. It is about opening doors so people can build their own paths toward a better future.
Powered by people
Looking back, Maezel believes that purpose becomes meaningful only when people come together to act on it.
“Lahat ng ginagawa natin, malinaw ang purpose. Pero kahit gaano kaganda ang vision, hindi ito magiging posible kung wala ang mga taong nagtutulungan. Collaboration, teamwork, at commitment sa tao ang nagpapalakas sa bawat programa.”
This is what she has witnessed across Calapan.
The communities that once welcomed PSFI with uncertainty now actively seek opportunities to serve alongside the Foundation. PSFI may have introduced the programs, but it was the people who gave them life.
For Maezel, this is proof that the spirit of bayanihan remains alive.
Looking ahead, she hopes that more educational opportunities can be created for young people, particularly scholarships for high school and college students. She recognizes that even support for transportation or daily expenses can determine whether a learner is able to continue pursuing an education.
Naniniwala ako na every person deserves a chance. Kahit hindi welcome sa umpisa, makikita mo rin ang warmth at acceptance ng community. Hindi lang puhunan ang naibibigay natin, kundi paraan para maging sustainable ang kabuhayan nila.
As PSFI marks 44 years of creating opportunities and empowering communities, Maezel’s journey reminds us that impact is never built by an institution alone.
It is built by volunteers who choose to show up, communities that choose to trust, partners who choose to collaborate, beneficiaries who choose to dream again, and individuals who believe that serving others is a purpose worth pursuing.
Maezel’s message to the communities she serves is simple:
“Thankful ako sa komunidad dahil hindi magiging matagumpay ang mga programa kung wala ang willingness nilang makiisa. Maniwala lang at magpatuloy. Huwag susuko.”
For Maezel, success is ultimately measured not only by what people accomplish, but also by the positive difference they make in the lives of others.
Forty-four years on, PSFI remains driven by purpose and powered by people. Because when people choose to turn purpose into action, hope does more than grow.
It brings an entire community together.
