June 3 ------ AN NLEX employee is living the dream as part of the company’s professional team in the PBA on Tour exhibition series. “Dream come true,” said Dominick Fajardo, an NLEX employee for the past five years who now works in the tollways company's security department. “Kahit exhibition game lang, na-experience ko ‘yung paglalaro ng 5-on-5 sa PBA.”
But Fajardo is no ordinary employee. He had a reputable basketball career in college at Bulacan State University, where he became the first MVP of the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) in 2016. A successful college career usually leads to having a crack at the PBA through the rookie draft. But Fajardo took the road less taken. After his college career, Fajardo worked at Bulsu as a member of the varsity's coaching staff, while also playing in ligang labas. He later found his way to NLEX as a project-based worker, and became an employee in 2018.
But after moving to the corporate world, Fajardo was led back to basketball when he was asked to join the NLEX team in the MVP Olympics, an inter-company tournament for companies under the stewardship of Manny V. Pangilinan. Fortunately for the Malolos native, NLEX was generous in allowing Fajardo to continue his basketball career, enabling him to play while working with the company. One of his stops was with the Bulacan team in the National Basketball League-Pilipinas where became a Mythical Five winner in 2021.
He has kept his basketball career going all these years while working for eight hours like any full-time employee. “Sa security department kami. Hawak namin ‘yung mga guwardiya. Kapag may event, escort sa mga VIPs. Nagro-roving din kami sa AOR (area of responsibility),” said Fajardo in describing his job as a member of NLEX's security operations team.
Here's Fajardo in his day job: “Habang nagwo-work ako sa NLEX, pinayagan kami mag-basketball. Nililihis lang ‘yung oras ng pasok,” said the 29-year-old Fajardo. “Kung ang oras ng practice, 8 to 10 a.m., 2 to 10 p.m. ako papasok. Minsan kapag may laro, o hard ‘yung practice, pinapayagan naman ako na hindi pumasok. Babawiin na lang sa ibang araw.” But the PBA door opened for him again when the league unveiled its 3x3 league. When Cavitex was given the NLEX slot, Fajardo and his fellow NLEX employee Earnest Reyes got the nod to play for the Braves after David Murrell became unavailable.
Fajardo impressed with Cavitex in the PBA 3x3 during the 2022-23 season that saw the team win four leg titles and make an appearance in the grand finals of the second conference. “Nagka-emergency sila Murrell,” Fajardo recalled. “Kaya kami ni Earnest ‘yung pinasok sa 3x3. Tapos doon na nagsimula. Dere-derecho na. Nagustuhan naman ako nila coach Emman (Monfort) sa 3x3. Galing sa talo tapos puro panalo.”
Fajardo feels fortunate that his company is supportive of his basketball activity, including the call-up to the PBA on Tour, even if it's just exhibition games. “Thankful ako kila Boss Ronald (Dulatre) at sa management ng NLEX. Pati sa boss ko sa office, si Sir Caloy at ‘yung mga bisor [supervisor] ko. Binigyan nila ako ng chance. Ang sabi naman nila, kung kaya kong pagsabayin, go for it,” said Fajardo.
So far, Fajardo has been solid in the PBA on Tour, where undrafted players are allowed to be part of the team, averaging 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists thus far. On Friday, Fajardo had 15 points and shot 6-of-8 from the field. “Eto ngayon, kahit pagod, worth it naman siguro ‘yung pagod kasi tingin ko maganda naman nilalaro ko,” said Fajardo. As for his future, Fajardo remains an employee of NLEX and still under contract to play for Cavitex in the PBA 3x3. But he is giving the PBA Rookie Draft serious thought.
His priority, he said, is stability. “Based na lang ako sa sasabihin nila Boss Ronald at nila coach Frankie [Lim]," he said. "Iniisip ko rin ‘yung trabaho ko. Doon tayo sa pang-mahabaan. Kung kukunin ako ng NLEX at may work pa rin ako, walang problema sa akin.”
Source: spin.ph
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