Philex Mining's Euls Austin Jr: As good as gold

MANILA, Philippines - Like a rock mined from the mountains of Benguet, polished and turned into a precious gem, mining engineer Eulalio “Euls” Austin Jr. is brilliant proof that there are, indeed, buried treasures waiting to be unearthed in the mountains. From his humble beginning as a trainee in the mines of Padcal, Austin moved up the corporate ladder and now sits as the Senior Vice President for Operations of Philex Mining Corp., the country’s biggest and most prominent mining company.

Austin graduated with a degree in Mining Engineering from Saint Louis University in Baguio in 1982, and started as a mining engineer trainee immediately the year after. The Mt. Province-born young professional exhibited great potential at work and caught the attention of his superiors. It didn’t take long before he went up ‘the hierarchy’ from being a junior mining engineer to division manager, which is one of the highest ranks running the underground, next to the resident manager. His exemplary performance continued to impress the management and soon after, he was promoted to senior vice president.

A family man

While respect and recognition are things that can certainly make a man proud, Austin asserts that true happiness can only be found at home. Now at 50, he plays his biggest and most fulfilling role – a loving husband to Juliene Austin, the current principal of St. Louis-Philex High School, and a doting father to his two sons, Aldriech Philip, 26, and Larry John, 21. Despite his busy schedule and responsibilities at work, he spends quality time with his family at his home in Padcal in Tuba, Benguet during weekends.

Recognizing the rewards of working for Philex Mining, Austin is quick to point out that the best thing about it is the opportunity to be with his family while effectively and efficiently serving the needs of the company. He adds that Sustainable Development Management Programs (SDMP) that provide support in terms of education subsidies and housing benefits, among many others, are a huge factor in harnessing the employees’ confidence and trust in the company.

 “I consider being near my family as the best thing (about) working for Philex Mining. Also, the education of our children is assured. We’ve also had housing benefits in a secure and peaceful community,” he shares. One huge differentiating factor is that while there may be some mining companies which are offering the same (benefits), Philex Mining goes the extra mile by extending these, not only to the employees themselves, but to immediate family members as well.”

Austin fondly muses: “Parang lahat ng positions sa Padcal napagdaanan ko kaya naikot ko na rin yata mga bahay doon (I think I’ve worked at most positions in Padcal, and have subsequently lived in every type of company housing),” referring to the housing benefit that comes with each promotion.

Life as a mining engineer

The Philex Mining SVP is candid enough to share the challenges of being a mining engineer. According to him, concern for safety is paramount.

“Mining engineers are responsible for safety in the site; that’s the number one task. You are responsible not only for your own life but the lives of others as well. You have to ensure that requirements for protective equipment are complied with even before anyone enters the mine. (You) conduct orientations on what should be done on site and evacuation procedures,” he explains.

“The good thing about being a mining engineer is that positive attitudes like courage, resilience and strength are honed. At the end of the day, magiging matibay ka talaga, pandigma, matapang (You’ll be strong, ready for battle, courageous),” he shares, emphasizing that mining engineers are the front liners.

“We work in an environment with a lot of unknown parameters, which makes the job really challenging,” he avers.

For Austin, one of the company’s biggest operational challenges was the technological shift back in the ‘80s. “They were trying to phase out the railroad or locomotive type of hauling boulders from the mines and switch to cable belt conveyor. There were birth pains and a lot of debugging for three years before commissioning started in 1987. We were working in a smoky condition since we were using diesel; now the cable belt conveyor runs with electricity,” he explains.

The following decade, Philex Mining continuously faced hurdles as the mining industry spiraled down due to falling metal and gold prices. But while other mining companies opted to close down, Philex Mining chose to sustain the business to keep its people employed throughout the crisis.

Resilient company

“Philex Mining is a good company. I could vouch for it. While we’ve had difficult times, we survived them because of the culture that we have, which is God-centered, family-oriented, high governance standard and straightforward management. These are the keys to Philex Mining’s resiliency,” he says.

The executive further notes that with Philex Mining, there is definite job security. “Mining is measured through (the amount of) deposits and at some point, these will be exhausted. But with Philex Mining, there will be other properties for development so employees will still be assured of jobs provided that one is an efficient worker.”

He adds that the company has also crafted a mine transition plan, which is designed to help employees eventually sustain their own livelihood through basic entrepreneurship training, while ensuring education for their children. As a matter of fact, Philex Mining fully subsidizes elementary education and a number of deserving students in high school. Scholarships are also available to those who would like to pursue college and vocational courses.

Padcal’s mine life has been extended until 2020 with the mine’s total resources estimated at 147 million tons. Depending on the economic situation, Padcal’s mine life can even extend beyond 2020.

Philex Mining’s admirable rich history is encouraging mining engineering students to a well-supported future with the company. In partnership with Saint Louis University’s Mining Engineering department, the company revived the course through a substantial donation to subsidize the faculty and offer scholarships.

These days, Austin finds himself shuttling between Philex Mining’s headquarters in Pasig, Padcal and Silangan in Surigao del Norte – a new mine site being developed by Philex Mining. To take some respite, he occasionally finds himself sporting a golf club, teeing-off as a handicap 8.

Austin’s 28 years of experience with Philex Mining gives valuable lessons that would benefit current and future Philex Mining employees. “Consider family obligations first before remuneration, and do your best at work. Philex Mining is a big company; there will always be many opportunities for growth,” he concludes.