Pilot of advocacy: Flying and digging for a better tomorrow
MANILA, Philippines – When the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak began in the country, a lot of private companies lend a helping hand to our community — one of which is CODOG Enterprise. Using his personal equipment, chief executive officer Lester Tancioco Codog personally flies to far-flung areas to disseminate medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE).
Codog is well known in the business arena for running several businesses in the late ‘90s. Moreover, he is also popular for owning several aircraft. A reservist of the Philippine Air Force and a Class Charlie Mabalasik technical sergeant (1998-2000), Codog regularly flies his own aircraft across the country to promote general aviation as a hobby and to discover and introduce different tourist destinations through his popular blog. Furthermore, Codog sees his enthusiasm with aircraft as an opportunity to help other people such as assisting those who need immediate medical transportation in the time of the pandemic.
Giving more opportunities for a fresh start
As tough as its name, Codog is a rich story of rags to riches. While the enterprise is composed of Legacy Farms, Legacy Construction Corporation, Foilacar Industries, QCN Advertising and Executive Air Aviation, Codog is considering to focus more on agriculture, bringing it back to its old glory to help his fellow countrymen.
With all the achievements he had accomplished in his life, Codog has an itch to help people to have a fresh start in life. “I want to help my fellow Filipinos by giving opportunities to have a better life. Help the country especially now that COVID-19 is not seeing its end in the not-so-distant future. Maybe it’s time to give back good service to my country,” said Codog. This pandemic has made him realize the plethora of new opportunities that he can offer to the people.
A tough guy built by experience
Starting his journey in various businesses such as aviation, mining services, restaurants and public relations, Codog found his calling in the aviation industry. “In between the 11 years that I am in the country now, I established different businesses already. From there, I went back to flying because that is the love of my life. So I opened a company that distributes a brand of aircraft. We offer charter. I also have contracts with mining companies. I am a partner in various restaurants. The latest is an advertising agency and consulting firm that I put up,” he shared.
His younger days are not all glitz and glamour, although hints of persuasion have already manifested in his early years. “I matured at a very young age. I started driving using my father’s car to go to bars,” he said. “Girls and cars were the best things for me. I started to love cars.I was being adventurous. Then I was kicked out of high school in Parañaque,” he continued.
He became a janitor and construction worker in the United Kingdom, a tourist in Switzerland and a driver in the United Arab Emirates. In the year 2000, he joined his father in Dubai to become his assistant and all-around office boy. His father had a small business engaged in theme park construction and artificial landscaping.
We worked his way from the bottom to be able to establish a name for himself. Despite his short stint at his father’s company in Dubai, Codog chose to climb his way up on his own.
From being a minority partner, Codog put up his own Design Unlimited that became one of the leading Filipino-owned companies in the United Arab Emirates. When this business venture fell through because of the global economic crisis, Codog found his way in agriculture. He put up tea and cacao shops in various Asian countries which kick-started his agricultural glory.
Through these years, the 40-year-old entrepreneur learned the value of having someone to lean on to during a person’s dark days. Hence, his advocacy of lending a hand to those in need. Through Codog Enterprise, he hopes to open a lot of doors for every Filipino by providing job opportunities.
ADVT
