Who is Pol Castillo?
Apolinario. Intelligent. Dedicated. Brave. Selfless. These are just a few of a hero’s attributes. And fewer still are individuals blessed to bear the same first name. Apolinario Castillo, or Pol, is the founder and president of Caspar Steel Roofing Inc. The outfit is a sales and service provider specializing in roofing products and installations, as its name primarily suggests. A jolly person by nature, he built the business more than a decade ago. A far cry from the college degree he obtained as an Agriculture Engineering graduate in a state university. This, however, did not deter him from following his dreams.
Pol is no stranger to sacrifice and determination. They go far back. Way back. You could even say that he has grown fond of either. You see, he has been helping his folks earn a living by selling bread as young as grade school. Every sale he makes is exchanged for palay (husked rice grain). They have to run it through a manual milling process later on, usually by hand pounding, to turn it into white rice for the family’s consumption. He also worked as a repacker in Pasay despite his educational attainment. As fate would have it, this was where he got his break when some kind-hearted soul saw potential in his person and offered him a job as a sales engineer for a large and popular DIY hardware store.
A loving husband and a doting father, he is a tireless man who strives to provide a roof above his family, pun intended. One might surmise this can easily be managed nowadays with such a small number. But truth be told, he considers his employees part of the brood, some of which have been with the firm since day one. In a business atmosphere where owners and stakeholders succumb to employing third-party agreements to drive profits up, Pol has decisively chosen to employ his team of installers as regulars. He firmly believes that if he takes care of his people, his people will take care of his business. It’s a business formula that seems to be working well for him.
Construction efficiency is mainly dependent on the advancement of technology, both in technical and in the use of marketing. Did we mention that Pol Castillo is a content creator and vibrant host for his YouTube channel? Just a year old and aptly called Caspar Roofing Channel. He already has almost three hundred uploaded videos that are highly informative. They document the company’s project installations and provide their viewers with tips and advice. Everything is narrated using layman’s terms as much as possible. To gain a better grasp of his content, check the channel out at https://www.youtube.com/c/CasparRoofingChannel/featured.
Pol has been an active member of the Rotary Club of the Philippines District 3780 since 2014. And has had the pleasant opportunity to serve as Chapter President of Constitution Hill – Bagong Sandigan from 2019 to 2020. An international organization is well known for its professional business members and continuous community services, such as medical missions and outreach programs. It’s but another avenue to his already caring personality, as evidenced by his founding of Caspar Care, the company’s foundation arm. He recently received recognition as one of the Outstanding Rotarians of the Year for 2021-2022.
The man with a huge heart is showing no sign of stopping anytime soon. His passion has always been to help people, create opportunities for them, and bring out their best. No wonder he doesn’t seem to get at tired at all. He is an inspiration, especially for those who think they have less in life but can contribute much more to society. Despite his achievements, Pol remains simple. He is humbled by his beginnings, strengthened by his life experiences, and fueled by his passion.