72% of Filipinos intend to work beyond the age of 65

I recently came across an article noting that 72% of Filipinos intend to work beyond the age of 65. It’s an interesting reflection of how we view work, purpose, and financial security in our society.

My own journey took a different path.

After 29 years with Chevron, working across the Asia Pacific, I decided to retire at the age of 50. By that time, all my children had already graduated from university, and I felt it was the right moment to step away from corporate life.

My initial intention was simple: to focus on helping in nation-building, nothing political, no concrete plans yet, just a sense of purpose that the next chapter of my life should contribute to something bigger than myself.

But something unexpected happened. 

After a while, I got bored.

Not because retirement lacked meaning, but because the desire to build, innovate, and contribute never really goes away.

That curiosity eventually led me to start a new enterprise focused on innovating with purpose, providing solutions that are AI-driven and ESG-focused, aligned with the needs of modern enterprises and emerging smart city ecosystems.

What I realized is this: retirement doesn’t necessarily mean stopping work. Sometimes it simply means choosing what kind of work truly matters.

The 29 years of experience, relationships, and credibility built during my time with Chevron across the Asia Pacific region became the foundation for this new chapter.

So when I read that many Filipinos expect to work beyond 65, I see it less as a challenge and more as an opportunity.

Because in the end, the real question is not how long we work, but how we choose to contribute.

For me, this chapter is about continuing to build, innovate, and hopefully play a small role in nation-building through technology, responsible innovation, and purpose-driven enterprise.

Because purpose doesn’t retire.