LAA Roadshow, Winners’ Summit showcase ‘best of the best’ of the Lopez Group; LAA 2019 launched

Benjamin LiboroLopez Group kapamilya representing 15 companies joined the Lopez Achievement Awards (LAA) 2019 Roadshow and Winners’ Summit held at the Rockwell Business Center on March 27.

In his welcome remarks, program director Benjamin K. Liboro encouraged the participants to make the most out of the sharing of best practices and lessons learned and to participate in the Q and A.

Inspirational message

In her inspirational message, Rina Lopez-Bautista, president and executive director of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc., reminded everyone about the real value of winning the LAA.

“The LAA is not just about the award or the prize money. The real reward comes from the lives that you’ve touched, transformed and made better with the Lopez Values serving as your compass, your true north! The LAA trophy is just a symbol, a reminder of how much of a difference you’ve made, not only for the company that you work for, but also for the people that you serve,” she said.

One of the highlights of the day was the sharing of the best practices and lessons learned by the representatives of the winning teams.

Customer focus category

Representing the sole winner in the Customer Focus category for the achievement titled “Moonchasers.ph: Mastering TV-Digital Integration to Create an Immersive Fan Experience” by the DMD Operations Team of ABS-CBN, digital strategist Kathleen Aloran discussed their venture into their first and also the country’s first TV-integrated microsite, www. moonchasers.ph.

Operations management category

Erlindo Angcoy Jr., Leyte Resource Management head, representing the sole winner in the Operations Management category, presented “Incredible Resilience: EDC-LGBU’s Return to Service After 6.5- Magnitude Earthquake” by the LGBU Crisis Management Committee and Return-toService Team of EDC. He recalled how their team restored EDC LGBU to full operations in the shortest time possible after an earthquake caused massive damages to its power plants and facilities.

Business Management category

Valerie Dy-Sun, vice president for Finance of First Gen Corporation, representing one of the three winners in the Business Management category, presented “Asia’s Largest Voluntary Tender Offer in the Power Sector: The Entry of Macquarie and The Government of Singapore (“GIC”) Into Energy Development Corporation (EDC)” by Project Terra of First Gen.

The transaction involved the P65-billion investment of Macquarie and the government of Singapore into EDC, which put an end to the 10- year search by First Gen for an ideal partner in EDC.

Debonaire Mamhot, head of the PAL2 Production, Negros Facility of EDC representing the second winner under the Business Management category, reported on their achievement, “Mitigating Losses Through the ASPA Market: First Geothermal Facility to Successfully Implement Regulating Reserve Ancillary Service in the Philippine Power Market.”

Mattel Soliven, Digital Marketing and Partnership head of ABS-CBN representing the third winner in the Business Management category, expounded on “ABSCBN’s Unilever Story Studio: The Partnership that Pays Off ” by The Dream Team of ABSCBN.

The team initiated a partnership with Unilever that led to the creation of Unilever Story Studio or USS. With this partnership, ABS-CBN showcased its capacity and capability to be a content partner, going beyond its role as a media placement network.

Public Responsibility category

Five entries won in this category.

Jen Santos, program director of Bantay Kalikasan of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI), represented the first winner in the Public Responsibility category. She talked about “Kwento ng Pagbangon: The Transformation of Sabang Daguitan Surf Camp” by Bantay Kalikasan in Sabang Daguitan, Leyte.

Jingkie Ongan, Bantay Edukasyon head, representing the second winner in the category, presented their achievement titled “Bantay Bata 163: The Hope at the End of the Line” by ALKFI.

For the past 21 years, Bantay Bata has been at the forefront of protecting children. It has four pillars—Bantay Proteksyon, Bantay Edukasyon, Bantay Kalusugan and Bantay Pamilya—which have served a total of 36,525 children at risk and those in abusive situations nationwide in 2017 alone.

Documentarist/reporter Jeff Canoy represented the third winner in the category, “DocuCentral: Chasing the Truth in the Midst of War.”

DocuCentral, the documentary arm of ABS-CBN Integrated News, produced two documentaries on the siege of Marawi—“Di Ka Pasisiil” and “Paglayang Minamahal.”

“Di Ka Pasisiil” has received numerous awards, including the Gold World Medal at the New York Festivals, a historic first for ABS-CBN Integrated News, and a Certificate of Creative Excellence from the US International Film and Video Festival.

Liezel Salagubang, Watershed Management officer, represented the fourth winner in the category—“Beans of Hope: From Kaingeros to Green Warriors” by the NIGBU-CREW of EDC.

“Failon Ngayon” head writer Gerald Oro and multimedia producer Marco Cabrera teamed up to discuss “Pamana ng Mina,” he fifth winner in the category.

“Pamana ng Mina” brought viewers to the different mining sites in the country and opened their eyes to the harmful effects of irresponsible mining.

Unsung Heroes

In 2018, two kapamilya emerged as Unsung Heroes.

One of them is Jose Pascual, ALKFI project supervisor. From the time that he was hired in 2000, he has produced more than a million seedlings that have been planted around La Mesa Watershed.

His excellent care of seedlings in the nursery led to the 92% success rate of the reforestation of La Mesa.

Pascual expressed his gratitude in his speech.

Nagpapasalamat po ako sa aking mga boss… Ang aking taos-pusong pasasalamat sa inyong lahat, lalo na po sa Lopez family at sa bumubuo po ng Lopez Achievement Awards. Marami pong salamat!,” Pascual said.

The other 2018 Unsung Hero, Agustin Zaragosa, property and administration officer of Genata Holdings Corporation, is based in Guimaras, Iloilo. He expressed his thanks via video.

“I would like to thank the Lopez Group and the Lopez family for giving me the opportunity to become the LAA Unsung Hero. Gusto ko rin magpasalamat sa nag-nominate sa akin…. Sa inyong lahat, nagpapasalamat ako sa inyong concern at pagmamahal,” said Zaragosa.

LAA 2019 launch

LAA program manager Ross Hamo provided the aspiring teams, nominators and new employees with a brief overview of the Lopez Achievement Awards, the Unsung Hero Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards.

He also led the launch of LAA 2019, which had the theme “Playing to WIN!”

Closing remarks

Anna Karina Gerochi, program codirector, closed the event with a recap of the day’s events

“It all begins with courage and the heart and the willingness to go through some pain and sacrifice to achieve those aspirations. Well and good, for after all, as they say, pressure creates diamonds and fire refines gold. I really feel blessed to be part of the team that brings out the diamonds and gold of the Lopez Group so they can share their brilliance all across the Group,” she said.

Master of ceremonies Ana Junio of ALKFI and Batch Palacio of Rockwell Land concluded the event with the announcement of the major raffle prize winners.

Valerie Dy Sun