The making of the Cebu Hilton project immediately after the 1997 lethal Asian economic crisis was one of the most difficult undertakings by the project's developer Goldland Philippines Corporation (GPC).
GPC president Manuel Osmeña expressed his deep recognition to the more or less 500 people who were part of crafting the ambitious project, which once almost came to nothing.
Osmeña described these people the Hilton Cebu's "unsung heroes", led by Cirilo Pasucal, all area supervisor (construction), Ali Khan Lacerna-project architect, and Aldwin Dexter T. Ong,-Interior Designer consultant and purchasing head.
Cebu's Hilton Resort is the 256th property managed by UK-based Hilton International all over the world, it also marked the comeback of Hilton chain in the Philippines, after its hotel in Manila folded up many years back.
The opening of the Hilton Resort is one of the most awaited developments by the Cebu tourism promoters, as the province is suffering from room accommodation shortage, especially for five-star resorts. The resort opened commercially last February of this year, but had its grand launching yesterday.
Pasucal said it was harder for him to manage the more or less 500 people every day, especially those times when the project went through terrible challenges of financial problems, negative issues slapped by neighboring residents, among others.
However, he said the hyper-active energy of Osmeña whose presence and encouragement was constant all through the seven-year journey, is what keeping him and his people stick and continue to build the project.
To his people, Osmeña is known to be the perfectionist boss, and at the same time has a contagious positive energy that people cannot just leave him, although there were times that the hope was overtaken by fears of pullout and worse financial drought- and the reality of completion seemed to be impossible.
The 1997 Asian regional crisis was the primary caused of the project's long delay. Targets for completion had been move several times through the years.
The French Mediterranean architectural design of the hotel, with the distinct mixed of retro and minimalist interior designs is a 246 room five-star resort the only Hilton-managed resort in the Philippines.
The Hilton project is a unique development for Cebu because it doesn't only offer the five-star resort facility, but at the same houses owners and occupants of its residential condominium units.
The entire project has three towering high-rise buildings off Punta Engaño in Mactan Island.
"If it was not for the loyalty of the people who were responsible in building this project, that through thick and thin they were with me, this beautiful manmade creation won't be here today," said Osmeña.
The third tower, which will offer seaside prime condominium units is set to be fully completed next year.
Now, in full-blown operation, (especially the resort) the mere project is already transformed into a world-class vacation and leisure facility. The so called "unsung" heroes are ready to get off from work and dedication as they turned over the entire property to the management of Hilton International experts.
"We are proud that we were part in building one of the world's most beautiful man-made creations -the Cebu Hilton Resort Spa and Towers," said Lacerna and Pasucal who are both Cebuanos.
The other unsung heroes are Redentor Arias, Pazu Eteve, Meghann Eteve, Cynthia Tinoko, Bing Ponce, Cristina Balboa, Baby Aracan, Marien Bernil, Cristito Villarino, Juvenal Tan, Cecile Concha, Jesmar Cabriles, Erwin Portallo, Me-an Ciudad, and many others who in one way or the other made the Hilton Cebu Resort and Towers project a success.