A new queen and other highlights at Hugyaw 2018

CEBU, Philippines — Work hard, play hard. That’s something we hear often especially when we’re well into becoming proper adults.

This is exactly what customer and information management giant, Convergys, had in mind as they brought forth another year of celebrating their employees.

Cebu makes one of the country’s BPO frontiers, and Convergys is among the largest BPO companies to employ the skills of over 12,000 Cebuanos throughout their eight sites in Cebu. But as Convergys works with these people, the company also has a direct link to their employees’ talents and specialties. With that realization, Hugyaw – arguably Cebu’s largest BPO employee multi-event that aims to give back to the diverse and hardworking Convergys employees in the grueling and often exhausting BPO industry – was born.

This year, Hugyaw, with the theme “YOUnified,” went on for six fun-filled weeks. Kicking off in May with a fun run to open Hugyaw 2018 for the benefit of the Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS), a non-government organization that helps enable persons-with-disabilities grow as independent and empowered citizens. Throughout the celebration, employees got to take part in a lot of events that required all sorts of skills.

With that fun comes a bit of competition as Cebu sites – J Centre: Home of Champions, The Golden Site: Cebu 1, League of Victors: Cebu V, TGU Empire, Republic of Banawa, Cebu i2 Royals Order of Dragons, and Power Nation Cebu 2 and i3 – vied for the bragging rights of becoming the Hugyaw Champion.

Cebu Arcenas-Banawa (also known as Republic of Banawa) was hailed as Hugyaw 2018 overall champion based on total points garnered from their Hugyaw wins.

“Congratulations to our team for another successful Hugyaw,” says Jojo Reyes, Convergys Group Vice President of Operations at the conclusion of the event. “This annual employee program is not only the largest BPO event in Cebu but also brings all our employees and their families together each year for the past six years. The strong teamwork demonstrated to make all this possible is proof of the unity and pride that are forged when we celebrate our people, their unique talents and skills and provide an avenue for them to have fun with their loved ones.”

Last June 17, agents flocked to the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Lahug Campus with their family members – 9,000 people strong – to spend their Sunday with good food, entertainment, and friends as a last hurrah for Hugyaw 2018.

Cheers filled the gymnasium as the sites arrived one by one in thunderous energy, prepared to give their all in the last stretch of the celebration during the parade of colors that displayed the pride and vibrance of each site.

The parade of colors was followed by various activities such as the championship games of basketball and volleyball, other contests for Convergys employees’ family members, a Battle of the Bands, a song and dance competition, as well as a major performance from Convergys executive leaders.

An undeniable highlight for Hugyaw is the annual search for the One Cebu Convergys Queen of Hugyaw which brought forth Convergys Cebu’s most daring and beautiful as members of the LGBTQ community showed off their beauty and brains. The pageant, which commenced on May 6 at the SM Seaside City Cebu Centerstage, was inspired by the national LGBTQ pageant Queen Philippines and is geared to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ community that largely makes the BPO industry.

One Cebu Convergys Hugyaw Queen 2017 Adrianna Lynda of Cebu 2 The Power House relinquished her title to make way for Queen of Hugyaw 2018 Cassandra Venice Flores from the merged Cebu 2 and i3 Power Nation sites. Maria Alwina Vega from the Republic of Banawa and Cling Ortizo Loreto from Cebu5 League of Victors made up Flores’ court as first and second runners up, respectively.

Visionaries among the Convergys family also got to present their talent as they rolled up their sleeves for the Hugyaw Short Film Competition. The short films were crafted by aspiring filmmakers within Convergys, showing the company’s core values of quality service, personal integrity, teamwork, and civic and social responsibility through the eyes of its employees.

At the Hugyaw Short Film Festival held May 20 held at Cinema 1 of SM City Cebu, “Psalm 18:28” by Cebu 5 League of Victors won first Best Picture, while Republic of Banawa’s “Rose” and Cebu i2 Royals’ “The Interview” placed second and third, respectively.

Popular rock band Itchyworms came down to play as well, capping off the night with crowd favorites despite the downpour.

Initially unique to Cebu sites, Hugyaw, a play on “Hugot sa Pagbayaw,” is now on its sixth year. One Cebu Convergys started the tradition of coming together and enjoying each other’s company. As the celebration showed the inimitable energy, camaraderie, and overwhelming talent in Cebu, sites across the nation have slowly learned by Cebu’s example and have followed its strides with versions of their own like Manila’s YOUnified: Siklab and Bacolod’s YOUnified: Sinadya, starting this year.

“Hugyaw has also become a great employee engagement initiative that is now being replicated in some of our other sites in Manila and Bacolod, altogether called ‘YOUnified’. Once again, I thank and congratulate the Convergys Cebu team for bringing out the best in one another here and in everything you do each day. I am proud to work alongside all of you,” Reyes says.