WILLY come rain or shine

It takes passion and dedication for work, and Willy’s got both. He has been a Perfect Attendance Awardee for ten consecutive years–rain or shine, whatever political turmoil Manila is facing, Willy is present.

"During calamity, kahit anong baha o traffic, gumagawa ako ng paraan upang makarating ng mas maaga sa aking trabaho," Willy explains.

During the mutiny in Makati last July 27, 2003, Willy came to work very early. Since there was no transportation available in Makati, he walked from Buendia-Edsa to Ayala, making his way through the soldiers that surrounded the area by telling them, "Taga-Makati Shangri-La po ako, magta-trabaho lang."

When asked why he even thought of going to work and risking his life, he said that he thought he was needed at work. He knew that given the political uncertainty, many of his colleagues would not be able to report for work and service would be affected. He talks about the laundry and pressing of 1,200 uniforms daily and 200 bags of laundry from hotel guests.

"Kasi naiisip ko unang-una ang family ko, sa aking trabaho ko nakukuha ang pang-support ng aking pamilya, pati na ang mga tinutulong ko sa aking community," he shares.

The seventh of nine children of a farming family in Infanta, Quezon, Willy came to Manila at 13 and worked as a gasoline boy in Pasig to finance his high school studies. During weekends, he drove a tricycle to make extra money to send home to his parents and pay for his youngest brother’s education.

He studied to be a dentist, finishing two years of preparatory dentistry, but this did not qualify him to practice. He nevertheless apprenticed under a qualified dentist, even doing home service. With his earnings he bought dental equipment needed for his studies, but it wasn’t enough to pay for school.

Realizing that he would not be able to finish his studies, he got married and went back to Quezon with his bride to take care of his widowed mother. There he put up a sari-sari store and did reasonably well. When he lost in a run for councilor, Willy decided return to Manila to start a new life.

Makati Shangri-La was pre-opening in 1993 when Willy decided to try his luck. "Mga tatlong beses akong nagpasa within two months ng biodata ko dahil gusto ko talaga magtrabaho sa Makati Shangri-La. Naisip ko na maganda ang magtrabaho sa isang hotel. Nilagay ako sa laundry," recounts Willy.

That year, he was named "Model Employee of the Month" because of his outstanding performance as hand ironer, presser and ironer of uniforms and guest items, measured in terms of production and good behavior.

He won not just for the quality and consistency of his work but also because he is a teamplayer. "Tumutulong din ako voluntary sa mga kasama ko para mapabilis ang aming trabaho kahit na late pa ako maka-uwi," he says. "Hindi po yan overtime–habol ko lang na mapabilis ang trabaho. Ang concern ko sa department ay ang mapaganda ang serbisyo."

An active member of the Employee Council of the hotel, he was the chairman of the outreach program that helped orphans in the Nayon ng Kabataan in Parañaque, taking the children around to places they wanted to visit and giving them donations of basic necessities such as medicine, food and clothes. He solicited funds from employees of the hotel to put up a much-needed water pump in the community.

When a fire razed his neighborhood in 2001, Willy decided to help his neighbors who lost their homes by asking donations from fellow employees. Today, in his community at Sitio Militar in Quezon City, he helps the barangay tanod by donating food. "Tulong ko na para sa katahimikan ng aming lugar. Sa halip na kasama ako sa pagroronda, pagkain na lang ang itinutulong ko," he shares.

When told about being chosen Employee of the Year of the whole Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts International, Willy was speechless. He won a cash prize, a trophy and a letter of commendation from the ceo as well as a one week vacation at any Shangri-La Hotel and Resort in Asia, including the meals and airline tickets for two persons. Willy decided to go to Hong Kong "kasi gusto kong personal na makilala yung may-ari ng Shangri-La para mapasalamatan ko siya."

Willy believes in dedication at work, loyalty, unity with your fellow employees and most of all, belief in God and love for one’s family, with the aim of giving them a good future. Given all the hard work that he has been through, he advises the youth not to lose hope and never give up the pursuit of their goals even if they do not have the financial means to do so.

"Hindi ko naisip na mag-give up kasi naisip ko, ano ang kinabukasan ko kung wala akong alam sa pagtatrabaho at pamumuhay," he muses. "Kung ano ang maganda kong hinaharap sa buhay at kung paano ko matutupad ang aking mga pangarap sa buhay kung hindi ako magsusumikap."