By Jill Ison
Aboitiz Construction, like all businesses, has not been spared from the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 outbreak as work on a number of its projects either slowed down or have been put on hold.
The company’s project managers, for example, are experiencing a dramatic shift in their responsibilities. In addition to re-mapping entire project completion timelines, they are also now dealing with more pressing concerns such as disrupted livelihoods and health and safety regulations beyond the campsites — these, on top of ensuring site team members’ safety and welfare.
One such individual is Rommel B. Yu, a 22-year veteran of Aboitiz Construction, who is the assigned project manager for one of the company’s construction projects in Batangas. With operations in Batangas stalled and around 800 team members confined to the barracks due to the community lockdown, he shares how he leads his team towards resiliency, recovery, and hope in this uncertain time.
Being a Project Manager during this crisis has put my skills, values, and character to the test. But this challenging time has proven to me that anything is possible as long as people come and work together. The full support, cooperation, and resilience of my people here have kept us going and we are hopeful that we will come out of this stronger.
– Rommel Yu, Project Manager, Aboitiz Construction
Things remain business-as-usual, however, as they regularly update management on the current situation at the site and realign with the client on adjustments to the project timeline for the construction of an industrial petrochemical plant. These daily communication and coordination meetings, Rommel shared, keep the team level-headed.
On-site team members have lodging, meal subsidies, vitamins, alcohol, and other supplies. Meanwhile, being together 24/7 is giving them a deeper sense of what’s most important.
“Everyone has been doing their part in looking after each other, even in the smallest of things like sharing fresh-picked fruits and vegetables from our neighbors with our TMs in the barracks,” he recounted.
In addition to an on-site medical team that checks the health status of each team member and organizes regular wellness activities, a logistics team was formed to assist in medicine runs and sending remittance to family members. There is also a housekeeping team to keep the barracks and other on-site facilities clean, sanitized, and maintained.
In the true spirit of bayanihan, Rommel’s team initiated an internal fundraising drive and were able to raise PHP50,000 out of their own pockets, which was distributed to the families of fellow team members who needed financial assistance.
The collective efforts of the team even gained commendation from the local barangay who was amazed by the company’s systematic crisis response.
“[M]ore than these efforts, just being physically present and aware of the people’s concerns make a huge difference in their lives. To know they have someone who has their back, support and will never leave them behind, someone who is one call away, someone who is always willing to listen and find ways to help, big or small—these are the moments that matter and will make the most impact to our people,” explained Rommel.
Every day here in the site has its own challenges and not a day goes by that I don’t think about my family back home in Davao and miss them, after all, they are my pillar of strength and my prayer warriors. But despite being confined here in the site and away from my own family, what comforts me the most is knowing that I am part of an Aboitiz company that genuinely cares for its people, in return, we find ways to help one another.
It is during times of uncertainty when people need the inspiration to move forward. Rommel leads by doing more than what is expected of him. His response to the crisis is inspired project management, which to him means “malasakit sa kapwa, malasakit sa trabaho.”
Aboitiz Construction is one of the country’s most trusted and respected engineering, design, and construction companies in the Philippines with a clientele spanning 17 countries to date. To know more about Aboitiz Construction, visit the website: https://www.aboitizconstructioninc.com/
