THE SUITE LIFE Objects of Desire
In the thick of the collective fight, CAMILLE VILLAR and the Villar Group continues endure, not only for the business, but also for their employees, and the frontliners as well
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Much has been said about how humanity deals with crisis and how it reveals character— bringing out the best and worst of people. And while there is no question that we are living through a crisis of global proportions—what exactly it has revealed about us, remains debatable at best.
For the Villar Group, however, it seems to have been an opportunity to step up and showcase the best of what the private sector can do. We spoke with Camille Villar, congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas and scion of the Villar Group to find out how they have been navigating the challenges of both the pandemic and the Enhanced Community Quarantine ( ECQ). “It cannot be emphasized enough,” says Camille, “all acts of kindness, whether big or small, matter right now.”
So far, the Villar Group has managed to help in no small way. From installing disinfection tents in major hospitals to teaming up with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and construction firm EEI Corp. to convert in 10 days’ time part of The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) into a much-needed COVID-19 treatment and monitoring facility— their decision to channel resources to where people need it most is self-evident. The conglomerate so far has also distributed disinfecting tools, 200,000 face masks, and daily supply of bottled water to nine public hospitals in Metro Manila. “We really have no room for negativity, especially if our collective goal is to arrive at the swiftest possible solution to this pandemic,” Camille adds.
To be sure, the Villar Group has not been spared by this crisis—with the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) forcing them, like many other organizations, to rethink and restructure their operating models, with many of their employees working from home while others remain in the frontline to ensure that essential business functions are kept running seamlessly.
“Despite restrictions,” Camille explains, “we have to give the best service possible given the circumstances. In our businesses that are essential in nature, we continue to work hard on making sure that there is an adequate supply of goods in the stores, as well as making sure that there was a good balance between the quality of our service and making sure that our customers and staff were safe and taken care of.”
According to her, connectivity emerged as a key component in juggling the variables of the evolving situation, not only to keep the supply chain intact but to ensure that the needs of both customers and employees were communicated and addressed. “Through it all, the safety and welfare of our people were prioritized above all else, especially during these extraordinary times”, Camille emphasizes. Between ensuring that their workforce could get to and from their workplace safely, and remaining in strict compliance with the protocols set forth by the ECQ, the Villar Group has managed to strike a balance that has been challenging for most.
And even in the thick of the collective fight, Camille provides her own insight into what the new normal will be: “We definitely will see a lot of things change because of the unique problems this pandemic has brought. There are going to be effects on consumer
“It cannot be emphasized enough, all acts of kindness, whether big or small, matter right now.”
preferences and behaviors, and we will see some emphasis placed on deliveries and logistics. While consumer behavior will show changes, some things will still remain fundamentally the same, especially with how we need to respond to the demand for goods, the demand for utilities, the demand for housing. At the end of the day, we will need to be able to read these trends and adapt accordingly. We will be much more aware of the social impact of our business. We will need to answer questions on what our impact on the environment, to our respective communities, and to our peers will be. In making strategic decisions, the answer to these questions will be a big factor in how we do business moving forward.”
But make no mistake, the Villar Group’s business savvy is always hinged on, what is clearly, the heart of its organization— its people, which Camille made sure to mention in closing: “We want to applaud our frontliners. We want to thank them for their tireless work, dedication, and sacrifice to help us make our current situation as normal and as easy as possible. Words are not enough, but still, to all our front liners, thank you.”