A MOTHER AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS RUN THIS LOGISTICS COMPANY THAT JUST TURNED 25
There are many things daughters learn from their mothers. For Digzy Umali, the best lessons she learned from her mom was cultivating patience and being resilient amid challenges, both in her personal and professional life. These are values that has ultimately helped her run a successful business while raising her own family.
Umali is vice president of Transmodal International Inc., a logistics company which is celebrating 25 years in business this year. She runs the familyowned business with her sister, Den Casipit (who sits as president) and her mom, Irene Manguiat-Tan (the company’s chairwoman).
“I have seen my mother work hard. She kept at it until she reached her goals. She was able to manage a business, while caring for her family and raising kids,” said Umali.
Growing up, Umali said their mom taught them to always keep their feet on the ground. This has, in turn, manifested in the relationships they have with their employees, some of whom have been with the company since they put up the business in 1993.
“My mom is a believer of ‘pagtanaw ng utang na loob’. She always shares to us the quote: ‘Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan,’” she said.
Working with people whom she has emotional attachment has its own share of challenges, Umali said, more so when it’s family. Just like any other family-run business, the hardest part is always compartmentalizing what is personal and what is business.
Since Transmodal set up shop two and a half decades ago, it has grown from a small passionate team to a company that provides total logistics so- lution. Today, the company has five offices across the country and some 300 employees.
“My mom is a very tough boss and a very strict mentor. She demands excellence in our tasks not because she is a perfectionist, but because she understands that a lot of people rely on us. That responsibility is something we don’t take lightly.
“We are not just taking care of a company, we are taking care of people and their families. Our job’s success is the success of everyone. Mom was passionate about that and wanted us to understand that as well,” Umali said.
As the three women continue to bring Transmodal to new heights with their capable leadership, the Manguiat-Tan matriarch said they look at the future with a bigger vision and more determined focus to be the golden standard in the logistics industry.
“Before we count the successes of the future, we must not forget the lessons of the past,” Manguiat-Tan said during the celebration of Transmodal’s 25th anniversary earlier this month.
As a mother herself to three kids, Umali would like to see them grow up to be the best possible persons they can be. Whatever dreams they have, Umali’s job is to support and guide them, just like how their mother has done so.
She said: “Mymom was very strict. We were trained to be independent, self-reliant, hardworking. At the same time, we were taught how to be good wives and mothers. Being a parent now, made me and my sister appreciate all that our mom has done for all of us. I would hope that I can raise my kids to be kind, happy, and productive members of society and the world.”