The Gokongwei Group's 13th PIP Awards: Celebrating Purpose, Values & Ambition

At the annual Pride in Performance Awards, teams that exemplify the Gokongwei Group's Purpose, Values, and Ambition in their endeavors are recognized and celebrated. The 13^th edition of the PIP Awards had “The Great Big Leap” as its theme, highlighting the outstanding projects and initiatives from the past year that significantly contributed to the group's success, positively influencing stakeholders and the numerous customers it serves.

“It's here where we gather to recognize all the exceptional teams who went above and beyond with our renewed sense of purpose and values. This motivates us to do even more,” said Gully Go, JG Summit’s Chief Human Resources Officer.

The event, held on September 1 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, celebrated the achievements of the Gokongwei Group’s various business units, which include JG Summit Holdings, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Summit Media, and their respective affiliates and subsidiaries, in six categories: People Focus, Sustainability, Customer-centric Culture (Internal Customers), Customer-centric Culture (External Customers), Digital Transformation, and Business Outperformance.

This year’s PIP awards had 103 entries across all categories – its highest number ever. “These entries show us that we are, more than ever, eager to share our best practices, to level-up these initiatives to even better serve our customers. We are the Gokongwei Group, and these are our shared stories of success,” shared Go.

The nominees were judged with the assistance of external evaluators who possess vast expertise in the various PIP categories.  

In those moments of uncertainty, we stayed true to our purpose, an unrelenting commitment to provide our customers with better choices, creating shared success with our stakeholders. This has always been our North Star. — JG Summit President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei

Lance Y. Gokongwei, the head of the Gokongwei Group, set the tone for the proceedings with a brief but inspirational opening message. Addressing the 200-plus guests in the ballroom and many more livestreaming the event via Microsoft Teams and YouTube, he proudly spoke about how the group was able to rise triumphantly above the various challenges it has faced in recent years. Despite the difficult circumstances, the group had “managed to survive and even thrive. In those moments of uncertainty, we stayed true to our purpose, an unrelenting commitment to provide our customers with better choices, creating shared success with our stakeholders. This has always been our North Star. This is the same North Star we believe our nominees have followed as well and which brought them here today to our grand stage,” said Gokongwei. “These are the teams who dreamt big, did the right thing, and owned the company's success as their own. May their stories ripple across the entire organization, inspiring other teams and other groups to do the same.”

Following his remarks, the first set of PIP awards was presented. The People Focus category emphasizes the importance of stewardship, recognizing that people constitute the Gokongwei Group's most valuable asset. This award acknowledges endeavors dedicated to boosting organizational effectiveness through fostering holistic personal growth and development.

JG Summit Chief Human Resources Officer Gully Go (first from left) presents the Cebu Pacific team with the 2023 Pride in Performance People Focus award. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Taking the plum was Cebu Pacific’s entry, “Maintaining Industrial Harmony Amidst the Toughest Time in the Airline Industry.” Through this initiative, CEB prioritized employee welfare by focusing on the Five C’s: Credibility, Cadence, Communication, Clarity, and Compassion.

Malasakit is one of our core values in CEB, and all our dealings come from this sincere place that intends to do right by our internal customers who tirelessly serve our external customers — CEB Employee Relations Manager Thea Marie Sordan

“We listened intently to the concerns of employees and we were guided not just by our heads but our hearts in arriving at decisions that would benefit everyone. At the heart of our dialogues was a genuine malasakit (compassion) for our employees. Malasakit is one of our core values in CEB, and all our dealings come from this sincere place that intends to do right by our internal customers who tirelessly serve our external customers, for without them, we would not be the airline we are today,” said Thea Marie Sordan, CEB’s Employee Relations Manager. 

The Sustainability category is also guided by the Gokongwei Group’s value of Stewardship, focusing on initiatives that responsibly and sustainably use resources, caring for the environment and the people in the communities where the group operates.

Cebu Pacific's "Fuel/Cost Saving Initiative" saved the airline more than USD 8 million in 2022. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Once again, Cebu Pacific earned the judges’ nod, this time for its “Fuel/Cost Saving Initiative.” “In 2022 alone, we were able to save 8 million kilograms of fuel, amounting to over 8.2 million dollars. To date, Cebu Pacific is ranked number six overall in terms of compliance rate. We are committed to improve and continue to look for potential areas wherein we could further enhance our fuel cost-saving initiative,” said Capt. Bensie Christian Tan.   

The next set of awards underscored the core value of Integrity, which is about doing the right thing even when no one is watching. The Customer-centric Culture category recognized the teams who make the right choices to benefit the customers. With their products, projects, and processes, they have a positive impact on internal and external customers, making their lives better and giving them better choices.

The CEB+ (People Level-Up Service) app, which lets Cebu Pacific employees access HR tools whenever needed, won the Customer-centric Culture Internal Customers category. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Cebu Pacific’s “CEB+ (People Level-Up Service)” topped the Internal Customers category. Em Em Christine Andaya, CEB’s Total Rewards Manager, shared that the project is an in-house mobile application designed to increase employee accessibility to various HR tools wherever and whenever they need it. "The app is true to our commitment to improving employee experience, as this is a convenient, real-time, and one-stop shop for their HR needs.”

With our extensive network of over 600 stores nationwide, we strategically positioned ourselves as a reliable link between patients and specialized medicines — Southstar Drug AVP for Business Development Jinky Guanlao

In the External Customers category, Southstar Drug’s “Bringing Access to Communities: Specialty Medicine or Specialized Treatments,” an initiative to make specialty medicines more accessible to customers, earned the win. “We recognized the pressing need to make specialist medicines for chronic kidney disease, cancer, and diabetes as well as vaccines more accessible for patients requiring critical therapies and treatments. We took it upon ourselves to bridge this gap. With our extensive network of over 600 stores nationwide, we strategically positioned ourselves as a reliable link between patients and specialized medicines,” said Jinky Guanlao, Assistant Vice President for Business Development.  

Southstar Drug made medicines for chronic kidney disease, cancer, and diabetes more accessible for patients requiring critical therapies and treatments, enabling the company to top the Customer-centric Culture External Customers category. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Moving on to the next segment, the Digital Transformation category, due recognition was given to initiatives that help the Gokongwei Group in becoming a future-proof, data driven, and agile organization. As the organization becomes digitally oriented, it opens up opportunities for growth and to stand out from the competition.

A “Great Big Leap” in this direction was exemplified by Cebu Pacific’s entry, “Creative Use of Data and Personalization.” In this highly innovative form of personalized digital marketing, CEB was inspired by tarot cards, a traditional method of fortune telling, to “predict” where a customer might want to travel next with its CEB Tara (Filipino for “let’s go”) Cards. “The Tara Cards, featuring our destinations, were created to transform the typical e-mail execution,” said Lilandra Grace Santiago, CEB’s Marketing Technology Specialist. The data-driven email campaign achieved a 31% open rate and 27% conversion rate, showing how a creative execution can create positive engagement with a target audience. 

Cebu Pacific's fourth award of the night was earned for the airline's “Creative Use of Data and Personalization” project, which featured the innovative CEB Tara cards email marketing campaign. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Before moving on to the next category, the program shifted its focus to the Gokongwei Group Be a Hero Purpose Caravan and #JuanCommitment, the Gokongwei Group Volunteerism Program.

In line with the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation's mission, which focuses on "building the future through education," the Gokongwei Group invited all those under its fold to take part in concerted efforts to help achieve the group's purpose and strengthen the value of Stewardship. Through the #JuanCommitment program, the group’s strategic business units were asked to nominate schools as possible recipients of GBF donations. Out of more than 70 nominees, 50 schools were selected to receive in-kind packages worth Php20,000 each. Apart from this, employees were encouraged to volunteer through Brigada Eskwela activities and other programs.

The Be a Hero Caravan, on the other hand, is a transformative initiative designed to align employees with the Gokongwei Group's Purpose, Values, and Ambition. This program has fostered in employees a deep connection to the core values of Entrepreneurial Mindset, Integrity, and Stewardship, inspiring them to unlock their inner hero and help build a stronger, more compassionate, and purpose-driven workplace.

Demonstrating how this had a positive impact across the organization, video highlights from the caravan’s visits to 11 business units, namely Aspen Business Solutions, Cebu Pacific, Data Analytics Ventures, GoTyme Bank, JG Summit Corporate Center Units, JG Summit Olefins, Robinsons Bank, Robinsons Land, Robinsons Retail, Summit Media, and Universal Robina Corporation, were shown to the audience.

The first-ever batch of Gokongwei Group Heroes was unveiled at this year's Pride in Performance Awards. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

This year’s PIP event featured another new segment – the final “reveal” in the search for the 10 Gokongwei Group Hero Stories. An integral part of the Be a Hero Caravan, this online contest aimed to identify and celebrate heroes within the Gokongwei Group. From more than 80 entries, the 10 individuals who epitomized the group’s core values were called to the stage. These were Arman Banua Palmis (Cebu Pacific), Eleazar Hermida (1Aviation), Edwin Allarey (Robinsons Bank), and Jan Gil Sarmiento (Robinsons Retail) for Entrepreneurial Mindset; Arnold Hilario (JG Summit - Corporate Center Units), Leny Tomas (URC Flexible and BOPP), and Marites Matalog (JG Summit Olefins) for Integrity; and John Wendell Campaniel (Robinsons Land), Lovely Wina Cezar (Gokongwei Brothers Foundation), and Angelito Burgas (URC) for Stewardship.

After the presentation of the inspiring 10 Gokongwei Group heroes, it was time to unveil the winners of the event’s most prominent awards.

Stressing the value of Entrepreneurial Mindset, the Business Outperformance awards are presented to the business units that demonstrated outstanding revenue and market share growth over the past year.

Robinsons Land Executive Vice President Faraday Go accepts the Rising Star award from JG Summit President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei and JG Summit Chief Human Resources Officer Gully Go. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

Taking the Rising Star Award, an honor reserved for stellar business units with less than 8 billion pesos in revenue, was RLC Residences. Guided by its brand promise to “Raise, Live, and Connect”, the residential division of Robinsons Land achieved its highest sales figures to date in 2022, which led to Php 7.8 billion in revenue, Php 3 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and Php 2.9 billion in earnings before interest and taxes.

The PIP ceremony’s final trophy, the Business Outperformance award (given to business units with more than 8 billion in revenue), was presented to RLC’s Commercial Centers division.

Taking home the ceremony's most prestigious honor, the Business Outperformance award, was RLC’s Commercial Centers division. IMAGE Gokongwei Group

The division made a strong recovery as it introduced fresh retail and dining concepts, launched exciting events and attractions, and promoted sustainability in its malls across the country. With RLC malls becoming a favorite destination for many Filipinos, the Commercial Centers division earned Php 13 billion in revenue, Php 6.6 billion in EBITDA, and Php 3.1 billion in EBIT in 2022.

These are the people that inspire us. From teams that show we really care about our internal and external customers, to those that give back to the community and spark sustainable practices across our industries — JG Summit Chief Human Resources Gully Go

As the event drew to a close, JG Summit’s Gully Go shared his thoughts on why it is important to celebrate the achievements of both teams and individuals at the Pride in Performance Awards. “Recognition matters,” said Go convincingly. “These are the people that inspire us. From teams that show we really care about our internal and external customers, to those that give back to the community and spark sustainable practices across our industries. Here, in this room and everywhere we operate, are those that embrace the future through digital transformation, while creating the record-breaking results in business performance.”   

Raising a glass to toast the PIP winners, he concluded, "We set our sights on our 2024 goals and to continue to be one of the largest conglomerates in the country. Let our celebrants tonight show us the way forward and serve as the blueprint of success, taking bold, brave steps to make that great big leap."

Congratulations to all the winners!