They say men are firm but women are more compassionate and well-organized.
In this age when the formula for success is letting women dominate the corporate boardroom, The Royal Mandaya Hotel (TRMH) is well into the bandwagon by fielding a new breed of leaders.
Independent, intelligent, and self-driven women that are ready to shake things up and determined to break the old norm of an industry ruled by men.
TRMH Executive Vice President Inna Melissa Escandor and Hotel Manager Sly Maranga are two extra-ordinary women that will break the glass ceiling by putting themselves forward in leading the pack wherein 60 percent are women.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022, Escandor and Maranga emphasized the value of women and equality in TRMH and commits to closing the opportunity gap to ensure women employees have all the support and resources necessary to reach their full potential.
“They are all assigned to a different department but each of them has different talents, one may not be strong in this field and one is strong in the other, but then again they complement each other. Most of our employees have different backgrounds. Some are also single moms. We allow them to realize their potential,” Escandor said in an interview.
Escandor and Maranga are aware that leaders also play a key role to support, guide, and challenge hardworking employees.
They may be of different generations: Escandor, who is a millennial and comfortable in using the latest technology and leads the pack in mobile adoption while Maranga is a Gen-Xers who came in on the cusp of cell phones, the Internet, and social media. However, they share a common vision of empowering their employees, especially the women, and building up TRMH as well.
Maranga emphasized that at TRMH open communication, open space, and dialogue between the management and employees are important.
“The employees underwent skills enhancement training. In our Mancomm its 60 percent women and the GM and Executive VP and managing director are both women of two-generation. When we speak ibang iba ang generation, Gen-Xer ako while Inna is a millennial, a lot of people see there’s a clash but surprisingly with our experience, it’s a collaboration between the experience of the Gen-Xer and the innovation of the millennials, especially in the new normal,” she added.
It may be the hardest hit sector in the pandemic but the hospitality industry is considered as one of the world’s largest economic activities particularly in the new normal as people still want to travel or host events.
But Capturing the market again in the new normal may still be challenging and this is where Escandor, a techie, comes in. She is equipped with skill, knowledge, and experiences from her travels abroad.
Maranga said apart from the flashing personalized service that TRMH is known for, they will be showcasing a more seamless and innovative guest experience that is very apt under the new normal.
“What we are talking about is how we can introduce a more seamless way or a more innovative guest experience and that is where Ms. Inna comes in. She traveled a lot. We wanted to adopt technology but I cannot give you specific details yet but pangkalahatan we wanted a more seamless guest experience na very apt sa new normal. Yun ang plan. We shall see, hopefully, in the coming days. But you see we are very active in social media,” she said.
“We have to adapt everything thrown in our way,” Escandor added.
TRMH has reopened its doors on January 31, 2022 after it temporarily stopped its operation in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Dubbed your “Home in Davao City”, TRMH caters to the needs not only of the millennials but all types of travelers who are looking for a comfortable, efficient, convenient, and true royal staycation in the heart of Davao City.
With Davao City being positioned now as MICE (meetings incentives conferences exhibitions) haven, TRMH is being projected to be stronger in social events and MICE too and the hotel’s well-loved Royal Ballroom is now ready for that.
“Top of mind right now we already have a strong local market in MICE. Kasi we are located in the heart of the city. We wanted to be stronger in social events and our Royal Ballroom is prepared already,” Maranga said.
The Royal Ballroom has a full capacity of 300 pax (round table and banquet style) while the hallway can be used as a cocktail area.
All in all, TRMH has seven function rooms wherein three are undergoing upgrading and will be functional soon.
TRMH boasts of its Club Cabana at the pool area which is perfect for the millennial market while the Café Kamayo is well-loved for its homegrown and domesticated dishes.
“Kamayo is basically for everyone. It caters from the titas to the young ones,” Escandor said.
TRMH not only reopened for a staycation but as a homegrown brand is also committed to helping the city on its economic recovery efforts.
“The concentration is more on the corporate and local as everybody is still testing the influx. The question is more on destination and that is why our CEO naglakas loob to reopen kasi we wanted to help boost the local economy considering that TRMH is homegrown. What we are committed at TRMH is to be aggressive and collaborative partner sa industry para bumalik ang market dito sa atin,” Maranga said.
Everything is almost back to “normal” so it is high time to drive the hospitality industry up with these two empowered women steering TRMH.
“I think the same principle applies for our employees na as long as you have a good relationship to the clients and the guests and they see the sincerity of the service that TRMH is known, for as long as they feel the sincerity to serve them. We will focus on the positives that we have. We are helping this economy, magkaroon ng venue for functions, magkaroon ulit ng events, sa mga tao na magkakaroon uli ng bonding over food- we will make this space a home for them,” Maranga said.
Maranga was with TRMH 21 years ago as a sales and marketing officer.
For Escandor, as people are now craving for typical human touch service, TRMH assures its guests the same comfortable and warm hospitality that the hotel is well-liked for.
“I told the staff to stick to what we are doing to make our guests warm and comfortable. TRMH is their home away from home. How we cater and take care of them before patuloy lang natin ang ating practices as the people will always go back if they are well taken care of,” she said.
