Finding gratitude in serving others
The fact that Jen Paglinawan has continued to work as an estate administrator for Cebu IT Park for the last six months should be nothing out of the ordinary if it happened in 2019. After all, this merely meant that she was doing what was expected of her.
Performing her job in 2020, however, is a different matter. With the number of COVID-19 cases gradually rising across the country, Jen knew there was more at stake for her and her teammates.
Jen has been an estate administrator at Cebu IT Park for more than three years now. When lockdown measures were imposed in Cebu City, she and her teammates were conflicted over whether to prioritize their own safety and go home to their families. In the end, they chose to stay and be of service to others.
“This pandemic has indeed been a humbling experience for everyone. It made us all feel restless, worried, and homesick. Nonetheless, we did our customary responsibilities to maintain cleanliness, security, and safety in Cebu IT Park,” Jen shared.
Cebu IT Park is one of the busiest commercial hubs in Cebu, being home to a mix of international and local software research and development companies, business process outsourcing firms, and contact centers.
The 27-hectare estate developed by Ayala Land Inc. was the first ever development that obtained PEZA accreditation as an IT park in the Visayas and Mindanao region in 2000, making the property a true pioneer.
Aside from commercial offices, Cebu IT Park now houses residential properties, lifestyle and retail concepts, and other entertainment facilities.
The lively streets of Cebu IT Park may have quieted down for a few months as employers opted for work from home arrangements, but workers like Jen stayed to ensure the cleanliness of the estate once everything went back to normal.
Jen recalled how they continued to provide support to the Cebu IT Park community over the last four months. She and her team sanitized common areas daily; brought fresh market produce to Cebu IT Park residents; and made themselves available 24/7 through the estate’s communication center.
They also provided business locators with relevant information to always keep them updated of the estate’s pandemic response.
Working amid the risks, Jen realized how important it was to remind each other of the goodness they were contributing through the simple act of performing their jobs.
“It is also important to recognize the excellent work each of us contributes and letting one another know this fact helps keep each other motivated,” she said.
Jen added that despite the difficulties they may have faced along the way, they still had more reasons to be grateful.
“While on this journey, I have realized that gratitude can be a powerful tool for resilience in this pandemic. There are always things to be grateful for–even now. Gratitude reminds us how extraordinary, beautiful, and fortunate our lives are, even under these stressful conditions.”
