The RFM Newsletter
Issue 1
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March 2010
RFM Strengthens Its line of health beverages in 2010 INSIDE 2009 RFM Idol Winners 2009 Christmas Festivities Feliz Navidad: RFM’s Latin Celebration of Christmas Executive Profile: Greg H. Banzon Highways of Interbake 2010 HR Strategic Planning Session
FROM THE INBOX
As we work towards renewing RFM, how will I renew myself? I think the best approach is to learn to master my craft.70% by doing it and doing it right, 20 % by mentoring and 10% through training. Charmaine Lei A. de Roma ICC, HR Division Renewing of oneself takes a lot of acceptance, willingness and courage. I will embrace my imperfections and find ways to improve them. Accept criticism graciously. Continue learning and exploring possibilities as I age. It is hard but I am ready to take on the next big steps towards a new me. Vida Llavor Sales - BMG
S a bawat araw hanap ko ay ikaw, U maasa sa bawat umaga na makasilay sa akin mong ganda, L ubos na saya ang sa puso ay madarama kung makita lang kita, oh aking sinta, Y aong matitigan ka't sa 'yo'y maipahiwatig ang sa aking pusong sa 'yo'y lihim na umiibig, A apaw sa galak, lulutang sa alapaap kung bibigyan mo lang ng pansin kahit na ba pairap, P ag-asa ko'y akin na ngang natatanaw sa mga sulyap mong panakaw. By: McGlenn Llagas Flour Accounting
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor in Chief: Overall-in-Charge: Members: Advisers:
Rowel S. Barba Melanie C. Cervo Veronica D. Correces Jenny M. Cortez Adeline Q. Dayao Roy Philipp T. Radoc Jun M. Nacino Ramon M. Lopez
Contributors for this Issue Cora Aenlle, Carine Espina, Jose T. Gabriel, McGlenn Llagas, Larry Pablo, Ben PeĂąafiel, Gary Merino, John Maglente Contributions are welcome!
We’d love to hear from you! Email us your original articles or personal insights to the topic posted in our From The Inbox page. Featured article sender gets a chance to win a special token from the Editorial Board.
If you have any, feel free to share it with us. Email the Editorial Board thru: chrd@rfm.com.ph or contact us at local 7936 Design, layout and printing by Inkwell Publishing Co., Inc.
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visit our website:
www.rfmfoods.com.ph
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PRESIDENT’S Message By: Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III President and CEO
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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF By: Rowel S. Barba Editor-in Chief
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By: Jenny Cortez Corporate HRD
The 2009
RFM Idol
T
he success of RFM has always been behind the company’s individuals who lived up to its mission and vision. This is the 2009 RFM Idol, an avenue to honor employees who’ve made significant contributions to the company, who have inspired their colleagues and shown their loyalty through dedication and hardwork. After having gone through a rigid screening process, only one can be declared as the RFM Idol for the Rank & File Category and for the Supervisory Category. Nominees have to pass through an initial screening process done by HRD, and through the Executive Selection Panel for the final interview and evaluation. The 2009 RFM Idol Awards Executive Selection Panel was composed of Ms. Lilia R. Bautista, one of RFM’s Board of Directors, Mr. Gary R. Guarnes, AVP for Internal Audit and Ms. Imelda J. Madarang, VP & GM for Corporate Export. The awarding ceremony took place on December 16 at the RFM Mr. Greg Banzon, SVP Auditorium. Ms. Carine Espina, Brand and GM for BMG gives the Manager and Mr. Mark David Antonio, opening remarks Consumer Activation Officer hosted the event.
Rank & File Category There were three (3) finalists for the Rank & File Category. Each employee is unique in their line of work and personality.
Caption: The 2009 RFM Idol Finalists for Rank & File Category. L-R: Lerma Salazar, Inventory Analyst from CMPC-Meat Division; Manny Llona, Department Clerk from the Office of GM-Flour Division and McGlenn Llagas, Accountant from Flour Division.
And the 2009 RFM Idol for the Rank & File Category is…
Mr. Manny Q. Llona Mang Manny as fondly called by his colleagues, is a very approachable and simple man. His professional history is admirable, though he did not complete high school, he was an honor student in grade school. He rose from the ranks, moving from manual work to messengerial work, often assisting the GMs of the Flour Plant throughout the years. Currently, he works as a department Caption: A surprised clerk acting as a purchaser Mang Manny approaches and messenger in the the podium to deliver his Flour Plant. He is devoted acceptance speech. “Sipag at to his faith and serves tiyaga” is his way of being of as a lay minister in his service to the company. parish in Cavite and was once a member of RFM’s charismatic community. He has an earnest desire to help the company grow and solve its problems the best way he can.
Mang Manny awarded by EVP-COO, Mr. Jun Nacino and 2009 RFM Idol Executive Selection Panel Member, AVP for Audit, Mr. Gary Guarnes.
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Supervisory Category The winner for the RFM Idol Supervisory Category is:
Mr. Marvis T. Marfil
Marvis gives his acceptance speech in amazement and reverie. His contribution in reducing cost and streamlining processes of the Manggahan SDD warehouse resulted to cost-savings for the company.
Marvis is SDD’s warehouse supervisor. He was initially assigned at the QA department at the Flour & Meat Divisions. His innovative solutions resulted into costreduction schemes and in the reduction of redundant processes at the Manggahan plant. His influence enabled his group to take on additional load with ease. He is knowledgeable in all areas of operations and has mastered all the tasks in his department. He is ambitious and has a clear career goal as he plans to take on his MBA this year.
On the same playing field. Marvis Marfil (L) and Rey Portillo (R), both finalists for the 2009 RFM Idol Supervisory Category are both warehouse supervisors from the same division – Sales.
2009 RFM Idol for Supervisory Category, Marvis Marfil together awarded by EVPCOO, Mr. Jun Nacino and 2009 RFM Idol Executive Committee Judge, AVP for Audit, Mr. Gary Guarnes.
Up Close and Personal with Our 2009 RFM IDOL Winners Manny Llona 2009 RFM Idol for the Rank & File Category
Marvis Marfil 2009 RFM Idol for the Supervisory Category
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Pinaka-achievement ko sa buong buhay ko ay ang pagkapanalo ko sa RFM IDOL, hindi ko inaasahan iyon. Sapagkat ang tingin ko sa sarili ko noon parang hindi ako karapat-dapat. Ngayon dahil ako ang nanalo ay napatunayan ko na kaya ko pala.
On top of my list is the opportunity to serve my parents and fulfill my duties as a good son. My educational attainment and whatever career I have achieved so far remain secondary only. Even in all the decisions I made, it has been important for me to always consider how my choices will impact my family. I remember after graduation when I was offered an employment abroad for research & development position, I chose to stay with family over the lucrative employment package.
What is the most important choice you made that you did not regret? Lahat naman ng ginawa ko wala akong pinagsisihan, sapagkat wala ako ginawa na hindi tama sa aking sarili. Kung minsan inaakala ko hindi ako magtatagumpay, pero ang tingin ko ay ginagabayan ako ng nasa Itaas, na ang gawain na iyon ay tagumpay para sa akin.
What is the most important choice you made that you did not regret? Not getting married at a very early age. I still have plenty of plans for myself and my girlfriend is the same also.
How do you respond when you have done everything you can do and then you realize that things are not working out?
How do you respond when you have done everything you can do and then you realize that things are not working out?
Meron naman talagang mga pagkakataon na ganyan; ako na mismo ang nagsisikap na mag-ayos. Kung halimbawa ako ay dapat nang humingi ng tulong o opinion sa mga kasama ko, hihingi ako ng tulong o opinion.
At first, I step back for a while and then think of better strategies to employ. As a leader, we should not be complacent with what we have in our table instead we must always be ready with our Plan B and/or Plan C.
What is your purpose in life?
What is your purpose in life?
Ang makatulong ako sa kapwa ko at maglingkod at i-alay ko ang buong buhay ko sa Panginoon.
To impart my knowledge and at the same time be an instrument in making other people successful.
How did the RFM IDOL award change you?
How did the RFM Idol award change you?
Merong mga bumabati o nag-cocongratulate sa akin; na nagbibigay parangal o pag-puri sa akin. Hindi ko pa naramdaman yung kagalakan na iyon. Ito lang ang panalo ko, sa buong buhay ko dito lang ako nanalo. Iba ito, dahil karangalan ito na nakikita at maibibigay at maiiwan ko sa pamilya ko. May ipapakita ako sa kanila na pwede nilang tularan.
Interviewed by Jenny Cortez, Corporate HRD
The experience of receiving such recognition made me realize that all eyes are on me this time. It encourages me to be a good influence to them. And I must prove that I deserve the award and able to meet their expectations by becoming innovative all the more and exert extra effort as we initiate and embrace organizational changes.
Interviewed by Philipp Radoc, Corporate HRD
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By: Jenny Cortez Corporate HRD
2009 Christmas Festivities A line-up of Christmas activities paved way towards the Christmas Celebration.
RFM’s Christmas Tree for A Cause
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n the spirit of giving and sharing during the Yuletide Season, RFM launched a simple fund-raising activity entitled “Christmas Tree for a Cause” from December 1 to 16, 2009. It was launched as an avenue for employees to help their co-employees who were severely affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
Employees were grouped and drew lots for their assigned ornament colors. Each ornament was bought from the Corporate HRD office with a corresponding price depending on the size of the Christmas ornament. The activity raised a total amount of P27,400.00 with the Executive Offices, Foundation, Export, HR, Legal and IT group as the highest contributor, followed by Finance & Accounting Group and Audit , Credit & Collection, RIBI & CSFC group.
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Christmas Wreath Making Contest G
1st Prize: Audit, C&C, RIBI, CFSC
roups made their own versions of Christmas Wreaths using 80% recyclable materials and used RFM packaging. The anniversary theme “Renewing RFM” must be incorporated in the design and look of the décor. Entries were judged according to originality, visual impact and creativity.
Runners-up SDD & Purchasing
2nd Prize: Executive Offices, Export, HR, Foundation, Legal, IT
3rd Prize: Finance & Accounting
Sales & Marketing
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By: Jenny Cortez Corporate HRD
Feliz Navidad!
RFM’s Latin Celebration of Christmas
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ecember 16 was a night of fun and festivities! It was also a night of thanksgiving and fellowship as employees of RFM gathered together as one family celebrating Christmas with a Latin-inspired theme.
An RFM party is not completewithoutcontestsand raffle. For the presentations, each group prepared a Latininspired number consistent with the party’s theme. As with any contest, there can only be one winner – congratulations to the Finance & Accounting Group! Major raffle winners
AVP for Audit Mr. Gary Guarnes leads the blessing before Christmas dinner.
were Roel Santiago (KAM) and Eugene Espino (CSR) both from Sales Division. As the last major prize was raffled off and the last song was played, everyone went home full of Christmas cheer and hope that next year they’ll be the ones to bring home the coveted prizes!
USSR, led by EVP-COO Mr. Jun Nacino, provided the entertainment for the night, singing Latin-inspired songs.
2nd prize winner SDD & Purchasing delighted the audience with their La Cumbia number
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The 1st Prize winner, Finance & Accounting Group together with CFO Mr. Robbie Azcarate & Controller, Ms. Monette Laforteza.
Another colorful number. Audit, C&C, RIBI & CFSC bags 3rd Prize.
Guest DI, leads the group in a dance. Cha-cha-cha
Dancing…and more dancing. Employees follow the lead of the Dance Instructors at the tune of USSR’s songs.
Queenie RollomMartin and Mike Dumat-ol of Sales and Marketing group render a romantic dance move.
Mr. Butch Prieto and Mr. Jun Nacino sing their hearth away
RFM Employees enjoy the music and dinner al fresco at the Executive Parking Lot.
Roel Santiago…a brand new Go Negosyo Condura Refrigerator
Mr. Mon M. Lopez, Mr. Butch Prieto and some SDD and Sales employees enjoy the night away.
Ms. Liza Dela Cruz of SDD and Ms. Nora Baua of Foundation win the Most Latin Looking Ladies of the Night.
Lovely ladies. Ms. Monette Laforteza, Ms. Pat Valdez and Ms. Det Capistrano.
RFM president, Mr. Joey A. Concepcion and wife, Marissa with PPI’s Kit Vergara
Eugene Espino of Sales-BMG Customer Service, wins a major prize in the raffle, a 19-inch LCD TV, as EVP-COO, Mr Jun Nacino interviews him.
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More Christmas Party Photos
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NEWS FROM THE NORTH Larry A. Pablo RSM North Luzon
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THE YEAR THAT WAS…
n spite of the several calamities that hit our region, the North Luzon Team ended the year 2009 with flying colors. All brands grew a total of 15% vs. the previous year… Milk registered a plus 10% growth, an all time high performance; Canned Meat grew by a whopping 24%; while White King (represented mostly by Pasta) grew by 23%... Juice however, was a debacle hitting a measly 76% vs. the previous year. Nevertheless, this region performed exceptionally well vis-à-vis National Distributor Accounts Group of plus 3%. Kudos! I tip off my hat to my team for
DISTRIBUTOR MANAGER
Odel Rabanal - Baguio Ventures (Benguet) - JVMC (Ilocos) TOTAL Dante Reyes - Advect (Nueva Ecija/ Tarlac) - Advect (Bulacan) TOTAL Roland Feliciano - Full Line (Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales) Dindo Zarate - Magic Sales (Pangasinan, La Union) Rolan Capili - Starchime (Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Quirino) - Big Mack (Cagayan, Kalinga) TOTAL GRAND TOTAL
The differences in the growth may be attributed to the area’s economy and presence of modern trade such as SM and Puregold (note: they are not part of the regional performance). For example, Cagayan Valley only grew by 3% since this area is very dependent on agricultural businesses and was affected by the typhoons that devastated their crops. The splendid performance of the team is attributed to factors such as familiarity of their assigned territories, and knowledge of the local dialect within the area. All the leaders in the team have an aggregate of more than
a job well done! And of course, our sincerest gratitude to the Marketing Department, this would never have been possible without their support. Looking back, I can’t help but admire the enthusiasm and professionalism shown by every member of this team. They and their respective Distributors really pushed sales to the brim. For the benefit of our readers, the table displayed below shows the summary of 2009 sales performance in peso value:
2008
2009
% GROWTH
23.1 M 20.9 M 44.0 M
33.6 M 21.7 M 55.3 M
+45% +4% +26%
58.1 M 37.0 M 95.1 M
64.1 M 49.8 M 113.9 M
+10% +35% +20%
84.5 M
96.1 M
+14%
30.6 M
33.9 M
+11%
34.6 M 22.7 M 57.3 M
35.5 M 23.4 M 58.9 M
+2.6% +3.1% +2.8%
311.6 M
358.3 M
+15%
80 years of experience in handling the North Luzon Accounts (Roland Feliciano 32 years, Dindo Zarate 19 years, Odel Rabanal 13 years, Dante Reyes 2 years and Carmen Balber more than 10 years). And last but not the least, attitude counts the most. The team displays loyalty to the company and ownership to its business. They very well live the adage “This is your Company, Serve it well.” It’s 2010 and North Luzon started the year by hitting January’s ABP. CONGRATULATIONS TEAMMATES! LET’S GET IT ON!!!
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Executive Profile GREGORY FRANCIS H. BANZON
“Leadership is about having a shared vision with the team and helping each member of your team to contribute to the achievement of this vision.” On Greg’s leadership style: “He is a dreamer, and that trait has a lot of influence on his leadership style. He always has a vision which he sells to the organization so it becomes a “shared vision” that binds the team. Seldom gets mad, kaya pag nagalit talagang galit. Manages by objective kaya hindi makulit. Always goes for stretch goals (kaya nga hindi kami tumatarget).” – Adolf G. Alvarez VP Sales “GHB is an out of the box thinker; and he challenges people he work with to step up to a higher level of performance” – Monette C. Laforteza, VP Controller
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Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Director General Manager, Beverage & Meat Group BORN: March 12, 1964 in Manila EDUCATION: Finished high school at La Salle Greenhills in 1981 BS Commerce major in Marketing, DLSU-Taft, 1985 TRACK RECORD: Managing Director, J&J Indonesia and concurrent VP Marketing, J&J ASEAN Regional Marketing In-Charge for Johnson’s Baby, J&J Asia Pacific Sales Director, J&J Philippines Marketing Manager, J&J Philippines Group Product Manager, Bayer AG Philippines Management Trainee, Citibank NA Lecturer, Ateneo Graduate School of Business – Center for Continuing Education
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anaging both RFM’s Sales & Marketing Divisions and Beverage and Meat Group can mean a lot of things, but for SVP Gregory Francis “Greg” H. Banzon, it only means driving the company’s brands to increased sales and improving market share through innovations and positioning. Despite his
very demanding career, he balances his time as a family man, as a triathlete (he actively competes in both local and IRONMAN races) and a faculty member of an academe. He came from a big family with 7 siblings, has family roots at Balanga, Bataan, and married to lovely wife Ma. Theresa whom he has 4 children: Giselle Audry, Tracy Odille, Brian Emmanuel and Francis Raven. In this issue, Greg shares his insights on RFM’s value proposition, what management lessons he has learned over the years and his other passions. We’ve noticed a lot of changes in the average consumer for the past decades like having a lot of product choices and varied ways of communicating with the customers. What does this mean for the way you think of marketing and engaging the customers?
Consumers have indeed changed dramatically in only over a few years. Today, iPods, cellphones, connectivity and spending more time on the internet than TV are the norms. This is most true for younger consumers but can be said of even for middle and senior aged consumers as well. As such, traditional marketing tools such as TV and Radio ads have become less effective in driving consumer demand for our brands. We are seeing an increasing effectiveness of tools like FACEBOOK and other social networking sites and blogs in reaching out to consumers. Having said this, the mass consumer, who comprise the bigger segment of our market opportunity is still responsive to TV and Radio. We expect to see two general methods of building branded pull for our products in the future – a combination of on line and mobile media as well as traditional media will be used to capture affluent consumers while traditional media will still be the norm for low income consumers. What is RFM’s value proposition that you feel will differentiate us from the other players in the industry? RFM is a known brand builder. We have good brands that attract both retailer and consumer demand. The key pillars of our brands’ appeal to consumers are the favorable image
and equity of each brand, our high quality and very competitive prices. In short, value-for-money appeal to consumers. You have worked for multinational companies and had international assignments, what have you picked up from all of those different places/ companies? I have been fortunate to work in three (3) multinational companies namely: Citibank, Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson. Each stop was a different learning experience depending on the culture and nature of business we were in. At Citibank, we were trained to be very formal and precise and always to be seen as “all business and ultra professional”. After all, it was about getting consumers to entrust their money with us. I got to work with big names in the Industry like Tito Ortiz and his sidekick, Vic Valdepenas who now heads Unionbank and Roy Lacsamana and Tony Jalandoni who were big names in the foreign exchange spot market trading at that time. I learned finance from Citibank and how to work in a high stress environment given that I was assigned to the Treasury Department, particularly the Foreign Exchange Spot Trading Desk shortly after finishing a trainee program with the bank. At Bayer AG, being a German company, it was about financial discipline and marketing high quality,
high priced homecare brands like Baygon, Bayfresh and OTC (over-the-counter) brands Alka Seltzer. Here, I learned to work with highly technical scientists from Europe (Germany), in making consumerfriendly products. We made the products so superior that we could command a premium price over competition. Most of my learning though was at Johnson & Johnson where I rose up the ranks from a Brand Manager to a Managing Director and VP for Marketing for ASEAN within just 5 years. I had the opportunity to work locally and abroad with various brands that had emotional hooks with consumers. These were brands like Johnson’s Baby, Neutrogena, Clean & Clear and Johnson’s Pure Essentials. The brand that I specialized on though was ironically exclusive for women – Feminine Napkins under the Modess & Carefree brands. I had the privilege of turning around the brand that was suffering from an aggressive assault from Whisper. My success here drove my career on high gear and allowed me to manage the brand internationally. Given the dramatic turnaround of the brand, I was also tasked to turnaround another problematic business for J&J which was J&J Indonesia. I am proud to say that after three (3) Managing Directors, I was credited with finally being the one to turnaround J&J’s business in Indonesia. Within 18 months of taking over, the Regional Office of J&J declared the business as having turned around and by the end of my 5 year stint overseeing the country, J&J Indonesia led Asia Pacific in terms of profit and sales growth for 4 straight years. I hope to eventually earn the reputation as also having driven a dramatic turnaround for RFM’s BMG business. If you would be able to highlight the lesson(s) you’ve learned as a manager, what would it be? Be professional, be close to the consumer, know the trade and build a strong team to help you build the business.
Some say that leaders are made not born and mentors play a critical role in this process. When you think about your mentors (past and present), who would have been your best mentors? Why? I’ve had the opportunity to work with big names in marketing like Boy De Claro and Freddie Rodriguez in Marketing at J&J as well as Ding Salvador in Sales also at J&J. At a very young age, I got to see how world class thinkers work and tried to absorb as much as I can from them.
In all the leadership positions you’ve handled, what changed when you took on RFM as its Sales & Marketing Director and General Manager for BMG? RFM taught me how to be entrepreneurial. I am now more sensitive to different styles of developing brands which take into account more aggressive competition usually ran by family corporations. In my past corporate life, most of my competitors were also multinationals. I can assure you, it is actually harder to compete against hungry, local companies than to do so against the structured corporate giants. How would your team/ staff describe you as a leader? I intentionally keep an arms length distance from the team in so far as building personal relationships. I prefer to keep all work relationships professional. This allows me to treat everyone without favor.
Greg’s true passions: family and triathlon. Here at RFM, my mentors are Joey Con who’s opened my mind to entrepreneurial thinking, Jun Nacino on strategic thinking and the Board of Directors on humility. It’s a humbling performance to present to the Board of RFM but so far, they have also been supportive. What is your personal definition of leadership? Leadership is about having a shared vision with the team and helping each member of your team to contribute to the achievement of this vision.
You have a number of interests outside of work like sports and teaching. Which one gives you the most satisfaction? Why? I teach at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business Center for Continuing Education on Advanced Brand Management, Market Research and General Management. This is really a hobby and I am building my reputation here so I have something to do when I get old and retire. But my two other true passions are Triathlon and my spending time with my family. I am among the top 5 triathletes in my age group and have won 1st place in the National Age Group Triathlons in recent months. I train an average of 15 hours a week of either swimming, running or cycling. I started as a runner and can do a Marathon in under 4 hours.
What legacy would you like to impart to: your family – integrity and faith in God. your students – world class knowledge and sharing and applying this at work. RFM – becoming a destination company for the best marketing and management talents in the country thus resulting in RFM becoming a world class food & beverage company in Asia.
By: Melanie Cervo Corporate HRD
By: Carine Espina Milk and Juice Marketing
RFM Takes a Walk
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ast March 3, the members of the Executive Committee namely: Jun Nacino, Greg Banzon, Robbie Azcarate, Rowel Barba, Monette Laforteza, Butch Prieto and Adolf Alvarez along with the Marketing Department, R&D, QA and ad agency representatives took part in a one-day Consumer Trend Walk. The concept behind the trend walk is much similar to the “mystery shopper” but instead of visiting a store, the team visited different consumer environments like universities and common households. The group was divided into seven (7) teams with four (4) members each. Each member had the assignment of a team leader, note taker, interviewer and photographer. In the morning, the teams commuted their way to their assigned universities via the rail transits. The commute was a way for the teams to experience what consumers go through everyday: the intolerable heat and the congested trains. They also noticed the presence of different product advertisements at the stations. The Trend Walk teams were split into three (3) deployment areas where they observed and interviewed students from different universities: Centro Escolar University at Legarda, National College of Business and Arts and
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Ateneo De Manila University in QC and De La Salle University at Taft. These educational institutions were among the many others that carry our products particularly the beverages, in their cafeteria. Factors affecting purchase and consumption were some of the factors taken into consideration during the interview. In the afternoon, the teams visited households in Sampaloc, Manila. The team members introduced themselves as market researchers and interviewed housewives who are regular consumers of our products. The interview probed on reasons for purchase, frequency of purchase and price preferences. The groups also requested the housewives to prepare Swift hotdogs and corned beef the way they usually serve it to their families. This enabled the group to gain insights on product usage. From there they probed on areas for improvement; eventually these insights will be considered when our products go through evaluation by R&D and QA departments. Gift packs of RFM products were given to the household respondents as a simple token of appreciation. The Trend Walk provided insights and a fresh way of looking at consumer behavior and preferences, a better understanding of consumers’ daily needs and wants. This serves a window of opportunity for RFM Corporation to strengthen its market leverage and boost product development.
Some insights gleaned from the Trendwalk: 1. Low price is not the sole basis for brand selection (against our own concept na dapat mas mura kesa sa mga competitors natin para bilhin tayo) 2. Source of information for new product by recommendation from family, friends and neighbour (they will not just try new ones based on what they see sa TV). Product sampling may be more effective way of introducing our new products. 3. Product availability in at the CDE neighbourhood sari-sari / tindahan is critical… as they buy food with more frequency -- even as much as twice a day. This means it is very important that we are at the sari-sari stores. 4. Dapat masarap … sarap means malasa / malinamnam… and their definition of masarap may not be the same as ours. We should do more taste test with our target consumers if our taste meets their expectations. 5. Choice of hotdog brand is determined by kids; basta gusto ng anak at uubusin yung hotdog – the mother will buy it. Value for money concept; what is the point of buying cheaper brands if the kid will not eat it. Sayang ang pera.
The entire Trend Walk team with executives (L-R) top row: Monette Laforteza, Greg Banzon, Rowel Barba, Butch Prieto, Adolf Alvarez, seated (L-R) Jun Nacino and Robbie Azcarate together with Marketing, QA and R&D departments.
The entire Trendwalk team as they waited for the train at MRT Boni station.
Greg Banzon, Leah Macalincag and Joy De Luna at the LRT Araneta Station. A household in Sampaloc serves Swift hotdogs and corned beef for the kids.
1. Consumer Trend Walk, having the EXCOM team on it, brought the heart of RFM to the consumers – “abot kamay” 2.
Said activity also served as a reality check as to where our products really are - first hand, direct from the consumer.
3. For me personally, it was an experience I will treasure. The team assigned to interview students in Centro Escolar University comprised of (L-R): Carine Espina, Jun Nacino, Catrina Espiritu and Robbie Azcarate.
6. The product has to be visually appealing. In the household I observed, our Swift hotdog, after it was fried that way the mother prepares her choice brand, it did not look appealing to the kid. Though they were surprised that it tastes as good as their choice brand. The kid was hesitant to eat it at first. After tasting it, he finished off the entire hotdog and commented that it was masarap din naman pala.
- Tess Amador, M&J, Warehouse Manager
7. The consumers have a different way of preparing / cooking our products from our suggested way of preparing it. In the household I observed, the mother fries the hotdog. Our recommended way was to heat/boil in water or steam it before lightly frying it. - Monette C. Laforteza, Corporate Division, VP & Controller
The recently concluded Trend Walk was very informative as it gave us a clear insight on the purchasing habits and consumptions for the household we visited. On the school level, it showed us consumer preference. - Butch Prieto Meat Division, AVP Purchasing
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FOOD FOR THE SOUL By: Cora P. Aenlle Coordinator, Spiritual & Liturgical Affairs Consultant, Culinary Center
THE HOLY MASS
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n the many years since I joined the charismatic renewal, there has been no greater blessing than my almost daily attendance of the Holy Mass.
against sinners. Behold a wonderful preservative against sudden death..” St. Augustine “ without doubt, the Lord grants all favors which are asked of Him in Mass, provided they be fitting for us; and, which is a matter of great wonder, ofttimes He also grants that also which is not demanded of Him, if we, on our part, put no obstacle in the way..” St Jerome, Doctor of the Church
The greatest gift I received after the Catholic Life in the Spirit Seminar (CLSS) was the “hunger” for scriptures and the Holy Mass. I devoured every spiritual reading material that I could lay my hands on – be they expensive books or simple pamphlets that dwelt on the faith. It was a such great pleasure to read about the saints and how their faith eventually led them to join the church triumphant in heaven or how a simple prayer could send down graces from heaven.
“ When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the divine victim immolated on the altar. St John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church “ A single Mass offered for oneself during life maybe worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after death..” St. Anselm, Doctor of the Church
My table is full of books on the Holy Mass, on the lives of saints, magazines that deepened my faith through the testimonies and witnessing of other renewed Catholics. It had to take the charismatic renewal to give me this hunger inspite of the fact that I was schooled in Catholic schools from grade school to college. But the most awesome of all is to discover the beauty of the Holy Mass – where Our Lord Jesus becomes present to us Body and Blood - His whole Person, in every celebration. It is just so amazing how our great God comes to us in a humble piece of wafer so that we maybe nourished and made whole in both our bodies and our souls. If only every baptized child of God will come to this realization and recognize that the Holy Eucharist is the summit and apex of our Christian faith, what a wonderful life we could all be enjoying – so peaceful, joyful and grace in abundance can be ours for the taking. Sunday Mass is an obligation for Catholics but when it is taken to a higher level by participating in daily mass, it becomes a devotion comparable to none. ‘The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian Life, central to Catholic worship that unites God’s Kingdom-family worldwide in One Bread, One Body, One Sacrifice, without which, the Church would just be another denomination’ (Catholic Soul- Catholic Apologetics). And do you know that as you read this article, a Mass is being celebrated
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simultaneously somewhere in many parts of the world such that there is no hour nor time that a Holy Mass is not celebrated, meaning all the hours are covered. How awesome! Try to encourage everyone to go to Holy Mass daily or twice a week, until such time that your day will be incomplete if you have not attended Mass. Here are the many benefits that Saints, Popes, Doctors of the Church say about the power of the Holy Mass: “the Mass is the most perfect form of prayer…” Pope Paul VI “the Holy Mass would be of greater profit if people had it offered in their lifetime, rather than having it celebrated for the relief of their souls after death…” Pope Benedict XV “ the celebration of the Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross..” St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church “ He who devoutly hears Holy Mass will receive a great vigor to enable him to resist mortal sin, and there shall be pardoned to him all venial sins which he may have committed up to that hour.” St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church “he [who attends Mass with all possible devotion] shall be freed from sudden death, which is the most terrible stroke launched by the Divine Justice
Once, St. Teresa was overwhelmed with God’s Goodness and asked the Lord; “How can I thank you?” Our Lord replied, ATTEND ONE MASS.” St. Teresa, Doctor of the Church “.. It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass.”. . St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest “.If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy..” St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests “..He who is in the habit of devoutly hearing Mass shall in death be consoled by the presence of the angels and saints, his advocates, who shall bravely defend him from all snares of infernal spirits..” Revelation of Christ to St. Gertrude the Great With all of the above testimonies from the Fathers of the Church, what else do we need to prove that the Holy Eucharist (Mass) is the most precious of all the gifts that our Lord has given us. I continue to praise and thank God that I have discovered the secret to a joy and peacefilled life. I also recognize the generosity of RFM management for sharing its resources with the employees.
Source: http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/ liturgy/masspower.htm
By: Philipp Radoc Corporate HRD
The Old Has Gone, The New Has Come.
I
(A Revisit of 2010 HR Strategic Planning Session)
n one dark evening where there is only one computer screen illuminating the corner of the room, a pair of hands types swiftly with precision. The fingers press a number of keys, typing combination after the other computer commands, hoping to decode the key that will unlock a door leading to another dimension ready with the special powers he amassed along the way, to reach the final round steadily and win it victoriously. What a virtual world! The HR group on the other hand lives in real world. They do not wait for the final round to come by before they proclaim that a battle has to be won. Instead, they search for new and better strategies that will unravel greater opportunities for the group and the company early on. And when they find what fits in to the company, they start working on it and overcome all the challenges along the way. I vividly remember the baptism of fire I have to go through when I was appointed to facilitate the HR Business Planning early last year. Some call this session as business planning with a thought in mind that HR unit has to get closer to the business, making HR more cost-effective: focused on direct resources that add value to the business of the company. Others see it as a plain meeting conducted outside the company premises. This year, they changed the name to HR Strategic Planning. Whatever title they may want to name this session, still, it does not change the fact that HR role has evolved from being a mere Administrative Expert. Similarly, even painters need time to relax once in a while and re-assess how their on-going masterpiece looks like and then take steps forward to finally finish his work of art. Thus, when I first learned about the plan of Corporate HR to conduct an HR Strategic Planning this year, only one thing has rolled over my mind…at last a momentary break from work! And it was indeed a well-deserved break from extraordinarily demanding routines. In fact, it was a mixed feeling of excitement and concern as to how the new set of HR people will regroup itself to set clear objectives as they renew commitments to the company and the employees they influence come 2010.
As everybody arrived safely to the venue, not even a single count of exasperating second is noticeable in their eyes. All were in high spirits to do lengthy presentations, participate in discussions and have fun in all the ice breakers. Everyone is glued to what the speakers were saying and even found much information about other division’s performances and strategies which has become the familiar ground in resolving issues common to other HR units. It further allowed all participants to witness the benefit of having a group discussion on HR strategies despite having unique styles of doing so per division. Even though the hours of presentation were extended on several occasions, you will admire the stamina that this group has until the following day as they completed the 2010 HR Action Plans, and took a short walk towards the Stations of the Cross before finally heading to Ladera Grill for the scrumptious lunch. Clearly, what transpired last February 4 & 5, 2010 is a representation of a fusion between old HR and the transformed HR making us even more prepared to the challenges of 2010. To share what Dave Ulrich, a known author of HR books, has been telling us about HR evolution, he implied that gone are the days when HR is labeled as mere operational as they become more strategic. Gone are the days when HR is administrative as they turned to be consultative. Most importantly, gone are the days when HR is functionally-oriented as they become part of the company’s strategies becoming a business-oriented unit. And with the desire of HR group to transform itself from being a mere administrative expert to a strategic business partner, each computer command we will type this time becomes a commitment. This is what we envisioned for the company, a new and real world of HR Champions.
And it all started with reports, reports, and more reports to prepare before the “big day.” Notwithstanding the pressing demands of employees to be attended to at that moment, each HR division has to spend adequate time preparing for individual presentation on 2009 performance review and 2010 action plans. And then came the first day of our planning session. It was February 4, 2010, Thursday. At around 7:30am, aboard the two large vans, the entire HR group trooped to Balai Taal in Tagaytay City for the first time ready with teachable hearts and open minds.
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By: Gary Merino ICC
2
Highways of Interbake
009 was a memorable year primarily due to the Ondoy mishap but unlike most manufacturing companies, Interbake was very fortunate to be spared from this disaster. Despite the strong and continuous rainfall, Interbake was able to operate without major issues with the support of its reliable team. The Crisis Management System worked effectively since there was no disruption in supply, to the delight of our customers. "Interbake remains the only McDonald's supplier who received a Grade A supplier for the fifth time since 2005" From left to right: George Hizon (McDonald's Philippines Supply Chain Director) Bing Bachoco (McDonald's Philippines Chief Executive Officer) Relly Budy (ICC QA) Cheryl Ramoso (ICC R&D) Marie Young (ICC General Manager) Vicvic Visitacion (McDonald's Philippines QA Senior Manager) Gary Merino (ICC Plant Manager) Kenneth Yang (McDonald's Philippines President)
In spite of the hurdles that were encountered last 2009, Interbake remained focused and gave its best to meet its objectives. The team improved in their Supplier Quality Management System audit from 82% to 93% and and was bestowed the Grade A Supplier award for its fifth consecutive year by McDonald’s Philippines. As a part of Interbake’s continuous improvement programs, Interbake acquired several equipment such as the FormFillSeal (FFS) and Cartoning machines to improve its packing process by targeting to reduce its Direct Labor manpower of Private Label by 40%. Its Bread and Margarine plant also had their own manpower reduction programs of 10% and 20% respectively by identifying opportunities in their system which were enhanced. Happy 12th Anniversary Team and may we have more productive years ahead!
FormFillSeal (FFS) machine reduced Private Label packing process manpower by 50%.
Cartoning Machine (CM2) reduced Private Label aims to reduce cartoning manpower by 70%.
Film Showing of An Inconvenient Truth
L
ast February 10, the LBPC Community in partnership with Corporate HRD held a film showing of An Inconvenient Truth at the RFM Auditorium.
The film won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary and was hosted by former US Vice President Al Gore who won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The Nobel Peace Prize was “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." (www.nobelprize.org)
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Aside from the Climate Change issue, the film also supports the social doctrine of the Catholic Church on the Stewardship of Creation – that life on earth is a God-given gift, and we as human beings have the responsibility in protecting the human and natural environment. Organic and environmentallyfriendly health and household products were also on display during the filmshowing to promote awareness and to support the advocacy of protecting the environment. By: Jenny Cortes Corporate HRD
By: John Maglente FWBC
ARE YOU A LEADER?
T
he theme may sound so overwhelming to many of us especially if we do not hold a position of great responsibility.
But the truth is we do not need to become a President or CEO of a company to be a leader. All of us can be a leader in our own way no matter what position we have. So what does it take for a person to become a leader? A person with traits of a leader is not only inspiring to others but is also an asset to the company. Based on several leadership books, these are the qualities that describe a leader: 1. PROACTIVE. Remember the three kinds of persons in this world? First is the one who make things happen, the second is the one who watches things as they happen and the third, the one who does not know what is happening. Whether you are the boss or the subordinate, if you are a leader, you will make things happen. You are the catalyst of the group and will stop at nothing to achieve the goals. And most importantly, you passionately carry on with your assignment and do not pass the buck to others. 2. INNOVATIVE. What separates a leader from the others is thinking out of the box. The mind is a very creative and resourceful tool, especially in finding solutions to problems. A leader constantly finds ways to improve work processes; like a mechanic, the frame of mind is: “there is a more efficient and better way in doing this”. That is why, when faced by adversaries, challenges or even setbacks, a leader always finds a way to win. 3. PATIENT. A leader talks less and listens more. In conversations with his people, a leader shows respect by listening patiently and dissects carefully what is being said. 4. MAESTRO. In the orchestra, the maestro conducts his symphony with great harmony because he knows by heart each and every musical instrument. He knows their functions and knows how to use them properly in creating a masterpiece. In the workplace, the maestro is the manager. And the secret in creating a harmonious working environment is knowing each
member of the team by heart, and that includes knowing their characters, skills, talents and even their strengths and weaknesses. Above all, a leader knows how to use the talents properly to achieve the group’s objectives. That is leadership. 5. TEAM-PLAYER. We are always in awe when we see a basketball team play with cohesion and teamwork, and make long faces when they play individually. Every organization is like a basketball team and the employees are the individual team members. An employee with a mindset of a leader knows that the achievement of their goals will depend largely if he will be a team player. It means doing things as instructed and coordinating actions with team members. 6. ALWAYS PREPARED. Before going to the office: prepare a “things-to-do” list. In sales, before going to the scheduled route: review the outlet to be visited, know the objectives of the visit and desired result, and visualize scenarios and conversations that will take place. A leader always prepares his mind and body for the job, because he wants his work to be efficient and his time spent wisely as possible. 7. TACTFUL. Knowing what to say is one thing, how to say it is another. A leader is sensitive to the feelings of others. Even when provoked in a heated argument, a leader does not lose temper nor throw back invectives. When asked to speak up, he may frankly say what is in his mind but will say it in the most appropriate manner. Actually, a leader is concerned more on how saying things tactfully. 8. MOTIVATOR. Upbuilding. Positive. Refreshing. Appreciative. A leader always motivates. You will see, hear and feel these as he speaks and looks to you. These are all oozing naturally from him because it’s part of his system. It can never be faked. 9. RISK TAKER. “Great achievement involves great risk”. A leader will never be stopped by obstacles, challenges or even failures. That is why he is never afraid to take risks. He always finds or makes ways to reach the top. 10. HUMBLE. A leader may have reached the stars, but keeps his foot on the ground! He is never boastful of his achievements nor brags about it. A leader is always humble inside and out.
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By: Ben Penafiel Corporate IT
A
Save Time with Quick Computer Shortcuts
s an IT professional, i always look for ways to save time. "When I have the chance to sit down at my computer, I need to get at what I'm working on as quickly as possible”.
If you're looking to work more efficiently in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Internet Explorer, the key is using programmed shortcuts.
Driving around your desktop To... Select a file/folder/icon
Search for a file/folder Rename a file/folder Find out when the file or folder was created, by whom, and how big it is Display the Start menu Create a shortcut on your desktop to your favorite file/folder Scroll between open items
Use this shortcut Type the first letter of the file. If you have several files starting with the same letter, continue hitting the letter key until your cursor lands on the file or folder you want. F3 Select the file/folder, click F2, and then re-type the name Select the file, right-click, and then click Properties Ctrl + Esc Drag the file/folder icon to your desktop Alt + Tab, then hold down Alt while clicking Tab to reach the desired file or program
Working with Word To... Select text Copy selected text Cut selected text Paste selected text Undo your last action Select all the text within your document Bold text Italicize text Underline Decrease font size Increase font size Change font Change font size Create page break Create new document Open My Documents window Close a document Save a document Print a document Preview what you’re about to print
To... Move right to left, cell by cell Move up and down, cell by cell Erase data in current cell Return to the beginning of the row Enter the date Enter the time Start a formula Check the spelling of titles or words within the cells Find out about the style within the cell Display the Format Cells dialog box Apply the general number format Turn numbers into dollars Make numbers a percentage Apply a border
Use this shortcut Shift + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow to highlight text Ctrl + C Ctrl + X Expediting Ctrl + V To... Ctrl + Z Add sites to your Favorites Ctrl + A Ctrl + B Ctrl + I Ctrl + U Ctrl + Shift + < or Ctrl + } Ctrl + Shift + > or Ctrl + { Ctrl + Shift + F, then use the arrow keys to reach the new font Select a home page Ctrl + Shift + P, then use the arrow keys to reach the new font size Ctrl + Enter Ctrl + N Ctrl + O Ctrl + W Ctrl + S Use the History function Ctrl + P if you visit a few Alt + Ctrl + I select sites constantly
A final piece of advice: Have the Help Line numbers for all the products you use nearby. "At work you can rely on your IT person to solve problems that come up, but at home you need to fix these on your own and those phone numbers become extremely useful" The more you use these tools, the more time you will save. Have fun and explore the options available to you. Adapted from: https://lb1.www.ms.akadns.net/athome/organization/ compshortcuts.aspx
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Accelerating Excel Use this shortcut Tab Enter Backspace Home Ctrl + ; (semicolon) Ctrl + Shift + : (colon) = (equal sign) F7 ALT + ‘ (apostrophe) Ctrl + 1 Ctrl + Shift + ~ Ctrl + Shift + $ Ctrl + Shift + % Ctrl + Shift + &
Internet Explorer Use this shortcut Go to the site. • Hit Ctrl + D to add to your Favorites. • Select Favorites and then Add to Favorites to create a separate folder for the site or to add it to a list already formed. Go to the Web page that you would like to make your home page. • Open the Tools menu and select Internet Options. • Under Home page, click Use Current. Select the History button on your top navigation (a green arrow on a clock face). • Select the site that you would like and double-click. • If the History button is not visible, go to the View menu, select Explorer Bar, and then click History to access. Right-click your top navigation.
Customize your toolbar to the tools you use most frequently
• Select the icons that you use or go to the View menu, select Toolbars, and then click Customize.
EMPLOYEE MOVEMENTS By: Line Dayao Corporate HRD
The Family gets BIGGER and BETTER with the Fresh new Faces in RFM New Hires CMPC
Ruby S. Ranada Line Leader - PMD 12/15/2009
Katherine A. Baroro Line Leader - PD 12/15/2009
Princess Aiza D. Soriano Line Leader - PD 12/15/2009
Anecil S. Mera Line Leader - PD 12/15/2009
Alexander T. Reganot Supervisor - Patty/Nuggets Line 1/4/2010
BMG
Liezel S. Tobiano Dot Net Developer 1/4/2010
Dodi June S. Mina Sr. Dot Net Developer 1/4/2010
Vernadette M. Ebardo Book Keeper 12/21/2010
Ma. Edessa C. Montano Sr. Key Accounts Manager 1/12/2010
Melanie P. Hermoso TMD Coordinator 2/15/2010
Flour
Eduardo R. Dela Torre Quality Assurance Engineer 12/1/2009
Susan A. Atienza Group R&D Manager 12/7/2009
Patricio G. Amparo Quality Mill Engineer 12/16/2009
Isagani R. Rellones Junior Electrician 1/25/2010
Ramon Christopher M. Marasigan Quality Mill Engineer 2/1/2010
Ronnel T. Valencia Production Clerk / Storekeeper 2/8/2010
CORP
ICC
Richard L. Mendoza Oder & Billing / Dispatch Clerk 1/5/2010
Fraulein P. Cancino PPIC Specialist 1/26/2010
Ruben S. Alpay Jr. Truck Scale Weigher 2/10/2010
Charmaine Lei A. De Roma HR Assistant 2/1/2010
Maria Czarina B. Gongon HR Assistant 2/16/2010
Liezel S. Tobiano Dot Net Developer 1/4/2010
Dodi June S. Mina Sr. Dot Net Developer 1/4/2010
TRANSFERS AND PROMOTIONS Employee NAME Cenon C. Ayon Christopher C. De Leon Glenn S. Soriano
From Headbargeman Quality Mill Engineer Pasta Plant Operator
TO Siloman Pasta Production Supervisor Maintenance Coordinator Engineering PET Line Supervisor
EFFECTIVITY December 6, 2009 January 13, 2010 January 13, 2010 February 1, 2010
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Who will be this year’s RFM IDOL?
0 1 0 2 l i r p A t s e f s t r o p S Watch M F R 0 1 0 2 out for the Coming Soon…