Memoirs of Yvonne: I'm Soaring At Six!

Y2K. Tuig dos mil. Millenium era. Absolutely a memorable year for me! And why so? Precisely because it was the year when I set a new milestone (after passing the hurdle of that five-year engineering course in college), the year when I first stepped into the corporate world, the year when I started building up my IT career in this premiere telecommunications company in Northern Mindanao. And what year are we now? 2006! Wow! Time has really flown so fast then that I hardly noticed it has been six years now since I joined Philcom. Yes, six long years! And what had that six-year stay brought into my career life? A little bit of storytelling would answer that question.

I started my IT career in Philcom as a Junior Data Controller at the IT Billing & Operations section. This was one

tough job for a once neophyte like me due the shifting schedule which I was not accustomed to (ironically, the graveyard shift was my favorite haha!). I was with the dynamic IT Operations team composed of Sir Maynard, Sir Joel, Sir Edwin, Benjie, Oliver, Edward, Ate Shirlyn, and Candice (sorry, I had no filed photos during my first few months in Philcom, so I'll just post here a picture with the MIS team and family).

A few months later, the company had set up a new section in IT. Along with the two other sections, Systems Development and Technical Support, the MIS was formed. I was then pulled out from the Operations group, and was among the pioneers of the MIS team composed of Sir Nathan (my manager), Sir Edwin (my supervisor), Oliver (my mentor) and yours truly (the newbie and the only rose among the thorns). A year after, the company had undergone LEC wide retrenchment, reducing more than 60% of the total manpower. Along with the retrenchment was the early retirement program, to which all of my three MIS teammates had availed, leaving me all alone in my section

, and I had no choice but to absorb the works they have left. At times I would found myself on the verge of shouting “Darnaa!” ‘coz I really felt as though I was doing superwoman’s job in just a wink of an eye. Nangapa ug taman-taman, nakasalom ug ahat. Just a few months after the transition period, I was turned over to a new boss, Sir Maynard, who had eventually been moved to another department, thus leading me to another boss, this time with Sir Joel. Breathing a sigh of relief this time 'coz I had new fellow MIS Analysts Lily and Mayet to share the burden with. Thank you, girls!

Three years later, the company had ventured into Software & Applications, providing financial software and developing financial systems for the business clients, and so it had pushed through creating an IT group who will develop the Enterprise Solutions for the growing number of clients in Visayas and Mindanao. Thus, the Consumer IT was formed. Again, I was pulled out from MIS to be part of the Consumer IT pioneers (Sir Cenon, Sir Dexter, Ali, Wyeth & me). Within the succeeding months, three other CDO colleagues joined us (Fe, Cherry and Mayet), and three others at our Davao office (Ma’am Netz, Louchie and Rey). Ayan, lumalaki na ang Consumer IT family! Ang saya-saya! Being an IT person, I was kind of a backroom beauty then, confined in my cubicle with heaps of work to do (systems analysis, web design and layout, debug programs and all). But when I joined Consumer IT, I’ve spread my wings into the outside world. Business travel, that is -- implementing the system to our clients all over Mindanao and some parts of Luzon. Loving my job and loving the perks of travelling for free, I was indeed enjoying the best of both worlds! Thank you, Philcom!

Anything more to come? Hmnn... let’s just wait and see what’s my future career has in store for me. As for now, I’m just enjoying the blessings God has bestowed on me on my sixth year in the corporate world. Soaring at 6! Whoaw! Such fruitful years indeed! Thank you, Lord!