Manning the Fort
Watching over 307 sites all over the Philippines, Mike Magpusao and his APMC team stayed at their posts for 67 days of lockdown
Mike Magpusao, 46, is the chief operating officer of Ayala Property Management Corporation.
I was a young engineer when I joined Ayala in 1996. I left the company in 2004 to join the Asia Pacific engineering team of an international bank, where I acquired global experience in property management and engineering. I rejoined Ayala in 2016, and I’m very happy I made that decision.
Presently, I am the operations chief engineer of Ayala Land, Inc. I am also the chief operating officer of Ayala Property Management Corporation. And I am the engineering director of Ayala Malls and head of PhilEnergy (a District Cooling Plant Company of AyalaLand). I also teach engineering in my alma mater, MAPUA. I do wear many hats.
AyalaLand is known for its good after-sales service. Whenever a client needs us, we are always reachable; we are always ready to support them. We deliver and do a good job.
The APMC team was committed to do that even during the lockdown.
“APMC teams took care of 307 sites across the Philippines, which included residential buildings, offices, estates, hotels, resorts, and malls”
Holding the fort
From March 17 to May 22, I and my team of 26 employees stayed at the emergency operations center. We didn’t go home for 67 days so we could monitor all issues and respond quickly to possible fire and engineering emergencies. Across the Philippines, 6,326 more property managers, engineers, and service partners stayed to man their respective areas of responsibility.
Most of our vendors and contractors had difficulty with transportation. So, we had to do the job ourselves. We handled medical emergencies, elevator incidents, as well as electrical and water troubles, among others.
APMC teams took care of 307 sites across the Philippines, which included residential buildings, offices, estates, hotels, resorts, and malls.
#AyalaCitizenDiary: Mike joins patrol teams on regular visits to Ayala properties to make sure that they meet the government’s safety and health guidelines. They also participated in the company’s other relief efforts, like delivering donations or building isolation tents in the Qualimed COVID-19 referral hospital.
Our residential buildings were the busiest during the lockdown. Since most people stayed at home, we wanted them to be as comfortable as possible.
Our office buildings, especially those housing essential services like BPOs, operated seamlessly.
APMC teams were also instrumental in closing down and reopening the Ayala malls, and ensuring good indoor air quality— which is invisible, yet very important.
All clear. The APMC team inspects the mall before reopening on May 16, under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). To protect customers and employees from community transmission, they monitor air quality and enforce sanitation and cleaning procedures in shared areas and individual stores.
Dedication and loyalty
When Metro Manila was placed under the general community quarantine, the team could finally go home. However, many of my colleagues were hesitant to leave. They were so dedicated to their jobs. “Hindi pa tapos,” some said. But we knew they had to be with their families.
“When Metro Manila was placed under GCQ, the team could finally go home. However, many of my colleagues were hesitant to leave. “Hindi pa tapos,” some said. ”
Perhaps they reacted this way because the company took care of us well. It provided sleeping quarters and food. It released financial support in three tranches. But perhaps most importantly, it was committed to keeping our families safe. Before we were allowed to go home, we were all tested for COVID-19. That brought peace of mind to us and our families.
Heroes, unmasked! While their 72-day lockdown has ended, their mission has not. The team will continue to quietly protect the people who live, work and play in the Ayala properties.
I would like to recognize the entire APMC team that joined us in fulfilling the Ayala promise during the lockdown. This team set aside their personal lives to continue providing good service to all our clients across the country.
That’s the Ayala commitment; that’s what makes us different from other developers. # —As told to Rhys Buccat
PUBLISHED ON JULY 13, 2020
