Article from Business Mirror
Written by Janica Monick Riego / Photo by Alysa Salen
***
THE Philippines is about to have another iconic development in 2014.
Picar Development Inc., a real-estate subsidiary of the AMA Group of Companies, is currently brewing up the Stratford Residences, a 74-story residential development bound to be among the tallest buildings in the country.
The Stratford Residences is Picar’s flagship project and the best representation of the company’s vision of building iconic developments across the country—a vision that sets Picar, even with its relatively recent arrival in the industry, apart from other real-estate companies.
“It takes a lot of creativity, and that is where the excitement is. I’m proud to say that we have created our name despite all these other developers,” said Picar Vice President for Sales Marian Arietta-Roxas, explaining that although the key players of the industry were already established upon the company’s arrival in 2007, Picar created a niche for itself.
“We don’t compete head on with these other companies. We create a different path,“ she said.
“One thing is for sure: If you always go with the usual, malulunod ka. You will have the tendency to get lost,” she said.
The lady executive cites the company’s units, which are bigger and have higher ceilings, unlike the recent trend of units becoming smaller.
Roxas also emphasizes that quality is important. “You need to have people in mind when you build. You always have to upgrade the quality of life of Filipinos, no matter the cost.”
She said that another good thing she is proud of is that everything is Filipino made.
“If you’re going to build a Philippine landmark, it might as well be made by Filipinos,” she said. “Believing in our own is very important. We have the best people.”
Doing things differently
“IN Picar, we do things differently,” said Roxas, explaining that aside from the creative conceptualization of developments, the people—from the company’s owner Ambassador Amable Aguiluz V down to the sales people—have a different and more personal way of dealing with their customers.
Roxas, being among the leaders of the company, embodies this philosophy even with her leadership style. “There’s no one way or style of leadership; it’s different for every person. But mostly, my style is to get to know, genuinely like and be concerned with the people I work with. That’s the only way I can see how they will become productive.”
The De La Salle University alumna, with her pleasant demeanor, believes that being strict is also important because it is where the discipline comes in. At the same, she encourages her team to speak their minds, always think out of the box, and avoid doing the same things other sales people do.
“I want them to think. I don’t want them to just be dictated upon,” she said.
Aside from emphasizing creativity, unity, discipline and professionalism, Roxas always impresses upon her team how, especially in sales, it is vital to take care of the clients and build long-lasting relationships with them. “Once you make a sale, it’s not the end of the relationship with the clients—that’s when the work begins.”
Roxas, who has been in the real-estate industry since 1994, has seen many changes and improvements in the company. Her kind of leadership has been a contributing factor in the company’s success. It is the kind of leadership that she passes on to the company’s senior sales managers.
“Our job is not something we take lightly,” Roxas said. “It’s a big responsibility; we are molding younger people. It is very important that we instill proper values, ethics, discipline and integrity.”
Bright future
“BY next year, Picar is going to be more bullish and aggressive,” the lady executive said. To date, the company has feature projects in the pipeline, including those in Mandaluyong, Alabang and Cavite. “In five years, we will be one of the key players in the industry.”
“Many investors from Asia and the rest of the world are now looking at the Philippines because of the country’s current investment grade,” she said. “They know na magaling ang mga Pilipino. It’s an exciting time for the industry.”
For Roxas—who has a Humanities degree from De La Salle University, tried teaching in her alma mater and eventually left—staying was definitely an option despite the demanding schedule as a leading executive of Picar.
“It is a 24/7 job. If you want to do the job right, there is no time limit,” she said.
While most people would avoid such a demanding job, Roxas has diligently embraced her profession, ensures the passage of proper values to the people in her team, and plans to stay in the coming years to continue helping build iconic developments for Filipinos.
With Roxas at the helm of Picar, it is almost a 100-percent guarantee that the company continues to face a bright future ahead.
Picar Development, Inc. 