Unstoppable Suntrust
Our battle cry for 2019 is for you to be ‘unstoppable.” Thus declared Atty. Harry M. Paltongan, president of Suntrust Properties Inc., at the company’s 2018 4th Quarter Awards, Annual Awards, and 2019 Sales Kick off.
“It’s okay to look back at your past and see those instances when you felt you’ve had enough and you wanted to go somewhere else,” Paltongan told Suntrustees who trooped to Blue Leaf Filipinas for the formal event. It was a sea of red, blue, white, silver, brown and beige, as everyone was asked to come in colors representing the elements of luck and nature.
“Many of you were able to get a house, condos and cars from your earnings with Suntrust. If you stopped, then you would not have achieved all of these things,” he added.
Paltongan noted that it is but normal for one to think of giving up, but he was quick to urge the Suntrustees: “Just don’t do it. Don’t stop.”
The Suntrust chief admitted that he, too, has had thoughts of giving up in the past. But seeing the communities that Suntrust has put up over the years has pushed him to continue on with this journey, to remain at the helm of a company that has committed to build innovative masterplanned communities in order to allow more hardworking Filipinos to achieve their dream of owning a decent home.
“Every time I see the kids playing in the playground or in the swimming pool, every time I see the parents in their gardens in the subdivisions we created, I would be inspired,” he recounted. “Every time I walked on the raw lands, I am inspired when I look at the future [and see how] this particular raw land will become a bustling community three or four years from now.”
Paltongan further rallied his fellow Suntrustees to never give up even in the face of failures: “There are two things to remember during failure. First, leave with the failure. Second, learn from the failure.”
He cited American inventor Thomas Edison and British novelist J.K. Rowling as examples.
“As Thomas Edison said, ‘I failed one thousand times experimenting and working on how to make light bulbs commercially viable but I did not see those one thousand times as failures, rather I learned from them.’ If he stopped on his 1,000th mistake, then we would not have light bulbs today,” he said.
Rowling, best known as the author of the phenomenal Harry Potter series, was living on welfare and was always turned down by publishers when she was first beginning to write the much-loved fantasy series.
“She could not even afford to buy a computer so she used a manual typewriter,” Paltongan shared. “She did not have any money to photocopy (her manuscripts) so she would retype everything so she can submit to publishers.” It was through perseverance that Rowling is now one of the richest writers in history.
He thus related Suntrust’s own story of being a venture born 22 years ago in a time of crisis, and which eventually became one of the country’s most trusted brands in the affordable market segment today.
Paltongan further stressed that with being unstoppable, one must also remain grounded and humble, regardless of all that one has acquired. He also encouraged the Suntrustees in attendance to sell with compassion, adding that having a good relationship with one’s buyer should not end at the turnover of units.
“Remember to be like your buyer and understand why he wants to buy,” he emphasized. “Take care of the buyer even after the sale. There has to be a connection with your buyer.”
Lastly, Paltongan called on the Suntrustees to continue being an inspiration to others. “You have to have the capacity to transform your people to be as good as you,” he added.
Suntrust’s official mascots, the unstoppable duo of Sunny and Sunshine, were also introduced, much to the delight of the entire Suntrust family. Explained EVP-COO Deanna Jean A. Claveria: “The mascots represent the happy children of families living in Suntrust communities.”
She continued: “When a family buys a home, it is not just an investment but a family decision. A couple with very young children takes into into consideration not only the beauty or the price of a home or a condo that they will buy, but also what is good for their children.”
The playful and sprightly mascots symbolize the happiness of the family when they buy a Suntrust home or condominium unit. “We want to build the Suntrust brand and we want to make Suntrust a household brand,” she added.
Suntrust Properties’ milestones for the previous year were also highlighted, such as the property developer’s Bente Uno campaign, the first two “digiserye,” the launching of the company’s new website—suntrust.com.ph, Suntrust’s partnership with Pinoy Big Brother 8, and the property developer’s acquisition of Stateland.
