As the skies take a breather and the streets take a rest, a lot of people are hard at work at home. While normal operations have ceased, companies are not taking the Coronavirus Pandemic sitting down. If anything, businesses are getting more creative on how to be efficient. For Grand Taipan Land Development Inc., it’s all about continuing business and helping communities that need help the most.
The real estate developer is comfortably adjusting to the new normal imposed by the Enhanced Community Quarantine. It’s business as usual with online meetings and presentations. “Grand Taipan employees have been working from home with continued salary and benefits, no leave deductions, and an early release of their 13th-month pay and year-end bonus,” shares Grand Taipan’s President Joeben Tai.
During these trying times, Grand Taipan believes that work and financial security should be the least of their employees’ problems. Their sales agents and partner brokers also continue to receive allowances with commissions given in advance to fully support them during these times. The company also extended food assistance and early release of the 13th-month pay of its partner construction workers in Verano Greenhills affected by the lockdown in San Juan City.
The company has also organized relief goods to be delivered to communities across Mega Manila. Namely those in Manila, Quezon City, San Juan, Valenzuela, Cavite, and Bulacan. “These are the biggest and highly populated cities in Metro Manila. For Cavite and Bulacan, with a very high population, they are close proximity, and we wanted to extend help there, too. As for San Juan, it’s the smallest city with the most cases and this is the city where we started, this is us giving back to the community that has warmly welcomed us,” Tai shares.
Aside from assisting local communities, they also helped where the coronavirus pandemic is wrecking most havoc, the battleground, the real field of chaos: the hospitals. They’ve donated the modern and medical equivalent of a shield and armor to our modern day heroes, our medical frontliners. Grand Taipan donated Personal Protective Equipment to the Philippine General Hospital, Perpetual Help Medical Center, San Juan De Dios Hospital, Pasay City General Hospital, Marikina Doctors Hospital, and the UERM Memorial Hospital. They also managed to extend the PPEs to the Philippine National Police, our military frontliners who are keeping our streets extra safe and strictly implements the ECQ guidelines.
Donations Grand Taipan made were given through the help of Government Agencies and Private Organizations, such as the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, and the Anvil Business Club.
“In this challenging time, we business owners have the social responsibility to continue to be of service to the people. As leaders, we need to take care of our people,” points out Tai. “Our employees have worked for the growth of the company and I believe it’s time to give back and take care of them and their families during this challenging time.”
As all businesses take a surprise slowdown because of the virus, we see companies valuing something more than growth. Employees are more than just an ID number, communities are no longer just places. And for people, companies are more than just money-making machines and leaders can’t just be good at business. People over profit. Good over benefit. Culture over companies. Leaders over bosses.
In Cantonese, Taipan means more than just a businessman. A Taipan is a leader who inspires hope and builds courage in the team. For Tai, this pandemic has been a challenge to show that he’s more than just another CEO. He’s not just the guy in the suit calling the shots, he’s a Taipan trying to make today better than yesterday. As their award-winning property, Verano Greenhills, promises: fresh beginnings and new beginnings are never too late. Everyday is a new page to start something great. “Where one good thing ends, something greater eventually starts.”
ADVT