It still is… A Rockwell Christmas after all

A warm, festive atmosphere will welcome guests at the Power Plant Mall.

Every year, they make you stand, admire and marvel in awe, smile as you take out your phone to snap a couple of photos for your social feeds.

They amazed and mesmerized you, overwhelmed your senses with a whimsical, festive display that never failed to spread warmth and add a dose of cheer during the merriest season of the year.

For the amazing team behind Power Plant Mall’s much anticipated Yuletide decor, this year’s tradition of delighting mallgoers should be no different, with concepts drawn up and approved as early as the first quarter. But as things took a drastic, challenging turn amid the pandemic, the lockdowns and the natural calamities, the team had to make some adjustments as this year’s cherished Christmas celebration takes on a new, much deeper meaning for everyone.

The team behind Power Plant Mall’s decor finds more meaning in this year’s holiday celebration.

Meaningful celebration

So as Rockwell unveiled its hallmark Christmas splendour to bring that familiar warmth and cheer of the holidays, so did it send a message of hope, simplicity and thanksgiving. More modest but just as inspiring and more meaningful, this is still a Rockwell Christmas, after all.

“This year is more meaningful and special because we are working in the midst of uncertainty and we want our customers to feel that despite what we are experiencing now, there’s still that same Rockwell Christmas spirit they can expect from us and they can feel at home here,” said Engr. Jayvee delos Reyes, retail operations supervisor at Rockwell Land.

“Since the pandemic started, there were obviously big savings we had to do. We knew Christmas, one of our major festivities in Rockwell, would be affected, which honestly saddened a lot of us. However, the crisis went longer than expected and we knew Christmas shouldn’t be neglected as this gives so many of our shoppers hope. Thankfully, with some considerations, we are able to push through. Since then, we are sure that the Rockwell Christmas decor will still happen despite the [challenges in the] past months. We are committed to ensure to give the same feeling of excitement and atmosphere as we always have during the past Christmases,” he added.

Christmas displays are sure to delight mallgoers.

The challenge

Ar. Jacko Zialcita, AVP for design at Rockwell Land, shared that working on the decor this year was quite challenging given that they had to adjust to the new budget and be more sensitive to the plight of those affected by the pandemic. While a concept was already approved earlier this year, they had to make some adjustments and recycle their details.

For the first time, Rockwell will be using all the old decor from last year.

“Because of the current situation, we prepared by studying every detail—how we can be sustainable by reusing our previous decor and how our customers can still have a seemingly fresh experience just like in previous years. We assessed all the decor we have, studied different designs and even considered the manpower. We were able to provide jobs during the crisis,” explained delos Reyes.

“We have a toned-down look of the mall decorations but we made sure that we have something that people will still remember and they will still experience the Rockwell Christmas as they say,” added Lester Almazan, design manager at Rockwell Land.

The team behind the mall decor: (from left) Engr. Harley Gabiota; lead technician Rico Tajonera; service providers supervisor Gemma Fernandez; Engr. Jayvee delos Reyes; service providers supervisor Ariel Reynido; Engr. Luis Avenido

Beyond ordinary service

Service providers supervisors Ariel Reynido and Gemma Fernandez however admitted that using the old decorations from last year was a big challenge for them, along with the restrictions due to the pandemic and lockdowns. Still, they managed to pull through, providing a beyond ordinary service, which helped create that fresh, festive look for the mall this merry holiday season.

“We have formed a group and we have been able to recycle 100 percent from the old decorations. With the unity, cooperation and concern of everyone, we have succeeded in re-creating a new style that you will find inside the Power Plant Mall. You will feel the spirit of Christmas again despite the pandemic,” they said.

For their part, lead technician Rico Tajonera of Team Engineering similarly found the project more challenging than in previous years given the reduced manpower due to the pandemic, while the lockdown shortened their lead time to prepare and install the decor. Just like the rest, this team still managed to step up to the plate and complete their tasks on time.

“It is really the people behind the decorations who made it more than ordinary. From the security guards, to the cleaners, the installers and engineers whose dedication is really beyond ordinary given that we are still in these uncertain times. I think that’s the kind of Christmas you can expect from Rockwell this year, which is beyond ordinary service to people. It is a Rockwell Christmas after all,” Almazan said.

“I hope that the shoppers appreciate the simplicity of our details and that these help bring out the Christmas spirit. I hope that our customers will still get that festive feeling and the atmosphere of the holiday season. This is our gift to the entire Rockwell community,” Zialcita concluded.