BIZ BUZZ: ‘Odette’-battered gateway

As Typhoon “Odette” ravaged the Visayas shortly before Christmas, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) became a sanctuary for about 5,000 people—passengers and nonpassengers alike—seeking shelter from inclement weather.

Due to electricity outage and water supply disruptions across the province, some people also sought refuge at the airport to charge their gadgets and use toilets with running water. Some people spent a few nights sleeping on the floor, even without sleeping mats, especially in the first three days of landfall as some of the passengers had been kicked out of their hotels due to lack of water and electricity.

Terminal 1 of MCIA itself had sustained heavy damage, which to date is still being assessed by GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), private developer and operator of the Philippines’ second largest international gateway. Some of the aerobridges and other areas of T1 had been destroyed.

Since the second quarter of this year, GMCAC had consolidated all operations at T1 to optimize resources, given that there have been minimal international flights during this pandemic anyway. With the heavy damage to T1, however, GMCAC now needs to consolidate operations instead in terminal 2 before year-end, GMCAC president Louie Ferrer told Biz Buzz. Fortunately, this newer terminal with its iconic structure has proven to be resilient to the typhoon. Everything was crazy in the first few days. But by the evening of Dec. 23, Ferrer said airport operations had gone back to normal.

The consolidation of operations into T2 will allow GMCAC to fix damage to property and renovate other areas of T1. Final details will be announced in the coming days.

—Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

DoubleDragon selfie hot spot

2021 has been a busy year for the DoubleDragon Group duo of Edgar “Injap” Sia II and Tony Tancaktiong with various projects and initiatives launched this year, despite the challenges brought by the ongoing pandemic. But there’s one more undertaking the company will showcase before the year is out.

Tomorrow, Dec. 30, DoubleDragon will unveil giant modern art sculptures at the DoubleDragon Meridian Park complex along Edsa at the Pasay City bay area development.

After being created and made to take form over a span of several months, the steel sculptures measuring 64 feet—roughly six stories tall—will be inaugurated with as much fanfare as public gathering restrictions allow.

Biz Buzz got a glimpse of the public art pieces, one of which is named “Bayani” and depicts a figure of a young person. The other one nearby, designed to attract passersby along Edsa, is named “Pag-asa.”

When the project was conceptualized last year, Sia explained that the sculptures were dedicated to the Filipino youth, the future of the country. And, of course, it helps that the company’s growth also depends on the economic well-being of the younger generation.

Sia said the modern stainless steel sculptures were designed by globally renowned Filipino artist Jefrë Figueras Manuel, also known as “JEFRË,” who explained that the words “bayani” and “pag-asa” go together as a concept.

In this social media crazy country, it’s not unreasonable to expect that these larger-than-life sculptures will become selfie hot spots in the Bay Area.

From a business perspective, it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Bayani and Pag-asa sculptures will complement and enhance DoubleDragon Meridian Park’s position as one of the most desirable office and commercial address in the area —definitely a win-win situation.

—Daxim L. Lucas

Magsaysay stays with Potato Corner

Franchisees, business partners and even customers concerned about the ownership change at Potato Corner need not fret as founder Jose Magsaysay Jr., one of the country’s most respected entrepreneurs, is not about to leave the leading snack food company that he helped nurture to become the multi-million company that it is today.

In a Dec. 27 letter to stakeholders, Potato Corner said it was “elated” that the incoming leadership will continue to work with Magsaysay “to seamlessly transition and ensure the continuity of Potato Corner’s core programs, so that Shakey’s Pizza can maximize the company’s major strengths and fully align Potato Corner to its vision for growth and global leadership.”

Magsaysay’s staying on at Potato Corner was actually part of the terms of agreement that led to the sale of Potato Corner to listed Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. led by the Po family, who wants his help in mastering the small format business.

As Magsaysay often says, running a kiosk is not the same as running a conglomerate.

That expertise in running small businesses is a valuable resource that Magsaysay, who turns 60, has been only too willing to share with others, including some of the country’s leading corporations who are finding out that there is beauty in small things like a kiosk.

Magsaysay tells friends that it is his way of giving back and helping start or level up micro small and medium sized enterprises, the way that others helped Potato Corner along the way.

—Tina Arceo-Dumlao INQ