URC Flour battles obstacles with positivity

There is very little that one can do to control a crisis situation, but one can very well shape the way he responds to, and manages, it.

During the worst times, people’s true colors come out and at the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Flour Division, these were the colors of resilience, passion, positivity and malasakit.

URC Flour’s sales, marketing and distribution director Naida Ebora and her team have been keeping operations running. This was despite depleted manpower, owing to the impact of the necessary enhanced community quarantine restrictions.

“My team was in high spirits when all of this started,” recalled Naida, who is in charge of 22 employees working three 8-hour shifts. They ensure the withdrawal and delivery of flour, pasta, and bread products to bakeries, hotels, restaurants, groceries, and supermarkets nationwide.

When the Luzon-wide quarantine was implemented, they had to manage the growing demand for food despite challenges. “In the first week, my manpower was reduced by 10%. In spite of the fatigue, we were still able to cope. We communicated to the team that we have one of the critical functions (in the company).”

Naida related, “everybody was so positive (about the situation). They were even willing to extend their time at work. So, from our regular eight hours, most of them rendered 12 hours of work just to keep up with the demand.”

Naida also credits the Flour Division’s counterpart in Davao for helping supplement the deliveries. “When we were having challenges in Manila, we diverted some of our clients to Davao. They were the ones who came to our rescue."

But on the second week of the quarantine period, the team’s manpower dwindled further as half of the team failed to show up for work because of quarantine restrictions. “That was critical for me because those were the checkers who were directly coordinating with drivers and pahinantes.”

It was at this point that some of them really had to step up, if only to continue the operations. One of them was logistics manager Christine “Tine” Helen Adag. “Ever since Day One, she has been reporting to the office, working more than 12 hours a day to oversee the operation and doing all the functions,” Naida proudly shares.

“Tine really wanted her team to deliver, she wanted to continue the operation. So, despite the fact that there were only three to five of them to report for work that day, they actually managed to deliver. The five of them, plus two from us, took on two shifts that normally required 14 people,” Naida adds.

“It’s really the willingness to work, despite of everything, that I find very heroic in her.”

For her part, Tine prefers to downplay her role as just another day at work. “We’re part of the food manufacturing industry; patuloy pa rin kami sa work; we need to deliver the products which are basic needs of people.”

She, however, admits maintaining operations during these “quarantined” days is truly a hurdle. “Challenged talaga kami; hindi maka full manning; some cannot get through the checkpoint. ‘Yung mga malalapit dito sa planta, patuloy pa rin.”

In the middle of the storm, Christine strives to keep positivity within her team. “Good vibes pa rin; laban lang; kaya natin ‘to. The need to deliver our products is our motivation. Almost 11 years na ako sa URC. It’s my love for the company that has kept me here. Hirap at ginhawa kasama mo pa rin; parang asawa mo na din. We’re like family.”

It is Christine’s positive outlook though all the COVID-19 pandemic problems that Naida finds amazing. “Talagang gusto niya to uplift the people, and never ending ‘yung assistance ni Tine sa team.”

“These are the admirable deeds of my team — keeping the operations alive, being an inspiration to one another, and simply displaying leadership in action. Even though they are managers and supervisors, they came to work as checkers. They are actually our frontliners,” Naida adds.

URC Flour Division head Ellison Lee shares the same sentiments, as he mentioned how people were stepping up, whatever their position and the task may be. “Some of our engineers who are working in the office, they volunteered to go to the plant. So, the cross-function training is working for us. They were able to step up.”

He appreciates the commitment and dedication his team has displayed. “I’m proud of my people and I want to thank them for all their efforts in maintaining the operations. Even if they don’t need to, they are there, heeding their civic duty to ensure food production and responding to the challenges of this crisis.”

 URC Flour workforce carries on with their duties without compromising their safety by wearing protective gears and practicing social distancing.