The biggest HR event unfolds in Cebu today

HR, as a vital component of business and organization leadership and management, takes center stage today here in Cebu, via digital platform, where the biggest names in the practice and profession of leading people converge virtually for two days to talk about four things only that matter most in life. In the midst of pandemic, we are empowering our people by sharing the best practices, as the top HR gurus and experts from America, Europe and Asia converge and speak before thousands of our country's HR professionals via digital platform.

Our country needs four things to survive and compete in a very harsh and competitive global arena. First, we need people who are competent, conscientious, committed and caring. Second, we need a government that sets out laws and policies for a business environment that is fair, fast, facilitative and far-sighted. Third, we need businessmen and entrepreneurs who are brave, brilliant, balanced and benevolent. Fourth, we need to embrace the latest technology in a digital world, so we can develop skills that will make our talents agile, adaptable, alert and aggressive. The biggest HR event in the country begins today with a keynote address by Vice President Leni Robredo, to be welcomed by Governor Gwen Gracia and Mayor Edgar Labella. Vice Mayor Mike Rama will be one of the major speakers to talk on HR in government.

There are four most important missions of HR in any business or government organization: talent acquisition, the new name of recruitment; total rewards, the last tagline for compensation and benefits; learning and development, which used to be called “training;” and my area of specialization, which is employee, labor and industrial relations, with its latest buzzword, organizational justice. The mission of talent acquisition is to ARM people: attract, retain, and motivate. The mission of total rewards is to reward people in the organization and make them feel appreciated, valued and loved. The mission of learning and development is to mold character, build competence and inspire people to excel and perform to their highest potentials. The mission of organizational justice is to bring about an empowering leadership to inspire people, and ethical management based on values and positive attitudes, enabling discipline to assure alignment and consistency, and enabling conflict resolution to bring about harmony and teamwork.

Organizational justice in a digital business world is a very formidable but exciting challenge. But this twin summit that begins today shall outline the roadmaps that we have to follow in order to reach our common goal of a strong economy even in the midst of pandemic. First, company management should be the source of clear directions and inspiration for people to move with passion and energy towards business goals. Second, employees must be fully competent to face the digital challenges in terms of skills and technological agility, and must also have positive attitude and excellent inter-personal relations. Thus, learning and development must be endless and relentless, intensive and extensive. Third, the employee discipline and grievance management must be consistent, just and impartial. People must be disciplined in order to mold character not to destroy their careers, nor ruin their reputation. Fourth, disputes must be settled and issues resolved with a sense of urgency and concern.

This twin summit is our contribution to the war against the COVID, to help the government steer the recovery of our economy which had been badly devastated by the malady. This is our concrete help to the business and industry which suffered very serious setbacks due to this health crisis. Above all, this is our way of reaching out to millions who lost their jobs, small and micro entrepreneurs who lost their capital and have to rebuild their business organizations again.

Mr. Freddi Marquez, who is the country's top expert in total rewards, and I who, for the last 40 years of my life and career, have specialized in employee and labor relations, have joined hands to bring about this huge meeting of HR minds.

Top leaders of industry and business, headed by Ed Lacson, chairman of Employers' Confederation of the Philippines, joined by Lin Mukhi, the incumbent president of People Management of the Philippines, and Atty. Sonny Matula, president of the biggest and most enlightened labor federation in the country, Federation of Free Workers, will share their insights, together with DOLE Undersecretary Benjo Benavides and DOLE-7 Director Salome Siaton.

This is really a huge, huge gathering of HR titans. Do not be left behind. Be with us today and tomorrow by Zoom.