Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin: Rising from downfall through technology

August 12, 2005 | 1:50 pm

Nestled in the unspoiled island of Camiguin in southern Philippines is a quaint tropical resort named Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin. This resort, surrounded by stunning seascapes and lush greenery, offers a perfect refuge away from the noise and chaos of the metropolis.

Apart from its enchanting natural beauty, what makes this resort successful amid the increasingly more sophisticated hospitality industry is the persistency of its management to embrace technological innovations in its operations.

The current owners of Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin were once captivated by its charm during their stay in the resort as guests. Suzette Good, who lives in Palm Spring – a city in California deemed as “the playground of the stars” – said that she, together with her husband, Al Good, fell in love in the place. The latter decided to buy the resort, and, fortunately, acquired it in 2009.

“It was once a dream to have this place for vacation. I dreamt of having a place for the stars,” Mrs. Good said. “I imagined myself to own a place where the stars spend their vacation and that’s [happened to be the] Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin.”

When Mr. and Mrs. Good entered as the resort’s new owners, things didn’t come so easy. They had to address some challenges, including the traditional way of how the business was run.

“When we bought Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin, all I can see is the ‘non-computer world’ where they don’t use point-of-sale system and so on,” Mrs. Good shared. “So we needed to drive the business and start to invest into computers. We needed to innovate and compete with the market.”

The owners faced more challenges along their way; there was even a time when the business suffered from a big loss. But that doesn’t have to stop there, according to Ms. Good, noting that there are 50 employees who depend on the resort to earn a living. In this challenging time, the management took the risk to invest their last finances in marketing and technology, which resulted in the rise of the resort’s occupancy rate this year.

“I take challenges in a positive way. There are lots of downfalls with the business but we just need to resist it all. It’s a measure of how tough your decision making is,” Mrs. Good said.

Technology and Internet have a crucial role in the present age of hospitality industry, according to Mrs. Good. In Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin, in particular, technology plays a big part to boost the resort’s marketing initiatives, as well as reaching its potential market through social media, e-mails, and instant messaging.

“To add, we based our decision making in our reports, and technology-filtered all our data. Technology helps the business in so many ways, like inquiry of the guest/s in our Web site, booking, payment, etc. All work smoothly. And with Globe Internet connectivity, it’s simply perfect,” Mrs. Good said.

Five years from now, Mrs. Good is optimistic that Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin will be the top resort by choice and the first to be rated with 5-star in the entire island of Camiguin.

Globe myBusiness, in partnership with Department of Trade and Industry, salutes our Filipino SMEs for their job well done. It honors every entrepreneur whose determination and passion has become the backbone of the Philippine economy. #SaludoSMEs for your hard work and contribution for a more wonderful ‘Pinas!

For more information, visit https://mybusiness.globe.com.ph.

TEST1-NEIL-PLS DO NOT DELETE

September 23, 2000 | 12:00 am

4 steps to starting a business built on education

July 28, 2000 | 10:09 am

Start your business and join a community

You’ve probably heard it before: Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. This might be the truth for the usual day job, but it’s even more so if you’re looking to start a business of your own.

So before you actually start, ask yourself: What are you passionate about? If the answer is children, helping them form and hone their skills, and creating a nurturing community for them, then building a business rooted in their education might just be for you. And if that’s the case, then here are the first four steps to getting things started:

1. Look at your skills

The first thing you should do is consider what your own strengths and weaknesses are. Are you organized, proactive and patient? Do you have problems communicating your thoughts and getting creative? Being able to check your own skills allows you to focus on what your business already has and what it will need help with.

2. Look around your circle

Once you’ve identified what your limitations are, you can start thinking about the people within your circle that can help fill in those gaps. Bring it that colleague of yours who’s still looking for a creative outlet, or your brother that loves to make to-do lists.

But while skill and knowledge in a particular field is important, you should also keep in mind that the people you work with should have similar mindsets. So when it comes to a business built on education, they—like you—must be passionate about the youth and enriching their minds and experiences.

3. Look into partnerships

Starting a business is difficult, but it becomes even more difficult when you have to start from ground zero. So look into different options that will allow you to partner with established and trusted programs, which might then give your business a higher chance at success.

4. Get your game face on

Once you’ve decided on your course of action, the only thing left to do is get started. Attend the necessary orientations and sessions, get the paperwork together, take the exams—and you’ll be in it before you even realize.

Even if you like what you’re doing, you’ll still feel tired at the end of the day. Even when you enjoy all the tasks you have to finish and continue to believe the bigger picture you’re continuing to serve your students, there will still be moments of stress. But with child education and development, there’s a sense of fulfillment that cannot be matched.

Kumon Philippines invites everyone with a commitment to nourishing children’s development and growth to open up their own Kumon Centers and become franchisees themselves. Click here to learn more.

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Fostering hope and compassion

March 1, 2000 | 1:33 pm

Intellicare SureHealth Bayanihan Card: A Gift of Health to more than a hundred thousand beneficiaries

Many Filipinos know too well the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their daily lives. Millions have lost their jobs and livelihoods, while thousands more have struggled with the disease itself. For many, the pandemic cannot end soon enough.

But during this time of crisis, there are organizations and corporations who have risen to the task of serving their fellow countrymen. Among these is Intellicare, the country’s preeminent health maintenance organization.

This year marks Intellicare’s 25th-year milestone. However, given the circumstances experienced by Filipinos all over the country, the company has decided to defer the revelry and all in-person events.

In lieu of celebrating its 25th anniversary, Intellicare has instead decided to play an active role in the betterment of Philippine healthcare, particularly fostering hope and recovery amongst our fellowmen during these trying times.

“As we continue to survive and live through one of the most significant moments in history, we also take this moment to pause and reflect. How do we turn this glorious achievement into something meaningful for ourselves and for the lives of the customers and communities we serve?” Intellicare said.

Following a theme of ‘Caring in Infinite Ways,’ Intellicare is taking a commitment to focus on its social responsibility and improveits services, operations, and offerings to cater to the demands of the new, hopefully better, normal and beyond.

One of the company’s main initiatives is SureHealth Bayanihan. It is a prepaid health card intended to be given to non-Intellicare members through the support of its employees, corporate clients, and partners. Intellicare notes that it is its caring way of giving back to its stakeholders and having a more meaningful 25th-anniversary celebration.

Through this project, thousands of employees and members of Intellicare, along with its business partners, can nominate a beneficiary to receive a free health card. Depending on the card type, the SureHealth cards grant different benefits ranging from free consultations, dental checkups, annual physical examinations, and discounts for diagnostic services, within the Aventus Clinic network (https://www.aventusmedical.com/).

“Compassion or compassionate healthcare plays an integral role in our organization,” Intellicare said.“To this day it is something that our founders instilled in us as much as possible. We recognize that being one of the key players in the HMO industry is a huge responsibility in terms of bettering the health and life of Filipinos. Ensuring quality, affordable, accessible healthcare is our noble purpose and it is something we will uphold amidst all challenges from emergencies to pandemics.”

For corporate clients and partners who will receive free Intellicare SureHealth Bayanihan cards, an email will be sent through the client HR or POC with a code that recipients can share with their nominated beneficiaries to proceed to enrollment. Afterwards, the beneficiaries will be given instructions on how to activate the card, after which they will receive an email confirming their successful activation. The Intellicare SureHealth Bayanihan card will then be ready for use.

In keeping with the technological demands of the new normal, as well as make the benefits convenient and accessible, a digital card will be given thru email for those who have successfully activated their card number. In case the beneficiary wants or needs a physical card, it can be claimed or picked up from the clinic branch of choice.

“Today, uncertainty and change are inevitable. But what remains constant through the years is our brand of care that is anchored on compassion, humanity and our solid commitment to provide access to affordable and quality healthcare to the people. This nobility of purpose is what we are founded on,” the company said.

“Most of us need reassurance, hope, and someone to turn to for our well-being. We may be apart now and distanced, but we are not disconnected. We stay in touch and attuned to the needs of our employees, customers, and fellow citizens,” it added.

The SureHealth Bayanihan project is carried out in collaboration with Aventus Medical Care, Inc. The card grants access to its 16clinics in NCR, Laguna, Pampanga, and Cebu.

“Let us celebrate the gift of health and life each day and continue to create silver linings in these trying times. Then, now, and into the future, we will endure and carry on with our noble mission of providing and delivering Care in Infinite Ways,” Intellicare said.

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