CASE: Working at Pearl Sea Breeze Resort
Pearl Sea Breeze Resort is one of the 10 companies belonging to the Pearl Group of companies, one of Visaya’s largest resort and leisure chain, which employs 2,000 people in all its resorts and has annual sales exceeding P 20 Million. Founded in 1987 by Pearl Lastimoso, a one-time Hotel Manager, Pearl Sea Breeze got its start as a favorite summer outing venue of most local residents and companies from Cebu . In the 1980s, it was the first resort in the Visayas that got the support of the Department of Tourism as a DOT accredited resort destination in Dumaguete which was then only known for Siliman University. It was also the first company to take initiative to attract tourists in Region 7 long before Bohol and Apo Island became famous tourist spots. With an affordable tour package ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 per head for a 3 days & 2 nights stay, Pearl Sea Breeze is a popular destination and a must visit place in Negros Oriental.
Yet, amid all the excitement over these developments, there are constant reminders of how hard people work there. Joseph Cruz works six days a week 8 hours each day on a rotating shift as a Housekeeping Supervisor. His life is about the job and little else. On most days especially during the peak months he goes home tired. He has to force himself to talk with his family at meal time and afterwards has little time for his two children. His work as supervisor is stressful; guests complain for even the most flimsy things and since customer satisfaction is foremost at Pearl’s he has to see to it that all complaints, requests and needs are met if not exceeded all the time. When he first started working at Pearl’s in 2004 the resort had an average occupancy rate of 75%; now they are hitting 85% on weekdays and fully booked on Fridays to Sundays. He is proud of his job and his salary. The average salary is P200, 000 a year and Joseph is making P250, 000 a year.
Joseph and his...