Please tell us about your career path.
I started working for four of the largest multinational pharmaceutical companies in the country. I started out as an Industrial Engineering Supervisor for Pfizer and when Squibb recruited me, they made me an Industrial Engineering Manager. Then in Interphil, I was asked to handle Industrial Engineering, Product, Costing and four other departments in production namely Liquids, Dry Products, Injectables and Animal Supply. When I was recruited by Wyeth Philippines, I was handling Industrial Management. I was also in-charge of projects for expansion.
That was the time when I was actually being asked to choose between being a vice mayor and a full-time pharmaceutical professional.
[Editor’s Note: After serving as Councilor for many years, Mr. Alcera ran for the Vice-Mayoralty post. Although he did not win, the victor and current incumbent Mayor Peewee Trinidad asked him to join his staff as PESO head.]
How were you able to juggle your time in both sectors?
There’s no restriction given to me by the private corporation just as long as normal working hours will be observed and the sessions were done in the evening so there were no conflicts. The learning I got from the private sector –time management – enabled me to handle two offices at the same time.
Maybe it’s also because I have very competent professionals. One of the secrets is to get good people who are more aggressive in personal interaction at the grassroots level. Because that is what public service and politics is all about. Yung analysis and diagrams na napag-aralan ko sa private sector ang ginamit ko sa government sector, whereby I don’t deliver the services that are redundant.
What I learned as an Industrial Engineer is yung tinatawag na low-cost, high-impact projects. In 1998, I served the whole of Pasay and I recognized that the whole city is in need of deep wells, that’s why I hired my own tuberos, plumbers, etc. from my own salary.
Why did you pursue a career in the government?
When I was 16, I was elected Kabataang Barangay Chairman without even knowing I ran for the position. It was my friends who registered me at natuwa ako dahil I was handling one barangay, I took care of the sports development program. Because of this I was recognized and was elected again this time city level na. I thought that there’s a need to help other people and I wanted to get involved in the community.
Mahirap lang kasi kami, I survived my schooling because I was an academic scholar. I was one of the few who was given the chance to study because of my academic standing. Dalawa lang ang polo ko noon while my classmates were the richest in the country. That became a challenge: that I get to interact with these people, then I realized na pwede rin pala ako maging kilala. My edge was that I have a gift for the arts. I won in international art contests. I thought I was luckier than them because I was more exposed and I was able to experience both sides of the coin.
As a kid, I liked sports, communications, being around people and helping people, so yun ang parang naging calling ko. It helped me that I became more independent than yung mga kasabayan ko. I believe excellence can help enrich one’s self and at the same time help other people. Education is continuing; pag tumigil ka, mapag-iiwanan ka.
What should be the main concern of the industry right now and how do you address the concern?
The Filipino people lack motivation. The people managing these people should have the tools in motivating their subordinates to perform better. You have to see what is important to them. Ito ba’y self-esteem, monetary value, pagkilala sa kanila, [magandang] trato sa kanila. The managers should be able to develop that skill to identify that potential to make sure that these potentials are really used in a positive sense.
I want to be updated on what is the latest in my field. I brought the things I learned in the private sector here in the government service. For example, na-go-goal setting kami at meron kaming management by objective setting. Kung ano yung nangyayari sa corporate sector, you should apply sa public sector.
A job is no longer a job if you’re not doing it. If I’m not doing my job properly and kapag sa palagay ko na-burn out na ko, then I let go and I pass that to others who will be more effective in dealing with the job. Kasi pag pinagpatuloy mo, it’s going to be unfair sa organization.
What are some of the challenges that you have to face and how do remain effective in your field?
You just have to be consistent. May nagsasabi na suplado ako, matapang ako but what the heck? Basta I deliver results and I hope these results will open their eyes that I’m a respected person who delivers unprecedented results.
Record-breaking kami dito eh. I was able to help 11,000 people in Pasay, that’s 11,000 people in the streets and 11,000 families that we’ve helped. The reward is the good feeling at the back of your neck, kikilabutan ka when you are recognized by the people na natulungan mo.
What advice can you give to young professionals who want to be managers and politicians themselves?
You work on your credentials; you work on your capabilities. You should have a very firm grasp of the system that you’re getting into. Yung tinatawag nating milestones ng iba or success stories and how they do that, hindi yun kwento lang sa isang libro.
It is not only the skills but also the drive –the drive that you have to be a very good manager. Everybody can be a manager but not all can be a very dynamic manager. You have to be humble to accept that you don’t know everything and you’re willing to learn. You have to be humble to accept that you have your share of failures. Magkakamali ka, hindi ka perfect. The very essence of this is you have to learn from your mistakes so you will not commit the same mistakes.
Anybody can be a politician pero iba yung public servant. When I entered the government I saw myself as a public servant because I wanted to serve the people. For you to become a good public servant, you must have the heart for other people. Yun ang basic. Kung iniisip mo lang na papasok ka sa gobyerno para mangurakot, you will fail.
You should not make a career out of politics. Your goal should be to serve other people and makapagbigay ka ng impact. We should be a man for others.
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