ANNIVERSARIES are the time when a company celebrates and to be grateful for all the blessings it has received.
This is exactly what Marriott Manila will be doing this year as it celebrates its 15th anniversary. This yearlong celebration has been dubbed “Grateful – Celebrating 15 Years of Wonderful Moments.”
To kick off the festivities. Marriott Manila saw it fit to celebrate three ladies who have assumed significant roles within the organization. For Marriott, this is a welcome change that will definitely contribute to the commitment of being able to provide heartfelt and meaningful hospitality to everyone all the time.
The stories of the three ladies will revolve around their vision, their advocacy, and the legacy that they want to leave behind. They will also give their take on “Wonderful Hospitality. Always” and what they are grateful for. Here are their stories.
MYLENE RHEA ANG
Director of Sales
Event Booking Center Marriott Manila
Mylene has been in the hospitality industry for 13 years. Prior to joining Marriott, she also worked in another five-star property in Makati.
“I started my career as a coordinator and worked myself up to Senior Sales Manager and until recently as the sale leader for Manila Marriott. I am responsible for the Event Booking Center where we receive leads and convert them to business for the hotel,” Mylene related.
When asked about her vision in her new role, she said she wants to care for her team, to uphold the Marriott brand and generate value for the brand.
“It is particularly important for me that our work creates a valuable brand. A valuable brand attracts investors and investors who invest in our brand creates jobs for the people. And in the grand scheme of things, that is the end goal of the brand,” Mylene said.
As for her personal advocacy, Mylene said she wants to create a nurturing environment to enable new moms to go back to the workforce. This advocacy, Mylene related, stemmed from her own experience of having giving birth to twins.
When the time came for her to return to work, she was very doubtful if she would be able to have a career and have a family life at the same time.
“I am where I am today because of the support that I received from the company and the sales leaders. They gave me a strong foundation that enabled me to bounce back and have the career that I want and the family that I have always dreamed of,” she said.
She wants to be remembered by her team, her family, and the hospitality industry as someone who cared for her team and family, and that she was always present in their lives which translates to important contributions to the overall success of the industry in general.
When asked about her definition of “Wonderful Hospitality. Always,” Mylene said it is consistent to what she shows to hotel guests, colleagues and even her family.
“The operative word there, for me, is always which is the consistency that is present with our associates, and this makes our brand strong,” she said.
In keeping with the anniversary theme of being grateful, Mylene said she is grateful to the hotel leaders who set the tone and the standards that allow them all to thrive in the workplace.
“That’s how I felt when I came back from my maternity leave. Without the support, the flexibility, and the care that I received, I would not be able to continue here. So that is what I am grateful for, because of the foundation that they gave me. I am able to have both the things that I want the most, which is a career and a strong family life,” Mylene said.
CLAUDETTE MARICLAIRE “LALA” QUILANTANG
Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing
Marriott Manila and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo
Lala has been in the hospitality industry for the past 27 years. Out of the 27 years, three of them have been in operations. However, she found her happiness in sales.
“It’s 24 years of sales and I have been with other brands. Name it, I have been there, but it is in Marriott Manila that I found my home,” she said, adding that she joined Marriott Manila in 2012 but then transferred to another hotel under Marriott.
When Marriott expanded in the Philippines, Lala was wooed to spearhead the National Sales Team in 2019 where she was in charge of selling of all the brands under Marriott International present in the Philippines. In 2022, she was made Director of Sales and Marketing for Sheraton Hotel Manila and in 2023 she was asked to assume the Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing role for Marriott Manila and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo.
“My vision is to promote the Manila Marriott brand so that it will remain an icon brand. We were the ones who started the brand here in Manila so I would want to keep that halo brand as an icon, as being the best and the leader in the industry,” Lala said.
She also has a vision for her team of 30 associates and that is to develop the next generation of leaders so that they will be ready to take over when the right time comes or when she retires.
As for her personal advocacy, Lala wants to show to the world that moms can balance work and family.
“It can never be a perfect balance but it’s more about the quality of time that you give to both your life and to your career. I want to show to the people that you can still work and have a family as well,” she said, adding that she wants her children to remember her for being able to juggle the responsibilities of being a working mom.
“I bring my children to work if I have to. I take a leave of absence if there is something important in school. I want my children to remember that their mom is always there for them,” Lala said.
She wants her team to remember her as being the one who offers them with opportunities. Lala related she, herself, had been at the receiving end of a lot of opportunities which turned out to be blessings.
“I want to be a blessing to my team, to give them the same opportunities that I had, opportunities that were given to me by my mentors. Those opportunities can serve as stepping stones for them to move on with their careers,” Lala said.
As for her legacy in the hospitality industry, Lala said she wants to be remembered “as someone who can influence people.”
“I want to be remembered as someone who makes things matter and was able to change some (relevant) things,” she said.
For Lala, “Wonderful Hospitality. Always,” is when a client remembers the event, their contracts, or their dealings with the hotel with a smile. It always brings a smile to her face when clients sing praises about her team.
She will forever be grateful for the opportunities that have come her way.
“Opportunities do not really just come your way, you really have to work hard for it. Opportunity knocks once so grab it. While waiting for that opportunity, take time to hone your skills,” Lala said.
NOENA ELIZABETH “ELLIE” ALARCON
Director of Sales
Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo
Ellie has been with the brand for seven years now, adding that she was 23 years old when she started her journey. She started her career as Sales Manager Special Corporate and MICE at Marriott Manila.
In 2021, she moved to the Marriott National Sales Office where she handled all of the hotels under the Marriott Group in the Philippines. In that same year, she was promoted as Senior Manager and now as Director of Sales of Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo.
Her vision for Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo is to make Iloilo the top destination for business as well as leisure gatherings in the Visayas region.
“We want our customers, our guests to experience that fiesta vibe through the rich, local culture coupled with the Marriott brand of service,” Ellie related.
As for her personal advocacy, Ellie said her focus is on children’s welfare. She is a strong believer that education is the secret to success.
“(Children’s) education alone is not enough, it should be coupled with proper nutrition. Every month, I have been supporting schools by sending them groceries on a regular basis. I also conduct feeding programs. It is good to teach them how to fish”, she said.
As for her team, Ellie wants to be remembered as the leader who develops her team to be the next batch of leaders. Since she is still single, Ellie wants also to be remembered as the good and responsible daughter and sibling.
“As a leader, you have to be caring. You have to be thoughtful because as a leader you have the capacity to transform someone’s career trajectory,” she said, adding that she wanted to be known in the industry as a leader with (good) intentions.
For Ellie, “Wonderful Hospitality. Always” is service that comes from the heart and goes the extra mile to serve customers and guests.
“It is being intentional in building that connection to create warmth and wonderful experiences for our guests,” Ellie said.
She is grateful for her team, a team that is very hardworking.
“I have the best team. I thank them for their commitment, enthusiasm, and passion”, Ellie said.
With these three inspiring stories, Marriott Manila hopes that people will see its utmost commitment to being their ally in making dream moments come true beyond the celebration of its 15th anniversary while being grateful for almost two significant decades in the Philippines of being able to provide wonderful hospitality timely and timelessly.