A company’s stability relies on the quality of people it keeps. On its 40th year, Isuzu Gencars is proud to have in its roster of employees a number of loyal and dedicated people who have been with the company for decades.
As it celebrates 40 years in the industry, Isuzu Gencars, Inc.’s pioneering staff members recall its humble beginnings, and their personal experiences serving and growing with the company.
Linda Gonzales, executive assistant to D. Edgard A. Cabangon, president and chief executive officer, has been with Isuzu Gencars since it was founded in 1978. “I started my employment with Gencars, Inc. on November 2, 1978 as legal secretary at the Legal Department,” she said, remembering the very first position that she held in the company. Later on, she was transferred to the Accounting Department, then to the Finance Department, before finally getting assigned to the office of D. Edgard A. Cabangon, company president and CEO, back in 1997.
“Gencars was selling Gemini and Opel cars before, and we were always number one in dealership. We sold more than 500 units monthly, and it was always a happy day at the Sales Department then. More sales, more food for merienda. Maraming benta, eh, kaya masaya,” Gonzales shared, recalling her early days at Gencars. “I consider all days memorable to me. I just worked and worked and didn’t notice how time flew so fast, and now I realize I have dedicated 40 years of my life to my work here in Gencars,” she added.
Lope M. Caguimbal, a mechanic, also started with Gencars, Inc. in 1978. In his 40 years of service, he says he will never forget how the late founder of Gencars, Inc., Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, inspired him and his colleagues to work hard. “Si Amba ang naging inspirasyon ko sa trabaho at sa buhay mula noon hanggang ngayon. Dahil sa kaniyang pagsisikap ay nagtagumpay at umunlad ang kaniyang buhay. Sa pagharap ko sa buhay ay natuto ako na maging masipag at nagkaroon ng determinasyon sa aking trabaho dahil sinusunod ko ang kaniyang halimbawa,” said Caguimbal as he remembers the late founder with fondness and gratitude.
Elenita Go also draws inspiration from the founder as she performs her daily tasks as a sales executive. “I love Amba so much, as well as Boss Edgard. Mabuti silang tao, madami silang natutulungan. Inspirasyon ko sila dahil sa kanilang sipag, tiyaga, at kabutihan,” she shared. According to her, the most important lessons that she learned from the Cabangons in her 21 years of service to Gencars, Inc. are “maging masipag at tapat sa tungkulin.”
Lerma O. Nacnac joined Gencars 36 years ago as accounts receivable clerk and rose steadily through the years to become executive vice president. For her, the company has been “my second family and home… I have seen its growth from a simple organization to a formidable company.” This impressive growth happened under the watchful eyes of the founder, Amba, and now his son D. Edgard, whose management style, she says, “has been patriarchal and fraternal rather than formal and impersonal.”
The three lessons that she values most from Amba are honesty, making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen, and always aspiring for excellence no matter how humble one’s task is.
These four Gencars pioneers stand out as fine examples of the dedicated workers who have helped raise the company to be a leading distributor of Isuzu’s excellent automotive products and services. They are an inspiration to the rest of the work force to aim for excellence always.
Armed with forty years of experience in the automotive dealership and after-sales service, Isuzu Gencars envisions a radiant future ahead. With its leaders and officers that guide the whole company and highly-skilled and dedicated employees, Isuzu Gencars is truly well-equipped to face the challenges in the automotive industry and surely on it’s way to more decades of greater achievements.
Messages
Congratulations to Gencars, Inc. on the celebration of its 40th Foundation Anniversary! Gencars, Inc. has been one of Isuzu’s most reliable partners in the Philippines since it was founded by Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua in 1978. Proof of this are the multiple Dealer of the Year Awards (DOYA) that it has received through the years, and the outstanding performance of its branches around the country.
Because of its consistent notable performance, it is also not surprising that Gencars, Inc. was able to expand quickly through the years, bringing Isuzu’s line of dependable sports utility vehicles and trucks, along with excellent after-sales services, to many different locations in the country. We are proud to recognize that it has indeed become a reliable partner of Filipinos residing in the Cities of Makati, Batangas, Legazpi, Naga, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, and Sto. Tomas, Batangas, where its dealerships are located, for all their motoring needs.
On behalf of the team members of Isuzu Philippines Corporation, I wish Gencars Inc. more successful years ahead.
Mabuhay!
HAJIME KOSO
President of Isuzu Philippines Corp.
With great pride and joy, I am sending my warmest congratulations to the whole family of Isuzu Gencars, Inc. on our 40th anniversary.
I am humbled by the milestone that we have achieved. Staying in the automobile industry for four decades is such a blessing. Longevity in any business industry is a dream that every company wishes to realize. But today, that dream becomes a reality for us.
Not all enterprises survive this long in business, only the most stable ones. It is worth noting that we owe our stability to the good foundation that my late father and the founder of Gencars, Amb. Antonio Cabangon Chua, laid out for the company. Though we terribly miss him especially during these celebratory moments, his memories and the wisdom he imparted will always make him a huge part of our achievement.
Since its establishment on October 16, 1978, we persevered to be true to his vision of excellence for Gencars when he established the company: “To be one of the best dealers in the motor vehicle industry, committed to market only the best products, and to provide quality service to achieve total customer satisfaction.”
I also believe there is no better time to express my gratefulness for the hardwork and perseverance of the officers and staff, sales people and service personnel of Isuzu Gencars who played a great part in establishing our good reputation of providing high quality vehicles and efficient service to our customers who patronized us through the years.
Inspired by the theme of our celebration – Forty-fying the Future – let us continue working in a strong spirit of teamwork, diligence and perseverance. And let us always be faithful to our founder’s dream of bringing to our people only the best vehicles to meet their needs, and only the best automotive products and services to give them total satisfaction.
Again, happy anniversary and mabuhay tayong lahat.
D. EDGARD A. CABANGON
President and Chief Executive Officer