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Room attendant rises from the ranks and sees the world

Her secret: Don’t find fault; instead, lend support

By Gelin Castro

Being a team leader, I stand in front to show direction and, at the same time, watch from the back to know how my team is doing.

DUBAI:  Mercedita Fernandez, currently director of housekeeping at Bulgary Resort and Residences, is not only considered a leader of her team but also a mother figure to its members, being “a hands-on type of leader who is always around, not to find fault but to give support and assistance when needed.”

Fernandez, 61, started out in 1976 at the historic Manila Hotel as room attendant. Her dedication to her job propelled her career, sending her to major cities like Beijing, Ho Chi Minh, Shanghai, Bahrain and Cairo, before finally landing in the UAE as director of housekeeping in 2010 at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, where she further rose from the ranks.

Fernandez is recipient of the 2017 The Filipino Times Hospitality Professional of the Year.

“Being a leader of my team, I stand in front to show direction as to where we are going and, at the same time, watch from the back to know how my team are doing. And if there are opportunities for them to grow, be it in my department or another, I will support them and help them move or get promoted,” said Fernandez.

“I have created leaders, housekeepers in hotels I’ve worked at and places I have been.  People who have worked with me have become very successful in life,” she added.

Fernandez said there had been numerous times she was offered to take up different positions as a hotelier, but she chose to stay in housekeeping all these years. Her choice did her well, and her loyalty and dedication have won awards that many hoteliers could only dream of.

She was given the highest honor being given by the Marriott hotel company in 2013 in  grand ceremonies held in Washington DC. Fernandez has also received the Gold Standard Award which was given by Ritz-Carlton to an outstanding performer in the company.  Having won the award gave her an automatic nomination to the Marriot Award of  Excellence, a springboard to more awards from the international five-star hotel chain.  Ritz-Carlton is a subsidiary of Marriott International.

“I would say there were more (awards) but this is the best that measures my contribution to the industry and recognition for my performance. Being known to be part of the Marriott company, having traveled in different countries, never having difficulty looking for a job, being granted request for a job you want  in the country you want to be and working up and till now is the significance of those awards,” Fernandez said about her accolades.

“I may not be a famous Filipino in Dubai but I am a respected mother to the Filipinos I work with in the hotel. From the time I hired them to work with me, I know I am helping them in so many ways,” she said.

The Filipino Times Awards 2018 will be held on 7 September in JW Marriott Marquis Dubai in association with du as the platinum sponsor. The TFT Awards, which is now on its 4th edition, is proud to have RAKBANK as the gold sponsor and Al Tayer Motors-Ford as the car partner. Category sponsors of The Filipino Times Awards are Nikon, Pancake House International and Bawiq, while the support sponsors are NMC Mabuhay Clinic, Hot Palayok Restaurant & Grill, CMG Cargo, MPQ Tourism and Dofreeze-Eurocake.

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