To help cushion the impact of the temporary closure of Ayala Center Cebu (ACC) on their employees, some of the mall tenants decided to reassign those employees to their other branches.
Still, other tenants worked together to provide alternative job opportunities for employees especially those working from the Metro Ayala store, which was destroyed by the fire.
However, the management of Metro Gaisano Group has assured employees that they would not be displaced. (See separate story)
READ: Metro Group lawyer assures affected workers
For Islands Group CEO Jay Aldeguer, the unfortunate incident was a blow to their business inside the mall especially with the Sinulog Festival coming up.
“The fire could have been worse. We’re happy that there are zero casualty which is of main concern. But we have a couple of displays in the department store and in the mall which are now closed at a very bad time because it’s Sinulog season which is a peak time for us,” Aldeguer said.
There is one Islands Souvenirs store in the main mall of Ayala Center Cebu. They also have a stall inside the Metro Ayala Department Store.
But they have recently opened other display kiosks within the mall and the department store for Sinulog.
Aldeguer said though that the management of the mall has been constantly updating them regarding the situation.
As for their employees, Aldeguer said the eight-man crew they have for their store in the main mall have been asked to report to their main office and some have been asked to report to their other branches.
“In the department store, there are two who are employed by Metro but assigned to us. We contacted them over the weekend and we are absorbing them. We will assign them to our Magallanes branch,” he added.
“Hopefully, the mall can open as soon as possible so we can resume operations and hopefully make the most out of the Sinulog season,” Aldeguer said.
Tina Cruz Espiritu, a practicing HR (human resource) manager, posted on her Facebook account contacts of other HR officers who are offering other jobs for the displaced employees.
“For all possible displaced employees or (those) who may look at other opportunities (aside) from METRO AYALA, my colleagues in the HR are offering possible job opportunities for you,” read her post.
She tagged Joseph Cabrera of Rustan Supercenters Inc. which reportedly needs cashiers for other stores like Shopwise Basak San Nicolas, Shopwise Express Basak, Lapu-Lapu, and Shopwise Express Mactan Newtown.
The positions, she added in the post, are all regular positions subject to a six-month probationary period.
Also tagged in the post is Jonah Perilla, HR manager of Leylam Shawarma.
“Leylam Shawarma is also extending job opportunities for you. Positions are for regularization after completing satisfactory probationary period.
Open slots are available nationwide for those who wish to go home to their provinces,” Espiritu’s post read.
She then encouraged other people who may have relatives, neighbors or friends who are employees of Metro Ayala and are affected to also share her post.
In an interview over Facebook Messenger, Perilla said they have vacancies for service crews, sales and retail supervisors, and managers for their stores and stalls nationwide.
Leylam Shawarma has one stall at the foodcourt of Metro Ayala.
Perilla said their crew members in this stall have been reassigned to their other outlets already.