By Faith Argosino
As people age, not a few can’t help but feel the diminishing excitement the Yuletide season brings. While innocent little ones look forward to the holidays with gifts and Christmas goodies in mind, not a few adults, on the other hand, are more concerned with the expenses and preparations such a celebration entails. But this isn’t the case for Carlo Espiritu and Ian Bencio David, as their respective Christmases have become extra special due to challenges and opportunities that later turned out to be unexpected blessings.
Life is a series of ups and downs for Carlo, especially, who began battling Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2017. It was no joke for the Conrad Manila’s housekeeping coordinator to face his then illness with nothing but optimism, but who would have thought that his positive outlook and perseverance would take him to greater heights and a cancer-free life?
Carlo shared with PeopleAsia that what started out as back pain intensified and developed into cancer. He also narrated how he drew strength from God and his loved ones. With a hint of pride in his voice, he likewise shared with us how he managed his schedule, which involved attending to his work and undergoing chemotherapy at the same time. He didn’t treat his then illness as a hindrance and instead used it as a motivation to move forward.
“I told my family about my illness. Of course, it was difficult at first. But for me, it shouldn’t be an excuse to feel sad and defeated for long. You need to stay positive. In my case, I always scheduled my chemo on Mondays and Tuesdays, the less busy days in housekeeping and, if I could, I would go to work or report the next day,” he says.
Carlo’s colleagues could attest to his optimism as well as his unflagging perseverance, one of the sole reasons why Conrad Manila awarded him with the 2018 CEO Light and Warmth Award—the highest honor the Hilton (Hospitality, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Ownership and Now) hotel chain gives its employees—and the 2019 Mabuhay Award.
“He’s always smiling! I’m sure you’re all familiar that housekeeping is one of the most stressful jobs in the hotel industry, but I have Carlo here as an example, a light for everyone to be inspired and to work as hard as him,” says Angel Velasco, Conrad Manila’s marketing and communications manager.
Apart from his dedication and hard work, Carlo serves as an inspiration for everyone. He truly deserves to be one of the 13 winners across all Hilton hotels the world over (the iconic hotel chain is present in 117 countries).
Just recently, he was invited to receive a Mabuhay Award given by The Association of Human Resource Managers in the Hospitality Industry (AHRM), an informal group formed in 1974 by four HR practitioners when there were only three major international hotels in the Philippines.
On a lighter note, Ian, Conrad Manila’s sales manager for MICE, uses his talent for music and gift of gab by entertaining hotel guests on the side with Christmas songs that encapsulate the warmth and joy of the season.
Thanks to his suave voice and innate showmanship, Ian brings light, joy and inspiration to his audience through his music. For people who lost their game and spark for Christmas, his voice will surely revive for them the warmth of the season through his rendition of Christmas standards immortalized by such great crooners as Frank Sinatra.
Like Carlo, Ian taught and reminded everyone to maintain a positive outlook in life while striving for excellence. He happily shared that he, along with his five colleagues, will be walking down the red carpet in Los Angeles, California on December 26 during the 67th annual Grammy Awards and serenade the awardees just before the televised show.
Indeed, with these two inspiring gentlemen on board, Conrad Manila has more than enough reasons to feel proud, as it provides joy and instills hope and wonder among its guests during this magical season and all throughout the year.
