Wilcon’s 100th store milestone: Being the beacon of building
The subdued gleam of green of the glass masterpiece “The Beacon”, presented to Wilcon Depot chairman emeritus William T. Bello, said it all.
More than 500 well-appointed guests trooped to Shangri-la at The Fort to celebrate Wilcon Depot’s 100th store milestone and 48th anniversary. The guest list was a veritable who’s who of the building and home improvement industry, composed of longtime stakeholders, clients, business partners, the crème de la crème of architects, designers, and engineers, along with local and international suppliers of the world’s leading construction and home essentials.
Among the luminaries spotted were Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, former senator Richard “Dick” Gordon, former senator Nikki Coseteng, Joey Concepcion, Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Stanley Ng, Edu Manzano, Wilcon Ambassador Tessa Prieto, members of the diplomatic corps and several delegations from Thailand, Malaysia, Israel and Indonesia.
The Filipiniana fusion theme of the evening was felt all around, from the festive décor to the carefully selected entertainment numbers, including the medley of local dances to the soulful strains of Sitti and The Company vocal group.
Exquisite tribute
Among the high points of the evening was the tribute to Wilcon Depot founder and chairman emeritus Dr. William T. Belo. The company’s top executives, including president and CEO Lorraine Belo-Cincochan, and SEVP and COO Rosemarie Bosch-Ong, presented to Dr. Belo the exquisite masterpiece of renowned Filipino artist Marge Organo.
The glass sculpture in the signature green hue of Wilcon embodies the quality of clarity, excellence, abundance, and brilliance that captures the chairman emeritus’ impact on Wilcon and the Filipino building industry.
Inspiring message
Bosch-Ong, meanwhile, delivered an inspiring message that attributed the company’s success and enduring legacy to authentic Filipino attributes of courage, wisdom, and heart (puso).
She cited that despite the highs and lows of the company when confronted by both local and global challenges, Wilcon has held its head high because of the visionary leadership of its core management team and the loyalty of its competent human resources.
Bosch-Ong further noted that Wilcon has never compromised the quality of its extensive product lines for cheap or low quality items just to meet profit margins. In fact, she stressed that Wilcon has always found the balance in making premium products available and accessible to the buying public at cost-efficient prices.
Continuing the commitment
This sentiment was echoed by Belo-Cincochan, when she said that every Wilcon store is an expression of the company’s passion and determination to fuel the Filipino builders’ dream–from the humblest edifice they call home to the most majestic building towers that dot the country’s landscape.
The evening ended on a high note as she led the celebratory toast along with the assurance that Wilcon Depot will continue its commitment to help the Filipinos build and make their dream homes or edifices a reality. Among those who joined the toast onstage were other Wilcon key officers including Careen Belo, Mark Belo, Grace Tiong, Eden Godino, Michael Tiong, Jean Alger, Lauro Francisco, Keith Chan, Rowel Godino, Jea Reyes, and Alen Alban.
“We’ve reached the 100th store milestone, a full year ahead of schedule. That in itself is a formidable feat. But we’re far from done. In fact, at year 48 we are only just beginning since there are so many more dreams to be created and fulfilled. We want to become more than the leader in this industry. We want to continue being the beacon for Filipino builders 100 stores and beyond,” Bosch-Ong said.
