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Above is a picture of myself together with a young and budding business executive I have recently met along the stretch of my dysfunctional writing career. Her name is Amabelle Selma-Canedo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Legacy Plains Developers Corporation (LPDC) who was recently leading the 10th year founding anniversary celebration of one of her family's businesses, the LPDC memorial park.
Canedo, a UPian, is making a distinct impression on memorial park industry as LPDC becomes one of people’s top choices when it comes to availing of memorial garden plans and services in Metro Cebu. The prestige and credibility of her company is anchored on the fact that it has pioneered the development of private memorial gardens in Cebu.
Back in 2002, LPDC started with 1.5 hectare memorial garden in Minglanilla, Cebu, the time when Canedo was designated by her family to venture into a memorial garden business. Two years thereafter, it was followed by an 8000-square meter Legacy Plains Memorial Garden in Naga, Cebu. It indicates that Canedo was rising from being a neophyte to becoming a player in the memorial garden industry.
Establishing a branch in the southern part of the province was just a beginning.
In 2008, she opened another 2.1-hectare memorial garden in Toledo City, midwest Cebu. And later this year, the 3.8 hectare environmentally-slick Divine Mercy memorial park designed from a Mediterranean architectural style will be in a full swing in the idyllic town of Moalboal; the first premiere memorial park in southwest Cebu with scenic terrains, serving the coastal townspeople of Moalboal, Badian, Alcantara, Ronda, and Dumanjug.
In 2008, she opened another 2.1-hectare memorial garden in Toledo City, midwest Cebu. And later this year, the 3.8 hectare environmentally-slick Divine Mercy memorial park designed from a Mediterranean architectural style will be in a full swing in the idyllic town of Moalboal; the first premiere memorial park in southwest Cebu with scenic terrains, serving the coastal townspeople of Moalboal, Badian, Alcantara, Ronda, and Dumanjug.
It is a revolution in the business sector when you encounter the idea of a low-cost, affordable service coming from the private sector. It was the impression I mulled over while listening to Canedo’s speech in front of guests and business executives early last month. I commended her passion and ardour in providing a decent and quality memorial infrastructure to Cebuano people. I was impressed with her kindness to grant helpful incentives, health care benefits and parcels of land to LPDC employees. The gist of her talk was that investing in any kind of business is not just to gain profit but also to provide care and support to the people and employees. “There is always a room for improvement”, she said during her speech. “We must move forward”, she added. She delivered an awesome speech full of conviction and zeal to making a difference in the unique path she’s taking.
(Ms. Selma-Canedo with Mr. Leonardo M. Roa, Sales and Operations Head)
The event was not just an ordinary anniversary celebration, it was also the official unveiling of LPDC's new company logo and slogan.
In a press release, Canedo said the change of company logo was seriously thought of in order to mark how far the company had gone and how far it aims to go. It also signifies a redefinition of the whole business organisation; a realignment of functions ranging from brokers to top positions. With the new logo and slogan, Canedo quipped that “the LPDC will be more visible to the market and will adapt a more client-centric and community-oriented approach in its information and marketing campaign.”
(Ms. Selma-Canedo delivering her speech)
In a press conference, I asked her about the challenges she has been possibly dealing with for the past 10 years managing the business. With much fervor, she answered, that the only difficult thing she has been experiencing so far is when giving orders to her much older subordinates. However, she said she is not intimidated with challenges. She would rather become more resilient and willed.
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(Mr. Dennis D. Catipon, Human Resource Development Head)
I stole a quick chat with this energetic HR Officer of LPDC, Mr. Dennis Catipon, along with other media personalities who I used to get along with when I was working in one of Cebu's daily news outfits a few years ago. I was exchanging nods in obvious agreement with them that having an early burial plan is indeed not an intimidating idea at all. Having attended the event reminded me that death indeed is the most inevitable thing to happen to man. It’s a universal truth nobody can refute.
