Proving doubters wrong
In our earlier article, the statistics on women in the automotive industry abroad may not be ideal, but we’re happy to report the Philippines has proven to be much more inclusive. As an example, we want to share the story of Twinkle Valdes Alvarez, proprietor of Titanium Movers Manila. The company runs a fleet of 18-wheelers specializing in hauling containerized and loose cargo between the Manila and Batangas Ports since 2015.
As expected, it has been an uphill climb for Twinkle. Yet here she stands in spite of it all.
“At first, people would not take me seriously,” she shares. “I would usually get asked, ‘Why would a pretty face like yours be sitting in a trucker’s meeting?”
Nonetheless, she remains undaunted. “I am used to getting asked very provocative questions too, I would just laugh it out in my mind. Some would think that I acquired the trucking as a family business, or that I’m just the name and that someone’s handling the business for me. Eventually they would see that I take this business seriously.”
She admits, it’s not the easiest line of work to get into.
“Sexism is really part of the Filipino society; we can’t seem to demolish it, which is why this question is always raised to women like me who are working in a ‘male-dominated industry.’
Still, she believes her dedication and work ethic are what quickly silence her critics.
“I’m pretty hands-on, and most people, my clients and my staff, like to deal with that. When I get to interview staff for pre-employment, they wouldn’t think that I am the boss until they get a chance to be employed and be part of the team.”
Hauling is no easy task with the trucking industry in particular subject to so many regulations. Her vehicles have to adhere to the current truck bans, weight limits on highways, and regular safety inspections. Yet Twinkle shares it’s hardly the hardest part of the job.
“It is easy as long as we follow our scheduled weekly / monthly / quarterly maintenance check of all our units. As for the weights, that’s what we usually ask before hauling containers. The heavier the container, more rubber and diesel get used up, so we usually would ask for a higher rate for those.”
What does continue to pose as a challenge is the recent pandemic. Naturally, she has had keep the safety of her staff in top priority while still keeping the business running.
“Everyone including my crew got afraid of the virus. Since this was something new to us, there had been tedious and redundant requirements that arose, both from the national and local government to our clients and other warehouses,” she shares.
“Imagine paying for a weekly RT-PCR test or a rapid test for each employee. Some municipalities require another test if it didn’t come from their accredited facility/clinic. Some would only consider the rapid test if it was done within 48 hours. We had no choice but to comply.
The additional costs have severely affected the company’s expenses, but she continued to persevere to find solutions.
“Some clients would give us refund for those additional expenses, but most would not. Another challenge was the spare parts. Most businesses closed down. And our maintenance team found it difficult to look for a supplier that’s open for business. We found one, which was three to four times more expensive, but we didn’t have a choice but to buy from there.”
In spite of the hardships, the pandemic also brought about a few unexpected benefits.
“One good thing about it was that the price of diesel fell to P18 per liter! Luckily, my employees were also granted a wage subsidy by the Social Security System (SSS). We were also able to apply for DTI APOR IDs, which helped us a lot to pass from border to border. We also felt a big decrease on shipments, thus less trips as compared to pre-pandemic period. At least now that we’re starting to live with it, we’re seeing more demand since last quarter of 2021.”
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Twinkle is her belief in herself and her determination to succeed.
“I wasn’t inspired by any female CEO or leader that inspired me to take on this business. I just do what needs to be done and I just keep moving forward despite challenges or difficulties.”