BPO firm Alorica Inc. recently celebrated the first face-to-face Kadayawan Festival since the pandemic, showcasing with pride the growth of its workforce in Davao City, which doubled in the last two years.
Alorica’s participation in the celebrations embodied the core values that the now nearly 2,500-strong homegrown Aloricans in Davao have dedicated to its customers, reflecting the Kadayawan spirit.
“We celebrate the 37th Kadayawan festival on thanksgiving,” said Marvin Vinluan, Director of Strategic Sourcing and Recruitment Marketing. “Alorica’s operations in Davao City have grown tremendously. This achievement would not have been possible without the kind of vibrant community support that thrives on Kadayawan-inspired values.“
Padayon sa Pag-uswag, Alorica Davao!
A month-long cultural event, the Kadayawan festival celebrates the unity of Davao’s 11 ethnolinguistic tribes. It also serves as a thanksgiving for nature’s gifts, the people’s rich culture, and the year’s bountiful harvest. The name is derived from the word ‘dayaw’, which means valuable, superior, good, or beautiful.
Alorica Davao’s participation in the annual Pamulak sa Kadayawan float parade has become a sacred company tradition since 2016. This year, Alorica scored another significant finish, being the only BPO company that made it as one of the finalists in the Gamay (Small) Category, and eventually winning third place against 10 other contenders.
Alorica cosplay, external activities, agent referrals
One of Alorica Davao’s major activities during the festival is the Employee Referral Cosplay Contest, which runs for the entire month of August. Open to all Alorica employees, participants in the contest were enjoined to wear original costumes that represent the company’s core values as well as the spirit of Kadayawan.
Winning the top prize was an entry called “The Tribe” featuring colorful costumes that highlight Davao’s indigenous heritage.
The first runner up was called “The Queen” whose interpretation of a true-blooded Dabawenya beauty showcases the majesty of the Philippine Eagle.
The second runner up was “Princess” who dazzled the audience with a tribal dress of the Ata, one of the 11 tribes in Davao.
Third runner up was called “Waling-waling”, alluding to the beautiful orchid also known by the name Vanda sanderiana, which is endemic to Mindanao.
On the sidelines of the celebrations, Alorica also led its now traditional “external meet and greet” sessions with the company’s long-time, local partners in the academe and local government. For this activity, company officials paid formal visits to Alorica’s partners in the cities of Davao, Tagum, Digos, and Panabo. Aside from rekindling ties, part of the agenda was to showcase Alorica’s progress, announce job opportunities, and invite participants in the company’s Kadawayan campaigns.
At the same time, Alorica’s on-the-ground agent referral campaign along with other recruitment initiatives yielded more than 3,000 applicants and about 500 new hires for the month of August – with hundreds more set to begin employment in the following months. Participants in the campaign were incentivized with electronic gift certificates and cash prizes.