Turning 18 gives us a good reason to look back. But instead of telling the story through dates and company milestones, we wanted to hear from the people who have been part of it.
So, as Select VoiceCom celebrates its 18th anniversary, 18 employees shared a piece of their own SVC journey. Their stories show what 18 years looks like through the eyes of those who experienced it.
Where It All Begins
Via Rose Rabago knows what it's like to walk into SVC with no previous job to compare it to. Joining as an Employee Engagement Associate was her first step into the corporate world. Ten months in, she can already see how much that first opportunity has shaped her.
That first step can also lead somewhere completely unexpected.
Paula Panganiban-Castillo began her own SVC journey two years ago as the Digital Marketing & Communications Head. She looked back on taking the first step toward what would become a life-changing chapter.
"Before joining SVC, I worked in highly corporate environments both locally and internationally. While those experiences helped me grow, it was also stressful and isolating," she recalled.
For Paula, the decision to join SVC would eventually take on a meaning she may not have anticipated at the beginning.
"SVC completely changed that experience for me. I can say our culture is not about blaming people when challenges arise; it is always about accountability, collaboration, friendship, and becoming better together," she added.
Careers can take shape one decision at a time, and sometimes you only realise how important that first decision was when you look back.
Then there's Dennis Simbreno, who remembers a milestone many employees hope to reach: the first promotion. Three years into his SVC journey, Dennis is now a Team Leader. That promotion meant more than a new title. It was also the moment when the work he had put in opened the door to greater responsibility.
Of course, careers rarely move in a straight line.
Ray Francis Vertudazo can speak to that. There were challenges during his 15 years with SVC, including times when giving up might have seemed easier. He kept going and is now a Team Leader.
"One of the biggest challenges that really tested me and changed me was the trust my superiors placed in me back in 2011," he recalled.
Looking back, he said that the experience taught him to embrace change and always give his best.
A workplace can also surprise you with the people you meet there. Reeve Granzon, a Patient Care Coordinator who has been with SVC for seven months, found something he didn't expect when he joined: a team that began to feel like family.
"I found myself during those dark days when I felt overwhelmed and lost. But I was welcomed by a family here, specifically the titas of SVC, and they made me feel that I belong," Reeve shared.
It's still an early chapter, but it's already given him people to share the experience with.
TL Ray Francis Vertudazo
When Months Turn Into Years
Stay with a company long enough, and the memories begin to pile up.
Marie Basan has been a Customer Service Representative at SVC for 16 years. That's almost the entire history we're celebrating today. Among all those years, she chose to share a milestone that still stands out, a reminder that even in a long career, certain moments never quite lose their significance.
Charmaenne Vertudazo has spent 15 years with the company and now serves as a Campaign Manager. Her story centres on leadership and what happens when your responsibility includes other people's success, too.
Reflecting on what leading others has taught her, she said, "Over my 15 years at SVC, I've learned that leadership is not about being the person with all the answers. It's about listening, understanding your people, setting the right example, and knowing when to guide and when to step back."
Not every opportunity announces itself as the next big career move.
Vian Corsonado encountered an unexpected one during her four years at SVC. Taking that chance became part of the path that led her to her current role as Team Leader. Vian's experience reminds us that careers can change direction when we're willing to explore an opportunity we didn't originally plan for.
At the Davao site, Operations Manager Key Manatad is only a year into his SVC journey, yet one lesson from that first year has already stayed with her. You don't necessarily need a decade at a company to learn something that changes how you approach your work.
Andy Martinez, meanwhile, can look much further back. Andy joined SVC in 2011 and has now spent 15 years with the company as a Customer Service Representative. A lot can change over that time, and Andy's story shows how a career can take you places you never pictured when you first walked through the door.
Sometimes that growth requires someone or something to push you beyond what feels comfortable.
Campaign Manager Andrei Atentar shared that side of the experience. His story highlights the moments that challenged what he thought he could do and ultimately showed him there was room to grow.
"I always believe in the TEA principle. What you think will affect your emotions, which then become your action." Andrei shared.
Then there are relationships that outlast projects and campaigns. After 16 years at SVC, Campaign Manager Lester Campo has met people who stopped feeling like coworkers somewhere along the way. They became family. It's one of those parts of a long career that can't be measured by promotions or years of service, but can matter just as much.
TL Vian Corsonado
What Stays With Us
Not everything employees remember most is about moving up.
During her five years at SVC, Recruitment Officer Therese Luar found opportunities to make a difference beyond her own work.
"Being part of the SVC clubs and other outreach initiatives has given me a real sense of purpose outside the daily work. I've met a lot of great people across different walks of life," Therese shared.
Jermaine Arco, SVC's Chief Operating Officer, has spent 16 years with the company, giving him plenty of moments to choose from. Yet one stands apart as what he calls an SVC core memory, the kind of experience that stays vivid even after years of new ones have followed.
"We've been through a lot. I'd probably say two. During Typhoon Odette and during the onset of the pandemic. Why I can't forget that is because we had to do a lot of things for our employees to make sure that we stay operational," Jermaine recalled.
"We talk about caring for our people, but during difficult times, you actually see what that means," he added.
Janice Encarquez remembers a person instead.
Somewhere during her 11-year journey to becoming a Team Leader, someone believed in what she could do. Having someone see your potential can matter, especially when you're still figuring it out yourself. That belief became part of the story Janice chose to share.
At the other end of the timeline is Asherah Requierme. She's only four months into her role as a Patient Care Coordinator, but she already has a win she considers worth celebrating. Her story is a nice reminder that you don't need years behind you before something begins to feel significant.
Eight years into his own journey, Team Leader Moses Escobilla shared something that puts the daily grind into perspective: a reason bigger than work. Careers take up a significant part of our lives, but often what we're working toward outside the office gives the effort meaning.
"Aside from encouraging my team to perform. I also encourage them to go out and have an active lifestyle. I advocate life and work balance, and I believe that when they have that balance, they perform better at work," he shared.
These aren't necessarily the moments you'll find on a corporate timeline. Most of them are personal, and that's precisely why they tell an important part of SVC's 18-year story.
COO Jermaine Arco
FriYay Vibe Goes Extra Special
Of course, we weren't going to turn 18 without something good to eat.
On September 18, our FriYay tradition got an anniversary upgrade. The 7th- and 10th-floor lobbies welcomed employees with customised grazing tables prepared by Nanay Lita's Homemade Goodies, giving everyone a chance to grab a treat and share in the celebration.
Employees enjoyed mini burger sliders or a slice of pepperoni supreme pizza before moving on to mango salad. Egg tarts and banana cake added something sweet, with ube and pandan chantilly cake giving the spread an appropriately festive finish.
More than an anniversary meal, it gave people a reason to leave their desks for a bit, catch up, and celebrate another SVC milestone together.
After all, turning 18 is a pretty good excuse for cake.
What's Next for SVC?
After spending most of the anniversary looking back, the final story asks a different question. What's next for SVC?
Jermaine has seen much of the company's growth firsthand during his 16 years with SVC. Even after everything that has happened during that time, he believes SVC still has plenty of room to grow.
Perhaps that's what makes turning 18 interesting.
And on SVC's 18th anniversary, we're celebrating the people who keep making things happen.
Happy 18th anniversary, SVC!
Join the SVC Team
There's always room for a new story at SVC.
Explore our career opportunities and see where yours could take you.
— Jobert Garganta, Select VoiceCom
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