A good Human Resources (HR) department ensures that the company meets the needs of employees. Imagine the challenge that HR managers faced when Typhoon Ondoy struck! P&G HR manager, Minda Basa had to make sure that all emergency loans of affected employees were quickly and correctly processed – even though her own home was also damaged by the flood.
Recently, Minda, 50, was assigned to manage expat services such as relocation – daunting because coordinating with families and global providers can get complicated… Oh, and P&G operates in 80 countries.
On top of that, this supermom runs her household which consists of her husband, 4 children and herself (they’ve lived without a helper for 10 years already). Let’s get to know her more!
Tell us about your kids
- Miguel, 25, graduated from CEU, Marketing Management. He works at NGA Human Resources as Payroll Process Owner for other countries. He became health-conscious after too many late nights at work and overeating with workmates! People we’ve both worked with say that his discipline at work is similar to mine.
- Anika, 22, graduated from UST, Marketing Management and now works at IPG Media Groups handling accounts like Johnson&Johnson and Bon Chon. She’s very dedicated and competitive in everything that she does. It seems she got my work ethics too! She tries her best to be fit through running and playing softball.
- Adriel, 16, is an incoming Year 10 student. He is our star when it comes to dancing and basketball. He’s been the badminton Most Valuable Player (MVP) in school for three years now. He tends to be serious and has a good memory.
- Angel, 15, she is an incoming Year 9 student. She’s a fashionista and knows that she’s photogenic. She’s the energizer bunny in the house, laughs a lot and is indeed a source of joy; perhaps the most sociable among the 4 kids.
What’s your secret to being a supermom?
Having a supermom role model also. My own mother worked as a teacher and tried her best to be at home most of the time. Through her, I learned the basics of cooking and laundry, plus the discipline to clean the house. This is what am doing for my kids as well. Having no household helpers for so many years now, I am confident that they know the basics and are ready to be on their own.
I believe that working for P&G is a major help for me also. I have worked for the company for 28 years already and can say that it truly believes in work-life effectiveness. I am very lucky to have supportive managers who understand why I have to work from 7am to 4pm. We also have a work-from-home day which allows me to cook for the family because I don’t have to waste precious time in traffic.
READ: Mom lets kids take over meal planning; the results are surprising!
What’s your me-time?
Time for my plants! I don’t have much me-time actually, I want to do a lot of things during weekends aside from resting.
From births to milestones, read about Minda’s defining mom moments on the next page.
Your most heartwarming mom moment
All the days I gave birth to each of them.
What’s your proudest moment as a mom?
Seeing each of my kids go through their personal milestones in life like graduating from college, winning and losing badminton tournaments, doing summer jobs, etc. Those moments which I know helps build their character and those moments which affirm us as parents who are guiding them well to be good children of God.
Did you turn out to be the parent you wanted to or thought you would be?
Yes, I believe so. Even when I was young, I told myself that I want my children to be more open with me as a parent. My own parents seemed quiet and quite formal. I didn’t feel that I could freely share stories with them. I told myself that I wouldn’t let that happen. It’s challenging to strike a balance between being a parent and a friend (they become too comfortable sometimes) but I always pray for guidance.
What about motherhood has surprised you? How has it changed you?
While on a family vacation at a friend’s house, my friend spoke to me in private to say that she’s proud of me and my husband because of the quality of children we have raised. I will never forget that evening. She told me how responsible and respectful our children are compared to other family guests they had in their house. It was like receiving a trophy for doing a good job as parents. It became a challenge for me to keep doing well and I really pray every night that we will always be guided.
What parenting issue are you dealing with right now and what you are doing about it?
Now that they’re all grown up with different interests, it is a challenge to help them understand each other. Also, my husband is not as patient as I am so I have to do the balancing act between him and the children. Different personalities play out and am very careful in choosing my language and behavior. My greatest fear is to have rebellious children.
What unique aspect of Pinoy/Asian parenting have you found to be the most helpful in raising your child/children?
They all grew up to do the “mano po” to all elders and praying before meals. For me, these are basic aspects of our culture which instilled in them respect for elders, and taught them to be God-fearing and thankful for all blessings.
READ: 6 ways to raise a proudly Pinoy child
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