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Dr. Norberto Quisumbing, Chairman of the Board,
Norkis Group of Companies A Role Model for all Time
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AS A TRAILBLAZER, he has no peers in the automotive industry. While his counterparts were more into sedans, he ventured mostly into motorcycles. While nearly everyone was keen on selling vehicles at sky-high rates, his vehicles were priced at a third of his competitors’ prices. While customers had to bring their vehicles to the service center and wait for hours for their turn, his customers merely text a mechanic for personalized home service.
As the exclusive distributor for Yamaha motorcycles in the country, Dr. Norberto Quisumbing certainly was a pioneer, to say the least. He fulfilled a need for the lower-income bracket by providing a means of transportation well within their reach. He made sure that company vision and philosophy would always result in repeat and satisfied customers. And he was always a stickler for honesty and hard work without fail.
Little wonder that his five-man team in the early 1960s has since expanded to 34 full-fledged companies. Not just the automotive industry, mind you, but also in real estate, furniture, metal crates, engineering works, air conditioners, and agribusiness. Payroll, benefits, and incentives total at least Php60-M a month. Third-generation employees are not altogether a rarity in the company structure. While his company products are found in over 95 percent of the country’s total number of cities and provinces!
More than just motorcycles, the Norkis Group of Companies also manufactures the popular Multicab in six different models; the Legacy First in three models; the Privacy unit in two models; the Maverick which is 5R Certified (Re-conditioning, Re-manufacturing, Rebuilding, Re-engineering, and Re-inventing); the Topgun sedan; and the latest, the Spider, a mini “car-jeep” which is targeted at ferrying tourists within resort hubs.
“I believe that the ordinary man on the street deserves to own a vehicle within his means. At the same time, quality must not be sacrificed in order to gain his trust and patronage. Hence, the corporate philosophy, the Norkis PRESS of which everyone has to follow. P for profitable and productive, R for responsive, E for excellent quality, S for self-fulfilled, and S for socially-involved,” he affirmed.
The facts certainly speak for themselves. Most especially, the company name. For Norkis is but a combination of the starting syllables of his first and last names. Catchy, to say the least. And Mr. Quisumbing, or NQ as he is fondly referred to, is only more than willing to stake his name on his product. Literally and figuratively speaking.
Despite the numerous socio-civic affiliations, the lofty stature, and the multiple awards and citations, NQ has remained humble and affable. Deeply religious, he is a firm devotee of the image of the Child Jesus called the Santo Nino, the patron saint of Cebu. He also spoke very little of his awards as he dwelt mostly on the company products and services. In fact, NQ barely touched on his recent award, no less than a Doctor of Humanities honoris causa, from the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R). This makes him just one of three other such recipients in the past several decades from one of Cebu’s most prestigious universities.
A Soft Heart amidst the Numbers
But more than anything, NQ has displayed genuine compassion and concern for society’s less fortunate. For one, he bemoans the fact that a vast majority of the country’s wealth lies in the hands of a very small minority. Such an imbalance of wealth distribution, he says, has caused a serious social malady leading to widespread discontent and neglect. As a result, he is finishing a booklet depicting poverty-stricken scenes in various parts of the archipelago. He plans to prick on the conscience of the haves in order to prod them to do their part in easing the plight of the poor.
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 Not one to be an armchair critic or an avid preacher, he prefers to lead by example. In 2004, the Norkis Group of Companies ranked number one among all importers of the Port of Cebu with over Php200-M in collections. In 2005, Norkis was given the “Top Achiever Award” by the BIR’s Large Taxpayers Service-Cebu. Thus affirming the company’s steadfast commitment in fulfilling its social and financial obligations as a law-abiding taxpayer.
“We have over 200,000 accounts nationwide. Branches number 200, plus an additional 500 sub-branches or accredited display centers. Retail financing remains to be our top moneymaker with marketing a close second.
Dr. Norberto Quisumbing
We hope to ready our IT system in all our offices nationwide for easier accessibility regarding information and financing schemes,” he beamed.
The secret to all these? Nothing like hard work, he disclosed. Successes are shared with the employees. Opportunities for expansion and product modification are always keenly watched. While customer confidence is always buoyed on fast and efficient service. The basics remain the standard for prosperity.
Nature Nurture
As if all these were not enough, NQ remains far from the stereotype of a profit-oriented businessman. For he has demonstrated an extra-large dose of environmental consciousness by acquiring 200 hectares of hilly terrain in the town of Compostela located 25 kilometers north of Cebu. Dubbed the Q Park, the place features religious, recreational, and nationalistic icons that is sure to capture the attention of any visitor.
Much befitting of the upcoming Lenten season, the park highlights life-size Stations of the Cross; a Nativity Cave; a grotto of the Miraculous Image of the Virgin Mary; and four of the most revered saints in Cebu; namely the Santo Nino, Our Lady of Guadalupe, San Lorenzo Ruiz, and the Visayan Martyr Beato Pedro Calungsod. Regardless of one’s faith or creed, the ethereal aura is sure to linger on indefinitely.
Other park highlights include boys’ and girls’ camps for various outdoor activities, an enlarged kiosk for picnics and meetings, and Heroes Hill. The latter depicts large pictures of the country’s presidents from the beginning till the present. Capped off with lush greenery, the park may soon become a badly-kept secret as a visitors’ hotspot for families, nature-lovers, and eco-tourism enthusiasts.
Asked how he wishes to be remembered, he simply said “NQ.” Meaning, the product speaks for itself. No amount of cosmetics or advertisements can disguise a discredited product, he explained. People remember you more for what you are and not necessarily what you have accomplished. It all boils down to the person stripped bare of all life’s trimmings and nuances. And therein lies the true role model inside out.
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BITS & PIECES |
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Illustrations by Carlo Cabrera |
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News Bits
Central Mindanao and ARMM to celebrate four-day cultural festival
Region XII and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) pride during the WOW Philippines’ Best of the Regions in Intramuros is the latest showcase in Cotabato City’s four-day festival featuring the indigenous arts and crafts, cultural extravaganzas, indigenous sports and cuisine of Central Mindanao and ARMM.
Dubbed as “Kuyog,” meaning “all together,” the event, which ran for three years in the Walled City of Manila, is now made bigger by the Department of Tourism.
To be held on Marh 31 to April 3, the activity is expected to attract domestic travelers from within and around the region. South Central Mindanao’s domestic visitor arrivals for 2006 reached over 600,000 while arrival figures for overseas Filipinos hit a 20.59 percent increase as compared to the previouis year’s mark.
A pet project of DOT Regional Director for South Central Mindanao Sohura T. Dimaampao, the festival is a continuing program of the WOW Philippines’Best of the Regions, originally staged in Intramuros, Manila. The festival kicks off on Mar. 31 at the South Seas mall in Cotabato City with Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, Cotabato City Mayor Datu Muslimin Sema and ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy “Puti” Uy Ampatuan opening the event with the ceremonial beating of the gong.
Lifestyle Bits
 Interior Design House Opens
105 Rada in Makati City recently opened its glass doors in a showcase of an extensive line-up of interior design furnishings, from closet hangers and lights to kitchen dividers and pepper grinders. 105 Rada—the name of the showroom which is also its exact address—groups together five European brands namely Curate, Scandinavia Trend, Thompson Lighting, Bisazza and Kitchen Studio in one venue.
Curate exclusively distributes the selections of Fornasetti, Tord Boontje, Oluce and Jaime Hayon. Scandinavia Trend carries Alessi, Rosendahl, Stelton, Eva Denmark, PP Mobler, Louis Poulsen, Fritz Hansen and Normann Copenhagen. Thompson Lighting supplies fixtures from Delta Light (Belgium), Endo (Japan), Esedra (Italy), Ares (Italy), Ulti Switch (Australia) Formalight (Italy) and C-Bus. Bisazza produces glass mosaic for floors and walls and Kitchen Studio custom-designs kitchen setups while bringing in home furnishings from Poliform, Lago and Composit
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Cultural Bits
 Ballet Dance 10
Ballet Manila (BM) opens its 11th summer workshop, tagged Just Dance 10!, on April 10 up to May 27. Ballet enthusiasts 18 years old and below can join and learn techniques from reknowed ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso.
The classes are divided into four levels, from beginners to advance. It also includes pointe class, variations, pas de deux, partnering, boys’ classes and adult ballet. There is also a baby ballet class for children as young as three years old.
Enrollment is ongoing until April 14. The classes will culminate in a two-day recital, which will be held on May 26 and 27 at the Star Theatre. Auditions for scholars and apprentices will be held from 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. For inquiries, call (02)404 3086 or 525-5967.
 Gantimpala’s Open Stage
Gantimpala opens its doors to potential stage actors and actresses as the company announces the opening of its musical theater workshop for young men and women ages 13 and above.
Classes are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting April 11 until May 19, at the Rehearsal Hall of the Concert at the Park Open Air Auditorium, at the heart of historic Luneta, Manila. It offers lectures and actual exercises on the following: acting, singing and dancing, this is in preparation for a musical theater performance. A musical revue will be mounted by the participants as a culminating activity.
Registration and enrollment starts on March 19 at the Gantimpala Theater Office, 2nd Floor Open Air Auditorium Building, Luneta, Manila. For details, call (02)528 0603 or 536 5860.
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