Sarrosa Hotel employs persons with disability

CEBU, Philippines -  “Just because they are disabled doesn’t mean they cannot do anything in the hotel industry.”

This according to Hendrik Ryan Tan, assistant marketing manager of Sarrosa International Hotel and Residential Suites, commenting on the company’s brave move of employing persons with disabilities (PWD) to be part of its working personnel.

He added that the company envisioned to be known as a PWD-friendly hotel and to be the first hotel in the global industry that has PWDs as staff.

“We want to be identified as a hotel with a heart and make Sarossa different from other hotels around the world. PWDs deserve to work in a prestigious place,” he continued.

Wearing nametags for identification processes, he noted that PWD employees are treated similarly as their normal staff, enjoying the same compensation and benefits as the latter. 

He also said that they have an existing internal rule that prohibits discrimination among PWDs in the company.

Once hired, the PWD employees undergo training for fifteen days, similar as other regular workers but with an interpreter to assist them.

At present, Sarrosa has hired three PWD employees who are assigned in the front office, housekeeping and kitchen.

“They are actually doing pretty good. They are even better than those who are not disabled. We thought at first that they need more training but they are fast-learners,” Tan stated. 

He further described the PWDs as hardworking and meticulous.

Currently, the company has another five PWD applicants from the University of the Visayas. This number is expected to increase as Sarrosa plans on hiring more PWDs in the coming years.

Sarrosa Sales and Marketing Director Rolette Veloso said that the move to employ PWDs is part of the unique marketing concept and corporate social responsibility program conceptualized by the hotel’s newly-formed marketing team.  

She said Sarrosa has tied up with the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) for this initiative. As part of the partnership, DSWD will provide training and referral to PWDs who expressed interest to work in the hotel industry.

With the booming growth of the hospitality industry and the emergence of small and boutique hotels in the metropolis, she said that the hotel program has gained positive feedback from its clients and customers. 

By December of this year, Sarrosa plans to launch a “Stay and Help” program wherein in every stay of a guest in the hotel, a percentage of the accommodation rate will be shared to a particular foundation. (FREEMAN)