Jay Yuvallos: One of Cebu's pride

CEBU, Philippines - Setting a unique standard of entrepreneurship, one of Cebu’s finest businessmen talks about his passion for adding creativity and value to whatever he does.

A man who considers himself a Cebuano by heart with roots from Leyte, Jay Y. Yuvallos gets his inspiration from his last name “Yuvallos” or to add value. This very motivation has helped Yuvallos stir up his own businesses to higher level like diversifying his furniture manufacturing company to create another manufacturing company that imports materials handling system, retail display system, and restaurant equipment which are then refurbished according to customer’s specifications.

“I have this passion to put creativity into something, to build something out of something,” Yuvallos added. Establishing his companies to becoming market leaders, Yuvallos currently sits as the president of Interior Basic Export Corporation, Infinite Horizons, Inc., and YZ Global Resources, Inc. He is also the treasurer of MEDGRUPPE Polyclinics and Diagnostic Center, Inc.

Also a man with strong passion for continuous learning, Yuvallos believes that everyone is a glass half full, believing that there is always room for more learning. With a positive attitude towards being empowered by other people’s ideas, Yuvallos strives to learn and give back to the community what he has to offer.

The very sense of giving back has led Yuvallos to become affiliated with many different organizations. He always sees to it that he has allotted time, despite his already busy schedule, to attend to every commitment he has with these different organizations. Yuvallos was a trustee and then president of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc. (1999-2005), director of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (2000-2002), chairman of the Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (2001-2003), and presently the president of the Confederation of Philippine Exporters Foundation (Cebu), Inc.

Aside from that, Yuvallos is currently the vice president for Business Development and Management Services of Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) where he is also the chairman of the very successful Beauty, Health and Wellness Show and the Cebu Business Month celebration.

According to Yuvallos, his affiliation with CCCI has great value to him as he shares with the Foundation’s vision which says, “Engine of Cebu.” A non-stock, non-profit organization composed of people with diverse background, CCCI envisions itself to become the engine that provides power to Cebu entrepreneurs to become globally competitive, which Yuvallos finds very relevant for the local entrepreneurs of Cebu.

Out of the many programs that CCCI is engaged in, Yuvallos has single out some of which he is actively involved in and finds very useful for the local entrepreneurs. These programs are: Touch Tone Project, where they examine the best cities in the world and evaluate what makes them the best; Training Programs which can really help the members of the chamber; Meet the Business Legends Program, where they invite top caliber businessman to mingle with a small group of students and share their business insights; and Trade Missions that do not only help establish contacts but strengthen relationships, as well.

Aside from being a passionate businessman and volunteer, Yuvallos also puts value to his spirituality. Together with his wife and four daughters, Yuvallos involves himself as Financial Secretary of the Bradford United Church of Christ, Inc. (BUCCI).

Yuvallos stresses out on great values, as a businessman, a servant leader and as a person of great taste for creativity and value for money. “I put value in everything I get for myself, the same as I put value in everything I do, I always pay for quality like shopping for what I wear from head to toe,” Yuvallos pointed out.

He further described men as not entirely different from women when it comes to shopping for shoes, but unlike women, men don’t often change shoes according to the color of clothing they wear. They often stick to one or two pairs of shoes.

Believing that putting your best foot forward comes with wearing something that you are entirely confident and comfortable with, Yuvallos has put in place certain standards when shopping for shoes. One, it has to be comfortable, “I have this condition where a bone sticks our from the soles of my feet, so whenever I shop for shoes I make sure they are a perfect fit not only in size but also provides extra cushion for my sole,” Yuvallos stated.

Style is another thing for Yuvallos, “and I’m crazy about quality leather!” Stylish, he wants his shoes to be an easy match for jeans and one that he can run around in considering his occupation. “I usually have 10 pairs of shoes but I seldom use all of them. I just use one or two as my everyday shoes.”

However, with those things considered, Yuvallos usually finds it difficult to find a brand that provides the extra comfort, quality with the best value for money, most often he has to buy it from outside the country like when he first tried a pair of Sledgers shoes during his travel to Singapore. But with Sledgers boutique now open at SM Cebu, Yuvallos can now buy more pairs.

“This is my first pair and I find it really comfortable. I can use it with jeans, and I can run around with it plus the innovation that comes with it. It has this extra elastic sides that makes it easier to remove and be worn again especially at the airport where you are required to remove your shoes,” Yuvallos pointed out.

As an added treat, enjoy freshly brewed coffee while shopping for shoes at Sledgers located in The Northwing SM City Cebu. You can also shop for Sledgers shoes at Rustans department store in Ayala Center Cebu; and in SM department store. (PR)