Enchanting woman
MANILA, Philippines - Cynthia Mamon’s day starts with a hearty breakfast with her husband Mario and daughter Bea. Then off she goes to work to fulfill her many duties as president/managing director of Sun Microsystems Philippines and as vice president for Enchanted Kingdom’s SMILE (sales, marketing, imagineering, leisure and entertainment) division. Both positions are close to her heart and she seamlessly delivers in both jobs. She, however, reveals more on how she casts a magical leadership spell in the country’s first world-class theme park. “Our sales team plays a critical role in generating revenue for the company. Marketing takes care of brand management, corporate communications and promotions. Imagineering, which means imagination and engineering, is activated to consolidate all our creative efforts. Leisure is in charge of all our future plans for the company while entertainment provides exciting shows in the park,” Cynthia explains.
Cynthia leads the team in achieving their objectives despite all the bumps and curves of the company’s Space Shuttle-like ride — overcoming challenges such as the global financial crisis, rising prices and maintaining the stability of the business. She devotes her Mondays, Fridays and weekends shuttling to and from Makati (where the main office is) and Sta. Rosa City (where the park is located) to personally check on the park and its operations.
However busy her schedule is, Cynthia makes sure to spend dinnertime with her husband and daughter. “As much as possible, even with business cocktails and meetings, the three of us make sure we have dinners together,” she says. Cynthia shares that her three other children — Yoni, Anna and Nico — are all based abroad. “As a mother, I’m nurturing and fun to be with. I am my children’s best friend. I teach them self-discipline and give them my full trust that they will do good even when no one is looking,” muses Cynthia, who was inspired by her own mother, Dr. Florentina Clemente vda de Romero, to be the best mom that she could be to her kids. Cynthia, a University of the Philippines Outstanding Alumni awardee, believes that whatever happens to a family happens to the society. “The kind of society that we have can always be traced to the home,” she philosophizes.
On top of her professional career, Cynthia also excels in the extra-curricular department. She likes reading inspirational books like Jesus, the CEO: The Leadership Traits of Jesus, which helps improve her leadership skills. She has a soft spot for the hearing impaired. As chairman of the Philippine Institute for the Deaf, Cynthia hopes to share a part of her to the least of her brethren. She is also a great dancer and has even won in an international ballroom competition in Hong Kong three years ago. “I have been a dancer since age five. I danced jazz and ballet and was a member of the UP Los Baños Filipiniana Dance Troupe in high school and college. After all the kids have grown up, I tried ballroom dancing,” she smiles.
As a performer, Cynthia knows too well how important it is to look good. “Women have to look their best for their own self esteem,” she says. It is in this thrust that the good-natured executive supports makeup company Ever Bilena. “The company has always been supportive of EK, especially to my division. Ever Bilena provides for our needs for cosmetics for entertainers and our circle of artists.” Cynthia adds that she uses its makeup products, especially when she performs in the park. Staples in her beauty kit are Ever Bilena’s powder, blush on, eye makeup and lipstick. “Makeup enhances the natural beauty given by God. But I don’t believe in tampering what has been given to us. Grace, strength in character and inner beauty are more important for me.”
Although she has long been at the peak of her career, Cynthia still has a list of things she wants to accomplish. Some of them are to compete once again in another ballroom competition and to make EK a hotel and an academy. For someone as passionate and perseverant as Cynthia Mamon, consider them all done.
Photography by John Darilag • Styling by Ira Mata • Hair and makeup by Robert Lumbre for Ever Bilena • Clothes and accessories, model’s own • Cosmetics by Ever Bilena • Shot on location at the Enchanted Kingdom • Special thanks to Mr. Mikco Maiquez
