The Empty Cup: Human Nature's Vision Mission Ownership Seminars



Human Nature's Vision Mission Ownership Seminars (VMOS) were a series of 2-day sessions that gave employees the opportunity to reflect on the company's vision and mission, align these values with their own personal vision, mission, and purpose, and translate these values into concrete and constructive behaviors in the workplace.

Five employees share their insights and reflections on how the experience has deepened their role and purpose in Human Nature.


Tish Martinez-Castillo, Marketing
"Seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8b

I've always had difficulty with the last directive of Micah 6:8 - to walk humbly. This is because I always associated humility with self-effacement and keeping quiet. Why must we hide the good things we have done for others? In my line of work, our motto is "Do good and tell others about it." In my mind, humility & publicity were like water and oil - they could not mix - that was until I attended our Vision Mission Ownership Seminar.

At the start of VMOS, we were asked to be "empty cups" - to let go of preconceptions, work baggage, judgements...even just for a day and a half. We were requested to approach each session with open hearts and minds, like cups waiting to be filled. Here are the 3 things I learned:
  1. Empty cups are ready vessels. People with "empty cup attitudes" listen fully before they react.
  2. We are all cups. In the final evaluation, a cup is not judged based on the beverage it held but on how well it held it. What we did with what we were given matters more than what we started with.
  3. A humble cup is the best cup. The most unassuming cup is usually the most durable & useful one.
VMOS changed the way I saw humility. To walk humbly was not to sit quiet or to downgrade achievements; humility is striving to be an empty cup.



Joanna Gilladoga, Retail
The timing was very providential. The week prior to VMOS, I did a re-calibration of my personal vision and mission not realizing I would be using it during the VMOS weekend. Human Nature's vision and mission is aligned with mine. There is clarity as to how Human Nature plays a role helping me live out my own mission and move closer to my vision. I believe that the harmony that most people seek when they refer to "work-life balance" is actually not so much about the allocation of time between work and life (although it seems that way on the surface) where one is apart from the other. Rather, it is about aligning our character, our values, our beliefs with what is truly important to us and what provides us the opportunities to live out our purpose - whether it is as an employee, a team-member, a mentor, a mother, a wife/husband, or most importantly, a child of God.


Patrick Villanueva, Finance
I realized that we should not limit ourselves to mingling and socializing within our own departments. Human Nature is so big with lots of awesome people and it somehow sucks that you cannot interact with them as often as you want to. I also learned that as an employee, even though I'm just sitting at my work station, I contribute to help the poor and the nation. Human Nature is not just about business and profit. It's about building a better nation and better people. This is where I belong.



Rona Umali, QA Carmelray
New situations make me a bit nervous. When I found out that I am going to attend the VMOS, I first asked, who am I going with? It can be a scary experience especially if you're not familiar with the activity and some of the people. But Human Nature's VMOS let me experience to learn more about myself, my co-workers, and the company's vision in a fun way. This experience made me realize the connection of one's life to other people, not just with our families, friends, co-workers and also to our extended family - the community. Fun-filled activities made this whole experience worth spending our weekends on (cheers to the trainers!) Hooray for Team KOKAK the FROG and hello to Team AlinDOG and Team PUSO ng Pinoy na malapit sa PUSA!


Wowie Meloto-Gonzalez, Marketing
I am glad to have met the other Human Nature employees especially from the plant. It's amazing to see how far we've come and how big we've grown from the 3-worker staff we had 7 years ago. I am happy that two years ago I made the decision to come back and not miss this wonderful opportunity of helping out in Human Nature. It's rare to find a job that is aligned to your personal purpose in life. I've always wanted to give my family the best opportunities that I can give them but with Human Nature it can also provide that same opportunity to the children of the poor.


Featured Employee: Jay Lucio

No WIFI? Lagging laptop? Jay's the man to get you out of your technological jam!

As Human Nature's Technical Support Engineer, Jay Alkonga Lucio is lauded as one of the Information Technology (IT) department's brilliant behind-the-scenes heroes. While Kuya Jay has only been part of Human Nature for a little over a year, his countless contributions have rescued many frazzled employees from blue screens, software struggles, spam attacks, and a myriad of other computer quandaries from Commonwealth to Carmelray.

"Jay is an amazing employee," IT Head Jojo de Dios praises. "He never asks for rewards for what he does, yet he has been consistently supportive. He has been present in every MTO since 2014 to provide 100% support, even though Saturday is his rest day, yet he has never asked for overtime pay - and no one even knows it!"



More than just a friendly face, Kuya Jay quietly provides tech-savvy trouble-shooting and reliable assistance 'round the clock. "He is a very responsible Kuya whom anyone can depend on," Jojo continues. "He has a big heart and will always look for a better way to serve everyone, not only in technical matters, but in anything where he may be able to help in his small way."

"Work-related or not, Jay will never leave anyone behind," Jojo smiles. Whether online and offline, Kuya Jay is reliable real time!

While you can't add Kuya Jay on Facebook during office hours, you can always email him or give him a call at local 122 to say thanks!



Attention all Human Nature employees! Embark on an enchanting adventure with this exclusive offer: Enjoy a generous 40% discount when you visit the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan!*

Come and experience the goodness of nation-building firsthand! Enjoy the delectable cuisine of the Grassroots Kitchen, bask in the beautiful landscapes of a walking tour, and listen to stories of Filipino innovation through social enterprise demos.

Let your visit at the Enchanted Farm change your world, so that you may leave inspired to change the nation!

For the full list of services, accommodations and prevailing rates, please visit Gawad Kalinga's official website. Inquiries regarding services, schedules, and reservations at the Enchanted Farm may be coursed through info@gkenchantedfarm.com or 0916-2253363.

*Terms and conditions apply. Employees may log in to the Human Nature Info Center to download full terms and conditions.
*Discount is not applicable to (1) products sold at the Enchanted Farm Souvenir Shop (2) SE food & non-food products sold in concessionaire areas and during SE demos, (3) Farm produce sold by Enchanted Farm and Lifebank Foundation, (4) Special Camps organized by Enchanted Farm (5) Accommodations & services at the Iasis Wellness Center. (6) Day rates for Swimming Pool Use.