Off with his head: Smart Executive may secretly own a retailer store

We all thought that all is lost for our company given the what seems to be the endless politicking and bickering among the different forces here in Smart Communications.

A lot of us are happy that the organizational cleansing has finally begun. The internal crackdown has resulted to almost 300 employees due to different types of fraud in both Smart and PLDT. Yes, an estimated 300 employees have been suspected to be involved in fraud. Yes, we are like a government agency with the high number of people involved allegedly with corruption.

It's disappointing but at the same time, it's a welcome move for all of us here who honestly work our butts out day in and day out. It's an open secret in the grapevine that these under the table activities happen.

We just hope that the cleansing happens not only among middle management and rank and file but also up there in the executive level.

I am writing now to let management know that we, concerned Smart employees, are watching to see this organizational cleansing goes up to the top. And at the same time, give top management the lead on who to check as well.

We urged the bosses to audit one of the retailers called SIMPLUS in Bulacan and trace who is the rightful owner of the said business. This is again an open secret. I can't believe our former sales head who recently got sacked missed this one or he knew but remained quiet about it. Everyone knows that one of the top honchos has a major stake in this retailer. Others believed that he actually owns it. The stories said that he set this company right under the nose of the previous owner of Sun Cellular. Many of us wondered that how come this was not seen or checked by his new employers here in Smart before they made him head to lead our future?
Let us give you a clue: He appointed one of his many lieutenants from his previous company which became a part of this company to head a major business segment and discreetly calls her “Babe” (figure this out)

Another clue: He was positioned as the “Messaiah” of Smart because of his so-called innovative marketing mind only to lead us with a -14% financial performance slump this year. Because of the financial downtrend of the company, all of us here won’t have any of the bonuses Smart is known for this year except this guy. He will get his bonus in full because it’s part of his contract. I wonder what our PLDT counterpart will say if they find out about this? PLDT performed well this year but their bonuses will not be in full as well because of Smart poor performance. Damay-damay na.

Again, we call on our top bosses and even to our beloved Chair Manny V. Pangilinan to check and audit the retailer SIMPLUS and unravel its real owner.

Epic Irony: Sun Cellular takes over Smart Communications

It was December 2012 when Smart Communications started firing hundreds of their loyal employees disguised as early retirement to pave the way for an ironic hostile "Sun Cellular" take over. Who would have guessed that people from Sun Cellular would eventually take over Smart? And everyone thought Smart bought Sun Cellular.

And this is sad for me because I am one of the Smart employees who availed the so-called retirement package because I can't bear the thought that I would be reporting to my Sun Cellular counterpart.

I used to be proud of being part of the Smart organization especially when it was announced that Smart would be taking over Sun Cellular. We just killed one of the competitions by buying it out. And when we changed the Smart Communications logo under the "Live More" brand positioning, I said to myself that this is the beginning of a new great era in the Telco industry and I am part of it.

But I was wrong.

I feared for my job. I got scared of losing  the only source of my family's livelihood. Will I be next? I held on for as long as I can. My dad told me to always prepare for the worst. I did. But I still gave my best. I was able to stretch it until November last year (yes, 11 months after the first wave of cutting manpower, it's still happening till today, sad. :( )

When Charles Lim of Sun Cellular took over from Noel Lorrenzana as big boss of the wireless business of Smart, it was time that I realized the hopelessness of the situation for true blue Smart employees. Little by little, Sun Cellular executives took over key positions in Smart from marketing to customer care. And oh, Charles Lim also put his "babe" to be in charge of the broadband business of Smart.

And again, everyone thought that Smart bought Sun Cellular. Anyare?

Until now, no one is safe from Smart. Anytime, an offer sheet would come to anyone. Unless of course, your name is Mitch.

As for me, I want justice for my hundreds of colleagues who lost their source of livelihood after giving their life in the service of what was once a great organization. Good thing I managed to still interact with Smart as one of their contractors! ;)