A Timeless Feat of Excellence: Eternal Gardens honors top sales achievers

Eternal Gardens, one of the pioneers in the memorial park industry, honored the stellar achievements of its dedicated sales force during the much-anticipated Grand Annual Awards Night, held on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, Sta. Cruz, Manila. With the theme, “A Timeless Feat of Excellence,” this year’s celebration gathered around 300 attendees including top executives, branch managers, agents, and special guests to recognize the hard work and passion of 70 outstanding honorees across various sales categories.

Kicking off the evening was Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Mr. Jose Antonio V. Rivera, who warmly welcomed the attendees and celebrated the team’s record-breaking performance. “Tonight’s theme, ‘A Timeless Feat of Excellence,’ perfectly underscores the phenomenal sales performance our heroic agents achieved collectively last year – and the best way to describe it? It’s definitely next level… One for the books… One super performance. Congratulations, Eternal Gardens Sales Team!”

President and COO, Mr. Numeriano B. Rodrin, in his speech, drew inspiration from the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, the company’s founder. “Isang sagwan tayo,” Rodrin recalled. “When he said that, he was reminding us that this company is not just an organization—it’s a team, a family, a shared journey… We move forward when we row together. Even when the waves get rough, magaan ang paglalakbay kapag sabay-sabay tayong nagsasagwan.”

Before introducing the Guest of Honor, Operations Executive Dannica Nicole A. Cabangon took a moment to express her heartfelt appreciation for the members of the sales force. “To our dear members of the sales force, THANK YOU! If not for your tireless efforts, your persistence, and your belief in the mission of Eternal Gardens, we would not be where we are today. We are growing. We are expanding. And that is because of you.”

The evening took on a deeply reflective tone as the Guest of Honor, His Excellency, The Most Rev. Rufino “Jun” Coronel Sescon, Jr., Bishop of the Diocese of Balanga, Bataan, delivered a stirring address that framed the evening’s celebrations in faith and purpose.

He began by acknowledging that the gathering was no accident but a manifestation of divine grace. “I want to begin with a very simple truth: we’re all here not by accident. We are all here because of the grace of God. We are all here because it is the plan of God.”

With warmth and conviction, Bishop Jun praised the night’s awardees, calling them the company’s true treasures. “You are all a gem, a treasure. And what is GEM? God-Empowered Movers.” He unpacked this message with clarity and inspiration:

“G is for grace in the face of pressure.” In the middle of daily challenges and shifting goals, he said, it is God’s grace that carries people through. “Grace isn’t weakness; it is the strength of God showing up in the middle of the grind.”

“E is for excellence as a standard.” Bishop Jun also spoke about the standard of excellence. “Excellence is our baseline,” he said, underlining that the awardees didn’t achieve success by doing the minimum. They reached this milestone through consistent dedication, not only in meeting goals but in how they served and prepared. “True excellence is not just about numbers,” he clarified, “it is faithfulness to the call.”

Finally, Bishop Jun focused on the importance of mission over work. “When your why is bigger than the sale, your influence multiplies,” he said. He encouraged everyone to remember that success is not just about personal achievement but about the impact they leave on others. “When there is a mission in our attitude towards work, there is true fulfillment,” he added.

He concluded by declaring that each individual present was not just a sales agent, but a God-Empowered Mover—guided by grace, driven by excellence, and focused on their mission.

Vice Chairman Benjamin V. Ramos echoed this heartfelt sentiment as he looked ahead to the company’s golden milestone, and acknowledged the collective effort that brought Eternal Gardens this far. “We’re happy that our company is reaching our 50 years… and not all companies reach that. Tayo, aabutin natin ang 50 years ng pataas, pataas, ng pataas. That’s because of all of you.”

Chairman and CEO D. Edgard A. Cabangon emphasized the company’s continued trajectory of growth and gratitude. “Ang Eternal Group ay patuloy sa paglago. Recently, we broke ground for our new branch in Pacol, Naga City. We are now finalizing our new branch in Batangas City. Malinaw and direksyon natin—EXPANSIONS. Tuloy-tuloy ang ating paglago, at ang lahat ng ito ay dahil sa inyong sipag, tiwala, at walang sawang suporta.”

He added, “The least we can do is to celebrate with you. We want you to feel how much we appreciate you. This event—and the Japan trip tomorrow—is our way of saying thank you. Sabi nga ng Dad, ‘Ang pagmamahal, hindi lang sinasabi. Pinaparamdam yan.’”

“Nandito kami—the Cabangon family and the management—to let you know: we will continue to support you. Sama-sama tayo. Tulong-tulong tayo,” he said.

The 2024 Awardees were led by Florita B. Arellano, first place, General Agency Manager category; Narcisa B. Azul, first place, Regular Unit Manager category; Ruby B. Olaso, first place, Regular Sales Counselor category; Ma. Cecilia M. Romasanta, first place, League Manager category; Rachelle Anne M. Aguilar, first place, Sales Counselor category; Jetrho Lee A. De Ocampo, first place, Personal Sales Counselor category; and Audric Anthony I. Abesa, first place, Personal Unit Manager category.

Capping off the evening were live performances by OPM icons Richard Reynoso and Chad Borja, bringing nostalgic music and heartfelt entertainment to an already memorable event.

As a token of gratitude, qualified sales achievers were rewarded with a 4-day, 3-night all-expenses-paid incentive trip to Japan the following day. Joined by Chairman and CEO D. Edgard A. Cabangon and other top executives, the group explored the dynamic city of Tokyo, visited the historic Asakusa Temple, feasted on authentic Japanese cuisine, took in the breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji, experienced the bustling Shibuya Crossing, and shopped in world-class outlet stores in Gotemba and Tokyo.