As one of Mindanao’s most bustling cities, Davao City is packed with people. Transient visitors and tourists are always on the lookout for affordable yet comfortable accommodations. This demand gave birth to Amaranta Suites.

Situated in one of the busiest areas of downtown Davao, Amaranta Suites offers a welcoming stay with 30 rooms designed to meet the needs of its guests. Beyond cleanliness and comfort, the hotel also prides itself on affordability. When it opened in 2019, room rates started at just ₱695 per night, making quality accommodation accessible to a wide range of travelers.

However, just a year after its establishment, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Travel was brought to a halt. Consequently, the occupancy rate for Amaranta Suites also dwindled.

According to Ms. Hadzmina Saraka, Admin Head and Hotel Operations Manager, this period was the most difficult phase of their operations, as their staff had to be quarantined as well due to exposure from their guests. But through a good strategy and unwavering perseverance, the hotel was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and continued to strive.

Still recovering from the disruption caused by the pandemic, Amaranta Suites was looking for ways to strengthen its operations. In 2023, the answer they were looking for came from somewhere routinely checked daily: their email. There, they found an invitation from RTWPB-XI to attend the 7S of Good Housekeeping Training and an orientation on the Productivity-Based Incentive Schemes (PBIS).

Ms. Saraka attended the said training, and the rest was history.

“The trainings of RTWPB-XI have allowed us to improve our standards and operations. Particularly, the PBIS has allowed us to improve our staff retention and create a positive and sustainable work environment,” Ms. Saraka said.

With its PBIS implemented in the same year, Amaranta Suites introduced performance-based incentives to recognize and reward employees. The weekly and monthly incentives, based on guest feedback, performance, and attitude, helped motivate employees, improve productivity, and provide additional income to workers while contributing to the company’s growth.

PBIS is a workplace-initiated program on improving the productivity of workers and enterprises to generate savings or additional revenues, which can be shared by enterprises with their workers.

Since then, many representatives of the hotel have attended the various trainings given by RTWPB-XI under the Productivity Toolbox. These include Work-Life Balance, Social Media Marketing, Building Your Online Business, Service Quality, Bookkeeping and Stock Control, Marketing Productivity, Improving Productivity through Financial Analysis, Green Productivity, and Better Mental Health for Better Productivity.

The improvements brought about by these trainings did not go unnoticed, as Amaranta Suites was awarded as a 2025 Productivity Olympics Regional Winner.

Fast forward to now, Amaranta Suites thrives even more. Grateful for the help and guidance of RTWPB-XI and DOLE-XI, they are well-equipped to navigate the ever-changing world.