UCMed (University of Cebu Medical Center) president Candice Gotianuy looked radiantly lovely during the recent soft opening of her “baby.” UCMed is a 12-storey medical facility that sits on a 1.3 hectare property in North Reclamation Area, Mandaue City, Cebu. It is also the first Level-4 general hospital in Mandaue.
Candice is the only child of lawyer-educator Augusto and businesswoman Elizabeth Go. Here is a quick interview about her dreams for UCMed and how she chooses to relax, when she has the time to do so given her busy schedule.
Jenara Regis Newman (JRN): What position do you hold in the AWG Group of Companies?
Candice Gotianuy (CG): I am chancellor of the University of Cebu (UC), president of UCMed, managing director of Saint Vincent’s General Hospital and president of College of Technological Services (CTS). I sit on the board of the other companies.
JRN: How do you cope with all your work?
CG: First, I select and surround myself with very good people. I will hire people who are smart, have a sense of urgency and can deliver results even if I don’t have a position open. That’s how important it is to hire good people.
It’s also important to do two things: Create good teams and identify key leaders in each organization. Creating good teams is essential in getting technical projects like UCMed up and running, improving St. Vincent’s and ensuring the sustainability of UC and CTS. Because the companies are in varying stages of growth—from start-ups to established companies—the skill sets and personality traits required are different. The right fit is essential not only for the growth of each company but also for the welfare/happiness of that individual company and the company as a whole.
It’s also essential that each company has one to three people who are the clear leaders. These are my direct reports. They make everyday decisions and decisions that may have important ramifications. This system allows teams and leaders to have a great deal of latitude in terms of decision-making. My leaders are very empowered and this makes running different companies easier and moves things forward faster.
My job is to place the right people in the right positions and then get out of their way, if they’re doing well. I apply the same rule to myself: In established companies, you’ll see me come in when there’s a problem, but in start-ups and turn-arounds, I will give more time to building up that company. I can do this because each team and each leader know what is expected of them.
JRN: What characteristics of your parents do you find in yourself?
CG: It’s difficult to answer this question without sounding presumptuous, so I will go by what people have noticed. They say that from my dad, I got my generosity and kind heart; from my mother, my strength. From both, I believe I got my sense of humor.
JRN: How do you see the future of UCMed, your baby?
CG: You are right in saying that UCMed is my baby. My father started the school and he wanted me to experience the feeling of building something on my own. This was a three-year project from conception to inauguration. So I was very happy to hear comments that UCMed is comparable to Singaporean hospitals. I believe we have good nurses and are privileged to have great doctors join us.
Our problem is not having enough space for all the doctors who’d like to join, but that is a good problem to have!
When I started conceptualizing and building the hospital, I honestly didn’t think we would be building one that would have many firsts not only in Cebu but also in Southeast Asia. Our Minimally Invasive Surgery OR’s have topnotch equipment, as are the mammogram (no compression of the breast) and the flowcytometer (a device that can detect blood cancers). More importantly, we have very experienced and qualified surgeons, doctors and an American Board Certified pathologist on board.
Let me tell you an anecdote, and perhaps you can see the spirit in which UCMed was built. We initially didn’t set out to have a Cathlab. It’s expensive and we thought of adding it at a later date. But I thought of my father and that if he ever needed it (God forbid!), I would so regret not having provided him with one. Because of that we now have a complete Heart Center—from the Cathlab, to the adjacent Cathlab OR to the Cardio Rehabilitation Center and the diagnostics.
This was a decision made from love and not from a financial perspective. It also reflects how the hospital was built—with people in mind. In hospitals, every second counts, so the flow was made in such a way as to maximize efficiency. We asked doctors and nurses what the ideal hospital looked like and we hired a consultant for technical aspects. We also got an interior designer so the ambience would make the patients feel better psychologically. So there is a garden on the sixth floor that also serves as a jogging track for the rehabilitation center. We have a dedicated elevator to rush patients from the emergency room to the operating room and delivery rooms.
So, this is the long answer to your question! It’s very hard to predict the future but, as you can see, when I build companies, I do so with a lot of heart and a lot of drive. I certainly hope UCMed gets better and better and serves Cebu well.
JRN How do you relax?
CG: When I feel the need to recharge, I go on long weekend breaks. It’s usually a trip to the beaches of Boracay, dinners with friends in Manila or a weekend jaunt to Hong Kong. Travel is a wonderful opportunity to unwind. As a treat after the inauguration of UCMed, I’m going to Hong Kong to watch Cavalia—it’s like the Cirque du Soleil for horses. I love horses. I go to Whistlejacket Farm (my stables) to spend as much time with my favorite horses Magnum and Taj. I could talk about horses all day so don’t get me started!
JRN: How do you see yourself 10 years from now?
CG: I have a general direction for my life but as we know, life is unpredictable. More time to ride the horses, perhaps?
JRN: Thank you, Candice, for answering the questions in a way that shows how your mind works and where your heart is.