Written by
Maru Lim Chuayap, Manager, Stakeholder Relations, PMFTC
I’d just landed a fantastic global communications role, fresh from several successful contracts at other large multinationals. From the outside I would have looked like the epitome of a rising external relations and communications professional. But on the inside, I wasn’t so sure.
I was starting my job at the PMI Philippine affiliate, PMFTC, remotely—it was June 2021, and the Philippines was in full lockdown during the COVID pandemic—with our two boys, aged eight and two-and-a-half, to look after alongside my husband, Lester. It wasn’t an ideal environment in which to build my career at a new company. I knew I deserved the job, but I still felt that sense of imposter phenomenon felt by many of us. And I also had the feeling this was going to be tough—really tough.
When the future looks bleak, it’s natural to get your head down and just weather the storm. But I discovered that, without knowing how long that storm’s going to last, this coping mechanism can harden into a “storm mentality,” surviving one day at a time wrapped up in our metaphorical winter coats and avoiding reaching out, revealing our authentic selves, and standing up to see what opportunities the future holds.
For me, the first few months in my job were a real challenge. I’d always thrived on personal contact and building relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners, but now I was just another face on a Teams call, juggling my work with the competing offscreen demands of my kids. I was struggling to see a way forward.
Maru Lim Chuayap,
Manager, Stakeholder Relations,
PMFTC (PMI Philippine affiliate)
A light in the darkness
It was a moment of generosity and boldness that gave me courage. It happened during an unplanned one-to-one chat at a dinner with a female leader known for being strong and formidable (at times, intimidating). I was tired, stressed, and unsure how I could manage—with work, with life, with my belief in myself. She clearly sensed this and asked a simple, but powerful, question: “How are you, Maru?”
That was it. This simple gesture from someone I saw as well above me allowed me to open up; the feeling of being overwhelmed, my self-doubt—all of it. She listened and let me finish. “It’s okay,” she told me. “I feel like that sometimes. I’m a mom too, and it’s tough. And some people may not understand what you’re going through, so adjusting to a new work culture during this pandemic will test you. But know that you have a choice, that you can be brave, and that there is a network here who can support you. We’ll get through it, together.”
Maru hosting a sustainability event in March 2025
It was the start of a new beginning. But it still took many early mornings of reflective prayer at our nearby church and many late nights of journal-writing to calm the noise of the storm. There were treasured chats with those I’d grown close with at work—including a former seminarian, a guitarist, and a singer.
The universe had surrounded me with uplifting and inspiring people. And they gave me hope, which I held on to, helping it to grow. I began to speak with colleagues about how we were all coping with life. I even rediscovered my ability to support others who were struggling, which helped me better manage my own situation.
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From survivor to supporter
Little by little, I became more involved with the support groups PMI employees had set up, such as the Philippines’ Women’s Inspiration Network (WINPH) and the global Employee Resource Groups Parents@PMI and STRIPES PH.
I helped organize the first WINPH X STRIPES outreach program in 2024 at “CRIBS and New Beginnings,” a residential care facility, which addresses the healing and recovery of female survivors of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, aged 7-17. More than my colleagues’ donations, I encouraged all to share their time and talent as well. That Friday morning, more than 50 of our member-employees set out to serve our sisters at the facility. We started and ended with worship and shared our own struggles as they shared theirs. I felt this was important, as we often wear a mask of strength in the workplace and can forget that beauty and breakthroughs can be created through our vulnerability.
I’m also a passionate member of the Global Parents@PMI Employee Resource Group in the Philippines and Asia, and I’ve been a Parent Peer Coach of a young mother based in PMI’s EU Region for over a year, helping her through the early years of motherhood. I aim to be her sounding board, especially as I struggled through her same challenges myself. I feel blessed to have this role.
Maru leading worship at the “Cribs and New Beginnings” foundation center
Pairing product and purpose
With the pandemic now behind us, and my confidence growing, I sought opportunities to make a difference within PMI. I’ve always been concerned with the environment and with the plight of women. These issues came together in a project to promote sustainability while helping make adult smokers that don’t quit aware that there are better alternatives to cigarettes.
The social enterprise Rags2Riches works with women living near one of the largest trash sites in the Philippines. They’d been scraping a living, turning fabric scraps they’d found into simple items to sell on the streets. But middlemen had begun sourcing offcuts from garment factories and selling them on to these women at quadruple the price.
Rags2Riches President Reese Fernandez-Ruiz stepped in and cut out these intermediaries to connect the women directly to the garment factories, empowering them by paying a fair wage for their skillfully crafted produce.
In 2023 through 2024, PMFTC supported the initiative by commissioning the artisans of Rags2Riches to turn plastic tarpaulin banners promoting our smoke-free products and scrap fabric gathered from old sales and factory uniforms into more than 200 beautiful accessory bags for our heated tobacco devices and consumables, and 100 functional work bags for the use of our sales frontliners, benefitting both the environment and the social enterprise. I’m so proud of the impact we achieved, and we’re planning more collaborations with Rags2Riches in the future.
The bags made by Rags2Riches social enterprise
Building on this, in March of this year, I helped organize a PMI event, “Brave Voices, Bold Changes,” to celebrate International Women’s Day, featuring keynote speakers including Reese Fernandez Ruiz. We discussed the power of being brave enough to speak up, even if it’s challenging, and of being the voice for those who may not have a voice themselves, with Reese sharing some of our past and ongoing collaborations.
Reach out
My journey at PMFTC is testament to the importance of reaching out when you’re struggling—and of offering your hand when you see someone in need. The truth is, we’re better together, and I’m so grateful that I now feel able to take the metaphorical wheel in a storm, whether that be a storm of emotional stress, workplace pressure, or dealing with a challenging home life.
Looking back, my passion to help others may not have been realized if I hadn’t asked for help myself, so I encourage you all to do the same—and offer help when it’s needed. With a caring workplace, home, and society, we can help build a better future for everyone.
