Building opportunities – Alvhin Ballecer’s projects come in all sizes People behind the story
Successful projects are only as good as the people behind them. When you work in our industry, you'll see things most people never will. Here we’re talking professional challenges, music, and solar power with Alvhin Ballecer.
Glitz and glamour – some projects have it in abundance. Solaire Resort North brings together a hotel, casino, ballroom, business facilities, and a wide range of restaurants and places to unwind all under one roof. It’s become the new home for entertainment in Metro Manila.
Alvhin Ballecer, our project manager on site , led the team responsible for the installation of the high-end vertical transportation systems at the new luxury resort.
"I don't gamble, I never touch the tables or machines," he says with a smile. "When I'm at the casino, my focus is primarily on the operation of the elevators and escalators. To me, it's far more interesting and important to get everything working well and running smoothly."
To ensure that the fun never stops, Alvhin and his team installed a total of 67 elevators and escalators, helping guests navigate the resort’s 156,000 square meters.
"It was a prestigious project which was also quite challenging," he explains. With many different teams on site, scheduling was critical. But due to delays beyond our team's control, Alvin’s team was left with a shortened window to complete their tasks.
"This was a true display of hard work, dedication, and what 24/7 really means," says Alvhin. Over a period of three months, we had a team of up to 90 fitters working 12-hour shifts on rotation seven days a week. "It was challenging, and a lot of long hours, but ultimately it was very rewarding. Everyone on the team did an excellent job," adds Alvhin.
Setting the tune
For Alvhin, this project represents much more than just entertainment – the resort will also benefit a lot of people who live in the area.
"I'm proud to have been involved in this project," he says. "They’re hiring a substantial number of staff, which will provide many families with improved income."
Alvhin grew up roughly 250 kilometers southwest of the capital, on a farm in the province of Camarines Sur, not far from the picturesque Mayon Volcano – which is depicted on the Philippine 100 -peso note. From a young age, he assisted his family in the rice fields and in their small welding and auto repair shop.
His leadership skills were also cultivated early on, he explains. During his university days, he was the band leader of a marching band – showcasing his musical talents by playing the trombone, saxophone, and flute.
"Music has always been a great passion of mine," says Alvhin. "Playing in a band you have to work together, set a rhythm, and of course it also has to be fun. It’s a lot like life in general, really!"
After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, Alvhin spent several months working in his family's business He soon felt his education and skills were underutilized. It didn’t take long for him to secure a position as a site engineer on a housing project with a local construction firm, where he later transitioned to the firm's project management team – building hands-on experience in project coordination and execution.
Moving on and moving up
It was during his time with the local construction firm that Alvhin first worked with our team on a project – and it left a lasting impression on him.
"I thought to myself, once the building’s finished, I’m going to apply for a job at Schindler," he says. He joined our team in Manila as a project engineer in 2012. After three years of working on multiple projects in and around the capital, Alvhin was assigned as acting project manager for the prestigious Shangri-La The Fort project in Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila.
"In my first meeting on-site, I didn't know that they were going to ask me to be acting project manager," he says, laughing warmly. "It was a big step for me, I was very shocked!"
Despite some initial nerves, the Shangri-La The Fort project was a great success, and Alvhin was rewarded with a permanent role as project manager.
After successfully delivering several more projects, it came as no surprise this time when Alvhin was appointed project manager for Solaire Resort North – the largest project our team had undertaken in the Philippines at the time.
A shining light
Today, Alvhin lives in Cavite – approximately a two-hour drive south from Metro Manila – with his wife and two young children.
When asked about his hobbies, he provides a quintessentially engineer-like response: he enjoys tinkering with mechanics and spends his free time building and fixing things around his house – a passion that echoes his childhood experiences on the farm and in the family repair shop. His current project is setting up solar panels on his roof.
"I'm obsessed with solar energy," he says, passionately explaining how much money he can save on his electricity bills each month. "My goal is to have zero payment."
Alvhin hasn’t taken his children to Solaire Resort North yet. Instead, over the weekends, they help him with projects at home, like installing solar panels up on the roof, fetching tools, and doing other small tasks.
"It might not be as glamorous as the new casino, but we always have a great time together. It’s extremely rewarding watching them grow up and figure out how things work."