Her Power: Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso’s blueprint for success in real estate
When Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso first ventured into real estate, it wasn’t a carefully planned career move. It was more of a leap of faith. A Certified Public Accountant by profession, she first encountered Megaworld in 1990 when it was still a small company—and what started as a simple curiosity in exploring this new industry turned out to become a life-long passion that would bring her to the pinnacle of her professional life.
“Our chairman, Dr. Andrew L. Tan, interviewed me and hired me himself,” Alfonso shared. “I was inspired to see [the company] continuously move forward in the industry, guided by his vision even decades after.”
Having been there since the early years of the largest developers in the Philippines, she’s seen it all in the company. “There were about six coup attempts in 1989, followed by the great Luzon earthquake. Nobody wanted to buy high-rise condominiums from [Megaworld] then,” she recalled. “After the outbreak of the Gulf War, which impacted our sales abroad, the Asian financial crisis of 1997 caused the peso to plummet and interest rates to soar. It was a very bad time to be in real estate. We saw many property companies close down.”
Alfonso faced a tough decision. Leave for a more stable job or stand her ground? “I was newly married, and the environment was so unstable,” she admits. Despite other opportunities, she remained with Megaworld. “I saw Dr. Tan’s conviction and determination, and that compelled me to continue the journey with him. My story would’ve been very different if I had not kept to the path I was on.”
Indeed, Alfonso embodies the impact women can have in any industry—including traditionally male-dominated fields such as real estate.
“Women have long been part of the real estate workforce. They have been, and continue to be, instrumental in strengthening and elevating the industry. At Megaworld, 60% of our employees are women,” she said. “Our company has a culture of meritocracy, and it has opened up many opportunities for those who are capable, hardworking, and committed to grow and succeed—regardless of gender. I’m living proof of how meritocracy created the ideal environment for me to thrive professionally.”
Expanding the company's reach
Recognized by Forbes as the only Filipino in its 50 Over 50 list and one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women in 2024, Alfonso's leadership has driven Megaworld to unprecedented growth. “Last year, we launched four townships—the highest number of townships launched in a single year,” she shared. “Those four townships are all located outside Metro Manila. In every location we’ve built, we’ve made sure to embrace the [local] culture and to elevate that by bringing in more value.”
In 2024, Megaworld aptly closed the company’s 35th year with a total of 35 townships. “Today, we have many large townships outside Metro Manila, from the farthest north to the farthest south. I’m excited about these because we believe there’s a strong market in other growth areas in the provinces,” she said. “In the same manner as in the past, we’d like to further contribute to the company’s vision to uplift lives, impact society, and help shape the nation through our developments.”
Leading with HEART
As president (and the first woman to hold that position in the company), Alfonso credits her Christian faith as key to her purpose-driven leadership. “Leadership with HEART is what He continuously teaches me,” she shared. “This acronym embodies the kind of character that Jesus nurtures in His leaders, which is something I always aspire to.”
Alfonso lists:
- H for humility. As written, God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.
- E for empowerment. When you empower others, you also recognize your own limitations. It means you’re open to hearing new ideas and willing to listen to others.
- A for accountability. We don’t have authority over the resources under our charge. We are their stewards, and we manage them with responsibility.
- R for relationships. The quality of our professional and personal lives is impacted by the quality of our relationships with others. We must strive to build harmony because it builds a better team, and our everyday work is elevated because of it.
- T for thankfulness. Gratitude lets us appreciate all of God’s blessings and recognize His provisions as a boundless gift that allows us to be of service to others.
This philosophy drives Alfonso’s leadership, where collaboration and mentorship are her biggest priorities. As a big believer in teamwork, she makes herself available for face-to-face conversations with employees. “By listening to them, I’m able to gain new insights and hear new concepts. It’s a way to connect with them while harnessing the team’s sense of creativity and innovation,” she said.
Considering the company’s multigenerational workforce, Alfonso prioritizes mentorship while she’s president. “I value the vibrancy our younger employees bring to the organization,” she said. “They are the future of the company. I empower them because in doing so, I train and nurture the new generation of Megaworld leaders.”
No woman is an island, and when it comes to growth and success, we can’t do it alone. Your family, partner or spouse, children, churchmates, and even the communities that you’re a part of—they’ll share responsibilities with you, and they’ll lift you up during difficult times.
Leaving a legacy of purpose
For Alfonso, leadership is more than just achieving business success. “I hope that I’m able to lead the kind of life that inspires younger women to take a seat at the table, make their voices and ideas heard, and step into bigger roles with courage and purpose,” she said. “It would be such an honor to serve as that guiding force for them, whether they’re Megaworld employees or women in the Philippines or the people who happen to hear my story and see themselves in my journey.”
Most of all, she fervently wishes to be remembered as a leader who lived to glorify the Lord. “Ever since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I’ve learned that life is so much richer and so much more than we can ever imagine. Every day, we can live fulfilling our higher purpose and appreciate it from a deeper and more meaningful lens.”
Balancing business and personal life
In her journey to the top, Alfonso shared a valuable lesson she learned about doing it all. “It’s more about work-life integration than work-life balance. After all, work is an undeniable part of our daily life,” she said.
Alfonso starts her day at 5 in the morning, even on weekends and holidays. She begins by praying and reading the bible, reviewing summaries from their Data Analytics group, then checking her schedule and starting work while eating breakfast.
“After work, I look forward to having dinner with my family. Around the table, everyone shared the highlights of their day,” she shared. Alfonso also lovingly confessed that she has a grandson whom she dotes on, citing how she considers spending time with family as a kind of self-care.
In her downtime, she enjoys watching documentaries or reading books and online articles about people who’ve overcome hard times. “What I read and watch reflects my passion to see how different people from different walks of life strive to win and stand out. Their stories inspire me to make excellence a way of life.”
Paving the way for women in leadership
Alfonso acknowledges that women often have to work harder to prove themselves in leadership roles. “We have to display more courage, tenacity, fortitude, resilience, determination, and persistence,” she said. Her advice? “Focus on the goal, work very hard, one step at a time, to achieve it.”
She also encourages young women to build strong support systems. “No woman is an island, and when it comes to growth and success, we can’t do it alone,” she said. “Your family, partner or spouse, children, churchmates, and even the communities that you’re a part of—they’ll share responsibilities with you, and they’ll lift you up during difficult times.”
Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso’s journey to becoming Megaworld’s president is the blueprint for her own advice. From powering through tumultuous times to leading one of the Philippines’ premier real estate companies, she has proven that women can succeed, and success is not the result of one woman’s work alone. Even in the toughest industries, she has shown that women can lead and break barriers—an inspiration for the next generation of female leaders to take risks, power through, and hold onto faith.
This Women's Month, PhilSTAR L!fe celebrates four women achievers who aren't just achieving success—they're defining it. These women hold the most senior leadership positions in their respective companies, proving that gender is no barrier to reaching the top.
To truly capture the depth and impact of their achievements, L!fe will be featuring each of these extraordinary women in individual stories throughout the month. Their stories serve as powerful inspiration for Filipinas aspiring to excel in any field.
