Hazel Balam – Administrative Assistant, Finance
Hi, my name is Hazel Ann Balam. I am 34 years old with various experiences in the accounting, manufacturing, multinational shared service center, and BPO industry. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Financial Management and graduated from Notre Dame University-Cotabato City.
After college, I worked as an Executive Assistant in a bank for 6 months that was focused more on handling administrative tasks. Since I was more persistent in the accounting field, I applied as a Subsidiary Bookkeeper in the bank. I considered it as a stepping stone in pursuing what I chose. As a bookkeeper, I was in charge of processing loans disbursements, bank reconciliation, preparation, and compliance to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reportorial requirements weekly and performed month-end closing together with the Accountant.
Through hard work, I was assigned as an Accountant for more than a year where my job was focused more on the monthly reporting, preparation of Financial Statements, checking payroll, and month-end closing. It was a challenging job but I am grateful for the opportunity given. I’ve learned the accounting practice of a bank.
I then moved to the Internal Audit team for 5 months only. My task was focused more on checking if there are any discrepancies in the loan documents of every client, checking if reportorial requirements accurately complied as mandated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and checking all important documents of the bank. I’ve worked in a bank for 4 years and it was the best start-up in my working career.
After my bank experience, I moved to Cebu City together with my Aunt. For a year, I worked in a manufacturing company as an Accounting Associate. My job was focused more on monthly tax reporting, compliance of government contributions for all employees, and payroll preparation. I’ve always wanted to work in a multinational company like Mercedes Benz Group Services Philippines, Inc. It wasn’t that impossible to fulfill it because there were a lot of good opportunities in Cebu. I got a job offer as a Jr. Accountant of the MasterData team with Mercedes Benz Group Services Philippines, Inc. I have been assigned to all of the European countries handled by the MasterData team and became well-rounded in the processes for 1 year & 6 months. The responsibilities given were the creation of customer and vendor records in SAP based on approved requests sent through tickets by our counterparts, updating customer and vendor records such as bank details, VAT number, address, the payment condition, and contact details, and accommodating urgent inquiries that relate to Direct Debit collections and scheduled payments of Accounts Payable team, assist in month-end closing of Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable teams. After the 
MasterData team, I was transferred to the Accounts Receivable team. I was one of the Accounts Receivable Jr. Accountants trained by our Madrid counterparts and be able to understand the Accounts Receivable processes of Car2go and Evobus entities. I became well-rounded in the processes of each European country for C&E entities. Tasks handled were allocation of incoming payments received on a daily basis, responding to customer’s inquiry through email, Accounts Receivable month-end closing flow, billing of sales documents, performing scheduled numbering controls, and monthly KPI preparation for the Evobus team. I was promoted as an Accounts Receivable Analyst. Apart from the tasks handled, I was assigned to stabilise new processes transferred by Madrid counterparts to the Philippine team for the C&E entity.
My Mercedes Benz experience was one of a kind because it helped me realize more the importance of family through the training I attended and the significance of the 4 most important values a person should have such integrity, passion, respect, and discipline. I grew up personally and professionally from this experience. I became more independent, confident in decision making and a better person with strong values. From this, I will always be grateful to my Aunts and Uncle who’s been with us to support our finances and education after the death of our parents. They have supported us all throughout, especially in pursuing our chosen careers.
After Cebu City, I moved to Davao City to be with my siblings and hopefully I will be able to pursue my Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Though my strength was with the Accounts Receivable process, I took the job in Dash10 as an Account Admin to earn and save money for my Master’s Degree. Account Admin was focused more on Accounts Payable tasks like invoicing, preparation of payments, and responding to client’s inquiry.
While pursuing my career, I have developed an interest in traveling. As they say, it’s the best onsite learning a person can get, and indeed it is true as I have learned to build human connections and realized culture differences. Traveling makes me feel happier and unfold interesting things that are worth discovering.
For a copy of Hazel’s resume please click here.