I’m 30F and been working in the Construction industry for 8 years now. I was recently promoted to be the Construction Head of our company so all suppliers, subcontractors, even clients go through me. It’s no longer common for people to look down at females in this industry, pero meron pa din. Nakakaasar lang kasi you can’t be mahinhin in this job, kailangan dinosaur ka kasi aabusuhin ka o kakaya-kayanin. The thing is, I don’t want to be a dinosaur, it takes a toll on my mental health pag lagi akong strong sa work, nauuwi ko sa house and sometimes narerelease ang stress kay husband.

Nasabihan na ako ng isang subcon na super stressed sya sakin, nagkakaanxiety na sya pag ako ang tumatawag o nagpafollowup. I’m relentless when it comes to deadlines. But it got the job done, naiwasan yung pagghost samin nitong subcon na to, and I was avle to make him complete all his deliverables.

Another subcon, this is recent, called me unprofessional. Di ko naintindihan, I’m strict, straight forward, at direct lang naman sa mga concerns, I was never the type na nagmumura or namemersonal, even explained na trabaho lang. After this, dun na lang sya nagcocoordinate sa site engr. Ang mali ni SE nagsign ng COC, when it’s not yet completed. They’re claiming for final payment na hinold ko. In their eyes I’m playing God, kasi pirmado na, had to explain ng paulit ulit na ako ang final approver. They refused to rectify the remaining works, so patigasan kami. Nagthreaten pa to escalate daw our issue to my superior, so sabi ko ako na ang head.

Lastly, a client was pissed at me for following up a payment, which she delayed for months, even tho all repairs and pakisuyo are done, but always di natatapos, ang daming dagdag kahit wala na sa contract. My follow ups made her pay naman, pero ang sakit masabihan ng “umiinit ulo ko (sayo)”.

What should I do ba? To be firm yet still very prim and composed. Nagpo-“po” naman ako. I call everyone sir/maam. O it’s on them na? Kasi out of 30 subcons, 2 lang naman yung butthurt, meron pa siguro iba pero di naman sila nagdamdam ng malala unlike these 2. I view their feedback as disrespect, parang pagsagot sa nanay ganun. Or is that a wrong mindset? Idk, help..?