The employer is testing whether you know that an EA's first move is to verify logistics and hard time constraints, not just ask the executive to choose based on who is more important. In Metro Manila, travel time can invalidate a calendar entry even when both parties agree.
State that you would check the executive's own commitments and the travel or location constraints first, then the agendas and hard stops of each meeting. Explain that you use that information to propose a concrete reschedule to the less time-sensitive party instead of escalating the conflict.
Start by checking the executive's own hard constraints, not the hosts' urgency, because in Metro Manila the physical reality of travel often decides the matter before anyone's agenda does. Look at the exact addresses, the time of day, and whether the executive has a hard stop before or after either meeting, such as a flight, a client call, or a personal commitment that cannot move. If the two offices are, say, BGC and Pasig, even a mid-morning slot can mean an hour in traffic, so say plainly that you would first verify whether the executive can physically be at both locations within the hour, and if not, which meeting's window is truly immovable. Then, without asking the executive to choose based on seniority, propose a concrete fix to the less time-sensitive host, such as shifting their session fifteen minutes later or moving it to a video call, and confirm the change in writing. Keep your tone calm and direct, and if you must escalate, bring a recommendation, not a question, so the executive only approves, not decides from scratch.
A common mistake is to say 'Kayo na lang po mag-decide kasi pareho pong urgent' or to prioritize the more senior person automatically without checking location. Instead, say: 'Sir, the BGC meeting has a hard stop at 2:30 from the client, while the Pasig review can start at 1:45. May I ask the finance team to move fifteen minutes later?'
Situation
At my previous internship at a logistics company, the operations manager I assisted was double-booked for a 1 p.m. internal budget review at our Pasig office and a 1 p.m. client meeting at a BGC showroom, and both parties refused to move.
Task
I had to determine which meeting the manager could realistically attend on time and recommend a reschedule plan before either party escalated.
Action
I first checked the travel time between the two locations using a navigation app during that exact hour, then called each meeting host to confirm the agenda and the latest time the manager could arrive without disrupting the session. I saw that the BGC client meeting had a hard start because the client had another appointment at 2:30, while the Pasig internal review could be joined later or shifted to 1:45. I then proposed to the operations manager that she go to BGC first, and I would move the Pasig review to 1:45 and notify the attendees.
Result
The manager made the client meeting on time, the internal review started 15 minutes later with no loss of content, and the finance team thanked me for being specific about travel times instead of guessing.
Checking real-world travel time and each party's hard stop is the fastest way to break a tie between urgent meetings.
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