A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SENATOR

 

“A day in the life of a fool

A sad and a long lonely day

I walk the avenue and hope I’ll run into

The welcome sight of you coming your way.”

I was putting together this article about the daily routine work of our typical senator when the above seemingly symmetrical oldie but goldie Frank Sinatra’s song flashed into my mind. I thought it is a charming eye-catching opener for this piece of work.

Having failed in running into the internet for any exclusive feature of our local senator’s typical day in his work, I opted instead for Uncle Sam’s counterpart – a US senator from Oklahoma who posted a video clip “A Day in the Life of Senator James Lankford” in YouTube.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SENATOR

Below are the highlights of the senator’s typical workday schedule which stretched across ten hours of non-stop communication activities.

7:50 am          Senate prayer breakfast

9:00                Meeting with constituents

10:00              Homeland security governmental affairs meeting

11:30              Foreign affairs legislative update

Noon              Vote on Associate Attorney General

1:00                Steering committee lunch

2:30                Indian affairs business meetings & oversight hearing

3:30                Headed to a classified briefing with Dept. of Defense

5:15                Meeting with Central American Foreign Ministers

6:00                Interviews with Fox News, Washington Post & CNN

7:00 pm     Dinner. Study materials for tomorrow’s meeting. Writing speech for tomorrow on the Senate floor. Chat with wife and daughter.

The video clip stimulated the following comments, among many others:

“Thank you for this video, Senator. It will help my students to feel that government is accessible.”

“I found this channel about Senator Lankford when I was searching for a day in the life of senators since I aspire to be a senator one day. This guy is great!”

“Never see any senator creating this clip, at least I can look at everything that you do in everyday life…Hurrah!”

THINKING PROCESS

The senator communicated with many different people belonging to various groups by exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and information. Only when the people the senator had talked to, clearly understood him, would he deem himself to have communicated effectively, unleashed by this crux of the matter – his brain -- which enabled him to think intelligently. Dr. M. Scott Peck, psychiatrist and author of “The Road Less Traveled” wrote:

“Thinking is difficult. Thinking is complex. And thinking is – more than anything else – a process, with a course or direction, a lapse of time, and a series of steps or stages that lead to some result. To think well is a laborious, often painstaking process until one becomes accustomed to being ‘thoughtful.’

“Since [thinking] is a process, the course or direction may not always be clear-cut. Not all the steps or stages are linear; nor are they always in the same sequence. Some are circular and overlap with others. Not everyone seeks to achieve the same result. Given all this, if we are to think well, we must be on guard against simplistic thinking in our approach to analyzing crucial issues and solving the problems of life.”

        I think it is fair to say that the busyness of the above US senator is not far off from our local senator’s earnestness in his typical day – both legislators are cut from the same cloth of the US Constitution.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SENATOR PADILLA

At this point, let’s figure out the grey matter Senator Robin Padilla has between his ears by placing him side by side with the demand of the typical day in the life of a senator. His following wisecracks on his so-called “baptism of fire” in the plenary debates spoke volumes.

“Nahihirapan lang ako pag nag-e-Englishan na, medyo ‘pwede dahan-dahan lang? Gano’n. Kaya mahalaga ‘yung journal eh, kaya binabasa ko ‘yung journal kasi nadun lahat eh, mahalaga ‘yun.”

“Nakatunganga ako. Tango-tango. Bukas mababasa ko sa journal ito.”

“Hindi naman lahat hindi ko naiintindihan. Kapag gumamit lang sila ng mga English na pang-dictionary, marami talaga, eh.”

“Lalo ‘pag nagtatalo na. ‘Yun naglalabasan ng mga Webster doon. Medyo dumudugo tenga ko. Hindi naman ako pinagsalita eh.”

Ang journal ko, may mga linya. ‘Pag may linya ‘yun ibig sabihin kailangan ko ng dictionary.”

“Hindi pa masyado [as to ‘breaking in’ to the inner circle in the Senate]. Pinipilit naman ni Senate President na ma-welcome ako. Siyempre bago ka eh, parang sa eskwelahan din, ‘pag bago ka, makisama ka muna. Pinipilit ko naman makisama.”

In the light of such apparent incompetence, why in the world is Robin Padilla in the Senate? A 1995 study by the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform identified Popularity as the leading factor in the Philippine election driven then by the following electorate profile:

5 in 10 unemployed

4 in 10 high school graduate

6 in 10 class C & D

After almost three decades, just as the above electorate profile appears to have still lingered today, or may have even worsened due to the pandemic, so too Popularity, as the leading election factor, has stuck around as showcased by Robin Padilla’s topping the senatorial winners. Sad to say, only when our government gives a boost to such an economic-driven electorate profile will our country be able to get out of this Padilla-Revilla-Lapid showbiz popularity hole. It’s likely to be a long haul.

SAVVY DOLPHY

Interestingly, many years ago, taking a different route at that same political crossroads, Dolphy said:

“Kung ako ay papasok sa pulitika, isa lang ang ikinatatakot ko, dahil kapag nandun na ako, baka mapahiya lang ako kasi hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko, at sayang lang ang pagboto ng mga tao sa akin.”

His words, “Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko” is just like saying “para na rin akong luko-luko” which paves the way for our wrapping up this article with the second-half of our song opener:

“I stop just across from your door

But you’re never home anymore

So back to my room and there in the gloom

I cry tears of goodbye

That’s the way it will be every day in the life of a fool.”

Thank goodness, such a senator’s life will only last up to six years.

Head still photo courtesy of Juan Vargas of pexelsdotcom

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

 

Pinoy 1: Musta na?

Pinoy 2: Si bossing, ang daming binagsak na trabaho sa mesa ko.

Pinoy 3: Ako rin.

Pinoy 4: Pare, “when it rains, it pours.”

“When it rains, it pours” is a proverb that means “when something good or bad happens, similarly good or bad things tend to follow” as defined by the online Free Dictionary.

“Something good.” The rain is good. It brings joy and relief to our farmers for it falls on the soil where plants grow. It restores rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs, and ponds where animals can drink. We even talk about “showers of blessings” and the Bible is teeming with verses about the goodness of rain.

“I will send down showers in the season; there will be showers of blessing.” (Ezekiel 34:26)

“Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.” (Hebrews 6:7)

“Something bad.” Headline: “Heavy Rain Brings Floods to the Philippines; Market, Offices Shut.” The Bible, on the other hand, gives us fair warning about such heavy rain that would bring flood:

“But if anyone listens and does not act, he is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. As soon as the flood burst against it, the house fell: and what a terrible waste that was!”(Matthew 7:26-27)

Listening to or reading the whole PBBM’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) is like standing up to heavy rains of works that keep pouring over your head. Well, it’s good enough. But, there’s the rub -- works without ethics.

WORKS WITHOUT ETHICS

What is work?

“Man is made to be in the visible universe an image and likeness of God Himself, and he is placed in it to subdue the earth. From the beginning therefore he is called to work.” (Pope John Paul II)

French philosopher Rene Descartes coined, “I think, therefore I am.” We may rephrase that popular dictum: “I work, therefore I am” since work characterizes our public persona. Usually, we ask, “What do you do?” when we are introduced to a new acquaintance.

I recall a colleague, a retired bank manager, invested a portion of his retirement pay in a large tract of productive farmland. One time, his kid, filling up a school questionnaire, asked him about his present work. He replied, “I am now a farmer.” Distressed, his kid burst into tears thinking their family was getting to be poor.

What is work ethics?

“It is a belief in work as a moral good: a set of values centered on the importance of doing work and reflected especially in a desire or determination to work hard,” according to Merriam-Webster’s definition.

Wikipedia reported that “according to GAN Integrity’s Philippine Corruption Report updated May 2020, the Philippines suffers from many incidents of corruption and crime in many aspects of civic life and various sectors […] judicial system, police service, public services, land administration, and natural resources [among others] […] which include graft, bribery, favoritism, nepotism, impunity, embezzlement, extortion, racketeering, fraud, tax evasion, lack of transparency, lack of sufficient enforcement of laws and government policies, and consistent lack of support for human rights.”

Interestingly, in a May 2022 study by Milieu Insight, a Singapore-based market research firm that surveyed employees in Southeast Asia on the importance of values at work, its findings came upon Honesty as highly valued by Filipino workers. The other two important work values that went along behind: Taking Responsibility and Quality Work.

An Asian Journal’s article on “The Best Traits of Filipinos That We Should Be Proud Of” vouched for such findings: “Filipinos over the years have proven time and again that they are a people with an industrious attitude […] this is also present in the country’s workforce, particularly the farmers. Even with little support, technological weaknesses, and the country’s seasonal typhoons, the Filipino farmers still strive to earn their daily meal.”

MORAL RECOVERY PROGRAM

A “disconnect” lies between the GAN Integrity’s Philippine Corruption Report and the findings of Milieu Insight’s study on Filipino work values.

Question: How do we “connect”?

Answer: Moral Recovery Program

The Moral Recovery Program (MRP) refers to the national campaign for moral renewal which includes the objectives, strategies, and cumulative experience generated in the course of implementing Presidential Proclamation No. 62.

The Senate Task Force, after a comprehensive study, has established the need to develop in the Filipino:

1. A sense of patriotism and national pride, or pagmamalaki sa bansa – a genuine love, appreciation, and commitment to the Philippines and things Filipino;

2. A sense of the common good or “kakayahang magmalasakit” – the ability to look beyond selfish interest, a sense of community living, a sense of justice, and a sense of outrage at its violation;

3. A sense of integrity and accountability, or “katapatan at pananagutan” – an aversion towards graft and corruption in society and an avoidance of the practice in one’s daily life;

4. The value and habits of discipline, hard work or “pagsisikap,” self-dignity and self-reliance; and

5. The value and habits of self-reflection and analysis or “pagpapahalaga at pagsusuri sa sarili,” the internalization of spiritual values, the emphasis on essence rather than on form.

This is an old wheel that needs no reinvention. Let’s just do it.

A 2019 research paper “Impact of the Moral Recovery Program (MRP) for Drug Surrenderees in Cavite” showed that out of 131 attendees of the 3-month MRP, 85% resolved to stop using drugs and 75% have a better relationship with God. The MRP was carried out by different religious organizations in cooperation with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Local Governments Units, Non-Governmental Agencies, and various business sectors.

Let’s give credit where credit’s due.

To former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani who sponsored the resolution directing the Senate Task Force in inquiring into the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino Character to solve the social ills and strengthen the nation’s moral fiber, thereby laying the groundwork for the national campaign for Moral Recovery.

To former President Fidel V. Ramos who signed Proclamation No. 62 declaring a moral recovery and enjoining active participation of all sectors in the Filipino society.

The absence of FVR in the SONA was an insightful symbol for what was wanting in the message – Moral Values.

PBBM: “The state of the nation is sound.”

Let Jose Rizal’s words face it off and wind up this article:

“The people do not complain because they have no voice; do not move because they are lethargic, and you say that they do not suffer because you have not seen their hearts bleed.”

Head still photo courtesy of Aleksandar Pasaric @ pexelsdotcom

CORRUPTION: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

 

Many years ago, at IBM, Apple was off-limits as a topic of discussion; at Kodak, digital photography was “unheard of” in the boardroom; and among Michael Jackson’s minions, drug dependence was a no-no in conversation.

In the mid-80s, IBM was the leading supplier of computer technology. Failing to gain a place at the dawn of the internet age, it eventually lost $16 billion in the early 90s – marking off the twilight of the IBM dominion. Meanwhile, Apple made history in 2020 for breaking records -- the first company in reaching a $2 trillion market cap.

A Kodak engineer invented the digital camera. But here’s how Kodak leadership took it: “That’s cute – but don’t tell anyone about it,” pushing it aside lest it would cannibalize its existing product market share. Picking up on the cutting-edge innovation, its rivals seized the opportunity. In 2012, Kodak declared bankruptcy.

Suffering from cardiac arrest, Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 -- caused by a fatal combination of drugs.

Apple, digital photography, and drug dependence above -- “elephants in the room,” all.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

The expression “the elephant in the room” according to the Oxford Languages dictionary, is a “major problem or controversial issue which is obviously present but is avoided as a subject for discussion.” Wikipedia added that “everyone knows about it but no one mentions or wants to discuss it because it makes some uncomfortable and is personally, socially, or politically embarrassing.”

During our corporate heyday, I worked with the largest (at one point during its operation) steel mill in Asia; my wife, with one of the largest banks in the country. Our management toolboxes were jammed full of tools and techniques we could use in our respective jobs in improving our companies’ product output and quality, or reducing costs. The new-arrival fashionable names were wide-ranging: reengineering, downsizing, project management, problem analysis, decision making, work simplification, completed staff work principle, just-in-time inventory, 5S workplace methodology, know-your-customer basic, and fraud detection, among others.

At home then, those tools and their applications (like resource allocation and work scheduling technique) were a piece of cake: a nanny for the baby, a cook in the kitchen, and an all-around "kasambahay" for the rest of the tasks. So far so good.

One weekend, while doing the groceries, I picked up peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) stripes for breakfast. The next morning I could not find the PB&J in the refrigerator. Catching on to what’s going on, right then and there, one "kasambahay" put the “lost” PB&J on the dining table which she had brought out from her room. It caught me off guard. To cut this story short, after due diligence and subsequent findings and admissions, we learned we had been also feeding, unwittingly, the families of our "kasambahays" in their respective homes. For how long, we had no idea.

Of course, God was pleased and, unknown to us, could have rewarded us already for our giving in secret (Matthew 6:4). Strangely enough, it was so secret that we hadn’t got a bit of idea we did such a special kind of giving. It’s out of the question.

The crux of the matter: no great deal of cost savings can make up for the corruption losses in the system.

CORRUPTION LOSSES

The World Bank estimated in 2002 that the Philippines had lost $48 billion (P2.7 trillion @ $1=P56 today) to corruption from 1977 to 1997. That is equivalent to average corruption losses of P224 billion per year. Such an elephantine amount could have built four-lane superhighway networks along the whole Philippine coastlines. The projected P14.8 Billion in rightsizing savings is only 6% of the corruption losses per year.

The Philippines slumped to a historic low in a global 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index with 33 points out of 100 as reported by Transparency International. The Index ranks 180 countries based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The Philippines slid a point down from its previous year’s points of 34. The highest annual points the Philippines got so far during the period from 1995 to 2021 was 38. Right beside the Philippines with the same 33 points are Algeria, Egypt, Zambia, and Nepal. The Philippines dropped two spots to 117^th place among the 180 countries on the list.

Transparency International noted that just as the Philippines slumped to a historic low in its corruption index, so freedom of expression also declined under PRRD making it difficult for citizens to speak up against corrupt activities.

COMBATTING CORRUPTION

The World Bank 2000 report “Combating Corruption in the Philippines” proposed a nine-point approach to fighting corruption:

1. Reducing opportunities for corruption by policy reforms and deregulations

2. Reforming campaign finance

3. Increasing public oversight

4. Reforming budget processes

5. Improving meritocracy in the civil service

6. Targeting selected departments and agencies

7. Enhancing sanctions against corruption

8. Developing partnerships with the private sector

9. Supporting judicial reform

Well, the anti-corruption blueprint above has been all systems go and on standby for more than two decades. Let’s just do it -- to be spearheaded by no less than PBBM voted by 31 million people and now standing behind him as the leader of the country. As stressed by Sir James David Wolfensohn who served as the ninth president of the World Bank:

“The issue of corruption in many countries is determined by the leadership and by the people of the country.”

But, not so fast.

CORRUPTION: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Let’s rewind a bit to our definition of “the elephant in the room”: “Everyone knows about it but no one mentions or wants to discuss it because it makes some uncomfortable and is personally, socially, or politically embarrassing.”

Let’s take up again the details of corruption: “The World Bank estimated in 2002 that the Philippines had lost US$48 billion (P2.7 trillion @ $1=P56 today) to corruption from 1977 to 1997.”

Here’s the big-time ID of the “elephant in the room”: “Estimates of the ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH OF THE MARCOS FAMILY (underscoring mine) vary, with most sources accepting a figure of about US$5-10 billion for wealth acquired in the last years of the Marcos administration.” (Wikipedia) It is noteworthy that the “last years of the Marcos administration” fell within the World Bank corruption study period from 1977 to 1997. In other words, the US$5-10 billion ill-gotten wealth was part and parcel of the US$48 billion which the Philippines lost to corruption.

One cannot mention or discuss the US$48 billion corruption loss without mentioning or discussing the US$5-10 billion ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses. Otherwise, such mention or discussion, as our definition of “the elephant in the room” goes, will make “some uncomfortable and is personally, socially, or politically embarrassing.”

Is it any wonder the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission was abolished?

The coupling of “corruption” with the “ill-gotten wealth” tailor-made the duo as “the elephant in the room” which no one wants to discuss -- it is politically embarrassing.

            World Bank’s Wolfensohn said, “And when they get fed up with [corruption], something happens. And until they do, not a lot happens.”

Are we not yet fed up?

Head still photo courtesy of Keith Lobo @ pexelsdotcom

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHISMIS

 

You never know what you’re gonna get. The title is my version of Forrest Gump’s quote. Let’s go straight to the two quotes in the spotlight.

“History is like chismis.” (Ella Cruz)

“Real History is about Truth, not lies, not fiction.” (Ambeth Ocampo)

Sparking off lately a swarm of clashing reactions from the opposite sides of the political fence, the two quotes above triggered off the following headlines online:

“Ella Cruz Draws Flak for Controversial Remark” (8List)

“Historian Ambeth Ocampo Mobbed By Marcos Influencers” (Reddit)

HAIRSPLITTING

The squabble burst out more than two weeks ago. Yet, even up to today, the war of words between the two camps has been firing up commentaries from pundits like Rigoberto Tiglao of The Manila Times engaging his readers with basic lessons in figures of speech: “Apparently, Ocampo is incapable of understanding the English word “like,” and much less the concept of “analogy.”

We may find the following examples handy for our quick refresher:

Metaphor: “All the world’s a stage” (Shakespeare’s As You Like It)

Simile: “Life is like a box of chocolates” (Forrest Gump)

Analogy: “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25)

Such hairsplitting squabble reminds me of the former U.S. President Clinton’s Grand Jury Testimony in the heat of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal which the whole world watched in TV live coverage more than twenty years ago.

Question: [T]he statement that there was “no sex of any kind in any manner, shape or form, with President Clinton,” was an utterly false statement. Is that correct?

President Clinton: It depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is. If “is” means is and never had been that is not – that is one thing. If it means there is none that was a completely true statement.

What a presidential hairsplitting argument.

WHY WE HATE

Now to this “History is like chismis” squabble, we may ask, “Where’s the beef”?

Well, the high heat of hate from the gas stove charred the sizzling beef in the frying pan. Let me explain by starting with a quote (no metaphor, no simile, and no analogy this time) taken from a published research paper “Why We Hate” by Agnes Fischer, Eran Halperin, Daphna Canetti, and Alab Jasini.

“We hate persons and groups more because of WHO THEY ARE than what they do. Hate has the goal to ELIMINATE ITS TARGET. Hate is especially significant at the intergroup level, where it turns already DEVALUED GROUPS into victims of hate. When shared among group members, hate can spread fast in CONFLICT ZONES where people are exposed to HATE-BASED VIOLENCE, which further feeds their hate. Hate can be reassuring and self-protective because its MESSAGE IS SIMPLE and helps confirm people’s belief in a just world.” (Underscoring mine)

Let’s put to work the above research findings in a sort of a matrix by placing them side by side with PH political set of circumstances.

“Who they are”: Pro-DDS/BBM vs. Pro-Leni

“Eliminate its target”: Martial law version vs. “Golden age” version of history

“Devalued groups”: Madumb, etc. vs. Bobotante

“Conflict Zones”: Social media

“Hate-based violence”: Disinformation

“Message is simple”: Memes of hateful lies

In other words, the squabble is not that much about what both Ella Cruz and Ambeth Ocampo said about History. Rather it is, politically speaking, about who Ella Cruz and Ambeth Ocampo are. Each represents the particular side of the political fence – the former has been perceived as a Pro-DDS/BBM for being cast to play the role of Irene Marcos in the 2022 film “Maid in Malacanang”; the latter, a publicly known Pro-Leni historian.

The same research paper stated that “Aristotle succinctly states that whereas anger is customarily felt toward individuals, hatred is often felt towards groups.” Meaning, a Pro-DDS/BBM supporter is angry with Leni Robredo (for whatever reason) and, all at once, hates the Angat Buhay NGO too.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE

Oddly enough, in our matrix above, the supposed “History controversy” has dropped out of sight. History, in such squabble, has become “collateral damage” (a real war parlance) -- an unintended target that endured accidental damage.

Similarly, the relentless hate bashing against Maria Reesa on social media is not that much about what she did accomplish fearlessly in her high-risk journalistic career that was awarded the Nobel Prize. (Otherwise, it's pure jealousy.) Rather it is, politically speaking, about who Maria Reesa is – a perceived anti-DDS who has exposed the human rights abuses of the Duterte regime.

Along the same line, just as History has endured collateral damage in Ella Cruz-Ambeth Ocampo’s squabble, so too the world-renowned Nobel Prize Committee has endured the same in Pro-DDS/BBM’s hate lashing of Maria Reesa as a Nobel Prize laureate.

What makes hate so persistent and prevalent in politics?

“Hatred seems an effective, simple, political tool that is commonly used by politicians to attain in-group solidarity and political benefits and/or out-group exclusion. Campaign ads, canvassing, and slogans based on collective hatred are the bread and butter of successful campaigns because the message is simple and emotionally appealing,” the research paper disclosed.

Tsek.ph study, a fact-finding collaboration of 34 academe, media, and civil society partners attesting to the above political frame:

“Robredo’s quotes have been mangled, twisted, [or] fabricated to make her look like she is spouting nonsense. She has been called, rather harshly, Madumb, lutang, tanga, utal-utal, [among others].”

Fatima Gaw, assistant professor of communication research at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication, asserted that Disinformation “is really priming the audience to rationalize [the Marcos] lies and distortions.”

HOPE FOR UNITY

Is there hope for PBBM’s “Unity”?

“Whether we can down-regulate hate… empathy and forgiveness are interesting and socially relevant venues for future research,” the research paper rounded out.

Just as we get this article off the ground with figures of speech, so too we touch down in the same way.

“A people without the knowledge of their past, origin, and culture is like a tree with no roots.” (Marcus Harvey, creator of the “Back to Africa” movement in the US.)

Slamming the Nobel Prize Committee (for Reesa’s award) is like a mouse doing it with an elephant and whispering, “Does it hurt?”

Head still photo courtesy of Xenia Kovaleva @ pexelsdotcom

"YOU GUYS ARE HEROES"

Nineteen eighty-six. The People Power Revolution. It was the best of times on the world stage when people around the world were taking their hats off to Filipino courage being showcased in TV live coverage while ousting a dictator in a rare bloodless revolution.

I was reading a foreign paper when I came across a news item about the story of a handful of Filipinos getting a pat on the back from a New York taxi driver. I can only imagine the sweet-sounding words and what it must have been like to hear them and feel inside as Filipinos in a foreign land.

That salute was on the road. Taking the high ground as the world was giving a big hand to our nation’s feat, our leader then, President Corazon Aquino, came away with the most sought-after invitation -- speaking about the Filipino success story before the joint session of the US Congress.

“Three years ago, I left America in grief to bury my husband, Ninoy Aquino. I thought I had left it also to lay rest his restless dream of Philippine freedom. Today, I have returned as the president of a free people.”

The above opener of her speech more than 3 decades ago embodied three major chunks: Ninoy, the Filipino people, and the Post-Edsa PH. So much profound prose has been written about them that I went for choosing a notable piece for each chunk. The following excerpts about Ninoy were taken from the book “Kingdoms in Conflict: An Insider’s Challenging View of Politics, Power, and the Pulpit” by Charles Colson.

NINOY

“As Jaime Cardinal Sin of the Philippines has said, it is hard for our doubting hearts to believe that spiritual power – which is peaceful, prayerful, humane, forgiving, willing to suffer on the side of the poor and oppressed – can change society. We know the gospel affects the lives of individuals, but can it make an impact on institutions and governments, where the heartless realities of power pierce like a knife? ... One can never quite calculate how one conversion like Benigno Aquino’s in a lowly prison cell may set in motion a train of events to shake a nation.

“‘You’re Mr. Colson…I must talk to you… I wanted to die in prison until I read your book [Born Again].’ I knew… I had another Christian brother.

“[T[hat conversion took away none of his heartfelt concern for his nation. Ninoy, as his friends called him, vowed he would one day return to the Philippines… ‘If I’m killed, I’ll be with Jesus,’ he told me, smiling.”

The rest is history.

THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

Excerpts below were taken from the article “Freedom Comes to the Philippines” by Francis B. Sayre, US High Commissioner to the Philippines, in the 1945 Issue of The Atlantic. Written 77 years ago, the article depicted that, to a great extent, nothing in the character and plight of Filipinos seemed to have changed today.

“To understand the Philippines and to get to the heart of their problems, one must turn to the untutored, poverty-ridden peasants who constitute the majority…The peasants live simply… honest, happy-go-lucky, struggling to keep free from debt but proving generally easy prey to the landlord and the moneylender.

“His innate good nature shows in his smiling face; and somehow, in spite of his poverty, one feels that he has learned the high art of distilling happiness from life. His children are always at the center of his family life…

"The ferment of coming independence is in his soul. He thinks of America as a friend who brought good gifts.”

Is it any wonder, then, that the 2020 Social Weather Stations survey showed Filipinos trusted the US more than China?

POST EDSA PH

Though author Sandra Burton had good words for Filipinos as a people after she had witnessed and wove “her own experience into a thrilling account [in her book “Impossible Dream”] of the most dramatic episodes of our time” [the EDSA Revolution in the words of author Stanley Karnow], sad to say, Burton felt too chancy about the future of our country.

“Filipinos had the greatest tolerance for the chaos of any people I had ever met. In that sense, more than in others, they seemed suited to democracy. In President [Cory] Aquino they had a leader who truly believed that democracy could produce results in a poor and polarized country. But I would try to keep my expectations about its success on this volcanic soil within the bounds of realism.”

Not mincing his words, James Fallows in his straight-shooting article in the Atlantic, “A Damaged Culture,” bolstered such low-grade expectation which I excerpted below:

“A New Philippines? In the United States, the coming of the Aquino government seemed to make the Philippines into a success story. The evil Marcos was out; the saintly Cory was in; the worldwide march to democracy went on. All that was left was to argue about why we stuck with our tawdry pet dictator for so long, and to support Corazon Aquino as she danced around coup attempts and worked her way out of the problems the Marcoses had caused.”

Just as Burton foretold, like a self-fulfilling prophet, in her book’s epilogue the PH hazy future, so too Fallows looked upon a “dark view” of PH “not only without nationalism but also without much national pride.” What would Fallows think upon knowing that the son of the “tawdry pet dictator” the US stuck with for so long is now the President of the Philippines? What would have Fallows felt upon knowing that the son of the “tawdry pet dictator” will be coming to town?

NATIONAL PRIDE

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I’m telling you why.

PBBM should watch out for both legal and political fallouts. He has a standing contempt order in connection with a human rights class suit. Issued in 1995, the contempt amount reached $353 million in 2011 due to PBBM’s evasion of paying such contempt order.

Legally speaking, according to Rappler, former ambassador to the US Raul Rabe said the US State Department would need to secure the permission of the courts for PBBM’s visit. Politically speaking, the dilemma’s upshot may pull the rug from under the Biden administration and catch PBBM off-balance, subsequently, weighing down the intended boost of the US-PH partnership.

Martial Law human rights victims may not cry. “Robert Swift, the American lawyer working to recover assets to distribute to those victims said that PBBM’s US visit would put in motion moves to enforce the contempt judgment,” Rappler reported. Swift added he could even request a subpoena for PBBM to face the court to explain.

Alan Franklin, an LLM in international law, stressed that the exact nature of the immunities from criminal and civil liability of heads of state is ambiguous.

As Filipinos, we may not pout. But, weighing on our nation’s psyche, PBBM’s visit should stir us up to ask ourselves: are we as proud now as we were during the EDSA People Power?

Head still photo courtesy of Nothing Ahead @ pexelsdotcom

"KILLER" MOVES

 

Dude 1: He’s a “lady-killer.”

Dude 2: He looks no stud to me.

Dude 1: Chicks were bored to death waiting for his move.

That’s a college dark humor in the boys’ dorm I dug into the past to catch your eye. Joking aside, let’s get down to business.

JOLLIBEE VS. MCDONALD’S

“Jollibee vs. McDonald’s: The Battle for the Philippines Favorite!”

The Youtube title above caught my eye while putting together this article. Refreshing my memory, I worked on a case study problem in one of my finals during my academic years long ago. Opened up as a small ice cream parlor in a neighborhood, Jollibee had just started selling burgers when McDonald’s, the global fast-food behemoth, was coming to make inroads on the Philippine market. As expected in a case study method, the problem was bursting with comparative data between the two fast-food competitors from sales growth to market shares.

I solved the problem in a qualitative way and put forward that Jollibee would beat McDonald’s in the long haul in the Philippine market built on one overriding factor: taste. My rationale: while McDonald’s stuck to its original iconic American “bland” taste for which they had become globally famous, on the other hand, Jollibee has attuned itself to the local taste buds – like crispier and spicier crackling chicken in every bite matched with sweeter than usual spaghetti. The rest is history. Btw, I got an average grade only in that exam. No doubt, my prof was a McDo fan.

ENTER MANG INASAL

There’s the rub. Soon afterward, Jollibee acquired Mang Inasal in a multi-billion peso deal. Why? Mang Inasal emerged then as the fast-food new-kid-in-the-block rising star as its marketing stripes were unveiled below:

“It all started with a Vision. Edgar “Injap” Sia… learned the importance of following your instincts, taking risks, strategizing, negotiating, and motivating yourself and your people. He also knew that the Filipino barbeque quick-service restaurant category still had growth potential… Famous for its native-style and “nuot-sarap” Chicken Inasal with its pioneering “unlimited rice,” Mang Inasal quickly won the hearts of its customers with its distinctively Pinoy stamp-grilling and special marinade made out of local secret spices…To date, Mang Inasal has over 450 stores nationwide and counting.”

It appeared to be a win-win deal. Was it? For sure, for Jollibee, it was, but not exactly for the consumers. A recent study by authors Colleen Cunningham (London Business School), Florian Ederer (Yale School of Management), and Song Ma (Yale School of Management) seemed to have deemed Jollibee’s buyout as a “killer acquisition.” Ederer explained:

“KILLER ACQUISITION”

“[Our] paper is the first to study the phenomenon of 'killer acquisitions.' These are acquisitions in which an incumbent acquires an innovative target firm solely to discontinue the target’s innovation projects and thereby preempt future competition. Without a 'killer acquisition,' these future or nascent competitors would reduce the future profitability of the incumbent acquirer because they would deliver lower prices, more variety, and potentially higher quality to consumers.”

In the same manner, without such a “killer acquisition,” Mang Inasal could have delivered much better services to consumers than it does now: lower prices, more variety, and higher quality. Subsequently, to face up to the challenge, Jollibee, would have to beef up its market leadership by taking its customer satisfaction value to the next level. The bottom line: consumers always win in a level playing field competition.

 Without such “killer acquisition,” your experience with Jollibee and Mang Inasal could have been superior and have a higher quality than they do now in satisfying their customers. Mang Inasal today reminds me of the movie (title only) “Girl, Interrupted,” or the old U.S. TV sitcom (title only), “Arrested Development.”

COA, CALIDA, ATBP.

The sting of “killer acquisitions” could weigh heavily on our political system.

“Calida Doubles His Wealth in Office as Highest-Paid Solicitor General” (Rappler headline)

“Calida has a declared net worth of P73.4 million,” the report revealed. ”While in office, he was able to acquire a condo in Davao City, more jewelry, and more guns… Calida is the highest-paid solicitor general, landing him on the Top 2 of the list of highest-paid government officials -- a spot which no solicitor general has claimed before. Calida’s government earnings were propelled by his millions in allowances, a long-running dispute between the Office of the Solicitor General and the Commission on Audit (COA). COA had been insisting that Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) lawyers should not get an allowance that is more than half their annual salary. But Calida can get an allowance even quadruple his basic salary.”

I just shook my head after coming across this news item. Two weeks later, I read another headline that seemed to make COA a laughing stock.

“Jose Calida is Marcos’ COA chair” (Rappler headline)

Like Mang Inasal and Edgar “Injap” Sia, the Commission on Audit (COA) and its people have their Vision and Mission:

“A trustworthy, respected, and independent audit institution that is an enabling partner of government in ensuring a better life for every Filipino. To ensure accountability for public resources, promote transparency, and help improve government operations, in partnership with stakeholders, for the benefit of the Filipino people.”

I hope PBBM’s choice of Calida as COA chair will not be tantamount to a “killer acquisition” move for COA people – killing their motivation in achieving their vision and mission. Such foreboding is discomforting knowing how vital COA is in the light of this recent headline:

“COA Flags Unimplemented Davao City Infrastructure Works Worth Almost Half A Billion Pesos”

CNN Philippines reported that “state auditors have questioned Davao City officials led by then-Mayor Sara Duterte for failing to carry out 65 infrastructure projects worth over P469 million due to various issues that could have been resolved during the planning phase.”

Place such headline side by side with PRRD’s statement three years ago which sparked public outrage:

“Ah p***** i** ‘yang COA na ‘yan, I****. Kasi yang COA, every time, may mali talaga. Ano ba itong COA na ito? So, mag-kidnap tayo ng taga-COA ilagay natin, i-torture natin dito. T*** I**.”

Nowadays, with eyes like a hawk, not only should COA be on its toes for “killer” moves descending upon it, but also it should be on the lookout while it elbows its way on its tough job -- what one movie title put on a show – “The Killing Field.”

An old CNN article, “When Your Enemy Becomes Your Boss” has recommended ways to handle tough situations:

1. Examine your attitude and feelings toward your new boss

2. Be a bigger person

3. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s

4. Be open and honest

5. If nothing else works, look to other options

COA dudes, keep it real. All the best.

Head still photo courtesy of Antonio Feligno at pexelsdotcom