Author Archive

"Going postal" just got upgraded to "Going Pinoy Policeman". Tragedy brings out the best and worst in people. At best - it can be an opportunity for dissecting what went wrong, what can be done to do things better, and to create the necessary policy framework to create the conditions that prevent a repeat of future performance failures - to learn from it and grow. ... Full story

For a country that has bore the brunt of natural disasters and man-made disasters, economic malaise, a chronic insurgency, migration of professionals, dysfunctional government, human rights violations, sex scandals, botox for teens - the recent hostage taking was supposed to be just another day in these darn crazy islands. However - it isn't. With foreign citizens - tourists and China involved - Aquino better ... Full story

They control electricity, they control water, they control telecommunications - and more recently - they now control roads - that's what you get for privatizing without liberalization - monopolies and vested interests in bed with government. Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), formerly First Philippine Infrastructure, Inc (FPII), is a Philippines-based holding company. The Company acts as a holding company for the shares of Benpres Holdings ... Full story

Aquino's foot in mouth disease just keeps on getting worse. Remember that in his speech before the Makati Business Club Jan 2010 he promised no new taxes and no tax rates hike because curbing corruption will free up funds. Aquino didn't even wait for a year to flip flop and break his campaign promise of no new taxes and no new tax rate hikes. Before ... Full story

Asia's oldest airline pushes lobbyist levers to "protect" the industry from the open skies policy. The theme of the anti-open skies lobby is to appeal to nationalism - and to use the "infant industry" argument. Frankly, I find it hilarious that the same industry which brandishes "Asia's oldest airline" is the same Philippine industry which NEVER GREW up and worse, FAILED TO LAUNCH.... Full story

The Philippine is a very predictable place to do business for monopolists. Have your 40% equity ready - and there will be a Filipino monopoly business  ready to match you with 60%. Filipinos who can only match 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5% - you are out of luck. The lucky foreign investors who find the Filipinos who can match the foreign 40% with ... Full story

Justice delayed is justice denied, assuming you do get justice - specially with Hacienda Luisita. The progress of cases through the Philippine injustice system is counted in decades - glacial on the average. Unless of course someone is accused of collusion by the World Bank - then you have the entire Congress absolving everyone in less than a week. But if it's a peasant - ... Full story

Talks of privatization is ripe in the air. Privatize MWSS. Privatize NAPOCOR. And more recently, Privatize PAGCOR to the tune of $10B. Is this to the advantage of the Filipino taxpayer? Or will this benefit Filipino monopoly businesses only? P.Noy Aquino is sending signals he is inclined to sell. * Aquino: Sale of ... Full story

The recent "compromise agreement" is another fry-in-your-own-lard deal being promoted by paid hacks as a "breakthrough deal". But who really is benefitting from the breakthrough? Definitely, not the farmers who are getting another bum deal. This is the sort of news that just enrages thinking people's sense of decency. HLI represents the hypocrisy, the phoniness, and the corruption of the Aquino administration. A ... Full story

Can we handle the truth? It's not a rhetorical question considering our penchant to steer away from the uncomfortable and the "nakakahiya". The debate on whether Aquino should create one or not becomes moot and academic as P.Noy has already issued the EO creating the Truth Commission. (Updated 8:15 p.m.) ... Full story

"He can win an election but can he run a country?" Rick Ramos of the Inquirer asks a question that once upon a time was asked about Nelson Mandela. This is a question that supporters of Gordon, Teodoro, and Perlas asked BEFORE the elections. This same question is being asked by an Aquino supporter AFTER the elections. The former was PROACTIVE.  The latter was just ... Full story

When does the "honeymoon period" start? Is it after the candidate wins the elections? Or is it after he assumes office? Does it really matter whether you start early or late if you are headed for the cliff? Both ways that floor will still rush towards you at 9.8 m/sec2. People will have differing opinions. But one thing they can't differ about - are the facts. ... Full story

P-Noy Aquino getting flack for the SONA wasn't a surprise. His getting elected wasn't a surprise. P. Noy's gaffes aren't a surprise. Lacierda's incompetence is not a surprise. The communication group's "Cabinet rank" is not a surprise. The policy pronouncements about "public-private cooperation" is not a suprise. Everything that P'Noy Aquino has done so far is not surprising.... Full story

The government urges creation of an infrastructure fund to help fund Public-Private Partnerships. Sec Purisima says "“We’re solid in our belief that we need to invite investors to our country. Investors need a fair return as payment for their capital and the risk they’re taking. We need to make sure that we simplify the processes.” One step in this direction, according to Purisima, was ... Full story

I say - More WOTL Less Wowowee. Finally, the Philippines has a TV show that tells it as it is. Initially, I thought it was an indie-film. But obviously, it isn't. The Philippine entertainment industries reason for producing B-movies and re-imagined Mexican/Korean/HK telenovelas is that there is no market for such fare. I find that hard to believe.... Full story

How do we learn from the past? How do we use those learnings to improve our lives. An excellent example is the work of the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu's - "The Art of War". By learning from the experiences of the various kingdoms and validating this in real life, Sun Tzu was able to accumulate a body of knowledge which remains relevant today.... Full story

This post delves into the thinking behind the AP dynamics (as I see it anyway) in the comment threads which people are quick to label as thugs. Three keywords to remember - Praxis, Dialectics, and Aporia. Praxis Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted or practiced, embodied and/or realized. It is a practical and applied ... Full story

We received a note in the AP shoutbox about a gas leak in Makati. The news makes it appear that the source of the leak has been identified - but the actual statements of the firemen are “could have”. There seems to be a disconnect between the headlines and the facts.  Can the dots be connected? Or there are no dots? ... Full story

Nepotism has its pros and cons. What happens if a family just happens to be talented? Where do we draw the line? The pros are that having the right name is like a premium brand - and is expected to deliver superior service. On the downside - anti-corruption and nepotism/cronyism/favoritism do not mix. What is Nepotism First let us ... Full story

This post continues after the first episode that came out a week after May 10, 2010. It will now be nearly three weeks after Pres Noynoy Aquino  formally took office. Prior to that it is presumed that a transition plan was being executed.  At the rate things are turning out - it seems that there wasn't even one from the start.... Full story

Noynoy Aquino's recent decision to retain the pork barrel is regrettable. It calls into question Aquino's sincerity to stay on track with his anti-corruption rhetoric. Keeping one's hands off the pork barrel does not mean the horse-trading and corruption that occurs in the process is terminated. The INQUIRER headline attempts to paint a picture that if the President keeps his hands off the pork ... Full story

How often do we hear about "evil" foreign employers as the justification for protectionism? I find that hard to believe because in general, when it comes to employee compensation and benefits - Filipino companies are worse than foreign companies. Note that there are companies with foreign-sounding names but whose owners are majority Filipino. Oftentimes, the foreign partners want compliance with rules and regulations - the ... Full story

Have you ever watched the "Untouchables?" You should. It provides a textbook case of sleuthing, pain-staking gathering of evidence, and building an air-tight case. The experience of the US' Alcohol Prohibition era also shows how unenforceable laws cause corruption. Jueteng has come to the headlines again. Illegal gambling has become a favorite whipping boy of politicians who are out to score brownie points. But I ... Full story

In the latest mind-numbing sequel to this train wreck of an "anti-corruption campaign, Aquino applies the tricks picked up from the media training. Thus, instead of asking the Ombudsman to resign, Aquino's idiot squad is making the rounds rallying more idiots make the call for the Ombudsman's resignation on their behalf. Trial by Publicity Makes a ... Full story

A July 8, 2010 article filed by Roderick dela Cruz in the Manila Standard shows that the Philippines is among the "world’s most restrictive countries in allowing foreign capital into the economy". You can go through each item in the Constitution and the FINL and read it with a critical mind with the intention of identifying protectionism and how it affects our daily lives. Full story

(Updated with Part 3 - July 9' 2010 - Charice serenading a country that rejected her talent) Honeymoon periods with new incumbents are understandable. We, Filipinos, though have a way of overdoing things - not necessarily the right ones. In this satire featuring an animated (literally, a cartoon in the tradition of South Park) interview of Sarah Palin by Larry King about her invitation to ... Full story

Behind the game of soccer lies a complex web of interactions that deliver value from customer wants to product designers to manufacturing distribution and services. We can damn these interactions as exploitation and imperialism. Or we can understand how the game is played and see for ourselves whether it is indeed imperialism that's killing us - or our lack of understanding :oops:  of our ... Full story

Once upon a time there were two villagers working the fields in a remote boondock. The fields were well-tilled as they were a hard-working people. Fortunately they had good soil and because of that there was minimal need for water. Still, the village needed more water and a council decided to have a competition on who can best serve the needs of the village. ... Full story

I've had it with listening to all this "walang mahirap kung walang corrupt" yarn. Allow me to explain in five steps with the aid of visuals why Noynoy Aquino, his team, and his supporters are wrong on corruption. I will cut to the chase and keep it simple. You be the judge as to who really, is making sense. ... Full story

In AD 64, Rome burned for six days and seven nights. Its citizens watched helplessly as the fire spread quickly and savagely. When the fire died down, only 30% of the city was left standing. Only four districts remained, three were flattened to the earth. The remaining seven became charred remains. This was the eyewitness account of the Roman historian, Tacitus.... Full story

I was wondering how Dr. Stephen Covey would look at Filipino culture and our dominant habits as a society. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, what if Dr Stephen Covey, the author of the best-selling "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" were to be asked about what he thinks whether we, Filipinos are an effective people. :wink: Why choose the good Doctor? Why not? After all ... Full story

Balut penoy's chihuahua, namely, Bill Esposo was at it again - selling Vaporware and covering up the tracks of Balut Penoy (hereinafter referred to as Balut - yup, unhatched stinking duck egg). The justifications and convolutions that Balut's sycophants have to come up with reminds me of the Emperor's new clothes. Obviously Balut's media team has gotten its marching orders - more word candy written ... Full story

The nature of todays government, like business enterprises, is changing. Without an FOIA and a Government Information Highway the Philippines will be left further behind - content in its perceived national glories of the occasional flashes of talent of Charice Pempengco and the tackiness of the Tarlac Hillbillies. Why Is Aquino reluctant to use anti-corruption tools with strategic impact? Is he really honest? Or is ... Full story

Even before the elections, I have always maintained that Noynoy's approach to eradicating corruption is wrong because he is using the wrong approach. His mantra of "walang mahirap kung walang corrupt" is seriously flawed as studies show that corruption aggravates poverty but it is not the cause of poverty. Aquino's flip-flopping on the passage of an already watered-down FOIA is not consistent with his anti-corruption ... Full story

A buddy sent me an email about an interesting discussion on outsourcing. It asked the question "Is outsourcing exploitation?". It is not the first time to hear the question. I raised that question too as a young freelancer. As you know freelancing has a certain appeal to it. You are in complete control of your time, your finances - you are your own ... Full story

Turbulence, uncertainty, and volatility characterize the 21st century economy. There are many reasons for this increase - lifecycles of products and technologies have been reduced substantially and rapid product development by competition makes demand difficult to forecast. There is disorder, there is chaos resulting from marketing activities such as promotions and periodic incentives - or business rules that deal with procurement. Inefficient economics leads to high prices of fundamental commodities like cement. Philippine cement prices said to be among the highest in E. Asia And there's nothing that Kris, Jim, Boy, Dingdong can do about it, except maybe do a song and dance number? :lol: CEMENT PRICES in the Philippines are among the highest in East Asia, Board of Investments (BoI) data showed. The data were made public late on Friday, a week after the 2010 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) was unveiled with provisions granting incentives to new entrants into the cement industry which the state agency said would encourage competition and thus bring down prices. Cement here costs roughly $4.56 per 40-kilo bag as of January 2010, higher than the $3.63 average for nine countries in the region according to BoI estimates. Indonesia has the most expensive cement at $4.62 per bag, followed by the Philippines, whose average price is nearly the same as that in Japan. The three are trailed by Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam and China. Among its Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippines’ cement prices are two-thirds more than Vietnam’s, a fifth more than Malaysia’s, and roughly 40% higher than Thailand’s. BoI Managing Head Elmer C. Hernandez declined to comment on the figures. Earlier, however, the state agency published the 2010 IPP which now includes the grinding of imported clinker into cement as among the business activities qualified for incentives. The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines had opposed this move, saying it would disadvantage firms with big-ticket investments that produce their own clinker. Full story

The past couple of days has seen the Philippines in a transition. After 10 years in the Presidency (four in Erap's time, plus another six punctuated by "Hello Garci"), the devious stonewalling and sophistication of Pres. Gloria Macapagal gives way to the incompetence and witlessness of the incoming administration of Pres. Benigno Aquino III. Even as the emo politics crowd is fawning over Noynoy, ... Full story

WARNING: PARENTAL GUIDANCE REQUIRED. LOTS OF CUSSIN. THIS IS STREET-TALK. SOME LANGUAGE MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN. Let's lighten up a li'l bit. I didn't mean to light a cigarette. Ooops... I was trying to joke lest I be called a jukesbox. I don't wanna add to the literature on jejemon - that's so last year. I'd rather speak Englitscheze or Mexicanese and throw in ... Full story

As the world becomes a global village people get to exchange ideas, beliefs, attitudes, practices, food and various facets of culture. The dynamics are interesting and challenging because the way of doing things in one culture may not be the same in a different culture. How we keep time For example, time - people ... Full story

Our paradigm has always been to look at the legislator as the only person who will.. legislate. And that, the lawmaker being remiss in his job should be removed. But there are no mechanisms for doing that except through elections. When election happens, the cycle repeats itself. But, the cycle can be broken – through people’s initiative.With the advent of the Internet, legislation powered ... Full story

Ok - our legislators did it again. The absentee congressmen ( aka.. absinot - ab-seee-nooot) dropped the ball on the Freedom Of Information Act. We can go through the cycle of point and blame - which I already did (shame on me..lol) - that was too easy. Enough of getting angry - and.. whining. Given the state of technology today, I say - if ... Full story

The recent failure by the Philippine Congress to ratify the Philippine Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reverberated in the various newspaper headlines. Whether it was the Businessworld, or Philstar, Inquirer, GMA News. The bigger headline should have been that the legislation was not passed - FOR LACK OF A QUORUM. Absenteeism in ... Full story

Speaking of leadership by example, Noynoy is pulling all the stops... on how not to lead. Aquino's actions remind me of an old sign in Shakey's Pizza - "quit complaining about the service, there's none". In this case, do not question Noynoy Aquino's leadership - at worst, there's none. At best, he leads in the trivial and irrelevant. ... Full story