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Tapos na ang boksing

“I get to punch a senator in the face,” Keith Thurman said of Manny Pacquiao days before their welterweight championship boxing match on Saturday in Las Vegas. It was a TKO, even before the undefeated 30-year-old American WBA (Super) Welterweight World Champion climbed into the ring to exchange fisticuffs with Filipino boxing icon and reigning WBA (Regular) Welterweight World Champion, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, 40-year-old Senator Emmanuel “Manny/Pacman” Pacquiao.

It does not even matter who won the match. Somehow Thurman hit a deathly metaphorical blow to the Filipino psyché that allowed itself to descend to crass physical spectator sport, insisting on recognition at that lowest, most violent arena, when the Filipino soul and intellect can compete and be known for dignified higher excellence. There is an indefinable deep hurt with each jab to sensibilities as Pacquiao is pummelled and trashed in an animal fight — he is more than “our bet,” he is our Senator. Thinking and feeling Filipinos wish he would stop boxing and making millions of dollars, and just be a Senator. Some may have blasphemed his honor by hoping Pacquiao should finally lose and end his duality.

But perhaps the Filipino should look into himself and discern a most disconcerting parallel of the Pacquiao syndrome with the descent of the collective consciousness into compromised values and the violence upon tradition and principles. “How did we manage to descend so low?” veteran journalist and rights fighter Vergel Santos asked in an opinion piece on Rappler, “Duterte’s word replaces the Constitution” (July 20). “When President Duterte said, on national television, that the Constitution is nothing more than toilet paper, yet provoked in us little more than sparse and momentary lip protest, he got us where he wanted us…,” Santos said. We were led in the descent into deterioration, and we allowed it.

“Tapos na ang boksing,” the boxing match is over. Just like Senator Pacquiao’s dignity and ours was lost before the bout was won, there will have been a decision forced on the Filipino people that after the pummelling over the past year, all is well with the country, economically and politically. The fourth State of the Nation (SONA) address of President Rodrigo Duterte for his third year of incumbency will be held today, July 22, at 4 p.m., at the Batasang Pambansa before the Legislative and Judicial bodies co-equal with the Executive, and some 3,000 guests. The SONA will be covered live on national television and radio.

Three Cabinet clusters, Mr. Duterte’s “managers and trainers” as in a boxing match, have been preparing for the SONA with a series of fora to drumbeat his achievements in his first three years. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on TV that the first forum, called “Patuloy na Pag-unlad” (Continued Development) by the Economic Development and Infrastructure Cluster, was held on July 1 in Manila. On July 10, it was the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster and the Participatory Governance Cluster’s “Patuloy na Malasakit at Pagkakaisa” (Continuing Care and Unity) forum in Cebu City. “Patuloy na Katatagan” (Constant Stability) by the Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction Cluster and Security, Justice and Peace Cluster was held on July 17 in Davao City. The President’s SONA will be short, Panelo said.

Unlike other presidents before him, the President need not talk about legacy in his mid-term SONA, political science professor Hansley Juliano of the Ateneo de Manila University says (BusinessWorld, June 26, 2019). Duterte will rant, “appealing to his purported mass and propertied bases, keeping them consolidated and personally loyal to him. This demagoguery is consistent with nearly every 21st century non-democratic regime in the world today, and Duterte’s, needless to say, is no exception,” Prof. Juliano predicts. “The Duterte presidency’s persistent disregard of the separation of powers has only been boosted by the midterm election results. More justices of the Supreme Court are slated to be appointed this term. Super majorities are nearly guaranteed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives — especially with the loss of significant fiscalizing voices from the sectoral/party-list bloc,” Prof. Juliano laments.

But first let us see who will be Speaker of the House of Representatives. Today, in the morning (before the afternoon SONA), Congress will meet to choose the Speaker. In a CNN Philippines talk on July 20 with anchor Pia Hontiveros, political analysts Manolo Quezon and Ed Tayao tried to predict who will be Speaker — and the implications of what a “surprise” it will be, if Mr. Duterte’s term-sharing choice of Allan Peter Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco will not be ratified by the majority of the House. Both analysts decried the loss of the “sacred” separation of powers in democratic governance by Duterte’s “breaking the taboo” and anointing the Speaker.

Mr. Quezon spoke candidly of the three candidates and their characteristic traits and standing, three factors for the House to consider. Martin Romualdez is the “thoroughbred” from political dynasties. Quezon thinks “Romualdez might crash in like a GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo).” Lord Allan Velasco is an “unknown” who has no track record and no cache of loyalties from peers; and Allan Peter Cayetano is an “original” who knows how things work in the House and in the Senate, but is widely unliked among his peers. Mr. Tayao ventured that “the next Speaker could be a Martin (Romualdez).” Quezon thinks it might still be Cayetano, because “he was endorsed by Senator Bong Go,” and he (Cayetano) will “kick” if not given what he was promised. There may not even be term-sharing, but a full 21-month term for the next Speaker of the House. Let us see who will be the winner in this “boxing match,” really between Romualdez and Cayetano, the two analysts seemed to infer.

Journalist Ina Andolong suspects that there might be a “coup” brewing in the House as to the choice of Speaker (“Politics as usual,” CNN Phils. July 20). If this happens, and Mr. Duterte’s declared choice(s) do not win, then it might show that the president’s hold over the overpowering majority in Congress is failing. Or it might also be a smokescreen to bring in the best man who can really deliver in behalf of the House, Duterte’s legislative and political agenda.

There are urgent issues to be tackles over the next three years of Mr. Duterte’s administration, which he must address with his biases, for his political survival. The United Nations has declared investigations on human rights transgressions in the Philippines and he is personally enraged at the “prejudging” of his drug war. The allision of a Chinese vessel upon a boat manned by 22 defenseless Filipino fishermen at the Reed Bank has opened deep wounds among the Filipino people over Duterte’s neglect (or denial?) of the country’s already-won claims in the West Philippine Sea. He has not signed the Security of Tenure Bill which he promised while campaigning to be president — now swinging back to studying “endo” because the Foreign Chambers of Commerce and even local big businesses are saying it is bad for the economy.

The economy is good, but the Philippines is at a medium GDP growth of 6.4%, compared to erstwhile laggard ASEAN neighbors Cambodia (7%), Vietnam (6.8%), and Myanmar (6.6%), according to the Asian Development Bank’s latest statistics. Could it be because the Philippines is the least peaceful country in the ASEAN (philstar.com, Nov 11, 2017)?

Yes, President Duterte must address the growing culture of violence in the country. It feels like a Thurman has punched the Filipinos in the face.

 

Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

AVID continues recovery, posts slight gain in first half of 2019

THE ASSOCIATION of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) sold 43,333 units in the first six months of the year, a slight 1% increase versus the same period in 2018. In the second quarter of 2019 alone, AVID reached a total of 21,134 units — a 5% increase versus Q2 2018.

“Despite headwinds that include an economic slowdown in the first quarter of 2019, AVID posted a third straight month of positive growth to finish the second quarter strong. We believe that this slowdown is temporary since the Philippines is now on a higher growth path and is a leading economy in the ASEAN. Given these, we will continue to introduce exciting models and innovative services to give consumers more value for their money,” said AVID President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

AVID’s Passenger Cars (PC) dipped by 4% in year-to-date sales with 15,336 units sold versus same period last year, while in Q2 alone, sales rose to 7% with 7,422 units against Q2 2018. Hyundai remains consistent as AVID’s top volume driver for PC with 9,458 units sold in 2019.

The Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) segment grew 4% in year-to-date sales with 27,331 units sold versus the same period of 2018. In Q2 2019 alone, LCV sales recorded an increase of 4% with 13,383 units sold versus Q2 2018. The LCV segment remains to be AVID’s top volume driver which is led by Ford with 10,552 units sold followed by HARI with 7,690 units and Suzuki with 6,611 units sold in the first half of 2019.

Commercial Vehicles (CV) segment sales in Q2 saw an increase of 2% with 329 units sold versus same period last year. The overall YTD sales of CV units gained 1% with 666 units sold versus the same period last year. Hyundai trucks and buses continues to dominate the CV market with over 500 trucks and buses sold from January to May 2019.

AVID recently held the first Landscape automotive industry briefing which focused on the adoption of electric vehicles (EV) in the Philippines.

Alongside Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP) Executive Director Jose Bienvenido Manuel Biona, AVID called for increased collaboration among automakers, a viable road map for EV adoption, and competitive incentive packages from the government to encourage investment in the industry.

“This goes beyond our respective businesses,” Ms. Agudo said. “This is about leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. We believe in doing business right and through the EV space, we will boost the overall competitiveness and sustainability of our country for years to come.”

Why China is unlikely to go away anytime soon

THE last task undertaken by the famous economist John Maynard Keynes was to secure a huge bilateral loan (around $50 billion in today’s terms) from the US to help a bankrupt Britain after World War II. The war had devastated the British economy, which until then was still adapted to wartime production, and the loan was badly needed to procure capital equipment and consumer goods and to maintain British military presence throughout its still-vast empire. The strain of the negotiations — the Americans driving a shockingly hard-nosed bargain — contributed to the untimely death of an already-ailing Keynes even before he had turned 63.

That Britain needed to muster (and indirectly cause the death of) its most brilliant economic mind to perform an essentially menial and mendicant function — negotiating a loan with US bureaucrats — was symbolic of Britain’s post-war desperation and its decline as a world power. It was poignant and pathetic but an unmistakable sign that Britain’s time had passed.

Fast-forward to today. Some thoughtful people wonder whether we shall now witness something similar in our lifetime (or our children’s) in relation to the US. Perhaps the time of the US has also passed and it is China’s turn at the helm? Which Nobel Prize-winning US economist will one day also travel to Beijing to plead with mere Chinese bureaucrats not to dump but rather to continue buying US Treasury bonds?

Nothing is certain, of course, and the US is still by no means a dead horse. But enough signs exist to give long-term historians pause. Among these are the growing insularity and protectionism of the US (only exaggerated under Trump), its preoccupation with its domestic fiscal troubles and its race and culture wars, as well as its equivocation over foreign military entanglements (partly also a fiscal problem). These contrast starkly with the confident posture of China, which now styles itself, ironically, as the new champion of “free trade,” globalization, and the multilateral trading system — even as it audaciously projects its economic and strategic influence in many parts of the world. (Hello, West Philippine Sea!) Indeed America’s newfound scrappiness under Trump is itself an admission that the US was on its back foot all along. (Hence the second “A” in MAGA.)

Those who doubt the significance of China’s rise can point to how the US is still the world’s largest economy, China’s GDP being only 65-70 percent that of the US’s. Chinese labor productivity is also only one-fifth that of the US, and US GDP per capita is three and half times that of China’s (in Purchasing Power Parity $ 2018). And finally, not to forget, the US is still by far the world’s preeminent — if increasingly diffident — military power: it has 23 times the number of China’s nuclear warheads; 24 aircraft carriers to China’s one; and 14 nuclear submarines to China’s seven (even neglecting quality differences).

So from this viewpoint — which may well be that of the Trump administration — one might think China’s rise can still be stopped if only one could block the unfair advantages China has thus far enjoyed. These include its easy access to US markets, its industrial espionage and copy-catting of US intellectual property, its burdensome restrictions on foreign investments, and its sporadic exchange-rate manipulation. MAGA indeed!

Two factors however work against this project, suggesting that this is like closing the door after the Chinese horse has already left the US barn, having eaten much of the hay.

One is the sheer size of China’s middle class. Decades of rapid growth have resulted in a fact reported by Credit Suisse in 2015: that the number of Chinese individuals with the same net worth as a middle-class American ($50,000-$500,000) had exceeded the latter in number (109 million versus 92 million). But even that is an understatement. If we use a lower global threshold for middle-class net worth, say $10,000-$100,000, we get the results shown in the Table. By this measure, Chinese persons already make up 40% of the world’s adults who are middle class or richer. The US and Europe together constitute less than 30%.

The significance of this fact cannot be overstated. It is the reason China is already the world’s largest consumer market for everything from smartphones, to washing machines and refrigerators, to automobiles, to air travel. It is even closing in on the US in film box-office revenues — which is why Matt Damon might continue to make bad movies set in China (viz. The Great Wall) and Hollywood can in good conscience produce mindless action flicks with minimal dialogue (Furious 7 earned more in China than in the US).

That last bit is important. Part of US economic pre-eminence is built on a cultural hegemony — pop culture and the aspirational consumer lifestyle are still defined primarily in Western and American terms. When economic hegemony passed from Britain to the US, a cultural and linguistic continuity was nonetheless preserved that created a large market (e.g. witness the back and forth from Chuck Berry to the Beatles to the Monkees). This time is different, however. A US state department official recently described the rivalry with China as “the first time we will have a great power competitor that is not Caucasian” (Whoops!). For its part, China faces the hurdle that it cannot readily hitch its commerce onto the prevailing culture. Chinese is still not cool. So its brand equity must be based solely on price and technology.

It is uncertain how far China’s market dominance will ultimately reshape the world’s cultural norms (or conversely how far the Chinese middle class itself will adopt Western tastes and values). We do know of course that it’s already reshaping politics. But capitalism can and will always adjust itself to the paying customer, and enough money will always go a great way towards changing even the most established norms and cherished values. So there is bound to be some trend in world commercial culture to cater for Chinese tastes and even politics. Facebook, for example, has agreed to develop censorship software just to enter the Chinese market. To suit Chinese tastes, GM is said to have incorporated feng-shui principles, gone overboard on luxury, and used monotone colors (reminiscent of ink-wash painting). As the old German saying goes, Wes Brot ich ess, des Lied ich sing (Whose bread I eat, his song I sing.)

Bottom line for us civilian bystanders who are neither big producers nor big consumers: it’s time to get used to pesky Chinese subtitles in Hollywood films. Or, more culturally ambitious still, maybe it’s time we learned to adorn our prose with lines from Chinese poets instead of Shakespeare or Whitman. Here’s one by the way from Li Bai (701-762) that seems to describe the government’s war on drugs:

“When the hunter sets traps only for rabbits, tigers and dragons are left uncaught.”

(To be continued.)

 

Emmanuel S. de Dios will be professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines beginning August.

Aboitiz InfraCapital submits revised plan for Bohol airport

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By Denise A. Valdez
Reporter

ABOITIZ InfraCapital, Inc. submitted to the Department of Transportation (DoTr) last week the revised concession terms for its proposal to operate and maintain the Bohol-Panglao International Airport.

Transportation Undersecretary for Planning Ruben S. Reinoso, Jr. told BusinessWorld the DoTr received the company’s revised concession agreement for the new airport in Bohol, in addition to the revised plan for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) submitted by the consortium of seven conglomerates.

“Panglao also submitted,” he said in a text message over the weekend.

The submission of revised concession terms from airport proponents came after the DoTr said last month it wants all airport deals to be patterned after the concession terms for the Clark International Airport.

This means all concession agreements, even those that were already given to the National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC), were returned to original proponents for revision.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said having the Clark concession agreement as a template for all airport deals will hasten the process of negotiations with the private entities, as this was already reviewed and approved by the NEDA-ICC.

Mr. Reinoso said the DoTr has so far received two revised concession agreements — for NAIA and Bohol-Panglao airport — and targets to provide feedback on these within the week.

“We’ll try to complete line by line review by next week,” he said Saturday.

Both the “super consortium” and Aboitiz InfraCapital were given original proponent status for its NAIA and Bohol-Panglao International Airport proposals in September.

Aboitiz InfraCapital is also part of the NAIA consortium, together with AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

Aside from the two proposals with the DoTr, Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp.’s bid for the Davao International Airport and Mega7 Construction Corp. for the Kalibo International Airport are pending submission of revised concession agreement.

The 2020 GR Supra is an enduring icon for Toyota

By Ulysses Ang

WHEN CAN it be said that a vehicle captures the essence or “DNA” of its manufacturer? When it sets new benchmarks for quality and value? When it becomes a leader in its segment, selling many millions around the globe?

The answer, for Toyota, would be “all of the above,” with models like the Vios, Innova, Camry, and Fortuner perfectly matching those criteria for years or even decades.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a different set of standards defines another brand icon: the Supra. Specifically, the fourth-generation Supra, known inside Toyota as the A80 and by its many fans as the “Mk. IV,” has come to exemplify the brand’s illustrious performance and racing heritage. It is the car that most inspired the 2020 GR Supra, the A90.

The fourth-gen Supra was then the pinnacle of a series that began in 1979 as an upscale version of Toyota’s popular Celica sport coupe. The Supra evolved, in quantum leaps, into a benchmark sports/GT with supercar-level performance.

The “Mk. IV” Supra became a design and performance touchstone, achieved global acclaim and inspired owners to start clubs, Web sites, social media pages, and national events. It also became a pop culture star and is today a sought-after collectible.

The new GR Supra is the culmination of 50+ years of Toyota sports car heritage, infused with the spirit of the fourth-gen model thanks to its striking design, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine and driver-centric focus on world-class performance. Supra’s journey to this point has not been simply a lineage of cars, but also a story of dedication from designers, engineers, racers, a Toyota CEO passionate about sports cars and, most critically, Supra owners and fans.

Years after production of the Supra had ended, many inside Toyota, including its CEO, Akio Toyoda, were eager for a sports car revival. The 86 got things started in 2012 as an affordable yet highly capable sports coupe praised for stellar handling. That model instigated talk that something more potent could be coming.

In 2014, Toyota created the FT-1 concept car. “FT” meant “Future Toyota” and “1” indicated “ultimate.” The car’s extroverted shape clearly alluded to the previous Supra, and it certainly got the boss’s attention.

The link between past and present is visibly clear today. The FT-1, at a quick glance, almost seemed like a fourth-gen Supra turned into a 21st-century superhero’s ride. Meanwhile, its “double-bubble” roof, wraparound windshield and side glass openings were distinct nods to the classic 2000GT, and those elements, which together suggest a racing helmet and visor, carried over to the GR Supra.

Toyota craftily worked with Polyphony Digital, creators of the popular Gran Turismo driving simulator, to put the FT-1 into the PlayStation game. Company executives then “drove” the FT-1 in timed laps around a virtual Fuji Speedway. Mr. Toyoda, an accomplished racecar driver, completed the circuit faster than his best real-world lap time at Fuji in his Lexus LFA.

The boss was sold. The Supra got the green light.

Fast-forward to 2019, the fifth-generation sports car is the first-ever Supra to be made available officially in the Philippines. Sold through 16 GR Performance-certified dealerships, the 2020 GR Supra is available starting at P4,990,000 for the Prominence Red color; P5,050,000 for the Lightning Yellow, Deep Blue Metallic, White Metallic, Silver Metallic, Ice Gray Metallic, and Black Metallic; and P5,090,000 for the Matte Storm Gray.

MacroAsia eyes IPO for water business within three years

Macroasia-corp_logo

TYCOON Lucio C. Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. is planning to hold an initial public offering (IPO) for its water businesses within the next three years.

“Considering the opportunities, we envision to grow further our water business, with our mind set to eventually spin off and list this segment separately at the Philippine Stock Exchange within three years,” Lucio K. Tan, Jr., MacroAsia director, said at the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting last Friday.

MacroAsia Chief Financial Officer Amador T. Sendin told reporters the listing may happen even before 2022, as activities are now ongoing for the planned IPO.

“We’re currently transferring the holding of the shares. It’s currently under MacroAsia Properties Development Corp. We’re putting it under a water holding company. This one takes time,” he said.

MacroAsia Properties Development Corp. currently serves as the vehicle for MacroAsia Corp.’s water businesses, which covers the development and construction of water treatment facilities across the country.

Among its businesses are Naic Water Supply Corp. (NAWASCOR); SNV Resources Development Corp. (SNVRDC); Mabini Pangasinan Resources Development Corp. (MPRDC); Panay Water Business Resources, Inc. (PWBRI) and Watergy Business Solutions, Inc. (WBSI).

Also under MacroAsia’s water business are Cavite Business Resources, Inc. (CBRI); Boracay Tubi System, Inc. (BTSI); MONAD Water and Sewerage Systems, Inc. and New Earth Water System, Inc. (NEWS).

Mr. Sendin added the company is currently working on building the revenue and income base of its water businesses for the planned listing.

Last year, MacroAsia’s water segment booked a 90% increase in revenue to P271.04 million, driven by its acquisition of Summa Water Resources, Inc. and continuous revenue streams from water operations in Nueva Vizcaya, Cavite, Boracay, Bulacan, Albay and Iloilo.

With the creation of a water spin-off, Mr. Sendin said MacroAsia can focus on its core businesses: the aviation and food segments.

“The intention of MacroAsia Corp. is to focus on its core. These are related to aviation services and at the same time the food side. The capital allocation policy for the water segment is currently different from the aviation services. It will help us if we can separate this, and that’s the logical reason for the separation,” he said.

MacroAsia still largely depends on its in-flight catering business for revenues, as this segment accounted for 46% of the company’s total revenues last year at P1.66 billion.

It also deals with ground-handling and aviation, which contributed 39% to MacroAsia’s total revenues last year at P1.46 billion. — Denise A. Valdez

FOTON Gratour MiniVan 1.5: The P570,000 8-seat MPV

By Manny N. de los Reyes

MOST CAR MODELS that come with various engine displacements or seating configurations usually have substantially higher prices for the variants with the larger engine size or greater seating capacity.

FOTON didn’t seem to get the memo — because their Gratour MiniVan, which previously had a 1.2-liter engine and seven-seater capacity, now has a 1.5-liter motor and eight-seat capacity. And it still retails for an eminently affordable P570,000.

Since the seven-seat Gratour MiniVan 1.2 was unveiled in 2015, it has been sought after by first-time car buyers due to its versatility, generous space, and very affordable price. Aside from being able to serve as an efficient and reliable people- and cargo-mover for families, it is also used for delivering goods for businesses, especially in the provinces. Although FOTON has seen plenty of success in the area, the new iteration brings more than enough to the table to also make an impact in the urban settings of Metro Manila.

To this end, FOTON concentrated in revamping the Gratour MiniVan’s packaging, making it more efficient in terms of space, comfort, and performance.

From being powered by a 1.2-liter gasoline engine, FOTON has powered up the all-new Gratour MiniVan with a 114hp, 150Nm Euro 4-compliant 1.5-liter engine. Power is sent to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Engine noise is now much less, resulting in a more comfortable drive. Plus it now has electric power-steering to make maneuvering even more effortless.

The exterior of the new Gratour MiniVan has been revamped with a new front grille, upswept headlights, sculpted character lines, taillights that extend up and flank the rear window, and new 175/70R14 tires mounted on alloy wheels. The versatile interior professes a sense of simplicity, tidiness, and overall comfort.

The new Gratour MiniVan 1.5 drives almost as easily as its smaller stablemates despite its larger dimensions. Although the wheelbase is the same as the first generation (a generous 2,710mm — about the same as most executive sedans), the new model boasts of additional space for passengers and cargo, as the seating capacity was upgraded from seven to eight, maximizing or even further monetizing its utility and functionality. The third row seats are also designed to fold for maximum cargo space.

The 8-seater Gratour also boasts of five doors, two of them are sliding, enabling much easier ingress and egress — even in tight parking spaces. Its ground clearance makes it easy for small children or PWDs to get in and out of the vehicle as well.

When you throw in the seat belt reminders, over-speed alarm, Anti-Lock Brake System and Electronic Brake Distribution, this practical Gratour MiniVan isn’t as spartan as it may first appear. It also scores points with a keyless push-start button, too.

With that P570,000 price tag, this 8-seater makes an attractive choice over the other MPVs, which are some P200,000 more expensive. So while the Gratour MiniVan may not be shifting goalposts in its class yet, it does stand out in terms of space, purpose and value for money.

Does cheering improve performance?

By Tony Samson

Big crowds filling up the stadium, the din of rhythmic chanting, and the sheer enthusiasm of urging a team to victory make up the cheering factor in an event, be it a competition or a rock concert. Can companies use cheering to help the team achieve targets like claiming back market share, raising customer care indices, and bringing up the bottom line numbers?

Can the organization raise its adrenaline level with a cheer rally?

The town hall meeting aims to achieve this feat of exhorting the troops to charge. It bonds the management team with its employees to achieve targets and crush the competition.

Employees are gathered together, in a big office conference room rather than an off-site venue which can be too expensive even with an exchange deal. The chief or a hired consultant, maybe foreign, leads the cheer rally. An evangelical kind of fervor can be employed to get the team behind a new initiative, say announcing a new management team — argh… here are your new saviors.

The pep rally is an approach borrowed from college sports. All the cheering and jeering effort hopes to inspire the team to do better when it hears people shouting and screaming at goals made, leads diminished, and opportunities missed by bad officiating. This faith in the fans’ role may be misplaced but does not seem to be challenged by the charged-up supporters who truly believe they make a difference in the outcome. Even the players thank their fans after a win.

This same conviction drives the urge for a corporate pep talk. It’s micro version is the personal pat on the back, the loyalty award, and even the warm greeting at the elevator — Hey, how’re you doing? The cheering effect rests on the conviction that the company is one team, and even the lowly employee has a stake in a successful corporate initiative about to be implemented, even if this was made without his inputs. (Yes, don’t we all love to fill up daily time sheets?)

This process of inclusion is called a buy-in. It’s an emotional investment in corporate goals by all the peasants in a big tent where they can even ask questions. The corporate town hall meeting is gaining popularity, even if it disrupts everyone’s schedule. While it’s a bit awkward to include actual cheers to get the adrenaline pumping, it is acceptable to invest the effort with a nice catchy slogan. A downsizing exercise can be promoted as “small is beautiful.”

It’s a challenge to convince CEOs to use the pep talk as a motivational tool. They prefer sending out e-mails which dispenses with the need to serve pizzas. With an e-mail blast, the sender does not need to see the audience’s body language or, worse, encounter a wave of coughing and washroom disappearances which are the equivalent of booing at unpleasant news and the one delivering it.

Difficult topics like bad numbers requiring the organization to redefine its priorities and scale back its operations are best sent out as e-mails which have the added advantage of not needing to have a quorum. In the never-off corporate culture, even those out of the office get to feel the ripples of anxiety wherever they are.

The pep rally has its variations. Not every meeting, after all, involves a corporate crisis. Sometimes there is good news to share like the company winning an award or the numbers breaking records. A small get-together, sometimes called coffee with the president, can be more acceptable to a CEO who prefers to speak softly, bringing along an associate he feels comfortable with to fill up the silences with comic relief when the conversation hits an air pocket. A small audience can also be pre-selected on the basis of its high obsequiousness index. The whiners who routinely question corporate directions need not be invited.

Should the position of Chief Cheering Officer (CCO) be established? Her functions will include organizing events and finding things to cheer about within a prescribed budget.

Or is cheering already part of the CEO’s functions? Being at the top of the pyramid gives the leader a unique perspective of where the company is going and what needs to be done to achieve its mission statement. On the other hand, having too much information can hold back his enthusiasm. After all, the CEO may need cheering up himself.

 

Tony Samson is Chairman and CEO, TOUCH xda.

ar.samson@yahoo.com

Partying at the MaArte Fair

LET’S TAKE you back to the late ’90s and early 2000s, when climate change was a far-off fear, spaghetti straps were de rigueur, and we all had hope for the future (which is why we all dressed in plastic and glitter). The Syquia Apartments in Malate, once some of the most luxurious in Manila, served as a home for upmarket bohemians. The residents — photographers, actors, editors, writers, designers, artists, and other creatives — opened up their apartments for wild block parties, with each apartment having a unique theme. The parties were eventually put to a halt after a series of petty crimes.

From Aug. 16 to 18, the spirit of the Syquia Apartments lives again, this time in the Peninsula Manila, with MaArte oPen House. The MaArte fair — the annual fund raiser of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI) — will see 41 guest rooms of the storied hotel closed off for about 60 exhibitors, recalling the parties of the past.

The press was given a taste of what to expect as The Pen’s Salon de Ning hosted some of the brands that would be participating in the MaArte oPen House.

We’re already in love with some of the items: a crab-shaped golden clutch by Aranaz, ceramics by Bangay, jewelry by DSV Studio, watches by Ibarra, old-fashioned tambourine jewelry by Natalya Lagdameo, and scents by Oscar Mejia.

Upcoming new brands include FDCP members Joel Escober, Lally Dizon, Maco Custodio for Pinoy ManCave, Coco and Tres, Pika Pika + Pinta, Vesti, and Evangeline Austria are also participating. This year’s fair will also feature fine edibles by Auro Chocolates, Green Babes, and Felicisimo Gourmet Homecooking.

“It’s a celebration of our culture,” said the hotel’s Director of Public Relations Mariano Garchitorena. “The potters from Sagada, weavers from Lake Sebu, bag makers of Davao, and jewelers from Muntinlupa create beautiful objects while creating jobs. When you purchase something at the MaArte Fair, you never know what this might bring into your life — a thing of beauty and function, and maybe even a renewed love of country.”

Alongside its annual fund raiser, the MFPI will also hold the MaArte Talks, a series of conversations with select business owners who can offer new entrepreneurial tips and insights.

“I attended quite a number of parties in North Syquia as a guest,” said MFPI treasurer Mico Manalo. “These were in various apartments in the different floors of the building, so no two setups were the same. Aside from the food and drink, there was a lot of music, and a it was like crossing different environments and miniature cultures.”

While none of the exhibitors were members of the Syquia set, Mr. Manalo did note that artist Phyllis Zaballero, MFPI Vice-President, owned a studio in North Syquia and was one of those who opened their doors during those legendary parties.

The world is a lot different now, and there was something in the air during the 1990s and 2000s that was heady and invited a sort of raucous recklessness that kept you alive, and would wake you up in the morning for more. Mr. Manalo says that the spirit of Syquia can live again, but, “Community is the key! It can be done anytime, anywhere, but you have to have people who feel that they belong to a place, that they take care of, and watch over each other. People who delight in the presence of friends and neighbors. Its an extended family.”

Speaking about how the theme translates into the MaArte fair, Mr. Manalo says, “MaArte has grown to become a community of merchants and patrons with the common goal of preserving the traditional crafts in the country. Many of the merchants know each other, bring their friends and family over. It feels very familiar.” — Joseph. L Garcia

DPWH to open portion of CAVITEx C5 Link this week

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is scheduled to open on Tuesday a portion of the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx) C5 Link project.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar announced the opening of the 2.2-kilometer segment after an inspection yesterday.

“Vehicular traffic spends about 1.5 hours just to cross from Villamor area in Pasay City to Taguig via Fort Bonifacio. On opening, this section will have three lanes on each direction and will enable about 8,000 vehicles to easily cross in half that time,” he said.

The segment forms part of the 7.7-kilometer C5 Link expressway which will connect Taguig to the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite through CAVITEx.

The remaining sections of the P10-billion toll road — the 1.6-kilometer segment from E. Rodriguez to Merville Subdivision, the two-kilometer segment from Sucat to E. Rodriguez and 1.9-kilometer segment from Sucat Interchange to the R-1 Expressway — are scheduled to open before the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte ends by June 2022.

“Mga first quarter of 2022 ’yung buong 7.7 [The whole 7.7-kilometer highway will be finished by the first quarter of 2022],” Roberto V. Bontia, president of the project’s concessionaire Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC), told reporters on Sunday.

“Ultimately, we foresee that the CAVITEx C5 Link Expressway will benefit about 50,000 vehicles daily… We intend to start construction of the next 2.1-kilometer section from Merville to Sucat, Las Piñas City by fourth quarter of this year,” he added.

Earlier, CIC applied for a toll fee at the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for the CAVITEx C5 Link project. The rates are P22 for class 1 vehicles (ordinary cars), P44 for class 2 vehicles (buses and small trucks) and P66 for class 3 vehicles (large trucks and trailers).

CIC is under Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC). MPIC is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Denise A. Valdez

Suzuki brings Auto Fest 2019 across the country

SUZUKI PHILIPPINES, Inc., the country’s pioneer subcompact car distributor, takes this year’s Suzuki Auto Festival nationwide. The series of exhibits will be held in various SM Supermalls nationwide bringing the Suzuki award-winning cars and the Suzuki Way of Life even closer to more Filipinos.

Join in on the fun and experience Suzuki vehicles up close and personal in the following venues and dates:

• SM Iloilo, July 27-28

• SM BF Parañaque, August 17-18

• SM GenSan, September 21-22

• SM Davao, October 26-27

This year’s Suzuki Auto Festival will showcase the most-valued Suzuki units such as the Suzuki Ciaz, Swift, Dzire, Vitara, all-new Ertiga and the all-new Jimny alongside Suzuki V-Storm motorcycle.

Games and fun activities await car enthusiasts and families to help them bond during the weekend festivities. The Suzuki Safety Scouts Corner will also be there and will be a sure hit with the kids.

Suzuki Philippines Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki shared, “We have made it our consistent goal to provide Filipinos with innovations and design that will fit their various lifestyles. Suzuki Philippines is experiencing a business momentum right now due to the consistent support from our valued customers. The Suzuki Auto Festival is a series of celebrations we hold every year as our way of giving back and reminding the Filipinos of our commitment to innovate. We are looking forward to seeing our fans in the exhibits and for them to experience the Suzuki Way of Life!”

For more information about Suzuki Philippines and their automobiles, please visit http://suzuki.com.ph/auto/ and like them on www.facebook.com/SuzukiAutoPH, https://twitter.com/SuzukiAutoPH and follow on Instagram at @suzukiautoph.

Aging app kerfuffle shows fun trumps privacy

By Robert Cyran

NEW YORK — A new app kerfuffle shows that fun still trumps privacy concerns. Consumers love FaceApp’s filter for making selfies look older or sexier, but its Russian ownership has suddenly sparked worries about potential data misuse. Yet the app isn’t new, and people have been posting their images on social media for years. It’s past time for regulators to set some boundaries.

Facebook’s inappropriate sharing of user information and data breaches at the likes of Equifax and Yahoo have prompted hefty fines and settlements, and sparked calls for new regulation. It’s easy to see why adding images to the mix can amplify such concerns. Consumers willingly share their selfies for a few minutes of fun, but once in the cloud those images can potentially be used for everything from identity theft to so-called deepfakes, or realistic looking videos designed to spread disinformation. Senator Chuck Schumer called on the US government to examine whether FaceApp’s Russian owner shares information with the Kremlin.

Perhaps nothing is amiss. The company told TechCrunch it uploaded only agreed images, deleted most within 48 hours, and didn’t transfer data to Russia or share it with third parties. The controversy will probably fizzle out quickly, just as it did when FaceApp was first introduced in 2017. Then users marveled over the ability to age faces and swap genders, the media focused on a “hotness” filter that lightened users’ skin, and experts voiced worries about privacy, only to all be forgotten.

It’s a pattern that has grown increasingly familiar ever since the late Apple boss Steve Jobs put cameras on smartphones and Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook turned people onto social media. The only thing that changes is the volume — app downloads grow, users surrender more privacy, and experts issue shriller warnings.

Companies and consumers can’t be counted on to break this cycle. The financial incentives are too strong for firms to forswear data collection. It’s unrealistic to expect the average person to give informed consent to every lengthy user agreement. Regulators need real sticks to ensure better behavior by companies, while rules like Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation can give consumers better control of their data. Such measures would offer the best assurance that a silly app is only that.

 

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