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Sandiganbayan defers Aquino arraignment on Mamasapano case

ANTI-GRAFT court Sandiganbayan adopted on Thursday, Feb. 15, the resolution issued by the Supreme Court suspending the arraignment and pre-trial on the charges filed against former President Benigno S.C. Aquino III and several others in relation to the botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015. The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) last Feb. 7 following a manifestation filed by the Office of the Solicitor General and the relatives of the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers who were slain in the operation. The TRO pertains to several cases covered by the Ombudsman’s dismissal of the 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide against the former president and his co-accused. The other respondents are former police chief Alan L.M. Purisima, and former SAF chief Getulio P. Napeñas. — Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

Your Weekend Guide (February 16, 2018)

PPO concert

THE Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra presents the 6th concert of its 35th season, Romancing the Classics, on Feb. 16, 8 p.m., at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The evening’s repertoire includes Bedrich Smetana’s “Die Moldau (Vltava) No. 2” from Má vlast (My Country), Manuel De Falla’s “Interlude” and “Spanish Dance” from La Vida Breve, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Op. 47 under the baton of Spanish guest conductor David Gómez Ramírez. For inquires and subscription, call the CCP Marketing Department at 832-1125 loc. 1806, CCP Box Office at 832-3704, or Ticketworld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

FringeMNL 2018 festival

BULACAN State University’s Theater Arts unit, in partnership with FringeMNL presents Layetta Bucoy’s May Isang Alamat on Feb. 17, 4 p.m., at the Pineapple Lab in Poblacion, Makati City. The play centers on environmental issues and hope for humanity. For information, visit www.facebook.com/FringeMNL. For tickets, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

The Platters

THE GOLDEN Sound of the Platters will be held on Feb. 16, 8 p.m., at the Kia Theater, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. For tickets, visit TicketNet (www.ticketnet.com.ph/).

Incubus live

THE band behind songs like “Drive,” “Wish you Were Here,” “Nice to Know You,” and “Megalomaniac,” and which has sold over 23 million albums worldwide, is set to perform live in Manila on Feb. 17, 8 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City. For tickets, visit TicketNet (www.ticketnet.com.ph/).

Childrens’ theater

BASED on Nick Joaquin’s book Pop Stories for Groovy Kids (1979), Tanghalang Pilipino presents a stage adaptation of Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad from Feb. 16 to March 11 at the Little Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It was adapted by Rody Vera and directed by Jonathan Tadioan. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Manila Biennale 2018

IT IS a busy weekend at the Manila Biennale. There is the “Sensing the Site-Specific” art writing workshop, a two-day event from Feb. 17 to 18, 1 to 4 p.m., at the Teatro in Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila. The workshop includes “A Roundtable Discussion on Art Criticism” with panelists National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose and Katya Guerrero, co-moderated by Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez and Odel Paras. Workshop fee is P1,350. For reservations, e-mail opencity@manilabiennale.ph with the subject: CRITIC ONE. Lost Frames, which features video and film from artists whose works occupy the margins of moving images, will be held on Feb. 17, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the 3rd Floor, Mission House, Museo de Intramuros, Intramuros, Manila. It will include a screening, talk, and open forum with Manila Biennale’s featured moving image artists Vic Balanon, Gary-Ross Pastrana, and John Torres. Admission is free. For reservations, e-mail opencity@manilabiennale.ph with the subject: LOST FRAMES.

Free Valentine concert

CELEBRATE the season of love with Ensemble, a free Valentine concert by Globe LIVE, featuring Ebe Dancel, Clara Benin, Johnoy Danao, Bullet Dumas, and Reese Lansangan, accompanied by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra Quartet, to be held on Feb. 17 at the Globe Iconic Amphitheater in BGC. Globe customers who purchase P2,000 worth of gadget accessories or 0917 apparel from Globe Iconic Store will get tickets for VIP seating. BGC customers can also get VIP seating tickets when they shop from any Bonifacio High Street Shop amounting to P2,000. For more information, call the Globe hot line at 730-1010, or visit Globe Iconic Store.

BGC holiday weekend

BONIFACIO Global City (BGC) has a jam-packed weekend celebrating both Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. Rising in the middle of Bonifacio High Street is a giant fairy-tale book for selfies (take a photo and get a chance to win a dinner date from BGC). Meanwhile, BGC welcomes the Year of the Dog on Feb. 16 to 18 with a showcase of Chinese food, music, and art. Savor traditional Chinese fare, dance for good fortune, see cultural performances, and try your hand at guzheng (zither)-playing, calligraphy, and paper-cutting. Take a peek at your future by joining the palm reading, tarot reading, and fortune telling events. For more information, visit BGC’s official Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/bonifacioglobalcityph and https://www.facebook.com/BoniHighStreet.

A Comedy of Tenors

REPERTORY PHILIPPINES presents a Ken Ludwig comedy, A Comedy of Tenors, until Feb. 18 at Onstage, Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Makati. Directed by Miguel Faustmann, it is set in 1930s Paris where opera stars, singing waiters, lovers, wives, and children converge in a tale of chaos, mistaken identities, and bedroom hijinks. Starring Loy Martinez, Jeremy Domingo, Noel Rayos, Issa Litton, Mica Pineda, Arman Ferrer, and Sheila Martinez. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Don Quixote

BALLET PHILIPPINES presents Don Quixote, featuring international guest artist Joseph Gatti, with performances on Feb. 17, 7 p.m., and Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

’Night, Mother

PETA closes its 50th theater season with a Filipino adaptation of Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer-prize winning drama ’Night, Mother, featuring Eugene Domingo and Sherry Lara. On an otherwise normal evening, Jessie announces to her mother that she plans to kill herself before the night ends. The show runs until March 18 at the PETA Theater Center, No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Himala: Isang Musikal

AICELLE SANTOS stars as a young woman who is looked upon as a bucolic town’s savior in Himala: Isang Musikal. The show runs until March 4 at the PowerMac Center Spotlight, Circuit Lane, Circuit Makati, Makati City. The musical is based on the 1982 Ishmael Bernal film starring Nora Aunor. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Ballet & Ballads

THE LATEST edition of Ballet Manila’s Ballet & Ballads series closes the ballet company’s current season with a mix of dance and song. The star-studded affair features Ballet Manila CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, crooner Christian Bautista, the Klassikal Musical Foundation, and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. There will be performances on Feb. 17, 6 p.m., and Feb. 18, 3 p.m., at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Amazon.com to add 2,000 jobs in France

AMAZON.COM, Inc. will create 2,000 permanent jobs this year with an eye to the strengthening French economy.

Amazon, which already added 1,500 jobs in France last year, is seeking workers to staff its distribution centers and sorting centers. Further jobs will be created in delivery services. The expansion will increase the retailer’s French work force by more than a third and bring its total number of employees to more than 7,500 by the end of 2018.

“The French economic context gives us confidence and encourages us to invest,” Frederic Duval, head of Amazon France, said in an interview. “We have more customers, so more business, and as we have more business, we hire more. We think this level activity is sustainable, thus we’re hiring people with permanent contracts.”

The plans are the latest sign that France’s long-awaited economic recovery is starting to generate jobs. France’s unemployment rate fell to 8.9% in the fourth quarter, its lowest in almost nine years, national statistics office Insee said Thursday.

Duval said there is “absolutely” no link between the job creation and a settlement reached this month with French tax authorities. “That problem is now settled and we no longer have any dispute with the state in this matter,” he said.

Amazon has invested more than €2 billion ($2.48 billion) in France since 2010. — Bloomberg

Know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em

By Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong

THERE are a slew of popular free-to-play online card games currently out to tickle the fancy of both desktop and mobile gamers. From Blizzard’s Hearthstone to Wizards of the Coast’s Magic The Gathering Online to Konami’s Duel Links, there is no lack of options available for players at home or on the go. And given the sheer number of alternatives in the genre, it takes uniqueness and no small measure of good fortune for any one title to stand out. Shadowverse, Cygames’ entry to the already-crowded market, not only succeeds in holding its audience captive, but does so in a manner that makes it accessible to newcomers and veterans of the genre alike.

Released in June 2016, Shadowverse is an online collectible card game available on iOS and Android, as well as on Steam, and features an anime artstyle combined with fast-paced gameplay. In Shadowverse, players choose one of eight character “crafts” and must do battle by summoning creatures or casting spells, and using them and their special effects to either hit opponents’ creatures or the opponents themselves. Players start at 20 life and win the game when their opponents’ is reduced to zero.

While this might sound similar to the mechanics of other online card games (think Hearthstone and Magic The Gathering), there are features that help Shadowverse stand out. For one, players are restricted by their archetype. Each “craft” has its own distinct style in draining the health of opponents. Whether it’s Runecraft’s constant spellcasting or Swordcraft’s Officer and Commander pair-up, it adds a certain flavor to how each match goes, with deck archetypes changing depending on the crafts players are up against. Parenthetically, Shadowverse benefits from its Evolution mechanic. At the start of every game, each player is given two evolution points. While initially unusable, they are unlocked later on and can turn a game right on its head. They not only buff cards; they also trigger a card’s Evolve effects, which, whether positive or negative, can have a massive impact on the game, thus adding an extra layer of strategy to tap or watch out for.

Complicated? On the contrary, Shadowverse is arguably the most straightforward online card game newbies can sink their teeth into. While cards can have special effects, their interactions with one another are easy to predict. The low life total means matches are quick to get into and get out of, and the sheer generosity of the game — from log-in bonuses to frequent giveaways to even special gifts just for playing — means that there’s no real lack of cards even for those who refuse to shell out real currency for them. Where other games hide desired content inside a paywall, Shadowverse is surprisingly generous with it.

True, Shadowverse does tend to falter a little with its game length. With its design philosophy catered to making games fast and straightforward, endings can come with shocking quickness due to high creature attack power combined with low player life. Some cards can feel downright oppressive at times, and while developers have gone to great lengths to make the gameplay balanced and interesting, it’s hard not to feel cheated when matches end as early as in Turn Four.

All the same, Shadowverse is extremely fun and enjoyable. With two formats (Rotation and Unlimited), an arena draft mode, and even a single player mode, it’s hard not to find something to like in the game. It experiments with unique concepts and doesn’t in any way feel like a cash grab, ensuring a steady stream of cards and rewards for players new and old. It is, in the final analysis, truly free to play.

Video Game Review

Shadowverse
Mobile/PC via Steam

THE GOOD

• Easy and simple but interesting mechanics

• Accounts can be linked

• Playable both on mobile and on desktop

• Generous and accessible to new and old players

• Many archetypes to play around with, with constant balance changes to ensure fairness

THE BAD

• Games can be a bit too quick at times

• Single player modes aren’t fully fleshed out

• Connection to the server can be a bit spotty

RATING: 8.5/10

Britney Spears honored for support of gay community

LOS ANGELES — Pop star Britney Spears will be honored for her support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at an awards ceremony this year, advocacy group GLAAD said on Tuesday. The GLAAD Vanguard Award is given to media personalities who have promoted equality and acceptance of LGBTQ people, GLAAD said. Previous winners include Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Taylor and Whoopi Goldberg. Spears is a longtime supporter of the gay and transgender community, GLAAD said in a statement. She has spoken out against bullying of LGBTQ youth, publicly opposed bills in Texas that would have restricted transgender rights and participated in a musical tribute that honored the victims of the 2016 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. She has also supported gay marriage, and last year wrote an open “love letter” to the LGBTQ community that read: “Your stories are what inspire me, bring me joy, and make me and my sons strive to be better people.” Spears will receive the Vanguard Award at the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 12 in Beverly Hills, California. — Reuters

Dr. Jose Pardo – Just Think Positive!

Last Saturday Jose “Titoy” Pardo, PSE Chairman and former Secretary of Trade/Finance was conferred the Degree of Doctor of Science in Finance by De La Salle University headed by Br. Raymundo Suplido. 

At the luncheon celebration, the “new Doctor” was asked to dispense a cure to problems at hand, he shared how to cope with emerging VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) related problems. Dr. Pardo picked up from Dr. Charles Handy, author of The Age of Unreason, who said “All businesses or any economic activity are vulnerable to shock and inevitably will experience tremors in the market place. The important thing is to be quick in responding to change and to never succumb to the status quo style of management. If it ain’t broke, fix it.”

Yes. Fix it. Times have changed and they’re changing fast. Remember the Nokia CEO, he said “we didn’t do anything wrong.” But change passed Nokia by. When one’s business is doing well, it is timely to pursue and launch expansion or diversification of the company business, or plan acquisitions and mergers, or even a partial or full divestment from core business.

Dr. Pardo says our business leaders can also give Dr. Handy a lesson or two on their ability to successfully and profitably fix things always with impeccable timing, naming among the guests Tessie Coson, Andrew Tan, Lance Gokongwei, Jorge Araneta, Butch Campos, Yosi Tanco. Present also were his lovely wife Marilyn, only son Iñigo, daughters Yvette, President of Wendy’s, Diana, Social Security Commissioner, sons in law Judd Aguilar and JP Orbeta; business leaders Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry Chair George Barcelon, The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.  President Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Pilipinas Shell’s Edgar Chua, Menardo Jimenez; and from government, former President Joseph Estrada, Education Secretary Liling Briones, Budget Secretary Ben Diokno and Lenny De Jesus etc.

From former President Joseph Estrada, Dr. Pardo came up with another prescription: “Simplify and reduce complexity. Huwag na huwag pahirapin ang madali.”

Dr. Pardo maintains that “there is no single business strategy that can guarantee success. In summary, he says the ability to succeed lies in an entrepreneur’s sheer determination and a “just think positive” or JTP outlook. Nothing is impossible if one puts his mind, heart and energy behind any goal.”

Vivian Yuchengco, the Philippine Stock Exchange’s “iron lady” says that JTP is not only very positive, he is a good diplomat and a super honest man of integrity.

JTP was my boss in the Department of Finance and I definitely agree with Vivian, and will add — very good Boss, indeed!

That morning, Dr. Pardo was the Commencement speaker at De La Salle University. His message was “Connect to Live and to Grow.”

He quoted Stephen Hawking who said that “we are all connected by the internet, like neurons to a giant brain.”

The rules of the game change as technology happens. Remember the yellow pages (telephone directories) now obsolete with the digital age. He said: “Today, the world has shrunk to hyper-interconnected community where information is not only readily available but also free. In the Internet, data is accessible from the cloud and available at the tip of your fingers. Riding the information wave digitally is like being sucked into a cyclone. You either ride or get thrown out.”

CONNECT
Connect to your sense of meaning and purpose.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my passion?

• When am I happiest?

• Is my passion aligned with my values?

• What career do I want?

He said: “The difficult takes a while, the impossible a little longer. So whatever path you may take, remember to connect with the inner you.”

LIVE
Dr. Pardo said in his speech that you must live your dreams, but also suggests to live and make this a better world for others. He reminded the graduates of Winston Churchill, who once said that “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

“Choose to live right, even when sometimes it is not easy to do. And choose to give as much as you can. That is the way to live,” Dr. Pardo said.

GROW
He also noted that “Bill Gates once suggested that schools are becoming obsolete as tools to educate tomorrow’s workers for tomorrow’s jobs.”

UnionBank of the Philippines’ Tito Ortiz said children today will change jobs no less than 14 times in their lifetime, as robots and artificial intelligence take over.

So, should the graduates of today be afraid of robotics? Dr. Pardo reminded of “Jack Ma, who believes in the importance of IQ, just as he puts premium on EQ and the need for LQ, the love quotient. That there must be a balance among the three and that humans, armed with EQ and LQ will triumph over the emerging era of robotics and artificially intelligent super computers.”

Dr. Pardo’s advice to the graduating class was “Do not be afraid to ask why, what if, or why not? Do not be afraid to fail. And when the rules of the game change, learn to roll along with courage in your hearts, to Just Think Positive and pursue your dreams!”

Whether you’re a seasoned business leader or a new graduate starting out in life, JTP or Just Think Positive!

Flor G. Tarriela is Chairman of Philippine National Bank. She was the first Filipina Vice President of Citibank N.A. and was formerly Undersecretary of Finance when Jose T. Pardo was DOF Secretary.  She is a natural farmer and an environmentalist

DMCI Homes adds tower to Davao project

DMCI Homes, Inc. unveiled on Wednesday the fourth tower at its P3-billion Verdon Parc residential estate in Davao City, following the robust take-up of the first three towers.

In a statement issued Thursday, the residential arm of DMCI Holdings, Inc. said the last tower in the estate called Maurin will have 22 storeys with units covering a range of 28 to 56.5 square meters each. Units are priced at P2.9 million upwards.

Maurin’s launch comes amid the sale of 837 units from the first three towers in Verdon Parc, called Martel, Belvedere, and Trevans, worth P2.76 billion.

DMCI Homes said unit buyers were a mix of end-users and investors, owing to the proximity of the development to commercial establishments, educational institutions, places of worship, hospitals, and government agencies.

“As reflected by Verdon Parc’s consistent strong sales performance, more and more Davaoeños are seeing residential condos as versatile solutions to urban living challenges,” DMCI Homes Assistant Vice-President for Marketing Jan Venturanza was quoted as saying in a statement.

The company has earlier said the entire development will have a total of 1,978 units, with completion slated for 2021. Maurin is expected to be completed by October of that year.

DMCI Homes’ residential condominium also features single-loaded hallways, garden atriums, a kiddie pool, lap pool, gazebo, fitness gym, entertainment room, children’s play area, and podium deck area.

DMCI Homes booked a net income of P2.7 billion in the first nine months of 2017, up 59% from year-ago levels due to higher sales and reservations.

Shares in DMCI Holdings stood at P13.80 at the close of Thursday’s trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange, down by 20 centavos or 1.43% from the previous session. — Arra B. Francia

Middling Clippers

The Clippers were supposed to be major players at the trade deadline. After having moved erstwhile foundation Blake Griffin to the Pistons, they looked to be in rebuild mode, and, indeed, they went about exploring other deals, particularly those involving would-be free agents. They talked to the Cavaliers about slotman DeAndre Jordan, but their refusal to take in onerous contracts put a crimp on talks. And they talked to the Spurs about newly acquired Avery Bradley, but ultimately decided against swapping him for veteran Danny Green.

And so the D-Dat came and went with the Clippers in the sidelines. Clearly, they had made a decision to gamble on the prospect of re-signing Jordan and Bradley in the offseason. In the meantime, they figured on competing as best they could. There would be no tanking for them, which was why they took the unprecedented step of giving Lou Williams, supposedly also on the way out, a contract extension. The message from owner Steve Ballard, executive Lawrence Frank, and consultant Jerry West was clear: They’re angling for the playoffs, never mind the negative effects on their draft position.

To be fair, the Clippers have been good since Griffin packed his bags. In fact, they have been very, very good, compiling an impressive five-two slate post-Lob City, their only losses coming against the Blazers (because they were undermanned) and the Sixers (on the second night of a back-to-back set). The injection of new blood — especially talented new blood — can do that, as the likes of the Cavaliers and Pistons have shown in recent memory.

That said, much still has to be done before the Clippers can declare their season a modest success. After all, they’re still ninth in the West despite their run of victories heading into the All-Star break. And because they most certainly don’t want a one-and-done stint in the playoffs, they’ll go about improving their seeding as best they can. For all their confidence, the Rockets, Warriors, and Spurs are too formidable to overcome in a seven-game series.

Should the Clippers have pushed for a spot in the lottery instead? Perhaps they would have if their trade-deadline considerations went the way they desired. Instead, they’re in the middle, the hardest place in the bracket to improve for the long haul. The good news is that Ballmer & Company are serious in their plans to be counted among the elite anew. They have money, and they have the brains. Now all they need are the breaks.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

What to see this week

5 films to see on the week of February 16-23, 2018

Sin Island
David and Kanika are ostensibly happily married. However, adultery on Kanika’s part provokes David to begin an affair with Tasha. Directed by Gino M. Santos, it stars Coleen Garcia, Xian Lim, Bernard Palanca, Charlie Dizon, Desiree del Valle, Dominic Ochoa, Jerome Tan, Joyce Burton-Titular, and Lito Pimentel.

MTRCB Rating: R-16

My Fairy Tail Love Story
Chantel is cursed and turns into a mermaid after disturbing corals under the sea. The only way to break the curse is to find The One. Directed by Perci Intalan, it stars Janella Salvador, Elmo Magalona, Dimples Romana, Dominic Ochoa, Kiko Estrada, and Kiray Celis.

MTRCB Rating: G

Marrowbone
After their mother’s death, four siblings seek refuge in a rather sinister home. Directed by Sergio G. Sanchez, it stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, and George MacKay. The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore writes: “Scary enough to please most genre buffs, it would also play well in art houses: If you were to go through and remove every hint of ghosts, you’d still have a drama well worth seeing.”

MTRCB Rating: R-13

Darkest Hour
Directed by Joe Wright, and starring Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, and Ronald Pickup, “This look back at Winston Churchill’s leadership during the early days of World War II is filled with authentic touches, large and small. Most authentic of all is Gary Oldman’s performance as a flawed but deeply passionate man who summoned all of his courage, all of his oratory skills and all of his love for Britain at just the right moment,” writes Richard Roeper who gives it three and a half stars

MTRCB Rating: PG

Black Panther
T’challa goes home to Wakanda, an isolated yet technologically advanced African nation, to assume his position as king. His resilience as both king and Black Panther is challenged when old enemies reappear and the nation of Wakanda is put at risk. Directed by Ryan Coogler, it stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and Florence Kasumba. The Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday remarks: “Coogler doesn’t use Black Panther as an awkward delivery system for such Deep Ideas. Rather, he weaves them in organically and subtly. Black Panther is great fun to watch and shot through with delicate threads of lighthearted humor, mostly delivered from Wright’s cheeky, sarcastic whiz kid and Martin Freeman, who shows up midway through the film as an earnest if unlikely ally.”

MTRCB Rating: PG

When to bypass an ineffective and inefficient boss

I have a boss who is known in the whole organization as a “teka-teka” manager who takes so much time in making decisions, even for minor things, like the approval of his employees’ leave application. Last month, I sent him an e-mail recommending a cost-cutting solution to a long-time practice that is costing the company around P50,000 a month. I talked to him about it several times and was told that he’s studying the matter. Can you tell me what to do with this kind of boss who is contributing losses to the company?  – Can’t Wait.

Excitement is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you and before you realize what’s wrong with your boss. Really, being held up by a boss for the wrong reason is terribly wrong and downright stupid. You sit there, say nothing, and nod along to his perpetual alibi — that he’s “studying the matter” — resulting in another clear case of paralysis by analysis.

You’ve remained quiet for some time as you don’t want to be the villain in your department. Moreover, you might not be 100% sure why your boss is dragging his feet, whereas you’re more than confident about yourself with the proposed cost-saving idea. And so, you’re constrained to keep your mouth shut for another week or until God knows when.

So here’s my long answer to give you the right context. Just like many managers around us, I’d like to believe that he’s still emboldened by the ancient 1930s-1940s military principles of “unity of command” and “unity of direction” and “scalar chain” where the relationship between a manager and his workers must not be broken. Strictly and technically, no one is allowed to bypass the boss even if it would result in mounting losses to the organization.

But times have changed. Dynamic organizations have challenged the assumptions of these martial concepts, that when summarized, would re-appear as “command-and-control” type of management and if implemented down to its letter and spirit can choke the organization to death.

One notable and pioneering challenger of this traditional “command-and-control” style of management is Bill Gore (1912-1986), who founded Gore-Tex, a fabric manufacturer that created the “lattice organization” where there is no rigid hierarchy. Also known as “open allocation,” the system does not allow middle managers to have direct and unilateral control over their subordinates.

Instead, people are authorized to work on certain projects that they have initiated without the interference of their bosses. As soon as they have completed the project, they have the option to go back to their original unit.

Another challenger of the traditional “command-and-control” management is Ricardo Semler of Semco, one of Brazil’s biggest conglomerates that started a non-traditional way of management. In his book Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World’s Most Unusual Workplace (1993), Semler advocated for the active and maximum participation of the workers, resulting in a 70% decrease in the number of supervisors at Semco.

In recent months, another maverick manager who challenged the folly of “command-and-control” is Tesla CEO Elon Musk who sent an e-mail to his workers as follows:

“There are two schools of thought about how information should flow. By far the most common way is chain of command, which means that you always flow communication through your manager. The problem with this approach is that, while it enhances the power of the manager, it fails to serve the company.

“To solve a problem quickly, two people in different department should simply talk and make the right thing happen. Instead, people are forced to talk to their manager, who talks to their manager, who talks to the manager in the other department, who talks to someone on his team. Then the info has to flow back the other way again. This is incredibly dumb.”

This e-mail quote is a featured part of an Inc. magazine Oct. 30, 2017 article by Chuck Blakeman with the title: “An Email from Elon Musk Reveals Why Managers Are Always a Bad Idea.”

With that for background, what would you do? My short answer is this: Press on in private. Talk to your boss. Emphasize the importance of such idea that if he would drag his feet on the issue, it will cause irreparable injury to the organization. Calculate the amount of losses every month. Much better if you go back at the time when the practice was first implemented, if only to show how the company has lost millions of pesos for such nonsense.

Whatever step you take, ensure that everything is documented in an e-mail or memo format that he acknowledged so that when the blaming starts to unravel, you can easily protect yourself out of the equation.

Sure, it’s tempting to bring the matter to the boss of the boss, but don’t even think about it, unless there’s an escalation policy in the organization, similar to an open-door policy, a whistle-blower system, or an integrity hot line that is practiced in many dynamic organizations.

In conclusion, if your boss continues to sit on your ideas, suggestions, or even complaints, then do something radical, much more if your head is also on the chopping block and there’s an iota of chance that top management may possibly think you’re partly to be blamed.

Join our March 9, 2018 public event on “Deep Dive Discussion on World-Class Manufacturing” where Rudy Go, a Connecticut-based kaizen sensei will share his global perspectives on what true lean is all about, the Moonshine approach and 3Ps, mistake-proofing, kaizen vs. kaikaku, root-cause analysis and problem solving, among other topics. There’s no death by Power Point but only no-holds barred discussion on what makes up for WCM. For further details, contact Ricky Mendoza at (02) 846-8951 or 0915-406-3039 or via inquiry@kairos.com.ph.

elbonomics@gmail.com

Where do cyber attacks come from?

Ombudsman hits back at SolGen over Duterte wealth case

OMBUDSMAN CONCHITA Carpio-Morales yesterday hit back at Solicitor General (SolGen) Jose C. Calida over the supposed failure of her office to immediately release the information that the investigation on President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s alleged undisclosed wealth was closed and terminated on Nov. 29, 2017. In a statement, Ms. Morales said, “Fact-finding investigations, under the rules, are generally confidential in nature. The (Ombudsman’s) Office is not obliged to inform the subject of the fact-finding investigation about its outcome. The confidentiality of proceedings was, in fact, recognized by the Solicitor General when he cited the exception that the Ombudsman has the power to publicize certain matters (e.g., whether or not to act upon an inquiry “out of curiosity” or media requests for case status out of journalistic duty).” Ms. Morales also pointed out that it is public knowledge that she inhibited herself from the case and as such, “could not have considered exercising such discretionary power…” The Ombudsman confirmed that the investigation has been terminated, but noted that “By rule, ‘[a] closed and terminated field investigation is without prejudice to the refiling of a complaint with new or additional evidence.’” — Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

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