Of kinship, underachievers and a fixed mindset

That should read “same old, same old” except the blog had used the title in a post four years ago. And the thought came following the dinner the wife and writer had with expatriate friends (a couple plus their young daughter) and as the writer was winding down the eight weeks of this year’s annual homecoming. [While the wife typically stays on for another couple of weeks – to attend to her family’s interests.]

After two years in the country, these friends clearly have a fair and balanced view of the Philippines; the bottom line being there are reasons to like the assignment here. For example, the writer thought the Italian restaurant in Alabang where they went will meet the standards of expatriates, e.g., the spaghetti alle vongole and the wine (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo) were world-class and although the carpaccio wasn’t great, it’s passable.

And reading the posting from before, the words “kinship” and “underachievers” stood out. To wit: (a) “What CJ Panganiban calls ‘kinship’ may be at the bottom of our woes? We can't say no to all forms of kinship!” and (b) from economist Ciel Habito: “We’ve been good mentors to those around us, yet have been sorry underachievers, even laggards, in the very things they learned from us. There’s clearly much we can learn about growing the agricultural cooperative system from the Koreans, possibly the Indians as well. Ironically, it seems that both looked to us as mentor when they started out half a century ago.”

And the writer added “fixed mindset,” a constant theme of the blog – because it explains same old, same old.

On kinship, those who read about the North Carolina House race – that is, a new election had been called – would know that kinship does not have to be absolute. That a son can testify against his father; it’s called the rule of law: “The board’s decision capped a dramatic week that included testimony from Harris’s son, John Harris, a federal prosecutor, who said Wednesday that he warned his father in phone calls and emails that he believed Dowless [the hired political operative] had broken the law in a previous election and should not be hired for the 2018 campaign.”

Which brings the writer back to grade school – the Holy Trinity parish parochial school in Calabash Road in Sampaloc – when during a retreat the invited priest spoke about blind obedience. The two points he remembers: (a) You are not to obey blindly, not even your parents. You must not steal, for example, even if you are told to do so; (b) You belong to a family; parents have the responsibility to beget and educate. The responsibility does not stop at beget.

The priest must be a liberal or progressive. Because the writer also remembers the parish priest telling his parents that they must welcome every child they would bear. Lo and behold, it is one big happy family – of ten siblings.

Translation: The writer knows humble beginnings first hand. And why he accepted to be a development worker in the poorest nation in Europe. And indeed when fielding questions over the last 16 years he is able to speak to a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. And how their once cottage-industry employer is today one of the EU’s best companies.

And it is not about paternalism which we Pinoys can’t toss. And why we continue to perpetuate tyranny. Because paternalism is a self-fulfilling prophesy – as in a caste system.

What about our being underachievers? We can excel if we put our minds to it. And here are two examples, but they will remain nameless being family and friends. Says cyberworld: (a) Poblacion’s Hottest New Restaurant Thanks To Its Neo Filipino Menu And Retro Cool Vibe; (b) We snuck away for the weekend ... The weeks have been piling up and it seems like even Saturdays can be hit and run from the moment you wake up. This particular weekend we hit the pause button and snuck away to [this bed and breakfast in Bay, Laguna] and it was so … so good.

The writer also met with a couple of economists and it dawned on him that to us Pinoys access to finance is a barrier that simply is insurmountable. See above re fixed mindset. And the writer is always reminded of Tatang Sy and Steve Jobs and the writer’s Eastern European friends. If these three disparate parties have something in common, no one was born a Trump – who as a teen was worth more than $200 million courtesy of the father.

And add to the list the nephew – the 27-year-old son of the wife’s sister – one of the three chefs (another one is also 27 and the other 30, plus two friends) that started this hottest new restaurant in Poblacion. They had to beg for money ... because even the wife did not step forward, not confident that the investment was worth the risk.

As the nephew explained: “Tito, all we had was a vision which the three of us shared; and we are thankful that two friends embraced it. We had a good education, beyond the culinary knowledge we also learned how to run an enterprise, and it was polished by our experiences – from our internships in the US and France and from that former hot restaurant in BGC where we all worked.

“Still, we were just like robots in the beginning. We knew we had to be totally engaged with every bit of activity from square one and likewise from drawing up the plans to convert this residential apartment into a restaurant and up to the actual construction work. We know exactly where all the pipes and electrical lines are laid out because we must know where to look if they ever need fixing.

“But today we are even more engaged, 24/7, figuring out how to execute the things we want done while racking our brains if we are missing something. It is about ambition, we want to succeed.”

The family friend’s resort in Bay (Laguna) is a gem. And so next year, instead of traveling to, say, Bali where the family spent the first week after arrival from the US this January, the plan is to be in Bay – where there is a spa – to shake off jetlag.

But then again, while small-scale business initiatives like the above are most welcome, we must not forget that given our population size as well as the reality that we compete with our friendly neighbors, we must recognize the imperative of scale.

Consider: PH poverty rate is at 21.6% while Vietnam is less than half at 8%. Yet our local economy is larger than those of Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. What gives? Try exports, not just exports but humongous ones: In the case of Vietnam, one enterprise alone, i.e., Samsung which is 25% of Vietnam’s exports, delivers roughly equal to total PH exports. And it comes from Samsung’s cumulative investment in Vietnam of $17-B. Economists call this economic outcome the multiplier effect of investment. Which small-scale enterprises in the Philippines will never come close to matching.

In other words, while we think livelihood undertakings – which is what most of our MSMEs are about – our neighbors are pursuing global scale and global competitiveness. And the starting point as Lee and Mahathir told Deng is “Beg for Western money and technology.” 

What are we missing? To prioritize is not in our instincts and consciousness. See below re time and space as in efficient coexistence and order and community and the common good.

On the other hand, “inclusive” – which we assume must be the response to PH poverty – is in fact a euphemism. Ditto for populism as in retail politics. And worse, wittingly or not, we perpetuate and nourish patronage and a culture of impunity.

But are we anywhere near stepping up to the plate? Consider this news report: “Measure lifting restrictions on foreigners in business could still make it out of 17th Congress.” Gising bayan! 

We are two generations behind our neighbors and this tentativeness is not going to pass muster. Why two generations? One: it will take a generation to match their progress in infrastructure development and industrialization. Two: it will take another generation before we can raise our innovation culture and global competitiveness.

But let’s get back to fixed mindset. Or more precisely, how can we develop a growth mindset if we’re stuck in place because we’re faced with insurmountable barriers like finance – or the lack of access?

As the writer explained to the economists, we will never seek what’s below the tip of the iceberg – and figure out what’s behind the success of the Asian Tigers, for instance – if we keep projecting our values and instincts and biases. That we cannot be a Singapore or a Thailand or a Vietnam. Because we are not a dictatorship nor a monarchy and we are not communists either.

But we are an optimistic people. That’s precisely the point. We are missing the insights or why our neighbors left us behind. Beg for Western money and technology, said Lee and Mahathir to Deng. And Vietnam followed suit. And pursue rapid infrastructure development and industrialization.

And now that we’re into the 21st century, these neighbors are well positioned to exploit their advantage, i.e., they lead us in innovation and global competitiveness. And if our response is “we’re a bunch of optimists” then we can kiss tomorrow goodbye.

Indeed our challenges are daunting. If we don’t rack our brains to figure out why we’re the regional laggard, we won’t recognize this fundamental given: that because we take time and space for granted, we will never appreciate what efficient coexistence and order is. 

It is what community and the common good is about. Prioritize! Prioritize! Prioritize! 

And it is evident in how anarchy now rules us – from our chaotic metro traffic to uncivilized land use to palpable political patronage and ravenous oligarchy – and why ours is a culture of impunity. 

As one friend explained, we had the chance to preempt dynasties after the fall of Marcos. One simple line in the Constitution would have done it. But we opted to leave it to legislation. If the big boys control this economy, a few families control this nation. You can go province by province or region by region. And we are a bunch of fools, we keep electing these same thieves. I have given up on this nation. We can never overcome corruption. In the same manner that no nation has overcome the drug menace, chimed another.

Kinship. Underachievers. A fixed mindset. We can take them for granted at our peril.

“Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? And that they will be such is not to be doubted, for he who submits to tyranny loves it.” [We are ruled by Rizal’s ‘tyrants of tomorrow,’ Editorial, The Manila Times, 29th Dec 2015]

“Now I know why Paul dared to speak of ‘the curse of the law’ (Galatians 3:13). Law reigns and discernment is unnecessary, which means there is little growth or change in such people. When you do not grow, you remain an infant.” [Faith and Science, Open to Change, Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation, 23rd Oct 2017]

“As a major component for the education and reorientation of our people, mainstream media – their reporters, writers, photographers, columnists and editors – have an obligation to this country . . .” [Era of documented irrelevance: Mainstream media, critics and protesters, Homobono A. Adaza, The Manila Times, 25th Nov 2015]

“National prosperity is created, not inherited. It does not grow out of a country’s natural endowments, its labor pool, its interest rates, or its currency’s value, as classical economics insists . . . A nation’s competitiveness depends on the capacity of its industry to innovate and upgrade.” [The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Michael E. Porter, Harvard Business Review, March–April 1990]

“You have to have a dream, whether big or small. Then plan, focus, work hard and be very determined to achieve your goals.” [Henry Sy Sr., Chairman Emeritus and Founder, SM Group (1924 - 2019)]

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” [William Pollard, 1911-1989, physicist-priest, Manhattan Project]

“Development [is informed by a people’s] worldview, cognitive capacity, values, moral development, self-identity, spirituality, and leadership . . .” [Frederic Laloux, Reinventing organizations, Nelson Parker, 2014]

“Let’s do our homework …”

That's lifted from "Homework, first & foremost," Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao, SWIMMING AGAINST THE CURRENT, Manila Bulletin, 14th Feb 2019.

"An idea that we need to give much more importance to is: before we get helpless with our people drain, let us do our homework in expanding economic and social opportunities for all of our people ...

"Many look at our OFWs as a boon ... But ... this currently advantageous people-dependent process of development can turn out to be a bane for us, if we do not watch out.

"Moreover, it is a disgrace: to have many Pinoys as TNTs in various lands; and as a result of which, Filipinos in general are many times not treated properly; and we are all too often looked down upon by others."

The OFW phenomenon simply means we are not creating enough jobs that can put body and soul together? Consider: "Economist Bernardo Villegas once said, 'there was no question that a country with as large a population as the Philippines would never be really considered industrialized if manufacturing does not constitute a fair share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing a significant percentage of the labor force. '

"How did our neighboring countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and now Vietnam manage to industrialize while we are still struggling?" [Industrialization, Boo Chanco, DEMAND AND SUPPLY, The Philippine Star, 15th Feb 2019]

What insights must we seek, but have yet to commit because we are not prepared to unlearn (or unfreeze) to provide room to relearn (change and refreeze)? That's from the German social scientist, Kurt Lewin, that the blog has raised numerous times over the last 10 years.

For example, how does Investopedia define the Four Asian Tigers? They consistently maintained high levels of economic growth since the 1960s ... fueled by exports and rapid industrialization ... which enabled these economies to join the ranks of the world's richest nations ... They share common characteristics that include a focus on exports, an educated populace and  high savings  rates ... And are resilient enough to withstand local crises, such as the  Asian financial crisis  of 1997, as well as global shocks, including the  credit crunch  of 2008.

But we can not seem to internalize such insights and so we concluded that: We can not compare ourselves with Singapore because Lee Kuan Yew was an autocrat, ours is a democracy to be proud of. We can not compare ourselves with Thailand because they are a monarchy, that provides them moral compass. We can not compare ourselves with China or Vietnam being communists, we love our democracy.

In other words, can we unlearn or unfreeze the Pinoy instincts that are frozen in the mind? For example: We are parochial and insular, ie, inward-and backward-looking. We value hierarchy and paternalism. We rely on patronage and oligarchy. The bottom line: We reinforce and nourish a "culture of impunity." Says Rizal, "Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? And that they will be such is not to be doubted, for he who submits to tyranny loves it. "

And until we unlearn or unfreeze the mind, we will pay the price of underdevelopment. Consider these news reports: (a) Korean manufacturers decry port congestion, mull departure; on the other hand, (b) Why Samsung of South Korea is the biggest firm in Vietnam: It makes most of its smartphones there; (c) Living up to the name: 'Representa-thieves' [translation: our legislators are a bunch of thieves]; (d) 'First they came for the journalists ...' [the latest being Maria Ressa.]

Why are we the regional laggard, again? "Maybe it is because of the Filipino First import substitution strategy we have had from the '50s. Our so called 'infant' industries got significant protection through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers to entry.

"As a result, consumers suffered having to buy lower quality products at higher costs. Several decades later, our 'infant' industries refused to grow. Protection gave them no incentive to adopt new technology and improve efficiency. "[Chanco, op. cit.]

Can media help? "Media are part of the problem," Luis V. Teodoro, Vantage Point, BusinessWorld, 7th Feb 2019.

"That former TV broadcaster who's running for senator under Sara Duterte's Hugpong of Change party is not alone in denying that the Duterte regime is a threat to press freedom.

"There are other former and still practicing broadcasts, print and online media people who have never quite understood that the most fundamental values ​​in journalism are independence, accuracy, and truth-telling."

But let's get back to Dr. Estanislao: "Let us do our homework in expanding economic and social opportunities for all of our people ..." Because freedom, democracy, nationalism, etc., etc. will be irrelevant if people are hungry. Recall the beginning of the end of the Soviet empire when people woke up one morning and found out there was not enough bread to go around.

Or imagine flying to Sydney and finding out everyone in the country is poor - that is the equivalent of the poverty rate in the Philippines.

Have the Vietnamese learned the lesson? "Vietnam ... is liberalizing its economy to welcome foreign industry. In 2015 the government opened 50 industries to foreign competition and slashed regulation in hundreds more. It sold a majority stake in the biggest state-owned brewer, Sabeco, to a foreign firm last year. Vietnam's enthusiasm for free-trade deals has made it especially alluring to foreign investors.

"The Samsung Electronics factory in Thai Nguyen, in northern Vietnam, employs more than 60,000 people. Its three canteens serve some 13 tons of rice a day. It churns out more mobile phones than any other facility in the world. It and Samsung Electronics' other factories in Vietnam produce almost a third of the firm's global output. The company has invested a cumulative $ 17bn in the country.

"But Samsung is as important to Vietnam as Vietnam is to it. Its local subsidiary's $ 58bn in revenue last year made it the biggest company in Vietnam, pipping PetroVietnam, the state oil company. It employs more than 100,000 people. It has helped to make Vietnam the second-largest exporter of smartphones in the world, after China. Samsung alone accounted for almost a quarter of Vietnam's total exports of $ 214bn last year. "[Why Samsung of South Korea is the biggest firm in Vietnam: It makes most of its smartphones there, The Economist, 12th Apr 2018]

Are not the Vietnamese nationalistic or patriotic? Why would they prefer foreign investors over locals? Or are they smarter than us parochial and insular Pinoys? Consider: (a) They went to school on the Asian Tigers, ie, beg for Western money and technology and (b) did their homework to rapidly pursue industrialization and (c) drastically reduced poverty.

How do we square the circle with this article? "Everyone should be a populist and nationalist," Jemy Gatdula, Being Right, BusinessWorld, 14th Feb 2019. "Our Constitution was authored by 'the sovereign Filipino people.' A constitutional system described as "of the people, by the people, for the people."

In other words, nationalism does not mean protectionism as Boo Chanco described. Or as highlighted in a recent post, in Liliw (Laguna) the footwear industry relies on labor from Batangas and Quezon because the locals prefer something more interesting than sitting the whole day to make slippers. They are not being unpatriotic, they are being human - that their aspirations are moving up the hierarchy of needs.

People are not automatons as the Soviet Union belatedly learned. [But they were godless; we should know better, ie, man is good, says the Creator.] It is not a matter of providing them what the politburo assumed they need: "You need a job we will tell you what job and where you will work. You need an apartment we will tell you where but you can only have two bedrooms. "And as the couple related to the writer, they protested:" But commissar, we have a boy and a girl, they must grow up in separate rooms. "

The verdict? "I tell you what you need and you be grateful!" Fast-forward to the fall of the empire: The first thing the family did was look for and buy another apartment, where the writer was a guest as family members related the story. The original communist apartment was not good enough and so they relocated, now free to live wherever they wish. They can wait 15 years to buy a car under Soviet rule but no commissar will tell them where to live and how to run the family.

And this is where the delusion of Putin lies. He yearns for the good old days of Soviet power when Ukraine, for example, was where space technology resided. Does the adventure in Crimea make sense? And the effort to influence Ukraine is hallucination? Indeed a handful of former Soviet satellite states are still friends with Putin. But it figures: During the transition from Soviet rule those with direct access to Moscow were able to shepherd big industry from communist control to the new oligarchy.

But not the three tiny Baltic states that embraced democracy and trumpeted their opposition to Putin. Not surprisingly, Estonia, for example, is today a technology powerhouse. Consider:  "The tiny former Soviet republic, with a population of 1.3 million ... is arguably the  most advanced digital society  in the world.

"Some 94 per cent of applicants gain e-residency ... E-residency aims to create a digital nation for all, built on inclusion, transparency and legitimacy to empower citizens globally, and achieve worldwide digital and financial inclusion, as outlined on  e-estonia .com .

"Non-Estonians can apply for e-residency, also known as virtual residency, which gives some business benefits, including company formation, but not tax exemption. Estonia has been ahead of the curve since the 1990s. "[Https://www.raconteur.net/technology/estonia-digital-society]

Estonia came to [the writer's] mind upon learning that Liliw relies on Batangas and Quezon to supply labor for their footwear industry. Does Estonia also explain why Putin and Gorbachev do not see eye-to-eye, the latter being a critic? But he is not alone. Poor Russians - visible when one flies from Moscow to Siberia - are escaping what they thought was destiny, including elements of the powerful sports community. If you want to learn fencing you can find some of Russia's best in New Jersey giving lessons.

Poverty in Russia and in the Philippines share something in common, that is, underdevelopment. Which is fertile ground for oligarchy because (a) opportunities are wanting - as in the system does not work - and so (b) hierarchy is the be-all and end-all.

In the case of Russia oil is the driver of the economy; in the Philippines it is OFW remittances and the BPO industry. In both cases, industry is underdeveloped and thus innovation and global competitiveness are beyond reach - and they are defining the 21st century. Think of Venezuela, friends with Russia and Cuba and very oil rich. This once wealthy nation has plunged itself down the abyss.

In the meantime, the world is waiting how Brexit will play out. And the prognosis appears to get worse every day. Scores of regional offices in the financial services sector have already abandoned the UK when not that long ago they made London the bigger financial capital, bigger than New York.

And in the case of the Philippines, why can not we see beyond the horizon? Consider: We can not even agree on why we are underdeveloped!

It comes from what Fr. Bulatao calls our split-level Christianity: on one hand we can not prioritize because we fall into the trap of "crab mentality" whenever our bias for "inclusion" (an expression of our Christianity) offers no way forward being a non-starter to begin with; and on the other we are simply unfocused ("sabog") because our sense of foresight is suspect given our love of tyranny - so says Rizal.

And so when we are told to jump we ask, "how high" instead of "why." Asking the question why can trigger the mind to look beyond the horizon.

For example, was not Juan de la Cruz told that the war on drugs will be over in 3 to 6 months? What about the value of a consumption economy? That it will sustain us and free us from the vagaries of the global economic cycle? Where is foresight in either case?

Then consider: The Pearl River Delta economic development initiative was the catalyst that made China the number one manufacturing enterprise in the world. It speaks to: (a) Pareto, the 80-20 rule and (b) time and space, ie, there is no efficient coexistence and order if time and space is not respected, as in a civilized world.

Think why we're at least 50 years behind in infrastructure development and why despite Arangkada our bias for industrialization is pitiful, if it even exists.

Here is an aside: Someone commented that the postings appear to be connecting the dots - which is how Steve Jobs defines creativity. And it is tall order if we can not overcome parochialism and insularity. And while we talk about big data and analytics, if we are not grounded in Pareto, we will be hard-pressed. And more so if the sense of foresight is suspect. To figure out the 20 and the 80 out of 100 presupposes we instinctively "Begin with the end in mind." That we know where we want to be: Is our problem poverty or underdevelopment?

And in the case of agriculture, we still could not grasp that to begin with the end mind is to look beyond the "input" and into the "output." You can gold-plate the input but if there is no demand for the output - beyond local needs - we will never be a Vietnam or a Thailand, for example. Why beyond local needs? So that the bigger scale will open itself up for greater imagination and investment, as in economies of scale. Retail politics - as in populism - does not work in the innovation and competitiveness demanded by the 21st century.

But here's one exception and a truly great news: "Unifrutti secures P1-B loan from DBP for banana area expansion," Marifi S. Jara, BusinessWorld, 18th Feb 2019. Disclosure: An economist that has read previous postings shared this enterprise with the writer before the news report. And in the conversation the writer stressed the imperative ... of scale ... and greater imagination ... and investment - if we are to make a quantum leap in agriculture especially in Mindanao.

"The loan package - which will be used for the development of 700 hectares of new Cavendish banana farms in the provinces of Davao del Sur and Bukidnon - is so far the government-owned bank's biggest farm development financing ... Unifrutti currently has about 1,200 hectares of corporate farms and 5,000 hectares of contract growers. Its fresh produce are exported to the Middle East, Japan, China, and Korea ... Unifrutti's expansion program is intended to meet increasing export demand. "

Where are we otherwise? We always demonstrate that we are two generations behind our neighbors and why we can not connect the dots: from (a) our failure in infrastructure development (only three major projects have been awarded by the Du30 administration) to (b) industrialization (Arangkada remains an orphan) to (c) innovation to (d) global competitiveness. And the latter two can only come about if we have a wealth of experience coming out of the first two. Gising bayan! 

But let's get back to Russia. What does Putin share with Trump? In the case of the Philippines, we are not as aggressive as the Americans ... when we should be asking: What does Duterte share with China? Even more fundamental, Trump shares with Russia, China and the Philippines the distinction for transparency.

Sadly we must add the Vatican where for the longest time transparency was not in the vocabulary. That injustice - as in tyranny - was harbored. Recall Padre Damaso. Until now: "Pope defrocks Theodore McCarrick, ex-cardinal accused of sexual abuse." The moral of the story truly hit home to folks in the New Jersey / New York area, the cleric in the 80's being one of their own.

Of course, Trump finds comfort in his shrinking base (a clear minority except for the freak electoral college system) while being abandoned even by pillars of the conservative movement - ie, how conservatives can be holier-than-thou with a Trump in their camp ? But not only. He is anomaly given the American character of transparency, as in check-and-balance. And it is in his character and why he's had a battery of lawyers even when still a private citizen. And as the world knows, his personal lawyer turned against him after Trump threw him under the bus.

Trump can lie through his teeth - as in being caught with his pants down in the Trump University case and the Trump charitable foundation, among countless others - and many within his orbit that likewise lied have been indicted if not jailed. He claimed to be a billionaire many times over than his true net worth and thus needed no political contributions from kingmakers. But was he under the thumb of Adelson, the casino mogul, all along? Which is another thing we Pinoys share with Trump: a gambling economy not an industrial economy.

The emergency he conjured does not add up per a recent Gallop report: 75% of Americans see immigration as a "good thing" and 58% are opposed to "substantial expansion" of a border wall between the US and Mexico. If indeed he is following the Nixon playbook he is on a very slippery road.

What about us Pinoys? Let us do our homework in expanding economic and social opportunities for all of our people. But is there a commissar telling us that we are only good as a regional laggard? We can always protest ... and lead a prosperous life as a nation!

And even more fundamental, we can no longer hide behind the skirts of Vatican and harbor tyranny and injustice - as in a culture of impunity. Where Rizal failed, will McCarrick succeed? 

Gising bayan!

"Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? And that they will be such is not to be doubted, for those who submits to tyranny loves it." [We are governed by Rizal's 'tyrants of tomorrow' Editorial, The Manila Times, 29th Dec 2015]

" Now I know why Paul dared to speak of 'the curse of the law" (Galatians 3:13). Law reigns and discernment is unnecessary, which means there is little growth or change in such people. When you do not grow, you remain an infant. "[Faith and Science, Open to Change, Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation, 23rd Oct 2017]

"As a major component for the education and reorientation of our people, the mainstream media - their reporters, writers, photographers, columnists and editors - have an obligation to this country. . ." [Era of documented irrelevance: Mainstream media, critics and protesters , Homobono A. Adaza, The Manila Times, 25th Nov 2015]

"National prosperity is created, not inherited. It does not grow out of a country's natural endowments, its labor pool, its interest rates, or its currency's value, as classical economics insists. . . A nation's competitiveness depends on the capacity of its industry to innovate and upgrade. "[The Competitive Advantage of Nations,  Michael E. Porter , Harvard Business Review, March-April 1990]

"You have to have a dream, whether big or small. Then plan, focus, work hard and be very determined to achieve your goals." [Henry Sy Sr., Chairman Emeritus and Founder, SM Group (1924 - 2019)]

"Learning and innovation go hand in hand.The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow." [William Pollard, 1911-1989, physicist-priest, Manhattan Project]

"Development [informed by a people's] worldview, cognitive capacity, values, moral development, self-identity, spirituality and leadership. . ." [Frederic Laloux, Reinventing organizations, Nelson Parker, 2014]