Forward-think: Seek “learned optimism.”

But first, we must learn to overcome our caste system – i.e., the value of hierarchy and paternalism.

Recall why the blog keeps raising our instincts: We are parochial and insular. We value hierarchy and paternalism and rely on political patronage and oligarchy that ours is a culture of impunity.

Here’s a quote from an earlier posting: “Learned helplessness occurs when an individual continuously faces a negative, uncontrollable situation and stops trying to change their circumstances, even when they can do so. The term was coined in 1967 by the (American) psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier.

“Engaging in activities that restore self-control can be valuable. Seligman later developed the concept of learned optimism: By explaining events to ourselves in a constructive manner and developing a positive internal dialogue, people can break free from a cycle of helplessness.” [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/learned-helplessness]

Let’s build on Seligman’s concept of “learned optimism.”

“Sustainable development,” Melandrew Velasco, EVERYMAN, manilastandard.net, 1st May 2021. “This reminds me of former President Fidel V. Ramos, who, during his incumbency, told members of the Rotary Tri-Districts 3050, 3860, and 3870 that in the game of development, there is nothing gained where we don't venture. That holds to this day.

“It is individual initiative and private enterprise that must provide the driving force for development. A published article quotes San Miguel Corporation President and COO Ramon S. Ang, saying it is SMC’s vision to lead efforts to deliver on national goals and help set the pace of progress in the country. ‘Our corporate slogan is to make the world better for Filipinos. I believe both describe our aspiration of making the Philippines succeed and improving the lives of our countrymen. These are the things that inspire and drive us and make us passionate about our work,’ he said.

“The investments of SMC are geared toward sustainable development—economic, environmental, social—not only in the National Capital Region but in every region across the country.” 

That is well and good. But how do we then push the envelope and overcome our inward-looking bias?

Sustainable development must mirror an ecosystem, the best model being the photosynthesis phenomenon. And it is characterized by interdependence. Plants and animals — and humankind — need more than oxygen to thrive in this universe. And Juan de la Cruz needs more than political patronage and oligarchy to become prosperous. 

Indeed, sustainable development is not a cakewalk — and demands setting priorities (aka the Pareto principle) while organizing in parallels, i.e., “the ability to connect unrelated questions, problems, or ideas from different fields.” [Christensen et al., “The Innovator’s  DNA,” Harvard Business Review, December 2009]

It is a dynamic of several elements — best exemplified by the concept of sets and subsets — and not one-dimensional as in hierarchy and paternalism. 

Put another way, and we must overcome the crab mentality and value personal responsibility for the common good. Forward-think and seek learned optimism.

Here’s another quote from an earlier posting: “Benchmark. Benchmark. Benchmark.”

“The purpose of benchmarking should be to get a broad background of an area of knowledge, plus knowledge of state of the art and who is advancing it, and what principles drive the challenge or problem.

“Benchmarking research is the process for rapidly learning the essence of the desired field of knowledge with interest in finding the leading edge.” [University of Delaware]

“We will not be like Vietnam – or the other Asian Tigers – but if we ever learn that there is more to the world than our caste system, it will open our eyes and minds to look outward and forward and learn to benchmark. Benchmarking in business and industry does not mean an enterprise must strive to be a clone. 

“During the infancy of Apple, Steve Jobs benchmarked his innovation and marketing efforts against the consumer-packaged goods industry.”

Consider: “PHL faces ‘fragile’ recovery — ADB,” Beatrice M. Laforga, BusinessWorld, 29th Apr 2021.

“THE Philippine economy’s recovery while expected is ‘fragile,’ the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said. It slashed its growth forecast to 4.5% this year due to uncertainties over the prolonged coronavirus pandemic.

“In its latest Asian Development Outlook report, the ADB said it now sees the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 4.5%, slower than its 6.5% forecast given in December and below the government’s 6.5-7.5% target.

“Among Southeast Asian peers, the Philippine economy lags behind Vietnam (6.7%), Malaysia (6%), and Singapore (6%), but at par with Indonesia (4.5%). This year, Thailand’s economy will grow by 3%, while Myanmar, which continues to face political and social unrest, is seen to contract by 9.8%.

“Mr. Bird said the Philippine economy’s growth would be driven by state spending, household spending, and exports, while private investments will remain subdued due to excess capacity across industries. Many companies are likely to delay investments and focus on debt consolidation, he added.

“Fiscal policy will expand this year by an equivalent of 1.3 percentage points of GDP. Household consumption could only rise moderately unless the economy reopens further.

“The pace of the country’s vaccination program will remain modest as risks of a global supply shortage remain.”

The bottom line: We have a structural problem and are playing catch up and must learn to “walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Again, from an earlier posting: “When we benchmark, especially against our neighbors, we (1) must seek knowledge of state of the art, (2) find the leading-edge, (3) who is advancing it, and (4) what principles drive the challenge or problem. In other words, to traverse poverty to prosperity is beyond “pwede na ‘yan.”

As the regional laggard, we’re still at ground zero.

“The Philippines is not food secure,” Yvette Natalie Tan, AVANT GARDENER, Manila Bulletin, 30th Apr 2021. “Agriculture workers remain one of the most marginalized sectors in this country. The average age of the Filipino farmer is 65 years old. Many farmers don’t want their children to follow because of the poverty and lack of opportunity associated with working in agriculture.

“And while many private citizens want to ‘help the farmer,’ many of them also don’t understand how the food system (which is pretty opaque, to begin with) works. People don’t understand that farming is a business. There is a tendency to think of the farmer as ‘someone that needs to be helped’ instead of a ‘small business owner whose business will flourish with proper support.’

“A good friend of mine put it very well: to encourage agriculture; we should stop thinking of farming as welfare and start thinking of it as an industry.”

Forward-think: Seek “learned optimism.” But first, we must learn to overcome our caste system – i.e., the value of hierarchy and paternalism.

In other words, we must overcome “pwede na ‘yan” and think state-of-the-art in agribusiness. And even our top companies must also recognize how Vietnam overtook the Philippines. For example, we’re into chips while they are the regional manufacturing hub for Samsung smartphones and Apple AirPods. Why can’t we move up the value chain? We have no industry laurels to sit on!

The challenge remains because, being at ground zero, we succumb to “learned helplessness.” We have missed every fork in the road and have no bearing and orientation on traversing poverty to prosperity.

“Prosperity” seems unreachable that we want to be modest even in defining the future of Juan de la Cruz.

“AmBisyon Natin 2040. By 2040, Filipinos enjoy a strongly rooted, comfortable, and secure life. In 2040, we will all enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle, secure in the knowledge that we have enough for our daily needs and unexpected expenses, that we can plan and prepare for our own and our children’s future. Our family lives together in a place of our own, and we have the freedom to go where we desire, protected and enabled by a clean, efficient, and fair government.” [NEDA website]

How do we get into “learned optimism”?

“Engaging in activities that restore self-control can be valuable. Seligman later developed the concept of learned optimism: By explaining events to ourselves in a constructive manner and developing a positive internal dialogue, people can break free from a cycle of helplessness.”

Translation: Juan de la Cruz must traverse poverty to prosperity — and not be stunted by “pwede na ‘yan.”

Gising bayan!