The story of creation, not the story of Davao

[Why is ours a damaged culture? Then consider: We are too weak to face a pandemic and the 21st century. How can we then make Juan de la Cruz thrive? Recall the story of creation.]

In the meantime, the government is scrambling – beyond providing medical care – to pour money into the economy and overcome hunger, unemployment, and shuttered businesses.

Indeed, a pandemic hangs over the world, that wealthy nations as well are going through a harrowing reality. 

What more of Juan de la Cruz?

The only guarantee is that everyone must ride the crisis. The city that prides itself as “top of the heap” is, in fact, the epicenter and is approaching bankruptcy if the mayor’s rhetoric is accurate.

Nations, cities, and towns will “walk and chew gum” at the same time. There is no luxury of choice.

In our case, it is not the story of Davao, but the story of creation that must be the North Star.

Then consider, is Eden a terrible idea because Satan was there? 

If we translate that to our history, is the US military awful because they represent American imperialism?

As the blog has argued, it is not about any isms but dynamism. 

Is globalization terrible because several countries moved to populism? But because the world suffered immensely, will it accept the next Hitler?

Why did the blog call “isms” – aka “tribalism” or “dualism” – the “Padre Damaso trap”? Shouldn’t we? Does the Philippine Catholic Church see Padre Damaso as a pejorative terminology? “Archbishop: No more ‘Padre Damaso’ today,” Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News, 3rd Oct 2010.

Those familiar with the blog will remember that Davao has a place in the writer’s heart; he worked and lived there though briefly. Yet, the blog has argued against taking Davao as a model. Recall we in the elite class applauded the war on drugs – i.e., we took Davao as the model.

Recall too that vaccines are harmful despite dengue, and that is recent history. Today, the whole world is scrambling for the much-needed vaccine against COVID-19. But memories are short. We cannot trust science like we can’t believe the Creator because he allowed Satan in Eden?

How about we are the stewards of creation, we have the choice to pursue a virtuous circle, not a vicious one? That’s Catholic theology.

To be a steward doesn’t translate to dualism or binary thinking. Nor a one-issue proposition. And why the debate on stewardship (of creation) is beyond climate change – “for or against” – for instance.

That’s why the blog tirelessly speaks to the Great Commandments and the minority view of the Franciscans. Does Padre Damaso belong to the majority view yet disowned? But let’s get off the high horse of theology and switch to pop culture. Enter: the Golden Rule.

In earlier postings, the blog discussed why the creation story must be the model in the pursuit of social progress and development – as in dynamism and innovation – because it allows organisms to thrive even if that includes COVID-19.

In our case, that means us, Juan de la Cruz. The Creator chose him to thrive, with human dignity and all, because he is a steward of creation. On the other hand, Padre Damaso didn't give a hoot about human dignity. Does the war on drugs care about human dignity?

Yet, we applauded the war on drugs. For those of us in the elite class, it reflects our caste system. “Pwede na ‘yan” is that insidious that we can forget our humanity. There is no more Padre Damaso because we are it.

What are we talking about, the flavor of the month? We are all throwing alms to the needy. Is that the surest sign that after the pandemic, we shall be back to our merry ways? Isn’t that what happened after People Power? Or is it until the next president? 

“True social reform has little to do with politics.” Recall Thoreau, “we must be engaged in the act of continual and conscious self-renewal.” [Disclosure: the wife reminded the writer of Thoreau, your daughter studied him at Brown, and the book is in your study. And it pointed the writer to the creation story.]

We are today closer to the end of the term of Duterte than the beginning. And we are resigned to the reality that the war on drugs can’t succeed. The creation story is about dynamism, not quick fixes. Yet, we can’t wrap our heads around that. That is why we mistake tyranny for sovereignty and patriotism and freedom, and democracy.

The drug problem is merely a symptom of our inability to make Juan de la Cruz thrive. Social progress and development – as in dynamism and innovation – is what will make it happen.

South Korea and Ukraine, just to give two examples, see beyond US imperialism because they have internalized dynamism, more than being stuck in an ism. In the case of South Korea, they have experienced development. And Ukraine has experienced socialism under Soviet rule.

Recall how the blog distinguished the US versus China. How should we choose our friends? The US is democratic and pluralistic, while China is autocratic. For example, despite Trump playing fast and loose in Ukraine, Congress continued the millions of dollars in aid. Can the China politburo go up against Xi, for instance? Ditto for Russia.

Or who is behind the crisis in the West Philippine Sea? What about in Crimea?

But let’s leave the West Philippine Sea and shift to the Dalai Lama. Where is he and why is he there? A Vietnamese would perhaps venture a guess if not an insight. Or we can ask the Vietnamese, why are you running to the Americans despite the Vietnam War? Then consider Vietnam was under China’s rule for over a thousand years.

On the other hand, while the American political system manifests tribalism and dualism – and appears to lose its way – institutions are steeped in democracy and pluralism.

In other words, how did Singapore, Malaysia, China, and, more recently, Vietnam, internalize the dynamism demanded of social progress and development? And what did they achieve? Poverty to them is in the rearview mirror. And where are we, still ensconced in parochialism and insularity?

Here’s a piece of very recent news to describe American democracy and pluralism: “Paul O’Neill, a former Treasury secretary who broke with George W. Bush over tax policy and then produced a book critical of the administration, died Saturday.

“A former head of aluminum giant Alcoa, O’Neill [was] forced to resign after he objected to the second round of tax cuts because of their impact on deficits.

“O’Neill contended that the administration began planning the overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein right after Bush took office, eight months before the 11th Sept terrorist attacks.

“He depicted Bush as a disengaged president who didn’t encourage debate either at Cabinet meetings or in one-on-one discussions with Cabinet members. Bush was like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people.” [Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill dies at age 84, Martin Crutsinger and Ron Todt, Associated Press, USA Today, 18th Apr 2020]

There are lots more – insights – we shall miss. That is if we don’t overcome parochialism and insularity. And continue to value political patronage and oligarchy.

For example, beyond being stuck with Davao – and applauding the war on drugs to lift Juan de la Cruz – as our model, our inward-looking bias doesn’t appreciate more successful models of social progress and development.

Like Sweden for the forest industry. Denmark for MSMEs or hog raising. Or in agribusiness, learning from Nestle. And from Vietnam, to understand how we can move beyond GVCs (global value chains) and assembling chips and not confined as third-party providers.

There is a more significant and virtuous model than political patronage and oligarchy. And much, much bigger than Davao.

Imagine if we had the dynamism of our neighbors and worked to mirror our progress and development efforts to the story of creation – and not the Duterte story and his war on drugs – where do we think we would be?

Or will we have the problems in the West Philippine Sea if we didn’t kick out the US military? Who could say we are no longer a free nation if we chose that?

Imagine where our hog growers and small enterprises will be today if we modeled our MSMEs to that of Denmark, albeit specific to an industry. It demonstrates how to pool micro-enterprises into a cohesive national enterprise that can leverage economies of scale, tap investment and technology, and capture international markets because of its world-class and competitive products.

As the blog has pointed out, we need a thousand of our close to 800,000 MSMEs to forward-think and craft a game plan to attain a global benchmark, $100 million enterprises. And simultaneously, our large enterprises must collaborate with Arangkada, AmBisyon, and Tatak Pinoy to raise our export receipts by $100 billion. 

But that includes tapping foreign money and technology. Because speed is of the essence, i.e., prioritize and leverage Pareto and be divorced from the crab mentality. It means calling out the most potent oligarchy that the party is over. How many of our tycoons have moved on to the next life, and Juan de la Cruz remains the icon of abject poverty? It cannot be politics as usual and dole-outs as our national conscience. It is tossing our value of parochialism and insularity.

Recall the blog discussed photosynthesis as a subset of the creation story that we must replicate the elements of the phenomenon for an undertaking to thrive. For example, why is Vietnam winning those investments leaving China?

Take the ease of doing business. Our culture of impunity is the most significant barrier. Political patronage beyond grease money can come with equity shielded by dummies. Why has the Marcos unexplained wealth remained unexplained? And who else after Marcos? After this hurdle that we throw comes the requisite support utility and infrastructure initiatives as well as inputs like raw materials and inbound and outbound logistics.

Imagine a full circle that connects the dots that a global initiative requires. For example, power is our Achilles heel. But think beyond. That is why when we prioritize a must-do industry, location is vital and crucial. Politics and social needs must respect where the photosynthesis phenomenon will occur.

Let’s digress some: The Soviet model failed miserably in that regard and why economics became their downfall. It’s not only in the promise of jobs where they failed. They were not merit-based and resulted in a double whammy – discouraged top performers and propped up free-riders – that productivity and product reliability issues put the undertaking on the path of implosion. It also happened with bread – and for the same reason. The central authority was dispensing jobs and food like manna from heaven unmindful of the imperative of a virtuous circle.

In contrast: The hometown (of 80,000) of the writer’s Eastern European friends was godforsaken following the collapse of the Soviet empire. Today, despite employing robotics in factories, it has a 2 percent unemployment rate, aka full employment. Industries, including from the West, realized that foreign money and technology could revive a town when they are globally competitive.

But is their work done? They were under Soviet rule for four decades, and there are lots to undo.

And we Filipinos want to go the other way? God bless us! There is no perfect system, but why even aspire for a failed one? 

Because democracy and the free market failed us? Why don’t we ask our neighbors, the Asian Tigers?

Do we deny our instincts? We are parochial and insular. We value hierarchy and paternalism that we rely on political patronage and oligarchy that ours is a culture of impunity.

But let’s get back to the discussion on how we must prioritize must-do industries and the need to replicate the photosynthesis phenomenon.

Beyond local social needs is the more significant benefit of the common good which can come from the multiplier impact of an undertaking – that mirrors the story of creation. The bonus can be far and wide; for example, a world-class venture may demand higher level-skills yet generate much higher taxes that can pay for the social needs the locality requires.

The above Denmark experience is a variation of the Nestle model in agribusiness. That goes beyond farming to a portfolio of competitive, high-margin packaged food and beverage products.

Disclosure: The nephew who co-owns a restaurant in Makati inspired this posting. “Tito question, did a similar event ever happen before? How did the economy recover? Can you give me some reading materials – so I am prepared?”

This young person who is not even 30 is forward-thinking. He knew the tito lived and worked in different parts of the world. Before he posed the above question, he shared the various initiatives they are pursuing. But he wanted a bigger model, beyond Makati, beyond the Philippines. [Since the blog speaks to innovation as key to social progress and development, for those interested in “Innovation in turbulent times,” there is a Harvard Business Review article (June 2009 issue) by Kara Gruver, James Allen, and Darrell K. Rigby. Recall the 2008 Global Recession and why that article.]

How much success would we have today if we had adopted the Swedish model in tree farming and wood-based industry, instead of our denuded forests and the floods we’ve had where countless perished?

What about our chips assembly if we had the foresight, begged for foreign money and technology, and become the regional hub of Samsung’s technology manufacturing? Instead of relying on political patronage and enabling oligarchy?

Nations, cities, and towns will “walk and chew gum at the same time.” There is no luxury of choice. 

We have long deceived ourselves that “pwede na ‘yan” is our North Star.

Gising Bayan!

“Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? Moreover, 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]