Stupidity or tyranny?

“IF the Arangkada Philippines blue-print of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC)—which set medium-term targets for investments and job generation when it was launched back in 2010—is to be made as basis, the Aquino administration was a resounding failure.

“Consider these: Arangkada’s foreign direct investment (FDI) target was an average of $7.5 billion a year from 2011 to 2015, while President Aquino was only able to deliver an average FDI haul of $3.9 billion. John D. Forbes, senior adviser of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham), knows the reason behind the failure.

“‘We targeted an average of $7.5 billion a year for a decade [to 2020] and have a total of about $20 billion for 2011-2015. But everything the JFC recommended to reach the target was not done,’ Forbes said in a text message.” [Aquino a failure if gauged vs JFC’s Arangkada targets,” Catherine Pillas, Business Mirror, 9th Feb 2016.]

We don’t see eye-to-eye with the JFC despite their efforts to bring the DTI/administration on board? Arangkada is not “inclusive”? It is driven by the 7 industry winners – only?  So the DTI separately developed 40 roadmaps with 32 apparently all done? In Pareto’s lingo, there is such a thing as the “vital few” versus the “trivial many” – or the 80-20 rule.

Which translates inclusive to “crab mentality” – it collapses under its own weight, the trivial many? And we end up accomplishing nil – why we can't move forward as a nation? And Metro Manila’s traffic is evidence # 1? When you’re sitting in traffic, think about it! Government can’t say “trivial many” to Juan de la Cruz – it’s insensitive? But that is why visionary and strategic leadership is called for. “Taking the people from where they are to where they have never been before” is what leadership is about.

If there is a “stupidity index” that comes with the global “competitiveness index,” would the conclusion be that the competitiveness index mirrors the stupidity index? Have we been doing the same thing over and over again and . . . ?

“[E]verything the JFC recommended to reach the target was not done.” And we repeat the vicious cycle with all the jokers wanting to be president when their inherent though not professed motivation is to keep our stupidity index at embarrassing levels? Because that is how tyranny works – guaranteed by their election funding and spending? That all our analysts say will bump up – and be good for – the economy? How to illustrate?

“Infrastructure projects undertaken by the private sector,” Page One, Business World, 9th Feb 2016. And the article can be summarized as follows: Over the 25-year period, 1990-2015, of the top ten participants, the total projects attributable to foreign-control would be a third while the balance of two-thirds would be Filipino. That’s within the foreign equity-rule limits of the Constitution – which is sacred!

The foreign interests are Indonesian (17%), Chinese (State Grid Xin Yuan Company Limited – 9%) and Japanese (Marubeni – 7%). Of course PLDT is labeled Philippines but it’s an open secret that it’s controlled by and part of the Salim group? While the Filipinos are: Lopez (24%), Ayala (17%), and Aboitiz, Coyiuto and Sy (all with 9%).

Despite martial law and all, including EDSA 1 & 2, the Lopez interests are still the envy of the elite class? And if Bongbong Marcos becomes president, we will be back to the good old days, the Marcos-Lopez era? Same-old, same-old? Have we accounted the Marcos loot yet? Will Bongbong want that kept safely away from Juan de la Cruz?

Do we want to ask the Romanians if a Ceausescu will ever make it as leader of their nation? Even the Arab Spring countries can learn from these people! After fumbling for 25 years, they elected one – a liberal from the country's ethnic German population – committed to crackdown on corruption and strengthen the rule of law. [The Telegraph, 22nd Dec 2014]

And back to the Constitution. Is tyranny built into the Philippine Constitution? Why would the elite class even want to tinker with it?

The world very recently woke up to the news of the passing of Justice Scalia (May he rest in peace!), who would perhaps hold that the US Constitution is sacred, being a strict constructionist. What about the Jews that invoked the 300 tenets to argue with Christ. What is man-made is sacred? Even Jefferson, one of the founding fathers tasked to write the Declaration of Independence and a strict constructionist, opted for “loose construction” in the Louisiana Purchase.

“Plato and Aristotle long ago described the behavior and methods of tyrants . . . The principal instruments employed by the tyrant are force, oppression, threats, and espionage, and, even today, the common weapons are terror, persecution, and intimidation. Yet it is often overlooked that modern mass dictatorships have also been able to achieve successes by such methods as deception, corruption, and social rewards. Massive propaganda and the whole educational system are geared to breeding a conforming man, toward whom a benevolent attitude is then displayed . . .” [http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/dictator.aspx]

“Massive propaganda and the whole educational system are geared to breeding a conforming man, toward whom a benevolent attitude is then displayed.” Is that what Juan de la Cruz suffers from?

This blog has discussed “experiential teaching” that the private sector has adopted to overcome the shortcomings of the Western education system. Which to industry translated to the requisite skill-set of teamwork, communication (in a team environment) and critical thinking. How about ours?

And beyond that, how does PHL leapfrog to the 21st century? Do we want to stop to make “pa-pogi” – and step up to reality? Juan de la Cruz must be thankful for the traffic – we’re growing the economy?

“In a world where imperfection seems to be everywhere, the humble and the honest have a huge head start in spiritual matters and can readily find God in their most ordinary of lives. ‘To the poor in spirit the kingdom of heaven already belongs’ (Matthew 5:3), Jesus says in his emphatic opening line of the Sermon on the Mount.” [Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation, 15th Feb 2016].

That’s the spirituality dimension of development. And the pragmatic? The writer spent the last few months in Sofia, Bucharest, New York and Singapore, among others, doing business reviews with his Eastern European friends. And these economic hubs would confirm what he has observed over decades: nowhere in the world would perfection rule. Ergo: we can compete against the best in the world! But not if we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different outcome?

It is about cultivating talent not validating talent. It is the distinction between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Do we Pinoys want to figure that out so we don’t find ourselves like a fish out of water in the 21st century?

“Mindset first came to my attention a few years ago in a fascinating invention session on education . . . Dweck’s research had a big impact on our thinking that day. [Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (2006), by the Stanford psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck] And in the years since . . . helped my foundation colleagues and me understand more about the attitudes and habits that allow some students to persevere in school despite big challenges.” [What you believe affects what you achieve, Bill Gates, gatesnotes.com, 7th Dec 2015]

“Our genes influence our intelligence and talents, but these qualities are not fixed at birth. If you mistakenly believe that your capabilities derive from DNA and destiny, rather than practice and perseverance, then you operate with what Dweck calls a ‘fixed mindset’ rather than a ‘growth mindset.’ Our parents and teachers exert a big influence on which mindset we adopt—and that mindset, in turn, has a profound impact on how we learn and which paths we take in life.

“In experiment after experiment, Dweck has shown that the fixed mindset is a huge psychological roadblock—regardless of whether you feel you were blessed with talent or not. If you have the fixed mindset and believe you were blessed with raw talent, you tend to spend a lot of time trying to validate your ‘gift’ rather than cultivating it. To protect your self-identity as someone who’s super smart or gifted, you often steer clear of tough challenges that might jeopardize that identity . . . ‘From the point of view of the fixed mindset, effort is only for people with deficiencies…. If you’re considered a genius, a talent, or a natural—then you have a lot to lose. Effort can reduce you.’“

And could that be why we are where we are as a people – an economy or a nation? We would enter the real world from wherever and take along our résumé – and then assert our rank and its privileges? The evidence? Creativity, innovation and competitiveness are not synonymous to PH – and would explain why tyranny fills the void and defines us?

A December 2009 ADB publication matter-of-factly confirms: “Poverty and inequality in the Philippines remains a challenge. In the past four decades, the proportion of households living below the official poverty line has declined slowly and unevenly and poverty reduction has been much slow.” Translation: not much has been done to address the structural barriers to Philippine progress and development?

Would we want the Marcos-Lopez era back sooner than later, before Juan de la Cruz gathers the courage to change? In the meantime, we have a handful laughing their way to the bank – while we borrow money to address poverty? Would the “global competitiveness index” mirror the “stupidity index” if there is one?

“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]

“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]

The business of agriculture and Edison

Will Edison buy into this? “In its report titled, ‘Enabling the Business of Agriculture 2016,’ the World Bank outlined key issues that must be addressed. These are: seed; fertilizer; machinery; finance; transport; markets; information and communication technology (ICT); land; water; and livestock.” [Agri development plan needs review – Balisacan, Ted Torres, The Philippine Star, 9th Feb 2016]

Consider what Edison said in 1877: “I want to see a Phonograph in every American home.” In this day and age of innovation, Edison has been resurrected given that he was a practitioner of “begin with the end in mind.” And it took over a century before Stephen R. Covey captured that in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Edison is considered the father of modern-day R&D with the shift (from individual) to team-based research and development. And the d-school in Stanford would push the envelope into “design thinking.”

“To get started, design thinkers focus on five steps, but the first two are the most important. Step 1 is to ‘empathize’ — learn what the real issues are that need to be solved. Next, ‘define the problem’ — a surprisingly tough task. The third step is to ‘ideate’ — brainstorm, make lists, write down ideas and generate possible solutions. Step 4 is to build a prototype or create a plan. The final step is to test the idea and seek feedback from others.” [‘Design Thinking’ for a Better You, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times, 4th Jan 2016]

“Design thinking is normally applied by people who are trying to create a new product or solve a social problem or meet a consumer need.”

Where are we with agriculture?

“Intercropping either cacao or coffee . . . will give the coconut farmer an extra P80,000 per year to supplement the P20,000 he now gets primarily from copra . . . More significant is multi-level intercropping with additional products like pineapple, papaya and banana. This yields a total profit of P200,000, which can be found in places such as General Santos, Davao and Cavite. Substituting the high value rambutan for one of these products yields P300,000. This can be seen in Batangas, Laguna and other provinces.

“Why has the strategy of intercropping not succeeding? The potential synergy between the Department of Agriculture (DA), where PCA is attached, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is sorely lacking. The DA covers production, while the DTI covers the industrial part of agriculture, which is processing. Food manufacturing is the largest manufacturing subsector today.

“While we have the correct strategy for agriculture, we do not have the appropriate structure to effectively implement these strategies. We need the DA and the DTI to unite in a structure that will synergistically use their expertise. In addition, we need the funding.” [Structure following strategy in agriculture, Ernesto M. Ordoñez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 29th Jan 2016]

Clearly the public sector is not the private sector. Yet we would always raise the MNC example, if not use it as a yardstick, whenever we want to challenge public-sector efficiency and effectiveness. But let’s dissect that. Why does the private sector start with the product? “I want to see a Phonograph in every American home.”

In fact the old notion of “strategic planning” was discredited because industry saw it as overpromising but underdelivering. In what way? Begin with the end in mind! Simply put, the measure of sustainability of an enterprise or economic activity is the extent its output or product is accepted by the consumer.

And the competition to win her heart and mind comes down to how engaged she is with the product – that she would even influence her community of friends (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) to embrace her choice.

What has that got to do with the business of agriculture? If agriculture is to be a sustainable economic activity, it is imperative that we recognize market reality? And if we are a democracy and a free market in a highly globalized and competitive 21st century world, do we really have a choice?

Japan Inc., Singapore Inc., and China Inc. – or the Asian tigers – pursued industrial development by climbing up the value-chain: from light- to medium- to heavy-industry to high-technology. And that has translated to today’s popular brands like Samsung or Sony or LG or Canon. “China’s Haier to Buy GE Appliance Business for $5.4 Billion,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Should we still be surprised?

What is the end in view in the case of agriculture? We can relate to canned or packaged food products, for instance. And if we are to visualize the business of agriculture, it must respond with the kind of products that consumers would pick in the supermarket.

And if we are to push the envelope, we must go beyond, for example, “intercropping either cacao or coffee . . . will give the coconut farmer extra [income] and [more significantly with multi-level intercropping] with additional products like pineapple, papaya and banana” . . . and imagine PH products becoming popular brands similar to those referenced above.

What else must Philippine agriculture hurdle? “A structure such as a Task Force is necessary to unite DA-PCA, DTI, and LBP to implement the intercropping strategy . . . On Jan. 8, the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) met with newly appointed Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal. This was to recommend areas that the DTI could identify as priorities in the last six months of the current administration.” [Ordoñez, op. cit.]

Those are all the right words: strategy, structure, synergy, expertise, funding, task force, priorities, etc. Yet we have ways to go if we are to in fact “connect the dots” – which was how Steve Jobs defined creativity.

And as important, so that we don’t see the business of agriculture collapsing under its own weight given the many pieces that must be pulled together, we better remember Edison – i.e., begin with the end in mind. And likewise to toss “crab mentality” and keep Pareto’s 80-20 rule in mind.

In other words, what if we stop making “pa-pogi” – pleasing the 100% – and shoot for the 20 that will deliver the 80. For instance, do we have an initiative that is better than Arangkada? Is our 32 industry roadmaps a better industrialization policy and program for PH than their 7 industry winners? 

And back to Steve Jobs. Developing a product that will win the heart and mind of the consumer is not a cakewalk. But Jobs figured that out, that is, that music is the way to the soul, for example. And so Apple developed the iPod, and moved beyond the Macintosh and the Apple computer.

To empathize and understand human needs is easier said than done. It’s a universal challenge. And why in the age of the millennials, for instance, Hillary Clinton appears to be struggling to win over not only the young men but the young women too. They have a different worldview that goes beyond feminism, the advocacy long associated with Hillary.

What more in a culture that is hierarchical and paternalistic – subservient to political patronage and oligarchy – like we have in PH? The rhetoric we are hearing consistent with a Philippine presidential election is just that – a rhetoric – given our oligarchic, non-inclusive economy?

And the loudest noise comes in populist tones against poverty as though they’re a panacea! When they are in fact a rehash of same-old, same-old – and we know what Einstein would call that? They reinforce and perpetuate the vicious cycle of poverty-paternalism-hierarchy-political patronage-oligarchy-non-inclusion-poverty?

Consider: “Aquino a failure if gauged vs JFC’s Arangkada targets,” Catherine Pillas, Business Mirror, 9th Feb 2016. “IF the Arangkada Philippines blue-print of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC)—which set medium-term targets for investments and job generation when it was launched back in 2010—is to be made as basis, the Aquino administration was a resounding failure.

“Consider these: Arangkada’s foreign direct investment (FDI) target was an average of $7.5 billion a year from 2011 to 2015, while President Aquino was only able to deliver an average FDI haul of $3.9 billion.

“John D. Forbes, senior adviser of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham), knows the reason behind the failure.

“‘We targeted an average of $7.5 billion a year for a decade [to 2020] and have a total of about $20 billion for 2011-2015. But everything the JFC recommended to reach the target was not done,’ Forbes said in a text message.”

But back to agriculture.

“[T]he World Bank outlined key issues that must be addressed [in the business of agriculture.] These are: seed; fertilizer; machinery; finance; transport; markets; information and communication technology (ICT); land; water; and livestock.”

Indeed they are imperative, but what products must we develop to make Philippine agriculture respond to the needs of the consumers if not the world – and make it a sustainable economic activity?

“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]

“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]

Riding the tiger’s back

“On the eve of the 30th anniversary of our peaceful, non-violent People Power Revolution at EDSA, it is important for Filipinos to revisit that phenomenal happening that effected the ejection of a dictatorial regime. It is unfortunate, however, that many incumbent leaders today, including younger politicians, may have already forgotten the historic meaning of our EDSA ‘Spirit of Defiance and Sacrifice’ against overwhelming forces in the defense of our people’s fundamental rights.

“No wonder the Philippines is now #141 in World Press Freedom ranking out of 180 – and worse, #115 in the UN Human Development Index out of 195!!! How low can we get??? Didn’t the Philippines occupy higher, upper-half positions just a decade ago???

“We need leaders of vision who see tomorrow’s brighter possibilities – far beyond today’s election intramurals, political divisions, economic crises, violent extremism, and territorial conflicts. We need leaders who can restore hope by their positive actions and modest lifestyle examples – especially to the youth and those mired in poverty – because the capacity to instill hope is a critical quality of leadership.” [After Mamasapano, where’s the unity, solidarity, teamwork (???), Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, Manila Bulletin, 6th Feb 2016]

How else to perceive why we are where we are? Riding the tiger’s back – damned if we do and damned if we don’t? The first line of the above quote is like déjà vu to this writer. “This is the captain. We are instructed to turn back to Singapore. There is fighting – I mean from gunfire – at the Manila International Airport.”

He is in his Singapore hotel room reading the piece of President Ramos after watching Bloomberg TV, where the Singapore Airlines’ CEO was interviewed. They’re a sad reminder of how we blew People Power? 

Transformation is not in our DNA? Over a century ago Rizal saw that, and called upon the youth? We’re sinking deeper but can’t do much because we’re riding the tiger’s back? Where parochialism is high up in our value system as paternalism and hierarchy? And where we’ve given free pass to tyranny when we bowed to political patronage and oligarchy?

If the church couldn’t step up to the challenge posed by Rizal then, what about today? Why did Francis tell us that he didn’t visit Tacloban to rub elbows with the elite class but to be with the poor? Because of our total and complete misunderstanding of what we profess as our faith? It is egalitarian, not hierarchical as exemplified by Francis of Assisi . . . and Christ himself. And why Francis chose to be Francis.

The wife asked the writer why he talks about hierarchy. Problem-solving and innovation and competitiveness – ergo, progress and development in the highly globalized and competitive 21st century world – aren’t the province of hierarchy . . . but of an egalitarian ethos. When he first arrived in Eastern Europe his then brand-new friends saw him as a guru. “What is the rule for this and the rule for that” would be their constant query. It was perhaps a carryover from their dark ages – under communist rule.

And the one story he would repeat a few times went like this: I was visiting a subsidiary at my old MNC-company and after sitting through a day of business review and the country manager and I were ordering dinner, he blurted, “My wife asked me to ask you if you are here to fire me.”

The story would amplify the simple thinking model he has used for decades in different cultures and countries – and markets. “This is your company. Have you asked yourself where you want to be? But then that presupposes you have clarity, are crystal clear on where you are. It takes work to overcome the ABC, the barriers of problem-solving: (A) your assumptions; (B) your biases; and (c) your comfort zone. Together we will navigate that treacherous terrain. If we can’t overcome those barriers, how will we figure out where we want to be? We need those two markers before we can decipher how we will get to where we want to be.” In today’s lingo, it’s called the GPS.

Let’s bring that to PH: (a) British envoy finds PH energy investment policy ‘illogical,’ Redempto D. Anda, Inquirer Southern Luzon, 7th Feb 2016; and (b) Failure to pass BBL a ‘boon’—Belmonte, Gil Cabacungan, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 7th Feb 2016.

“[British Ambassador Asif] Ahmad said that in the case of the Langogan River in Palawan, it took the government more than 20 years to decide to tap into the province’s river systems for its power needs. ‘The sad fact is that it had to take some 23 years since a British company first said [the project] was feasible. Effectively, that delay deprived one generation of children. That is the price of indecision,’ he said.”

The price of indecision? We’ve been on this boat for over a century? We are a resilient and people of faith? Are we giving ourselves too much credit? Are we our own worst enemy?

“The negotiators of the peace agreement, from the side of the government as well as the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, however, expressed disappointment that the BBL did not pass in Congress.

“The Palace, which had lobbied strongly for the passage of the BBL, had hoped a peace settlement ending over 40 years of secessionist war in resource-rich Mindanao would be one of the highlights of President Aquino’s presidency.

“It was the second negotiated agreement with the MILF to be thumbed down—the first in 2008 when an agreement for redrawing a Bangsamoro homeland negotiated by the Arroyo administration was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“Many senators said the new BBL still contained unconstitutional provisions tantamount to creating a state within a state.  Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., chair of the committee on local government, submitted in August last year a substitute draft of the BBL which reportedly revised 80 percent of the original measure endorsed by Malacañang.

“Senate President Franklin Drilon also announced recently that the upper chamber would not be able to take up the BBL . . . A new president and Congress will step up in June after the May elections. The BBL will have to be refiled in the two chambers of the next Congress, and go through the legislative mill all over again.”

Can we already spell peace that we like to talk up patriotism and loyalty to country? But what about our sense of community and the common good? Parochialism is not only narrow and confining, it is closing on us to scare us of our own shadow?

What is our worldview? And what about our neighbors? And so with TPP – like in FDIs – we find ourselves left out again? And it’s one more confirmation of our worldview – that we’re not geared to respond beyond our parochial confines? But TPP is not perfect? As though the UN is, look at Syria, among others?

Yet our most critical income streams come from the outside and with PH as a third-party provider: (a) OFW remittances, and (b) the BPO industry. Sadly we haven’t moved up the value chain, not from the days of the garments industry and more recently, electronics. And that value-chain gap comes from our failure in industrial development – which demands investment, technology and innovation as well as people, product and supply chain and market development.

And to make matters worse we all want to take credit for the outcome – i.e., our healthy forex reserves and lower debt levels – of such suboptimal efforts that we fall prey to “pwede na ‘yan”? And we want to beat the drums of optimism while silent on what lies beneath? There is business as usual and there is discontinuity. There is superficial and there is structural. There is short-term and there is long-term. There is reform and there is reform.

We need a bigger mind to overcome our version of the “Dutch disease – and see through our jaded lenses? “We should hold our presidential candidates accountable and ask them to clarify their views on the BBL and the peace process as a whole. Who is playing demagogue and merely whipping up prejudices for political gain? The stakes are extremely high for resolving the Bangsamoro question, given urgent social and economic needs, on the one hand, and a swiftly changing geo-political landscape, on the other.

“As my Mom said over dinner the other night—and here I paraphrase—‘what is clear is that we need leaders who have humility, not bluster and bravado, religious and cultural tolerance, a talent for negotiation, a concern for equality and inclusive growth, and, finally, the courage to remain steadfast in pursuing peace.’” [Where do our candidates stand on the BBL (?), Lila Ramos Shahani, CONJUGATIONS,philstar.com, 8th Feb 2016]

And beyond our supposed resiliency – and being a people of faith – what about Caesar? Do we give him his due? Basic and vital infrastructure like electricity – and a strategic industry base – are imperative in erecting a platform for a sustainable and competitive economy. And we can rant and rave and kick and scream against poverty but without that platform we are indeed destined to be the regional laggard? 

And we don’t have to reinvent the wheel! We rail against the unfettered free enterprise of the West yet are blind to how the Asian tigers did it – first with Japan Inc. and then Singapore Inc. and then China Inc.?

“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]

“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]

Assume you are God . . .”

Is that the way for us Pinoys to overcome “pwede na ‘yan”? If it isn’t obvious yet, this blog has a consistent footnote: “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]

That explains the title of this posting. Development or progress like problem-solving is not linear, and beyond spirituality are the other elements or dots that must be connected.

The first time this writer met his Eastern European friends 13 years ago, he introduced them to a number of biblical metaphors. That if they are to move beyond what they called their dark ages, having been under communist rule for decades, they had to understand that development or progress like problem-solving is not linear. That spirituality is one of the elements or dots that they must learn to connect.

“Humans find it hard to believe in things we did not choose or create ourselves. Such gratuity is precisely the meaning of grace and also why we are afraid to trust it. ‘I am not the source,’ the ego says, ‘so it cannot be happening.’ Yes, it is God in you that always seeks and knows God; like always knows like. We are made for one another from the beginning (Ephesians 1:4-6). Maybe the ultimate grace is to fully know that it is entirely grace to begin with! It is already a grace to recognize that it is grace. 

“In Deuteronomy, God says to Israel, ‘If Yahweh set his heart on you and chose you, it was not because you were greater than other peoples. In fact, you were the least of all the peoples. It was for love of you and to keep the covenant that he swore to your fathers and mothers that Yahweh has brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery’ (7:7-8).” [Implanted Desire, Richard Rohr’s Meditation, 2nd Feb 2016]

But we Pinoys would fall into the trap of holier-than-thou given that we’re the only Christian nation in the region? And so instead of benchmarking and learning from our neighbors we would be critical – i.e., they’re not a democracy? But that’s why it’s good to be reminded that Rizal saw our propensity for tyranny given how we let it be?

The writer has been asked why he talks about the economy when he says he’s not an economist. Development or progress like problem-solving is not linear. [And in the case of PH, we haven’t moved beyond underdevelopment.] And precisely why he introduced his Eastern European friends to “experiential teaching.” That every challenging situation could be a potential teachable moment when the group or team members pull their experiences together and connect the dots.

In the beginning they would always ask, how do they do it in the West – under the assumption that the West has all the answers? While there are best practices that could be borrowed from the West, no one has a monopoly. And that would help them develop the confidence to compete – anywhere in the world.

Assume you are God. What will you do to capitalize on the pluses that you sense or are inherent in the challenge and as important to overcome the minuses? What are and how do you connect the dots? And the writer would break into a smile whenever he hears their back and forth. (He is in Singapore and witnessed how the local team conducted themselves and inspired this posting. And was most recently in New York and before that Bucharest. And they would all assume they’re God.)

Once people get on board and engage in the problem-solving exercise, it is almost predictable how many ideas they will generate. Yet when a challenge or problem is first perceived and acknowledged by the team, the knee jerk is to assume that it is unsolvable. And a typical group will come out with a zillion reasons why.

But once the initial resistance is overcome, they’d come up with five pluses against four minuses or a total of nine. And the magic comes when they would generate an aggregate of eleven ideas – to exploit the pluses and overcome the minuses. [It is called Kurt Levin’s Force Field Analysis and is a powerful strategic tool that this blog has discussed.]

Of course, execution is the next hurdle. And again, prioritizing consistent with Pareto brings clarity and a sharper focus on the problem-solving initiative. Meaning, not all the eleven ideas would be mandatory – i.e., sheer numbers can invite analysis-paralysis – and chances are “the vital few” (or Pareto’s 80-20 rule) would address the challenge. Quick hits and successes bring confidence that the team can build upon . . . Rome wasn’t built in a day.

The evidence? How many industry roadmaps were we looking at? 50? We’re down to 30 yet are neither here nor there? Even Germany would not have 30 industry roadmaps? Why don't we start with 7 like the ones offered by the JFC?

But that is where we Pinoys struggle. We can’t seem to move away from our definition of “inclusive” even when it perpetuates “crab mentality”? And if we don’t learn from experience, we can only sink deeper into the abyss? [And a more fundamental question is: can Juan de la Cruz overcome corruption and incompetence? “Phl left far behind due to bad leaders,” GOTCHA, Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, 5th Feb 2016. “The country has had a succession of crooked, inept transport chiefs.”]

The must to execute is where schoolwork and the real world would part ways. Dissertations are meant to train the mind how to think – and dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s is part of the exercise. The writer assisted two PhD candidates and understood and accepted that – which Einstein would capture in a now popular quote: “education is the training of the mind to think, not the learning of many facts.” But in both cases he had to stress the caveats, that even the most elaborate algorithm can’t be absolute. And in the real world, Pareto’s econometric model rules. Which is also a confirmation of what the scribes and the Pharisees learned – not quantitatively but qualitatively, the affirmation of wisdom beyond law?

And what a coincidence: one of them just emailed the writer. “I was offered to be the global manager of one of the company’s top brands based in London.” From a subsidiary job in a small Eastern European country to a global project assignment at HQ to a regional job in Europe and to a global job today. Does she dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s? Of course not! But she would blow them away . . . every step of the way.

Assume you are God. Can Juan de la Cruz step up to the plate?

“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]

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]

Vietnam’s prospects . . . and what about PHL?

“Foreign firms and investors are cheerful once more about Vietnam’s prospects.” [Gold stars: Vietnamese companies, The Economist, 23rd Jan 2016.]

Should we be looking out to our friendly competition like Vietnam? Beyond assuming that we’re doing fine – with accelerating investments in infrastructure projects and increasing FDIs on top of our mainstays, OFW remittances and the BPO industry, that are giving us healthy forex reserves – do we need to acknowledge our reality? That we lag: (a) investment-wise; and (b) in average economic output?

For the 5-year period 2010-2014 while we had an uptick in FDIs in 2014 of 66%, Vietnam accumulated $33.9 B, over 2.2 times ours and finished 2014 – our best year – almost 50% ahead of us. And combined with our deficits in infrastructure development and industrial development, our Achilles heel versus the rest of the region is only magnified.

“[A] new law on investment and enterprise, passed in 2014 but only implemented last summer, has cut red tape. Vietnam ranks mid-table in the World Bank’s ease-of-doing-business index but is inching upwards. Foreigners often find it easier to operate in Vietnam than in China, and its recent reforms compare favorably with those elsewhere in South-East Asia.

“In part the country has benefited from its neighbors’ weaknesses.” The Economist would point out to China’s higher wages, Indonesia shrinking back to protectionism and political scandals in Malaysia. “All this reflects renewed optimism for Vietnam, a country of 93 million with a median age of 30 and an economy expanding by nearly 7% a year. Its consumer sector is particular appealing.

“There are plenty of frustrations nonetheless . . . Analysts worry that the pace of liberalization could soften, but few expect the direction of reform to reverse. For one thing, Mr. Dung’s trade deals mean that once-vague party promises have now been written into international treaties . . . The only way is forward.”

What is PH to do? First is to truly examine our worldview?

Is it about time – given Rizal’s admonition over a century ago – that we put “tyranny” in our vocabulary and take it to heart? It is where the sufferings of Juan de la Cruz start – and CCT is not the way to dismantle tyranny? In fact it feeds on our parochial-paternalistic-hierarchical-political patronage-oligarchic psyche – like we’re riding the back of a tiger – that we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t.

We have to restate our problem if we are to navigate beyond the status quo – and “pwede na ‘yan” – and not be taken down the abyss.

Likewise, it’s time we recognize that “logic” is overrated – that is, creative thinking and problem-solving is best approached by lateral thinking beyond linear thinking.

And while corruption – and imperfection – is worldwide and universal, it doesn’t give us an impunity license. Losers may appropriate the notion but winners know better. 

And so that we don’t feel inferior but see ourselves equal to every nation, it’s important that we deal with our self-image and identity. A friend in need is a friend indeed! While the way we’ve been conducting ourselves vis-à-vis America is childish as though we’re the only nation that is host to the US military? And that can’t be healthy?

Of course we can opt to be in bed with China. The reality is powerful nations have their own self-interests; ergo, which is the better option, a democratic superpower or a communist one? Perfection is not of this world so the choice cannot come down to: who is the perfect friend?

We ought to move up to the higher level of discourse, that is, of wisdom beyond law? Because Juan de la Cruz pays the price for our juvenile tendencies. The evidence? Underdevelopment is not a curse or a given. It is the outcome of a people’s foibles? Translation: let’s stop our “pa-pogi”!

What about our faith that seems to power our resiliency? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result isn’t faith but insanity – so says Einstein?

“In my forty-five years as a priest, I have found that one of the best things we can do to remove people's ingrained inability to experience grace and mercy is to first clear away their toxic image of God. As I see it, there are two major obstructions that need to be removed. One is theological and one is more psychological.

“Poor theology has led most people to view God as a sometimes benevolent Santa Claus or as an unforgiving tyrant who is going to burn us in hell for all eternity if we don't love him. (Who would love, or even trust, a god like that?) Psychologically, humans tend to operate out of a worldview of fear and scarcity rather than trust and abundance. This stingy, calculating worldview makes both grace and mercy unimaginable and difficult to experience.” [Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation, 26th Jan 2016]

And when all is said and done, should we make our politics an excuse to perpetuate the status quo or the starting point to pursue honest-to-goodness reforms and nation-building?

For example, we don't need a populist leadership but one that is mature and dedicated to community and the common good – and skilled enough to demonstrate visionary and strategic leadership? If we have no one in the horizon then it’s going to get worse before it gets better for Juan de la Cruz? As The New York Times public editor raised, “Should The Times have been a tougher watchdog in Flint?”

Vietnam has been poised to leave us in the dust. And that may happen sooner than later? And if we look at a more developed neighbor – Singapore – we would be blown away by their worldview. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t benchmark against Singapore.

“World has changed and Singapore needs to change with it: MPs,” The Straits Times, 26th January 2016. “Singapore needs to evolve to keep up with the changing world and cannot cling tight to the old ways that have brought the country to where it is today, said MPs in Parliament . . .

“As the country enters its next phase of development, it should relook its economic growth strategies and style of making decisions, said Acting Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung.

“Mr. Ong, first of the next-generation leaders to speak in the debate on the President's Address, added: ‘Evolution is absolutely necessary because no city stays successful by standing still. Animals develop sharper claws, longer beaks and harder shells in order to survive.’

“Likewise, Singapore must develop new traits to survive in a more complex and competitive world . . . But as it evolves, it should hold fast to some principles, and he cited three: integrity, meritocracy and an openness to the world.

“‘We must be able to understand, bridge, and operate across different cultures. We must have depth in know-how and skills, so that wherever we go, our expertise is valued,’ he added . . . Amid these shifting sands, Singapore must make the right judgment calls. Mr. Ong urged the Government to exercise greater discretion and adhere less strictly to rules, as ‘the world is now too complex to be reduced to rules and numbers.’“

Our challenge isn’t getting any easier and if it isn’t obvious yet, we have a lot – a mind-boggling lot – of catching up to do.  For example, take these news reports, 27th Jan 2016: Serious corruption problem plagues PHL, TI survey says; Philippines given poor marks on innovation-friendly policy – ITIF; NCC bares projects to push PHL global competitiveness; PHL to wield competition commission so business gains may reach more poor.

We like to talk about techniques; but what about a sense of purpose and principles – through which man has demonstrated greatness since time immemorial? Do we wonder why Juan de la Cruz is yet to develop the sense of community and the common good?

“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]

“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]