jdavies.blogspot

Old blog, since 2002. Haven't updated in more than decade. Keeping it online for nostalgia feels.

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Why the Philippines is getting Poorer?
4.14.2008

About a month ago, I received an email asking "Why the Philippines is getting Poorer?"
The email highlights the perks, the budget & the expenditures released by the Commission on Audit as the key measure of the apparent failures political system in the Philippines.

Here is where my expertise comes in. I don't think the politics in the Philippines is failing. Like managing any brand, you do not kill it and stop selling immediately after it registers a downtrend. You look at statistics that tell you why the situation is getting worse.

The system as it is, the political institution, is not problematic. It is however suffering from structural deficiencies that managers are supposed to have.

From the brand management & marketing perspective - here are the problems I see with the political system in the Philippiens:

• No strict financial control measures to determine success rate and return on investment per congressman (We need an indexable measure or rating!)
  
• No accountability because there is no efficient public monitoring system to track
  their expenditures --- if any of our congressmen who mismanage funds work in a private company they'll get sacked precisely for that
  
• No parity or cohesiveness between budget allotment and overall target or priority of the country (I don't want to touch on the amount, since surely there are administrative costs considerations) We should all be directionally correct at least in what we want to achieve as a country. As it seems to me, we do not share a common direction yet.
  
  Unity in direction is foremost. And you have to create organizational & social structures & programs that take everyone in the same mindset. We can disagree with everything in politics, but at least we should be targeting the same path which should be a quantifiable target.
  
  
• In fact collorary to above is whether the Philippines actually has a coherent marketing & business plan --- branding should be top down --- the President's vision should trickle to all priorities of all sectors (swarm or hive concept)
• Perks are fine - marketing people receive perks but for perks to work without damaging the financial integrity of the system, BUT they should come from outside of the financial system
  
• That is, infusion moneys, lobbying or special interests are financially acceptable since they do not cripple the internal budget. --- By not coming from within the system they do not put pressure on the budget. ---- Please note that I do not support permissive corruption or lobbying with direct cash contribution - you don't take from main cookie jar - you take cookies outside the jar.
  
• Lobbying through active private sector sponsorship of Government programs instead of direct cash contributions should be encouraged. That way, the savings on programs is realized by not spending on planned programs. In marketing speak, this is Ex-Deal. Barter. Zero expense, or co-branding.
  
• Last point - who watches the watchers? Meritocracy will not happen unless the system is observable thru pre-set and quantifiable performance. Whether these measures are set is beyond me. (Maybe? If they are set, then maybe it's just an image problem. I for one know many of our government managers in career positions have these measures, specially those in GOCCs)
  
  In layman's terms, this means there should be an independent body able to track performance. The Commission on Audit (?) But what punishment do we give for bad performance? We need actual measures that are beyond words.
  
  Numbers don't lie & data will need to be respected - that should be the mantra. Unfortunately, most Filipinos are not familiar with the concept of measurement of performance metrics. It will take a generation to institue familiarity with the discipline of asking for actual accomplishments in numerical terms.
  
  Until the country is prepared to see through the veil of promises and realistically elect officials on the basis of measurable accomplishments and not campaign rhetoric, we will just be dreaming for a vague Philippines, and we won't even know we got there even if we did.
  
  
• Main Point: We don't need politicians.
  What we need are managers.
  

Hire me! jdavies for the '10 elections!

(Img via PCIJ)

Labels: Brand Management, Image, Philippines, Politics

posted by Jdavies @ 4/14/2008, ,

Please Help Pyro Meet Batista
9.20.2006

Hello everyone, I'm reproducing a post by toni (wifely speaks) in hopes that we can spread the word and reach the right persons... it's my little way of helping out this little boy. I hope you will find your own way to help to. If you know someone, please let me or toni and any of the contacts below know how we can make this come true...

jdavies

Hi Friends,

--
Jardine Davies
http://jdavies.blogspot.com

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 9/20/2006, ,

Mall of Asia Urban Legends
6.14.2006

this post is long overdue but here goes... i got lots of txt messages and chat stories about the SM group's Mall of Asia having infrastructure problems. Let me enumerate some:

1. 2 weeks ago, the 2nd Floor above starbucks collapsed
2. There was lots of leak from the aircon system
3. Lots of flooding from the second floor
4. The whole building is on shaky, reclaimed land which makes the building vibrate, resulting to cracked display mirrors
5. Worst of all, an actual car reportedly fell from the parking lot.

While all the above tidbits about the Mall of Asia are news worthy, none of the above made it to the news. In the same way, none of the senders of the messages can verify its authenticity. I did receive one advise from a close friend that says, there was a leak of sorts, but we all know stories can be exaggerated.

These could be local urban legends in the making. Could have been hashed by the marketing people themselves. Remember how Robinson's Galleria was tied to the story of a snake - a boa constrictor to be specific? Perhaps it's that fascination with adventurism or the dread... perhaps just small talk. Who could say.

However you put it, people will still want to watch in the Philippines' First IMAX theatre when Superman returns, that's for certain. 

The stories will live on and perhaps so will the mall and the soothsayers talking about an impending building collapse, but at the end of the day, Pinoys love the Malls and we'll flock towards it.... Even if the dangers are merely myths or facts.

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/14/2006, ,

When Corporations Lie
5.21.2006

Hard enough a question for a 10 year-old then; lies and lies and whispers of the sort is hardly distinguishable from a regular conversation.  The line dividing a deliberate lie from an honest corporate mistake could be very thin, yet most newspaper-reading adults could know it.  But then of course, how could a 10-year old know the difference.

I was ten I think, when I got to hold on to a softdrink brand's winning crown, "349", it says.  It was my sister's lucky crown.  It was supposed to win something like P100,000.00, which by the living standards of the 80's at P20-$1, would be alot of money.   The promo was called "The Number Fever".  The number 349 was announced as the winning number for May 25, 1992. Unfortunately hundreds of other customers have the same number.  The confusion started when representatives of the cola company said they will only award one winner among all the crown holders.  There was supposed to be a security code in the bottle cap.

It could be a mistake,  a sabotage, anything in between; but the last statement - that damage control statement, that they will award only one is a controversial one.

How does one distinguish between a lie, a cover-up, damage-control, a PR statement, a public apology, a televised speech... the list goes on.  We could have won, or maybe not.  I don't think the bottle cap is preserved to this day --- I have to ask my sister.  It should be a cola collectors item.

From that time on I was wary of consumers rights.  As early as 2nd year high school, I was reading the 1992 Consumer Act of the Philippines. That by the 3rd of 4th year, I was part of a contest sponsored by the government to promote it. Apparently, that marketing campaign is working with me right now, as I still push people to fight for their rights as consumers.

Consider this example:   A store does not show any price tag. You have to bargain to be even given a view of a price list. ---- Unless the item itself is too small for a tag, the price tag is a number 1  requirement.  The point is, the price must be visible. 

Now how many stores in Makati and Greenhills alone do not follow this rule? Most of the time, we consumers ask "Magkano or how much ", first. Bad move.  Such an action establishes a "seller's market".  That is, we create the demand first before the supply. This allows the seller to dictate the price and start negotiating higher than the actual value of the product.  That means, without a price tag or a price list for a referrence, a computer shop can sell you a spare part for whatever it is you are ready to pay it for.

Another case of lying that sadly is prevalent is a marketing strategy.  Almost false advertising. That is, selling a product at a ridiculously low, low price. After you check the product, you see that it is worthless, and defective. The salesmen then tells of you a different brand, but much more expensive. You, obviously content now, will be duped to buy the product at such a bloated price - - - even tag a premium on it.

Extra Ice to the brim  on an already cold fast-food drink? You got to be kidding me.  Reheating the same meal for the next day's  serving? Claims of high technology and fastest product in the market but poor service?  Say no to a text scam and still even after opting out, you get sent ten more messages --- in the middle of the night? Hello, not replying equals opting-out.  Revenue, revenue, revenue.

The worst thing though is false test, research results, or misrepresentation of credentials in commercials and other advertising materials. Good thing there are government agencies and watchdogs already setup to combat these, but for years and years now,  we have seen doctors or medical professionals, perhaps not even doctors themselves endorse a product claiming full knowledge of its capabilities.  There are the training experts with sculpted bodies in those exercise machines and gadgets that claim this and that, even actors and actresses endorsing schools... so much to a point that they dress up as students. I wonder if it is required by law that they actually enroll in those schools before misrepresenting themselves in the school uniforms.

People have been lying to each everyone for millions of years, but if it's institutionalized dishonesty, and take note I haven't talked about the government yet. Wow, we have a problem.

 OK, bearing these in mind, we have to understand not all corporations lie.  Not every person, not everyman. Not every store owner wants to dupe you and own your cash... but it pays to know that there are people out there who have made "lying" their occupation. Be careful when you buy anything... know your rights.  And ask for the real price. If they dont have the tag, tell the store owner that it is a requirement by law, and that if they dont comply, you will report them to DTI. Or if the product promo is unfair, or such and such claims of an ad is misleading --- stand up and tell people about it. File a complaint.  I already emailed the NTC on the sms infotexts. ...

Just a small thing to help rid this world of liars.

Labels: Business, Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 5/21/2006, ,

Google Trends II
5.12.2006

More on my previous post.

Google launched yesterday Google Trends , a search tool that allows users to sort through several years of global Google search queries from around the world to "get a general idea of everything from user preferences on ice-cream flavors to the relative popularity of politicians in their respective cities or countries" . (dslreports.com)

Coke vs. Pepsi - Global. Notice the difference per country and per city.
Coke vs. Pepsi - Coke vs Pepsi in the Philippines
Windows vs. Mac - Notice the difference between news referrence and actual search volume.Is it largely marketing hype? Try Windows vs Linux.
Democrats vs Republicans - I wonder if they are searching for each other.
Star Trek vs Star Wars - Top searches from Hrvatska, Croatia? Must be the Rebel Alliance home base.
Xbox 360 vs Ps3 - Similar curve for News Release and search volume is evident with Xbox. One could only surmise the search volumes are direct results of the online press release. Expect the marketing war via news release battles for both brands. Will Ps3 use the same online marketing strategy?
Yahoo vs Google - Could it be because users are in google already and will therefore not seach for "google" anymore? Note that Google is all over the news vs Yahoo!
Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan - Oh the controversial blond bond!
Car vs Automobile - Do users prefer one term over another?

Something useless:

Labels: Business, Google, Local, Philippines, Politics, Technology, US Politics

posted by Jdavies @ 5/12/2006, ,

Google Trends

Got a new online tool thats bound to help marketing people and SEO experts. From dslreports.com:

The folks at Google yesterday held a press day, and unveiled a slew of new search tools, explored in detail over at the Google Blog. Among them was Google Trends, a search tool that allows users to sort through several years of global Google search queries from around the world to "get a general idea of everything from user preferences on ice-cream flavors to the relative popularity of politicians in their respective cities or countries" . Some interesting comparisons:

Ateneo vs. La Salle (Philippines) - Who's leading in our favorite local school rivalry?
Spurs vs Pistons (Global) - Will they meet again in the 2006 NBA Finals?
Friendster vs MySpace (Global) - More popular or just, more searches?
Friendster vs MySpace (Philippines) - Compare that versus other countries, and Marketing executives are sure to choose one over the other.
Smart, Globe, Sun - Notice the difference in ranking under Tagalog vs English searches.

Labels: Business, Google, Local, Philippines, Technology

posted by Jdavies @ 5/12/2006, ,

Kids' Media Literacy
5.04.2006

Warc posted the following in their website:

UK media regulator Ofcom has published the results of detailed research to assess the extent of children's media literacy in Britain.
The watchdog defines media literacy as the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts.

The audit focuses on the four main digital media platforms - digital television, digital radio, the internet and mobile phones. More than 1,500 children aged eight to 15 and their parents were interviewed for the research.

The key findings of the survey were...

Of children aged 8-11, 35% watch television mostly on their own.

I would bet a similar or higher percentage for Filipino kids.

Over seven in ten parents in cable or satellite television households have not set controls to restrict their children's access to television channels. Some 15% of parents of 8-11s and 39% of parents of 12-15s said there are no house rules about watching television.

Would it not be higher in the Philippines? Or are parents here less responsible in what their kids watch? Consider that in recent times even elders encourage their kids to gyrate like the Sex Bomb Dancers or their counterparts. Noon time shows or not, Filipino kids are exposed to R-18 material: Uncensored images of blood and gore (kudos to ANC for blurring the images), no-excuse announcements for rape news, and showbiz gossip about sex scandals, affairs, fights and similar news, among others.

Some 40% of 8-11s and 71% of 12-15s say they mostly use the internet on their own at home.

I think the Philippine rate here will be 60-40, in favor of outside the home. I think this part is mostly done with "online gaming", which to date is 'unrated'. I wont push for censorship since I'm a gamer myself, but providers should be pro-active in advising their games to be for a particular age group. Fault here possibly lies in Internet Café owners who don't ban kids paying with their allowance; parents not keen enough to set parental control in their home PCs, and content providers themselves who entice crowd but provide little restriction.

Around half of internet households have no software installed to limit children's access to certain types of websites.

How True.

Two in three (67%) children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home said they trust most of what they find on the internet.

How Sad.

Some 78% of children aged 12-15 feel that news programmes are either always true or true most of the time whereas 54% say this about current affairs programmes and 33% say this of reality TV programmes.

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

Girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to have a mobile phone (87% compared to 77%), use the internet (63%, 54%), listen to the radio (54%, 40%), and read newspapers or magazines (49%, 36%). Boys in this age group only exceed girls for playing console or computer games (66% compared to 51%).

Possibly the same range here in the Philippines at least for the A-B crowd. In the lower economic classes I would suspect the data to be mostly aspirational, rather than actual. That is, if you'll replace the questionnaires asking "Do you play..." with "Would you, given the chance..." the same numbers should be seen. Just a guess.

Ofcom partner Tim Suter comments: "The report provides important insights into a generation whose media experiences, attitudes and preferences are markedly different from those of their parents. There are challenges and opportunities for all involved."

Undoubtably, this data can be used positively. Consider how you can create learning modules in schools that take advantage of these psychographics? We can expect children to respond better and learn better. On the extreme end however, these data can be an indicator of the risk that the kids face as far as growing up is concerned. Do they learn the right values? How does this affect parent-child relationships? Interesting times we live in.

Data sourced from Ofcom; additional content by WARC staff

Italics, mine.

Labels: Internet, Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 5/04/2006, ,

DSL Service Complaints of Filipinos
5.03.2006

The PinoyDSL.net forum is hot on discussions about Filipino DSL subscribers' complaints. There is talk about Smart's Wi-Fi woes. Renamed as Smart -Bro. Could it be so because the Wi-Fi in its tag-line is a misnomer? Wi-Fi.org and other providers raise brows on that. Meanwhile, PLDT is also under attack by complaints of no connection, or lower than advertised speeds.

While most people do not understand (or bother to understand) ADSL technology and the concept of 'sharing the port' or 'burstible speeds', apparently, even for those who do understand these terms, the speeds don't seem to be enough. It's either people are subscribed in the wrong packages, or the service really sucks. Check the forum for more detailed discussion of DSL and other Broadband brands in the Philippines.

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 5/03/2006, ,

If Noah was a Filipino
4.27.2006

Got an email which tells a what-if biblical story. It poses the question: what if Noah is a Filipino in today's time? Interesting how emails of this sort spread like wildfire. it begs the question - who wrote it, and for whom, for what? I have my concerns for emails of this sort:

My questions:

1. Who writes these things? Is he paid, is it a hobby, is it passion?
2. Or is it a genuine sentiment, all of the above?
3. Is it propaganda? If so, from which side?
4. Could this be taken as a sentiment of some sector?
5. What is the intention of the sender?
6. Does this guy have a blog? It would be cool to read his points of view.
7. Does he advocate anything - will he follow-up with another email proposing something?
   

I ask the same questions when I watch late-night news. Who do we trust? Read the whole story here.

A funny way of presenting the sad state of affairs in the Phils.

Kung Pinoy si Noah....Ganito ang mangyayari sa arko. Read along.

Taong 2005 at isang ordinaryong middle class pinoy si Noah. Nagpakita sa kanya ang Diyos at sinabing "Pagkatapos ng isang taon ay bubuhos ang ulan at babahain ang buong kapuluan ng Pilipinas. Gusto kong gumawa ka ng isang malaking arko at isakay mo rito ang pares-pares na mga hayop at mgamag-asawang pilipino sa iba't-ibang kapuluan." Ibinigay kay Noah ang specs ng Arko at taos puso nitong tinanggap ang responsibilidad na sagipin ang sambayanang Pilipino sa napipintong pagbaha.

Lumipas ang isang taon, muling nagpakita ang Diyos kay Noah. Walang arkong nagawa si Noah at galit na galit siyang tinanong ng Diyos, "Nasaan ang arko na ipinagawa ko sa iyo?"

Tumugon si Noah, "Patawarin po ninyo ako kung di po natupad ang utos ninyo! Nagkaroon po ng malaking problema sa plano po ninyo."

At inilahad ni Noah ang mga sagabal na nakaharap niya sa pag-gawa ng arko.

Humingi siya ng Mayor's permit pero papayag lang daw si Mayor kung ang gagawa ng arko ay ang construction firm ng kanyang pamangkin. Tumungo siya sa Congressman pero papayag lang daw si Congressman kung may matatanggap siyang 30% commission.

Nagtayo ng unyon ang mga kinuha niyang manggagawa at nag-strike.

Natunugan ng mga left-leaning groups ang kanyang balak at ang mga ito ay nag-rally dahil daw sa hindi makatarungang pagpili ng mga taong sasakay sa arko (mga taong naniniwala lang sa Diyos ang pwedeng sumakay). Nakisali sa rally ang mga bakla at tomboy dahil bias daw na normal na mag-asawa lang ang pwedeng sumakay.

Ang civil society group ay nakisali na rin sa gulo dahil napag-alaman daw nila na ang pondong gagamitin sa paggawa ng arko ay galing sa donasyon ng mga gambling lords at katas ng weteng.

Sa kaguluhang ito ay napilitang magpatawag ng hearing ang senado "in aid of legislation". Sinubukan ni Noah na gamitin ang EO 464 para makaiwas sa hearing pero dahil hindi sya executive official, napilitan siyang tumistigo.

Nang malaman ng senado na utos ng Diyos ang pagpapagawa ng arko, dineklara nila itong unconstitutional dahil hindi raw nito iginalang ang separation ng church at state.

Nakialam na rin ang NBI at PNP at sinabi nilang meron silang impormasyon na
ang arko raw na ito ay gagamitin ni Erap sa kanyang pagtakas.

Sinabi naman ng ISAFP at DOJ na ito raw ay gagamitin ng grupong Magdalo sa
binabalak nilang coup laban kay Arroyo.

Nilapitan ni Noah si Mike Defensor para makipag-usap kay GMA. Payag daw si GMA na ituloy ang arko kung ipapaskil daw sa arko ang malaking mukha ni Arroyo na may slogan "Towards a Strong Republic".

"Hindi po ako pumayag kaya hanggang ngayon po ay may TRO ang pag-gawa ng arko. Sa palagay ko po kailangan ko pa ng 10 taon para matapos ang inyong proyekto." Ang huling wika ni Noah.

Napa-iling ang Diyos at sinabing, "Di ko na kailangang wasakin pa ang bansang ito. Hayaan ko na lang kayong sumira nito.

Labels: Musings, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 4/27/2006, ,

The Amazing Peso Appreciation - John Mangun
3.13.2006

Following recent events in Manila, which on all indictations were seemingly bad for the peso-dollar, is it not strange to see the peso performing better than usual?

Most people with barely a rudimentary knowledge of economics maybe misled by certain economic claims of the government officials and unfounded analyses on TV, me included.

While it may not be an official policy of the government to create disinformation, shouldn't citizens have right to accurate information?

Unfortunately, diplomats or not have ways to circumvent that by saying half-truths - which while not really true at all, are not exactly false either. I'm posting here an excellently written piece by John Mangun explaining the seemingly amazing gain in value that the Philippines peso has been showing in the past weeks. Superbly written, and yes, most amazing of all, it's purely economics, strictly no politics:

Date: March 13, 2006
Author: John Mangun
BUSINESS MIRROR
From his Column " Outside The Box"

"The Amazing Peso Appreciation"


The Philippine Peso is a very `minor' currency in that there is virtually no trading in the international currency markets. All trading, that is the buying and selling of the Peso that determines the exchange rate, is done right here through the local Philippine dealing system. The free market should price the Peso at a level that would create equilibrium between demand for dollars and desire for Pesos.

A further aspect of a currency exchange rate is that, if the market is relatively free as through the Philippine dealing system, short-term fluctuations mean little in the broad scheme of things. Even what might be considered a trend over several months as we have witnessed, is no indicator of either long-term investor sentiment or of economic growth and stability.

Regarding the thought that investor sentiment is found in the Peso rate, that idea is simply not true. The administration can look to a rising Peso as an indicator of support either personally or of its handling of recent events, however, that idea is false.

While it is true that currency rates can reflect short terms delight or despair over a government and its policies, that does not hold true in the short run. For example, many years ago when George Bush 1, fell sick at a Japanese state dinner, the dollar immediately dropped. When he was found to be healthy, the dollar rose in price and the speculators made a lot of profit. Nothing of economic significance had changed in those few hours. It was only as if some speculators were betting Bush was going to die; others betting he was going to live and the US Dollar market was a place to gamble.

The reason the world currency market can be a type of casino is that a large amount of the trading in major currencies is speculative in that the traders have no desire to take physical possession of or use the foreign money that they purchase.

The same is not true for the Philippines. The amount of speculative purchases in this country is almost non-existent. You do not use the Peso to "bet" on or against the Administration. This is because, essentially, the Bangko Sentral can control all
transactions. In addition, in the international markets, traders can buy and sell directly to each other, whereas here, all transactions are coursed through the banking system. Finally, the market is so small, the BSP so large in comparison, and trading controlled locally, that if, say a George Soros wanted to crush the value of the Peso as he did in Malaysia a decade ago, the BSP could intervene not only through buying Pesos, but by stopping Peso trading, and Soros' trading intentions would be thwarted.

The rise in the value of the Peso in the last quarter of 2005 was caused by legitimate demand for Pesos as increased remittances through the banking system created a true demand for Pesos and free market trading reflected that demand in a higher valued Peso.

However to believe the recent Peso appreciation reflects real Peso demand or,
as the administration tells us, foreign investor confidence is to assume two wildly improbable scenarios.

The first is that a group of foreign investors, in New York or Tokyo, viewed the recent events and concluded that they should immediately buy US$50 million worth of Pesos and open a call center because they are so happy the President is still in power and are pleased with the way that the Administration handled the situation. Sorry, real business life does not work that way.

The other false scenario would be that these same investors, although not wanting to
build a call center, decided to buy US$50 million worth of Pesos as a "sign of support" for the Arroyo administration. I have been involved the foreign currency markets for almost thirty years as a professional trader and currency analyst and I guarantee you both scenarios, as are the administration's pronouncements, pure foreign exchange fantasy.

Understand clearly that I am not making any implication that the BSP is manipulating the value of the Peso. The BSP is not under any circumstances, even trying to control the Peso rate to make it go higher to supposedly make the Arroyo Administration look good. They know better. If the BSP were doing that, then people like Soros could and would come into the market to take advantage of the situation. Currency traders are like large sharks that attack at the first smell of blood. And there is no juicer fresh meat for traders than a central bank, especially a central bank with only US$20 billion in foreign currency reserves, which is trying to control currency prices. Remember Soros took on and beat the Bank of England and Malaysia's Bank Negara. Our central bank would merely be an easily digested finger food if the BSP gave currency traders the signal that they wanted to battle.

What the BSP has done is to use its monopolistic power to force Peso buyers to accept
fewer Pesos for their dollars. Exporters that have received an overseas payment of
US$100,000 are forced to buy Pesos at 51 not 54. They have no other choice. It is not that there is any greater demand for Pesos, which would normally account for an increase in the value of the currency. It is simply that the BSP has temporarily `fixed' or set the price to their desired level.

Isn't this manipulation you might ask? No, because a `stronger' Peso creates demand from the importer side of the economy. Imagine how much the oil companies favor a stronger Peso as it reduces their oil import costs. As they see the Peso rising, they are encouraged to `help' the BSP push the Peso value higher.

Allow me to illustrate this idea by a silly example. You give your driver a P10,000 a month salary increase, but he must pay for the all the gasoline. Give your maid P20,000 but she buys the family's food. Now you can tell everybody how rich you are because you can afford to pay your household employees so much.

The same is true for the Philippine economy. Importers will lose a little; exporters may gain a little. The big winner of a higher Peso is the government is it reduces their obscene debt burden. The idea is that everybody wins, or failing that, maybe at least nobody loses. . . . much. . . . sort of.

---

What's eating Jardine Davies? Hmmm... Get's me to thinking huh! What do you think batinktink? If the last paragraph were true, how much of truth is there in hyper-wage theory as a solution to mystery of the Philippine Economy?

Labels: Economics, Local, Philippines, US Politics

posted by Jdavies @ 3/13/2006, ,

My President
8.05.2005

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 8/05/2005, ,

Pinoy Komiks
8.04.2005

Apologies to the classic Filipino 75 cents comics of the 70s and 80s, but here is one Pinoy Komiks you would love.

Gerry Alanguilan (If you don't know him read his resume and weep) has a website that I've been salivating for a long time.

Think X-Men, X-force, Wolverine, and alamat comics to name a few. His detailed strokes are a testament to art as craft and the grit that is the excellence of an artist.

It is cliché to mention that his art is a testament to how good a Filipino can be, for his art is after all both Filipino and great at the same time.

His website is a comprehensive depot of his art, current projects, links and pictures, etc. Check it out @ komikero.com

Labels: Art, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 8/04/2005, ,

Are we Ready for Wendy
7.31.2005

Labels: Art, Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 7/31/2005, ,

It's great being Pinoy because I said so
6.29.2005

My post over at blogkadahan is now live: It's great being Pinoy because I said so.

Here's an excerpt:

We’re halfway between progressive and backward

In the midst of the latest communications technology and gadgetry, advanced electronics and similar devices, some farflung towns remain without electricity or roads yet to be paved. Yet in urban poor communities, the TV is a necessity. Some kids still make their own toys and fly kites they made themselves while others order them online.

What is Blogkada?

Blogkadahan is a coined word derived from barkadahan, a Filipino way of life that is based on compatriotism that fills the common tao's need to belong. It is this sense of belongingness that made the Filipino endure a long tumultuous past of colonialism followed by an even more deprecating self-infliction of poor governance under a dictatorship whose primary goal was to shamelessly enrich himself. It is this sense of belongingness that made the Filipino rise over the remnants of a dilapidated country under a dictator whose guile was complemented by an equally, if not greedier wife, who managed to fool even herself that she is of noble origins. A foreigner not attuned to the ways of the pinoy would be skeptical. However, a close scrutiny of this phenomenon will prove that we endured all these social maladies because of our own brand of camaraderie. Why not? Among the potent tools of the barkada is the ability to laugh at himself/herself with his/her compatriots in times of the most humiliating experience making the experience a welcome respite from a serious and cruel world.

Blogkadahan is the result of a group of bloggers who banded together to exchange ideas ranging from the serious to the most mundane of topics that can ever be tackled in a day. Initiated by Doc Emer, the group called bloggingberks started out with seven original members. Since then, the group grew and is now composed of some thirty-two bloggers from all over the globe. The biggest contingent can be found in Manila but members can be found in Singapore, USA, Canada, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, Japan and England. *

Labels: Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/29/2005, ,

The Greatest Philosopher
6.17.2005

BBC is conducting a worldwide poll on who's the greatest philosopher of all time. 'You can listen to an advocate put forward a case for each philosopher and read philosopher profiles before making your decision.'

The choices are:

• St Thomas Aquinas


• Aristotle


• Rene Descartes


• Epicurus


• Martin Heidegger


• Thomas Hobbes


• David Hume


• Immanuel Kant


• Søren Kierkergaard


• Karl Marx


• John Stuart Mill


• Friedrich Nietzsche


• Plato


• Karl Popper


• Bertrand Russell


• Jean-Paul Sartre


• Arthur Schopenhauer


• Socrates


• Baruch Spinoza


• Ludwig Wittgenstein

Vote here. I was divided between Kant and Kierkegaard... I had to pick Kant. I just have to.

Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg in Prussia and never left the town during his life. He became Professor of Logic and Metaphysics at its university and one pupil commented that "nothing worth knowing was indifferent to him".

Kant started a revolution in philosophy by examining how the mind constructed our knowledge of the objective world and the limits thereof. He set out his thinking in three critiques - The Critique of Pure Reason (1781); The Critique of Practical Reason (1788); and The Critique of Judgment (1790).

In the Critique of Pure Reason Kant argued that objects in the world must conform to our innate understanding of them. Reason makes experience possible by imposing upon raw sense data certain categories of understanding.
- Anthony Grayling

I wonder who's the Philippines best philosopher?

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/17/2005, ,

Hyperventilating Over 'Space Weapons'

Mere military exploration of space hardware doesn't mean the next Star Wars is at hand. In fact, misinformation in such matters is quite dangerous in this world.

A good article by James Oberg of USA Today.

Is the sanctity of the heavens about to be violated by the United States making a unilateral introduction of aggressive weapons that could spark a destabilizing arms race? Is the White House about to unleash an unprecedented expansion of regions to fight over in the future?

Read it here.

At least the Philippines has supernatural weapons like aswangs and tikbalangs. On a funnier note check this out: Dandruff May Be Significant Air Pollutant Now that's news... "Dead Skin Cells and Other Particles May Affect Climate Change" Might be a press release from Head & Shoulders ;-)

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/17/2005, ,

People don't War... But...
6.14.2005

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."


What does this have to do with the present situation in the US and the Philippines? How about, "Just about everything"...

Another timely quote in the vein of the apocryphal Julius Caesar warning about political leaders who can all too easily send the citizenry marching eagerly off to war by manufacturing crises that purportedly threaten national security and making popular appeals to patriotism.

"All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

In this case the sentiment expressed is even more disturbing because it comes not from a venerated figure of antiquity, but supposedly from a reviled twentieth-century figure associated with the most chilling example of genocide in human history: Hermann Goering, Nazi Reichsmarshall and Luftwaffe-Chief. We may be made somewhat uneasy by the idea that the head of a classic civilization recognized 2,000 years ago that the populace could be manipulated into sacrificing themselves in wars at the whims of their leaders, but we're outraged (and maybe even scared) at the thought of a fat Nazi fascist flunky's recognizing and telling us the same thing.

The notable difference here is that although the Caesar quote is a latter-day fabrication, the words attributed to Hermann Goering are real. *

The word WAR in the quote is a hyperbole. Our leaders can choose from any given templates to make things work. The only question is will they? Simplistic but true. What's one's econopolitik? Will doing one thing benefit my constituents and my politics? Doing what is right is not a matter of values, and patrimony alone; doing what is right and popular is. Interestingly, doing what can be done is another. Though not necessarily popular, any political act can be risked to a certain calculated point of risk. It can be done because it can be done.

My point? All people are created equal, but some more equal than others. Values of politicians are not expendable per se; they are the heart of politics, but some values are more expendable than others. In other words, don't be surprised if the future is not really in the hands of the people. Only a limited part of it is: selection of leaders. Morality, character, popularity, merits even, are mere superficialities. Unless specific party programs bind politicians to a particular and specific cause, beyond that nothing else is certain.

"All people are created equal, but some more equal than others. Values of politicians are not expendable per se; they are the heart of politics, but some values are more expendable than others."

The US and the Philippine situation and just about any other state seem to have the same predicament. Rights belong to the people but some rights have been theoretically waved by the structure itself. Have modern humans developed a skill that makes them identify threats to their rights or current political systems? We seem to have an acute sense that warns us of ominous death and decay... but decay is such a subjective word, and progressive; we never detect it until it is there. Death however, is one we cannot take too late.

Who's manipulating who and how much can the people risk? This leaves the people one thing to left do: search for a charismatic leader or form of government promising the maximum gain with the minimum pain. How can we be sure of that? Now that's another question.

Labels: Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/14/2005, ,

The Salt of the Earth remains Salty
6.12.2005

I was in the folk bar My Brother's Moustache in QC last Saturday to celebrate the birthday of my girlfriend's brother. What started to be a simple celebration turned out to be a night of poetry, a celebration of nationalism, a glimpse of the wisdom from music-makers of 27 years and lots of drinking in between.

There is no better way to say it: We were with the legends of folk Lolita Carbon and Pendong Aban, collectively known as the duo (formerly trio) Asin celebrating a Saturday that would turn out to be what I can call the best performance of any artist I know today.

I had to say: Yes. This is how music is supposed to make me feel.
It all started gloomy at first. Only four tables were there to witness the crisp yet sultry voice of Lolita Carbon. "Mahaba-habang gabi ito, twenty songs to go..." one man from a table across us had to say, much to the laughter of Asin.

What followed was a series of poetic lines conjuring up a sense of nationalistic nostalgia for such chilling music of the classic Pinoy '70's Movement

Lolita is not without her humor, as she kept to the composure of professional musicians in entertaining the crowd. "Sino nanalo game 1 ng Spurs-Detroit?" I, being a fan of the Spurs myself, while my girlfriend that of Detroit had to blurt out..."Oh! Spurs", which prompted Lolita to scream in delight saying she's for the Spurs! We connected from thereon as she dedicates the next songs for us, apparently the "youngest" table of those present.

They opened with the environmental protest classic, "Masdan", and what followed was a series of poetic lines conjuring up a sense of nationalistic nostalgia for such chilling music of the classic Pinoy '70's Movement with such classics as "Itanong Mo sa mga Bata", "Sayang ka", and the original "Balita", covered by the international R&B group Black Eyed Peas:

Lapit mga kaibigan at makinig kayo
Ako'y may dala-dalang balita galing sa bayan ko
Nais kong ipamahagi ang mga kwento
At mga pangyayaring nagaganap sa lupang ipinangako

Ang lupang pinanggalingan ko'y may bahid ng dugo
May mga lorong 'di makalipad na sa hawlang ginto
May mga punong walang dahon, mga pusong 'di makakibo
Sa mga pangyayaring nagaganap sa lupang ipinangako

She interjects Spurs every now and then, much to our delight... It kept the first set alive in a way. But such is only foreshadowing to the intensity of the second set.

Up to that point I am distressed by the fact that the poetry and wisdom which flowed naturally from Pendong's and Lolita's mouths will not reach so many

"ASIN's songs are like an old pair of boots: They're a little scuffed at the toes, a little worn down at the heels...but it feels right" - Eric Caruncho

hearts that night. It's a sad tale that lessons from their lyrics would be forgotten by the generations too preoccupied with apathy, mediocrity, and the empty consumerist attitude for senseless songs without soul nor meaning. I do not want to see a fading star, lose all its brightness before my eyes. And there they were...

Asin's words still remain true to this day, and seem to whisper a haunting fortune for the Filipino. How can the problem of the seventies, 30 years after remain the same? The song, "Magnanakaw" still ricochets:

Ang magnanakaw ay mapagsamantala
Magaling magkunwari, madaling makilala
Balat-kayong ginagamit kahit hindi sa pirata
Magnanakaw pa rin ang nakikita sa kanya

May nagnanakaw ng oras, talino at pawis
Pati ang galing kung minsa'y ninanakaw rin
Ano kaya ang dapat gawin ngayong alam na natin
Dahil na rin ba sa katamaran, hahayaan na lang ba natin

I had to say: Yes. This is how music is supposed to make me feel.

Much later in the night however, the place became more packed as four other tables were filled by close to twenty people. That seemed to have awakened Lolita and Pendong to their usual fire. Twenty-seven years of music-making, six albums and a whole nation insulted by never learning from the wisdom of their lyrics prompted Pendong to say, "May rumor ... magulo na naman ang bayan natin..."

Are we doomed by repeating the same history? It could almost make me cry hearing him sing, "Nag-people power one, Nag-people power two... kahit mag three, four, five walang mangyayari kung di ka natututo..."

From the tragedy of struggles and strife in "Tuldok" I heard the absurdity of it all:

Ang tuldok ay may salaysay at may kahulugan
Na dapat mapansin at maintindihan
Kahit sino ka man ay dapat malaman
Na dito sa mundo ikaw ay tuldok lang
...
Tingnan mong mabuti ang 'sang katauhan
Maraming nag-aaway, tuldok lang ang dahilan
Sa aking nakita, ako'y natawa lang
'Pagkat ang nangyayari'y malaking kahibangan

While in "Ang Bayan kong Sinilangan" more popularly known as "Cotabato" to the classic diasporic tale of "Pagbabalik" which most people remember as 'Bayan ko', I found myself humming along:

Bayan ko, nahan ka
Ako ngayo'y nag-iisa
Nais kong magbalik
Sa iyo, bayan ko

Patawarin mo ako
Kung ako'y nagkamali
Sa landas na aking tinahak

Asin was there to sing a key of politics, ring a note of our age, and a strike a chord in the Filipino heart. Formed in the 70s, this band was originally to be named "Salt of the Earth" - later Filipinized to "Asin." Ginnie Faustino-Galgana reviews their 2001 Reunion Album:

Lolita Carbon's voice has not lost it's crisp, sultry touch. As she whispers her lines in the ballads and belts out the verses in the rest, one is encouraged to join in with the melody of Pendong counterpoint to Lolita.* While Eric Caruncho says: ASIN's songs are like an old pair of boots: They're a little scuffed at the toes, a little worn down at the heels, a little cracked and creased from the mileage. But once you put them on, you remember all the places they've taken you, and you're ready to resume the journey. They just feel right.

Asin was there to sing a key of politics, ring a note of our age, and a strike a chord in the Filipino heart.

The evening ended with resounding applause and with a beso from lolita herself to me, my girlfriend and her brother. "Spurs ako, game two." she says. Her signature stilled rocked my ears. I had to say: Yes. This is how music is supposed to make me feel.

I just had to say, "While I know it has been said many times, and in many ways, I think you deserve to know that someone from the third generation is listening to

I shook her hand firmly, thanking her a lifetime of meaningful music.

your songs. You deserve to be congratulated by your poetry, and more for the social relevance in your cause. Every word still rings true. And I'd like you to know somebody heard you." I shook her hand firmly, thanking her a lifetime of meaningful music. She would be 46 now, far form the 19 year old that started it all.

I know nothing pays an artist better than knowing somebody is listening. Lolita Carbon and Pendong Aban refused to be fading stars, until the lessons of history is learned.

Lolita Carbon herself said it very well that night: "Oh, 'di ba ang Asin maalat pa rin!" How true, the salt of the earth remains salty. But what of the Filipino? Will we remain having ears but hearing nothing?

Labels: Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/12/2005, ,

Independence Day Show
6.09.2005

Filipinos are glued to their TV sets yet again. This time it is the Juetengate Controversy, or whatever you call it. It is claimed that this illegal numbers game has creeped through the government bureaucracy, using a network of regulated, syndicated and systematic bribes to civilian authority, the military, and the police.

This can arguably be the best reality show on earth.
Unfolding before the Filipino eyes are daily twists and turns, a rashomonesque who-done-it plot, a battle of testimonies and a side reel of antics from the media, the senators, and the lawyers.

Jose Rizal could be cringing in his grave right now, mindful that his greatness in his novels is threatened by the big surprise that would be the finale to this show.

Or would he be shaking his head or shrug, "Hey, I won a small town lottery, too, in Dapitan...Tumataya din ako sa Jueteng!".

I wonder what happens on June 12. That would be our Independence Day. Would there be a happy ending in this soap opera? It is a disburbing thought though, that such a damning case of such historically significance is only regarded as a yet another show. Nobody knows who's the good guy or the bad guy at this point.

There always are winners and losers in this type of show. Filipinos love the melodrama of soap operas. Whatever happens, whatever the truth is the Filipino people are the losers. And the TV stations wins everytime.

I hear someone whisper... "At least we get to watch something new before we die of hunger..."

Labels: Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/09/2005, ,

McDonald's versus Jollibee
6.01.2005

A page from my marketing book opens yet again. The case study this time is a must read for Filipinos, entrepreneurs and marketing professionals.

Tan Caktiong had no choice but to reinvent Jollibee.

The International Herald Tribune has this to say:

Sometime in the late 1970s, Tony Tan Caktiong, the owner of a small ice cream parlor in a lower- middle-class neighborhood here, learned that an American hamburger chain was coming to invade the Philippines.

Worried that his store, which had just started selling burgers, might get floored by the new competition, Tan Caktiong, a Filipino of Chinese descent, took a leaf from the Chinese military tactician Sun Tzu: he flew to the United States to know his future enemy.


When he returned to the Philippines a few weeks later, Tan Caktiong brought with him an arsenal of ideas on how to fortify his store, called Jollibee, to face the newcomer.

What followed was a classic tale of survival that quickly became a Filipino legend that is now being retold in the country's business schools, often with a tinge of nationalistic pride directed against the U.S. burger chain in question, McDonald's.

Tan Caktiong had no choice but to reinvent Jollibee.

"He was told that either he sold Jollibee to McDonald's or be its franchise holder here. 'They will eat you alive,' his friends told him," said John Victor Tence, vice president for corporate and human resources of Jollibee Foods.

Described by friends as self-effacing and frugal but determined, Tan Caktiong told his friends, "I have a third choice: I can fight McDonald's."

And fight he did... Read the article here.

Labels: Business, Local, Philippines

posted by Jdavies @ 6/01/2005, ,

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