Volume 7 Issue No. 06 map.org.ph February 9, 2021

“MAPping the Future” Column in the INQUIRER

OF CANDLES & ASHES;

OF LOVE & LOVERS!

February 8, 2021

Mr. ANTONIO “Tony” T. HERNANDZ

Can we meaningfully break awhile from the noise of everyday-political-blame-game; from the debilitating scare of a long-raging pandemic and/or vaccine frenzy? And perhaps relish a moment of inner peace? Or maybe, with conscious awareness of February’s reverential highlights following, get spiritually recharged just as we inch forward to Lent’s “greatest love story ever told”?

Christian believers, may yet view February as a balmy “transition-month from the joyful feast of Christmas to the penitential fasting of Lent.” It opens with the celebration of “Candlemas Day” principally commemorating “Our Lord’s Presentation at the Temple” held every 2nd day of February or 40 days from Christmas Day. Known to be one of the oldest festivals, its earliest reference dates back to 400AD in Jerusalem.

Three-in-one event

Candlemas brings to mind an ostensibly three-in-one event: [1] the presentation of the baby Jesus to God in the Temple at Jerusalem. [The Lord said to Moses, “Dedicate all the first-born males to me, for every first-born male... belongs to me.” (Exodus 13:2)]; [2] the Virgin Mary’s purification. [A tradition that women weren't allowed to worship in the temple for 40 days after the birth of a boy, and 60 days for a girl. Thereafter, women were brought to the Temple for the purification ceremony, after which, they may attend religious services again. (Leviticus 12:1-4)]; and [3] Jesus’ first appearance in the temple… the Messiah revealed! [Simeon, a just and pious man, identified the Messiah while in the Temple, thus: “…a Light to reveal your WILL to the Gentiles, and bring glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32)].

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The name Candlemas was derived from the traditional holding of festivities with lighted candles [adopted mid-5th century; instituted in the Western Church during Pope Sergius-I pontificate (687–701AD)]. The day when also all the Church's candles for the year are blessed.

The deeper significance of “lighted candles” is its celebrative connotation to the Presentation at the Temple which Simeon prophesied as “...the Light to reveal your Will to the Gentiles” i.e., to all nations in darkness! A fitting reference to God, the Omnipresent, the source of life and enlightenment. For “…Light illumines all that comes within its sphere, moves with incredible speed and nourishes life!”

And since the “Temple event” highlights the perfect model of a Christian family, February passes on as devotional “Month of the Holy Family” --- a dedication that advocates the spirit of a virtuous-domestic-life against today’s challenges assailing family unity and sanctity of human life!

“Day of Ashes”

Notably, February 17th this year marks the first day of Lent… so-called “Day of Ashes” or Ash Wednesday which is always 40 days [not counting Sundays] before Easter. It is observed with ashes produced by burning palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday. The parishioners receive the ashes, cross-marked on their forehead as reminder of mortality, with the priest saying, “Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return!”

Ironically, as if a graphic magnification of that mortality, the COVID-19’s aftermath of multiple cremations portrays a sobering scene of life’s evanescence! Not just a day but months of mournful crematory promptings that “such is how the glory of the world passes away”; how shortsighted to be so obsessed in storing earthly riches “that moths and rust destroy and, robbers break in and steal” [Matthew 6:19-21], while missing out on the soul’s all-important priorities!

Thus, we approach Ash Wednesday’s rites “…sorry for our transgressions, wanting to use the penitential Lent season to correct our faults, cleanse our hearts, control our desires and grow in holiness so we will be ready to celebrate Easter with great joy.” (The Catholic Spirit.com).

Penitential season

A period of penitential preparation, Lent is observed with fasting and reflections [in imitation of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness where Satan thrice tempted Him], for the ultimate celebration of the joyous message of Easter and Christ’s victory over sin and death.

“In the early centuries, Lent’s fasting rules were strict as they still are in Eastern churches,” notes Encyclopedia Britannica. “One meal a day was allowed in the evening…” In the West, “fasting rules have gradually been relaxed. The strict law of fasting among Roman Catholics was dispensed with during the Second World War. Only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are now kept as Lenten fast days.”

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The “Day of Ashes” is seemingly a solemn community experience, quite similar to taking Holy Communion. But probably because of urban-population growth and time constraints in a fast-paced world, it may be noticed in some instances, conveniently administered like an “Ashes to Go” experience! And given today’s prevailing health protocol… modifications for the better may yet occur! But what matters is our inner self being in fervent communion!

“Day of Hearts”

Like an enchanting interlude between “Candlemas Day” that concludes Yuletide [per Eastern European believers], and the “Day of Ashes” that ushers in Lent, comes the romantic “Day of Hearts” ironically in observance of Saint Valentine’s February 14th martyrdom. Seemingly a passage from the joyful glow of Candlemas to Ash Wednesday’s reflections on life and mortality!

Saint Valentine is a clergyman and physician, “imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers to spare them from the war effort,” and for ministering to persecuted Christians; beheaded February 14, 269AD during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II Gothicus.

According to legend, Saint Valentine restored the sight to the blind daughter of his jailer, and wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell before his execution. Thus, began Valentine greetings!

But how did romantic love splash into the Valentine festival? It is said, the February 14th feast of St. Valentine, inter-crossed with the “Lupercalia” festival [a pagan festival of love and fertility]. To end the mix-up with Lupercalia, Pope Gelasius I declared in 496AD that February 14 be celebrated as St. Valentine’s Day. (Encyclopaedia Britannica.) Thereupon, the interblend developed into a lovers’ festival or “Day of Hearts.”

Amor Vincit Omnia

“Recognized as a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and romantic love in many countries around the world,” its observance is characterized by exchanges of tokens of affection --- sending greeting cards, presenting flowers, exchanging love messages and other keepsakes that show and preserve how relationships have grown through the years!

In contemporary popular culture, Valentine’s Day acquired an icon in “Cupid” --- the Roman God of Love, Attraction and Affection --- depicted as a “winged boy, drawing his bow signifying the power of love. Winged because lovers are allegedly likely to flit about; and boyish because Love is viewed as irrational.”

Cupid [son of Venus and Mars whose love affair represented an allegory of Love and War] is at times painted with arrow and torch because, it is said, “love hurts and it fires up the heart.” Rightly or wrongly, Cupid is thought by some as the adversary of chastity. But notwithstanding his “matchmaking mischief,” he is fondly viewed by mythographers as beneficent because of the happiness he bestows on lovers… soulfully objectified in Virgil’s literary line: “Omnia Vincit Amor.” 3

And there goes February, dear readers, with its significant liturgical influences affective of life’s travails in the strategy of salvation… enlivened nonetheless by the glowing flame of Valentine, making it specially the “Love Month” that it is --- streaming sunshine thru the blues!

(This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the MAP. The author is management and development finance consultant; former senior executive of Land Bank of the Philippines; past president and advisory council member of the Government Association of CPAs; and past director of PICPA. Feedback at and . For previous articles, please visit )

“MAP Insights” Column in BUSINESSWORLD

THE WEIGHT OF INFLUENCE IN TRUST

February 9, 2021

Mr. JUNIE S. DEL MUNDO

They are omnipresent, quite inescapable, and — let’s face it — growing in number. As more people gain access to social media platforms and discover their voice and amass followers, influencers as we call them have exponentially increased digital content and, ultimately, changed the way we interact with brands.

Marketers and consumers alike have obsessed over personalities whose social media activity opened up room for discussion, inspiration, and affinity. The public’s regard for these personalities has definitely shifted over time--but perhaps no shift has been greater and more relevant than that which happened during 2020, when the pandemic struck out of nowhere, rendering many of the frills and fluff of social media as nearly obsolete.

Filipinos have been spending more time online and seeing different people’s pandemic experiences through the window of social media. It has thus far been a time of distance and uncertainty, and people are looking for inspiration and guidance when it comes to what to buy into and what to believe. More than the diversion that the otherwise “fluffy” type of influencer marketing used to provide, audiences are in search of what mirrors their own realities. Rather than glitz and glamor, the pandemic has led people to a greater appreciation of grit and authenticity from those who dominate the numbers on the wide variety of social media platforms made available to us today. 4

Appreciation has risen for influencers that exhibit qualities of being socially aware and socially responsible. The paradigm shift in online content creation is not anymore about #goals, but rather about genuine expression.

Due to the heavy blows of the pandemic, numerous natural disasters, and even waves of global political change, influencers are now held to a higher standard as their followers demand more accountability and responsibility from them. Brands are also challenged to furbish their messages that should be mindful of the hypercritical and hypersensitive consumer landscape. It is no secret that one of the most effective ways to create brand awareness and trust is the use of influencer marketing. Organic and relatable content is becoming a trend, making online brands heavily dependent on honest reviews from the people that their consumers not only admire but trust.

However, with the rise in numbers of influencers, how can you choose the right one for your brand? Where do influencers stand in the midst of different consumer mindsets?

EON, in partnership with Tangere, conducted a study called “Influencers: Eye Candy or Eye-Openers?” that revealed the different types of influencers in the age of COVID- 19 and how social media users perceive their content. The team has identified three types of influencers:

The Insensitive Influencer

These are the ones who exhibit apolitical stances, ignorant of what’s happening in the country and in the world, and showing little awareness or desire to take action on societal issues. In the age of cancel culture, this type of influencer tends to be the type brands need to steer clear of. American TikTok star and influencer, Dixie D’Amelio, is an example of this cohort. She has been accused of being transphobic and racist and lost over a million of her TikTok followers. Off-White and Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh was also the subject of controversy after his comments on the protests against police brutality were seen as insensitive and, at best, tangential to the real issue.

The Total Package Influencer

Funny, creative, likeable yet still credible; these influencers mix comedy with social commentary to engage people in pressing issues. The Total Package influencer tends to resonate deeply among millennial and centennial audiences, reflecting the meme- able humor and wit in which they find much relief during these trying times. With most influencers limited to the confines of their home, followers would still look into how they strike a balance between entertaining and informing them. Vlogger Mimiyuuuh, everyone’s favorite Dalagang Pilipina, is a total package. Aside from creating viral, hilarious content, he has been very vocal about several hot button society issues and he praises other influencers who are willing to voice their opinions while being sensitive with what they post online.

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The Online Change-Makers

Opinionated, charitable, and genuine--they take a stand for the betterment of society, and are persuasive in promoting causes and advocacies. Though deemed controversial by some, social media users turn to these influencers to amplify the needs and voices of the many. With their courageous stances on pressing issues, the Online Change- Makers seem to have gained not just likes and followers, but genuine respect. Kakie Pangilinan is one change-maker who inspires her audience to speak their minds. Her brave and well thought-out opinions have drawn praise and respect from social media users and have caught the attention of the powers-that-be and have inspired many others to stand up for what they think is right, however unpopular.

These are the “new-breed” of influencers who are authoritative figures coming from all walks of life, disrupting and molding consumer mindsets. Brands today need to catch up with these influencers who have a captive organic audience as they focus on consumers and not on client briefs.

Therefore, brands are left with the demand of considering the congruence of their messages with the influencer’s personality to remain authentic and relevant.

According to GWI’s report on the age of influence and how to personalize on social media, the chosen influencer and their opinions on a product affect the purchase choice of consumers where 67% of respondents say that they are more likely to consider a brand/product if their favorite influencer has promoted it, 56% of respondents look to them for honest reviews, and 37% of respondents say they valued the greater authenticity seen in their recent content. The top industries that have recognized this reality at an early time and are actively utilizing influencers include fashion, cosmetic, and e-commerce brands.

Recently, big name influencers have made it to the headlines and just about every coffee corner conversation. Their actions (or inaction), and behavior (or misbehavior) are being put on the stand as more and more people are being made aware that their status and lifestyles are — in one way or another — a result of the trust that their followers put on them thru millions of views, clicks, and shares. Content is the biggest differentiator among influencers, and accountability is what provides the check and balance.

More than a brand name, people trust real people. Influencers are real. The aim now is to be an inspiration through actions taken with a sense of purpose in mind. The criteria for choosing influencers has now changed and the drive for influencers to reevaluate their content shows how this pandemic has helped us see more of what truly counts in this world: a two-way relationship, not a one-way sales channel.

These days, the time-tested adage still applies — tell me who you follow, and I’ll tell you who you are.

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(This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the MAP. ------JUNIE DEL MUNDO is Chair of MAP Health Committee, Vice Chair of MAP CEO Committee and Co-Founder and CEO of EON Group, a fully integrated communications consultancy with expertise in consumer and corporate PR, reputation management and public affairs, digital marketing and creative technology, and experiential marketing. [email protected] [email protected] http://map.org.ph

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Joint Statement for Unity on COVID and Recovery, Against Charter Change at this Time

January 21, 2021

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List of MAP Governors-in-Charge, Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs for 2021

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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Articles/Papers from MAP Members

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Articles/Papers from MAP Members

1. “NextGen’s wisdom on the pandemic normal” from MAP Social Justice Committee Vice Chair ALEXANDER B. CABRERA’s “As easy as ABC” Column in THE PHILIPPINE STAR on February 7, 2021

In the midst of a mad rush to make their businesses adapt to pandemic realities, sincerity and kindness never run out of style. And when you combine that with a serious mind for business handed down through genes, and generations, you form the figures of our NextGen leaders coming into their own, and what a time to do so.

During PwC Philippines’ NextGen Club forum held last week, fellow NextGen leaders in the audience listened to the panelists who tackled questions on leadership styles, innovations they brought to life during the pandemic, how they wield their power to make a difference, and their journey to their personal legacy. Here is a selection of lessons we picked up from these brilliant NextGen leaders.

Raymond Rufino (NEO Group)

He is a second-generation leader of NEO group (previously known as NET group), has so far built and manages seven intelligent buildings in BGC. He swears that the pandemic has saved him five years’ worth of time in adapting innovations and new technology in their real estate business. While he has tried to go paperless for years (to which many of us can relate), it only took one crisis to get everybody in the organization to buy into this direction.

He recognizes his father Charlie Rufino as his mentor, but his journey is however now focused on making a valuable contribution to the transformation of the real estate industry from “grey to green”: environment-friendly development that addresses the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions, and projects that regenerate the planet.

He believes that to have success, one’s plans should be aligned with what one is passionate about. However, before young leaders set their sights on big dreams, he advises that they should focus on the “now” by investing in themselves. He suggests asking oneself: “Am I the best leader that I can be? Do I have the skills, empathy, experience and traits to achieve what I want to achieve?”

He shared his best lesson from this pandemic, and it is quite a refreshing one: Manage your energy. Choose only what gives you positive energy and whatever is negative must be released.

Vanessa Tanco (iAcademy)

She is the CEO of the iAcademy, an institution that offers specialized programs in game development, business management, and liberal arts and design, and which has recently been awarded as the Most Innovative Education Provider from UK-based publications company Global Brands along with other top-tier schools including Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University. 15

In 2020, iAcademy also launched an accountancy school, in partnership with PwC Philippines.

She acknowledges her father, Eusebio Tanco as the visionary who makes deals happen while she humbly labels herself as the operations-type of a person who immerses in day- to-day details of the business. What she did not say is that one cannot survive without the other.

While many educational institutions struggled with online classes at the onset of the pandemic (and still does), iAcademy, according to Vanessa, was able to shift smoothly to a virtual format as they have utilized various online platforms and tools even before the pandemic started.

She prides herself on being able to offer low-cost quality education in the Philippines, removing the need for Filipino students to go out of the country to be trained on these specialized courses. She also uses iAcademy to offer scholarships to deserving students without the means to pay for college, and even provides their scholars allowances; and made free online courses available during the pandemic.

She learned of communicating with clarity and empathy during the pandemic, and that communication should be constant, even repeated. People should be assured that the company has their best interest, to relieve them from pressure and confusion as much as possible.

Jason Gaisano (Core Capital)

Jason of the Gaisano retail group is a fourth-generation family entrepreneur who found great value in being employed in an unrelated company, having four different bosses before venturing into the family business. He was mentored by both his dad Edward Gaisano and his uncle, Jack Gaisano.

He co-founded Core Capital that invested in startups and partnered with tech companies to solve logistic and e-commerce issues. He intimated that adoption of technology in the group had been slow but when the older generations saw the revenue percentage coming from online sales, they learned to accept technology.

He is committed to investing in entrepreneurs and making them earn more money than those that invest in them. He said he is not sentimental about businesses but he, along with his siblings, makes sure that the businesses they engage in would be ready for future generations to diversify.

Jason’s investments of choice are in tech education and healthcare because of their social impact. He thinks creating more jobs in the country is better than charity, even as he expresses a desire to explore business in foreign markets.

He shares that the best lesson he learned during the pandemic is to have a better sense of appreciation for people on ground – their store employees, Grab drivers, etc. – as we wouldn’t have survived without them.

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Now my readers, do you agree that with this kind of NextGen leaders, the future of the country will be in good hands? Well, these young leaders all agree that you don’t have to be in government to help the country.

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Alexander B. Cabrera is the chairman and senior partner of Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines. He is the Chairman of the Integrity Initiative, Inc. (II, Inc.), a non-profit organization that promotes common ethical and acceptable integrity standards. Email your comments and questions to [email protected]. This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.

2. “Aerocity’s value” from MAP National Issues Committee Member ANTONIO “Tony” LOPEZ’s “Virtual Reality byTony Lopez” Column on February 3, 2021

"The world’s biggest and booming airports are built near the sea."

Dripping with sarcasm and contempt, Inquirer columnist Solita Monsod on Jan. 30 wrote a stinging criticism of San Miguel Aerocity’s P740-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulakan town, Bulacan.

Her objections are mainly: One San Miguel Corp., the country’s largest conglomerate and biggest private infra developer, was given, by law, tax incentives to pursue the game- changing airport; two, in 50 years, the Bulacan location will sink below sea level.

Under Republic Act No. 11506, the tax privileges are: For 10 years, exemption from all direct and indirect taxes and fees related to the project, such as income taxes, value- added taxes, percentage taxes, excise taxes, documentary stamp taxes, customs duties and tariffs, as well as property taxes on land, buildings, and personal property.

“For the rest of the 50-year term, the company will remain exempt from paying income and real estate taxes until a ‘competent authority’ declares that the company has ‘fully recovered its investment cost’ ,” Mrs. Monsod sneers. Beyond the 12 percent annual rate of return, the government gets a profit windfall.

She adds: “In 50 years, that airport may be underwater. (The) airport location is sinking. In 50 years, it will have sunk below sea level…The location is susceptible to land subsidence (gradual caving in or sinking of land) of up to 8.3 centimeters per year, storm surges of 5 meters, and flooding; it is also susceptible to liquefaction, ground shaking, tsunami.”

“If the land is sinking at 8.3 cm a year, that means that in 12 years, it will have sunk by 1 meter (8.3 cm x 12 = 99.6 cm). Therefore, in roughly 37 years it will have sunk by 3 meters and 7 centimeters. The airport will be built 3 meters above sea level. So, 13 years before the government takes over the airport, it may already be underwater.”

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This simple calculation, Solita points out, “does not take into account the rate of sea level rise (SLR) in Manila Bay, which is projected to be higher than the global average of 29 cm by 2050.”

“The government may have a white elephant in 50 years,” she frets.

My take:

That the Bulacan airport location will sink in 12 years is pure speculation. That it will be underwater by 3 meters and 7 centimeters in 37 years is an even wilder conjecture. And assuming for the sake of argument Solita is prescient, Bulacan will be underwater by three meters in 37 years (most of us won’t be around to see that happen), the more relevant question to ask is: So what?

Pasay, Manila and Bulacan are on the same elevation since all of them face Manila Bay. Right now, the three areas are slightly below sea level. The present Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is in Pasay. Sangley is in Cavite where the provincial government dreams of having a $10-billion international airport.

If it is wrong to locate an international airport in Bulacan, then the present NAIA should be relocated ASAP. Any plans to build an airport in Sangley should be scuttled. SMC’s Bulacan airport should not proceed at all. And the present Clark International Airport should be demolished too.

In 1972, during the Great Flood, Manila Bay’s waters met with Lingayen Gulf in the north at the vast plains of Central Luzon. So in a big flood, if NAIA, Sangley and Bulacan will sink, so too must Clark since the waters of Manila Bay and Bulacan spill into Pampanga.

In fact, since the coastal areas of Luzon are all sinking and the whole Luzon has plenty of active volcanoes, no airport should be built at all on the Philippines’ main island. That’s how ridiculous Solita’s argument is.

Solita also warns of a possible liquefaction in Bulacan. Liquefaction is when solid materials under the ground liquify because of a terrible earthquake and then erupt onto the ground as thick black fluid, scary, like in a horror movie.

In 1990, after a record 7.8 earthquake shook Luzon island, Dagupan, in Pangasinan, 135.7 kms from Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, the epicenter, suffered from liquefaction and terrified residents roamed the streets like zombies going nowhere. Bulacan, just 84 kms from Cabanatuan, did not show any liquefaction, meaning, its soil is more stable. I should know these things. I went to Bulacan, Cabanatuan, and Dagupan right after the 1990 earthquake.

The world’s biggest and booming airports are built near the sea. Kansai Airport of Osaka is built right on top of the sea. That was 27 years ago and thankfully, Kansai has not sunk.

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Amsterdam is two meters below sea level. The city’s Schiphol airport is the 14th largest in the world in land area and passengers. I went there in 1972. It was big and impressive. I went back two years ago, AMS is even bigger and more impressive.

If it is bad to build an airport on land that Solita believes is sinking, she should write to the authorities in Kansai and Amsterdam to plead to please immediately remove those airports because they are built right on top of the sea and under sea water, respectively and could become white elephants, soon.

Meanwhile, Rep. Joey Salceda estimates San Miguel will get P50 billion worth of tax incentives—in 50 years. The P50 billion is only 6.75 percent of the P740 billion cost of the airport. For spending P6.75 for every P100 SMC spends to build NMIA, government is going to get for free—after 50 years, a first class airport sitting on 2,500 hectares of prime commercial land.

NAIA was built in 1961. After 60 years and several rehab jobs, its land of 67 hectares alone is worth P200 billion.

It isn’t inconceivable that after 50 years, Aerocity’s 2,500 hectares of prime land and its vertical infrastructure will be worth at least P2 trillion, value that goes to the government for foregoing P50 billion in taxes.

Aerocity will contribute up to 9 percent of GDP in ten years. In ten years, GDP should be P30 trillion; 9 percent of that is P2.7 trillion. In effect, San Miguel will pay back in just a single year what the government gives up in taxes in 50 years.

Since 1967, through the Board of Investments, the government has been giving away tax incentives for projects of lesser magnitude and insignificant economic importance. At PEZA zones, the government spends P200 billion more in taxes foregone than the value added of the products and services of registered enterprises. [email protected]

3. “Nation in great peril” from MAP Member CIELITO F. HABITO’s “No free lunch” Column in PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER on February 9, 2021

While the pandemic’s toll on our economy has been particularly severe, the most telling has been the human cost of the economic decline, the implications of which could stay with us well into the future. This had been made even worse by natural calamities at the start and toward the end of the year, which brought great destruction to properties, crops, and human lives. The pandemic and our response to it did not only batter the economy; they also seriously endanger the nation’s very future through the harm they are doing to our single most abundant resource: our people.

Before the pandemic hit, we liked to pride ourselves on the “demographic sweet spot” the country is entering, referring to the preponderance of a young, working-age population tracing to our unusually high fertility rates in past decades. As the argument goes, this will give us an edge in the coming decades over most countries of the world, especially the more affluent ones for which impending labor shortages endanger the 19 future prospects of their economies. But we have a dominantly young, productive population who are projected to far outnumber our retired and elderly dependent population for decades to come — especially because we also continue to have a broad base of children in our population profile. Thus, it is said, we can look forward to a dynamic and highly productive economy that would outgrow the rest of the economies of the region, and indeed the world.

But it’s reckless to think that our future hangs on the quantity of our working-age population alone. Obviously, quality matters as much, and it is this that the pandemic- induced lockdowns and resulting deep recession is seriously compromising with every passing day. It’s bad enough that we did not invest and do enough in the past to nurture our most precious resource. Whether in health and nutrition or in education, our track record has been pathetic, even as these concerns are so basic that these ought to have taken primacy in our leaders’ attention and efforts all along.

It’s not undue alarmism to be making these observations; the evidence stares us in the face. Official data document our excessively high rates of stunting due to severe malnutrition in Filipino children under five years old. In the 1980s, it was nearly one in every two, and now continues to afflict one in every three (and still one out of two in some areas in Mindanao). The embarrassing fact that our country now ranks at or near the bottom worldwide on various education indicators — and I need not cite the evidence here as these have been amply made public—reveals just how massive our failure has been in setting our nation’s path into the future. A cross-country study had also shown the Philippines having the lowest average IQ among the 10 Asean countries (I can e- mail specific references upon request). It is hard not to associate these dismal results from our traditionally high incidence of child stunting, which brings lifelong damage via permanent impairment to the child’s brain and physical development. It’s also tempting to think that if we’re unhappy about the leaders we elect into office, our lack of political maturity and a more discriminating electorate could well trace to the same traditional failures I speak of.

And then came COVID-19. Hunger tripled from 2019 levels, surely escalating already high rates of severe malnutrition and stunting in young children. Education has likewise taken a severe blow under a situation that forces remote learning modes, to the great disadvantage of children of the poor and those living in far-flung communities with limited or no connectivity. These developments on the health and education fronts threaten dire long-term consequences for the country.

The more fortunate among us can no longer look the other way because we don’t feel our own lives directly affected now. Those of us in our advanced years have by now probably given up on seeing our country emerge from the rut within our lifetimes. What’s even sadder is that with how too many of our society’s leaders behave now, even our children and grandchildren may not see our nation’s salvation within theirs. [email protected]

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4. “Today’s hot topic: Constitution (1)” from former MAP Governor PETER WALLACE’s “Like it is” Column in the PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER on February 4, 2021

There is growing debate on whether we should remove the economic restrictions in the Constitution. Anyone who is at all knowledgeable of the world knows that that world has evolved considerably since 1935, which was when most of the economic restrictions in the 1987 Constitution were introduced. There have been vast changes since 1987, when the restrictions were just thoughtlessly copied. In 1935, our population was 15 million; in 1987, it was 57 million. By mid-century, it will be some 150 million, ten times that of 1935. To provide suitable jobs for so many today and in the future will require the help of all the domestic and foreign investors our economy can attract.

We are in a globalized world where everything is interconnected, so that restrictions on who does business here no longer makes sense. The only ones who might object to opening up are Filipino businessmen who’d see their business opportunities threatened. But they, who are the only ones who might be negatively affected, want the restrictions removed. So there’s no opposition, except those on the left who oppose anything. Isn’t it interesting that a communist dictatorship in Vietnam is much less restrictive regarding foreign direct investments than the Philippines, welcomes foreign investors more, and thus receives four times as much FDI?

Where opposition lies is in the fear that the politicians will hijack the review to include political changes beneficial to them and not to the nation. But that fear has been with us through four presidencies; time and time again, constitutional change has been deferred because of this fear. Well, that fear will be with us in the next administration and the next, and the one after that. We have to bite the bullet some time. I believe that time is now, while we have a President in favor of opening up the economy. And also during a global depression, when we will need as much FDI as possible for our economy to recover.

In a roundtable discussion the Wallace Business Forum, Inc. held recently, Senate President Tito Sotto had a very interesting solution to this fear: to put forth a Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) that is mandated to look only at the economic provisions. An RBH can only investigate one subject. Speaker Lord Allan Velasco introduced a resolution, RBH2, in July 2019, that does just that. More recently, House Concurrent Resolution No. 1 was also introduced.

A joint resolution, once approved by a three-fourths vote in both the House and the Senate, can then be taken to the people in a plebiscite during the national elections in May 2022. The problem with both these resolutions is that they still put openness in question. Instead of just removing the restrictions, they insert the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law.” This leaves a risk that future Congresses may never pass a law or, worse, reverse one passed by a prior administration. Look at the anti-dynasty law where the Constitution called for its prohibition “as may be defined by law.” That law was never raised, let alone passed as the Constitution mandated.

No other country in the world has economic restrictions in its constitution—so why should we? Remove them entirely, and then if a restriction is deemed desirable, introduce it in a law. Congress has the power to do so any time. That achieves the same result, as 21

a law can still decide how to manage investment in a sector, but from a positive point of view: We’re an open society that has occasional restrictions, and not a closed society that has discretionary openness.

The right move is to remove the restrictions entirely. Restrictions bear no place in this technological, global world, and never will again. To ensure swift passage, the President should call for regular and frequent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meetings during this review to speed up the process, agree on the changes to be made, and monitor progress.

The only area where there is considerable controversy is land ownership. This is an emotional issue where great fear exists of foreigners taking over our land. Here, the suggestion in the RBH can be retained: Retain the restriction on land ownership “unless otherwise provided by law,” which could then allow Congress to allow foreigners to own limited amounts of land where it makes sense to do so.

We are the most closed economy in the Asean region and probably in all of Asia. In the OECD 2019 ranking of 84 countries, only three are more closed than the Philippines: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Algeria, and Libya. Certainly not a group we should want to belong to. We are also the slowest in attracting job-creating foreign investments. There’s a causal link there.

The Filipino people have suffered because foreigners can’t come in to help us advance the development of our public utilities, or help us with their expertise as professionals. The Constitution is imposing senseless restrictions that benefit no one.

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Email: [email protected]

PICTURES uploaded in the MAP Facebook account ______

February 9, 2021 MAP Economic Briefing and General Membership Meeting https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=mapphilippines&set=a.286364515057652 6

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MAP Videos on Facebook

https://web.facebook.com/map.org.ph/videos

1. February 9, 2021 MAP Economic Briefing and General Membership Meeting

2. January 20, 2021 MAP Webinar on “Upgrading the NAIA to World Standard”

3. January 12, 2021 72nd MAP Inaugural Meeting and Induction of 2021 MAP Board of Governors

4. Adeste Fideles Christmas Concert at the PICC Plenary Hall streamed on December 22, 2020

5. December 21, 2020 MAP Online Panel Discussion on “A YEAR OF COVID: Gloom or Boom?”

6. Adeste Fideles Christmas Concert at Santuario de San Antonio streamed on December 16, 2020

7. A Flavor of Vienna Concert, a first-ever tribute to 50 years of “MAP Management Man of the Year” awards, reprised on November 26, 2020 as MAP’s Thanksgiving Day offering.

8. November 20, 2020 First MAP NextGen Web Conference

9. September 15, 2020 MAP International CEO Web Conference on “A WHOLE NEW WORLD: Reigniting the Stalled Global Economy”

10. November 23, 2020 (Monday) MAP Online Annual General Membership Meeting and “MAP Management Man of the Year 2020” Awarding Ceremony

11. October 13, 2020 (Tuesday) MAP Online General Membership Meeting on “ESG and its Linkage to Long-term Value Creation”

12. September 8, 2020 (Tuesday) MAP-PMAP Joint Online General Membership Meeting (GMM) on “Deepening the Bench for Future Business Leaders”

13. July 14, 2020 MAP 5th Online GMM on “Landscape and Control Mechanisms for Business Crimes and Fraud” with Mr. ALEX TAN, Partner for Consulting of PwC Malaysia

14. June 9, 2020 MAP 4th Online GMM on “MAYORS ENVISION A POST-COVID FUTURE”

15. June 26, 2020 MAP Webinar on “DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AGENDA: Does it Matter during the Pandemic?”

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16. June 24, 2020 MAP 2nd Webinar on the Anti-Terrorism Bill with Senator PANFILO “Ping” M. LACSON, Chair of Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation

MAP Talks on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMAPph

Festival of Concerts

1. Adeste Fideles Christmas Concert at the PICC Plenary Hall streamed on December 22, 2020

2. Adeste Fideles Christmas Concert at Santuario de San Antonio streamed on December 16, 2020

3. A Flavor of Vienna Concert, a first-ever tribute to 50 years of “MAP Management Man of the Year” awards, reprised on November 26, 2020 as MAP’s Thanksgiving Day offering.

Video Recordings of MAP GMMs

4. January 12, 2021 72nd MAP Inaugural Meeting and Induction of 2021 MAP Board of Governors

5. December 21, 2020 (Monday) MAP Online Panel Discussion on “A YEAR OF COVID: Gloom or Boom?”

6. November 23, 2020 (Monday) MAP Online Annual General Membership Meeting and Awarding Ceremony for “MAP Management Man of the Year 2020”

7. October 13, 2020 (Tuesday) MAP Online General Membership Meeting on “ESG and its Linkage to Long-term Value Creation”

8. September 8, 2020 (Tuesday) MAP-PMAP Joint Online General Membership Meeting on “Deepening the Bench for Future Business Leaders”

9. August 18, 2020 MAP 6th Online General Membership Meeting on “The Urgent Need for a Future-Ready Board” with Ms. ALIZA KNOX, Mr. REY LUGTU and Dr. JUSTO “Tito” A. ORTIZ

10. July 14, 2020 MAP 5th Online General Membership Meeting on “Landscape and Control Mechanisms for Business Crimes and Fraud” with Mr. ALEX TAN, Partner for Consulting of PwC Malaysia

11. June 9, 2020 MAP 4th Online General Membership Meeting (GMM) on “MAYORS ENVISION A POST-COVID FUTURE” 24

12. May 20, 2020 MAP 3rd Online GMM on “Leveling the Playing Field amid the COVID-19 Pandemic” with PCC Chairman ARSENIO M. BALISACAN

13. April 14, 2020 MAP 2nd Online GMM on "Leading Through COVID-19"

Video Recordings of MAP Webinars

14. September 25, 2020 MAP Sustainable Development Committee Webinar on “MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR MANA TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY” to Celebrate September as MANA Mo (Maritime & Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month)

15. June 26, 2020 MAP Webinar on “DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AGENDA: Does it Matter during the Pandemic?”

16. June 24, 2020 MAP 2nd Webinar on the Anti-Terrorism Bill with Senator PANFILO “Ping” M. LACSON, Chair of Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation

17. June 17, 2020 MAP 1st Webinar on the Anti-Terrorism Bill with former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice ANTONIO “Tony” T. CARPIO

18. May 8, 2020 MAP Webinar on “Helping the MSMEs Survive the Pandemic”

19. April 24, 2020 MAP Webinar on "Developing Health Protocols for Workforce Re-Entry"

20. April 17, 2020 MAP Webinar on "Managing the Workforce Today and Preparing them for the New Normal"

21. April 2, 2020 MAP Webinar on “Responding to COVID-19”

MAP Legacy Series 2019 on ANC featuring the following:

22. MMY 1996, Mr. DAVID M. CONSUNJI

23. MY 1998, Gov. GABRIEL C. SINGSON

24. MMY 1999, Mr. HENRY SY, SR.

25. MMY 1967, Mr. WASHINGTON Z. SYCIP

26. MMY 2006, Dr. GEORGE S.K. TY

27. MMY 1992, Amb. ALFONSO T. YUCHENGCO

The MAP Lifestyle Masters on Living Well and Aging Well

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Happy Birthday to the following MAP Members who are celebrating their birthdays within February 1 to 28, 2021

February 1 1. Mr. WILSON LIM, President, Abenson, Inc.

February 2 2. Mr. RAMON “Mon” B. ARNAIZ, Chair, Raco Group of Companies

February 3 3. Mr. ROMEO THADDEUS “Thad” LIAMZON, President, Artel Land Corporation

February 4 4. Mr. JOSE “Joe” R. SIMEON, Chair, Consolidated Matrix, Inc.

February 5 5. Ms. ESTER R. PUNONGBAYAN, President and CEO, E. Punongbayan Global Outsourcing, Inc.

February 6 6. Dr. MILAGROS “Mila” O. HOW, EVP, Universal Harvester, Inc. 7. Mr. DELFIN “Del” L. LAZARO, Board Member, Ayala Corporation 8. Atty. WILLIAM “Bill” S. PAMINTUAN, FVP, Deputy General Counsel and Asst. Corporate Secretary, MERALCO 9. Mr. BENEDICTO “Benedict” C. SISON, Country Head and CEO, Sun Life of Canada Philippines, Inc. 10. Mr. JOSE M. SORIANO 11. Atty. EUSEBIO “Ebot” V. TAN, Senior Partner, ACCRALAW 12. Mr. MARCO SERGIO “Marco” VAZZOLER, General Manager, EDSA Shangri-La

February 7 13. Mr. CESAR V. CAMPOS, Chair, Cenel Development Corporation 14. Dr. JOSE PAULO “Chichoy” E. CAMPOS, President, Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) 15. Atty. DANILO “Danicon” L. CONCEPCION, President, University of the Philippines (UP) 16. Mr. EDWIN R. G. REYES, EVP and Group Head, BDO Unibank, Inc.

February 8 17. Mr. JOVENCIO “Jovy” F. CINCO, President, Penta Capital Investment Corporation 18. Atty. ADRIAN “Che” S. CRISTOBAL 19. Mr. DANILO SEBASTIAN “Dan” L. REYES, Country Manager, Genpact

February 9 20. Dr. CRISPINIANO “Cris” G. ACOSTA, President, FILMINERA Resources Corporation 21. Mr. BERNARDO “Dong Dong” T. BENEDICTO III, Chair, CLB Engineering and Supply, Inc. 22. Ms. IMELDA “Imee” H. CENTENO, SVP - Human Resources and Organization Development, UNILAB, Inc. 23. Atty. FRANCISCO “Francis” ED. LIM, Senior Partner and ExCom Member, ACCRALAW 24. Ms. BERNADINE “Bern” T. SIY, President, Interworld Properties Corporation

February 10 25. Ms. KAREN V. BATUNGBACAL, SVP, Optum Global Solutions 26. Prof. MATTHEW GEORGE “Matthew” O. ESCOBIDO, CEO, conceptblocks 26

27. Ms. MA. LOURDES “Marides” C. FERNANDO, President, Bright Future Realty, Inc. 28. Mr. BRIAN GREGORY “Brian” T. LIU, EVP and COO, Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corporation 29. Mr. SIMON “Mon” R. PATERNO, Founder and Chair, ZQR Corporation 30. Mr. STEPHEN JAMES “Steve” REILLY, COO, Resorts World Manila 31. Ms. MARIA NIMFA “Maria” RONSON, Co-Director, Pertlink Limited (Hong Kong) 32. Mr. RAJAN “Raj” UTTAMCHANDANI, Chair and CEO, Esquire Financing Inc.

February 11 33. Atty. PILAR NENUCA “Nuca” P. ALMIRA, President and CEO, Makati Medical Center 34. Ms. MA. LOURDES MARGARITA “Dette” D. ARUEGO, Managing Director, Assessment Analytics, Inc. 35. Dr. REYNALDO “Regie” T. CASAS, President, ibvogt Philippines 36. Mr. RENATO “Rene” M. LIMJOCO, International Consultant 37. Mr. ERMILANDO D. “Ermil” NAPA, Chair and CEO, Manila Consulting and Management Co. Inc. 38. Mr. KIRK Q. RAMOS, President and CEO, Stealth Ventures Corporation

February 12 39. Mr. EDUARDO “Edu” M. OLBES, EVP, Security Bank Corporation

February 13 40. Mr. RIC GINDAP, Creative + Strategy Director, Design for Tomorrow 41. Ms. VALERIE “Riena” N. PAMA, President, Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. 42. Dr. LIZA JEANETTE “Liza” A. ROBLES, President, Manila Hearing Aid

February 15 43. Mr. J. LUIGI “Luigi” L. BAUTISTA, President and General Manager, NLEX Corporation 44. Mr. JOHN THOMAS “Jomi” GUEVARA DEVERAS, Senior EVP, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)

February 17 45. Atty. ROSARIO “Cherry” S. BERNALDO, Managing Partner, R. S. Bernaldo & Associates 46. Mr. J. ERNESTO “Ernie” C. VILLALUNA, Director, Philex Mining Corporation

February 18 47. Ms. SUSAN “Sue” L. DIMACALI, CEO, ASPAC Creative Communications, Inc.

February 19 48. Dr. KAREN BELINA “Karen” F. DE LEON, President, Misamis University 49. Mr. NOEL C. OÑATE, Chair, La Funeraria Paz Group

February 20 50. Mr. DANILO “Donnies” T. ALAS, Chair and CEO, Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs 51. Mr. ELEUTERIO “Terry” D. CORONEL, Consultant, Filinvest Development Corporation 52. Atty. NILO T. DIVINA, Managing Partner, Divina Law 53. Mr. EDWARD K. LEE, Chair, Citiseconline.com, Inc. 54. Mr. BENJAMIN “Jay” R. LOPEZ, President and Director, INAEC Aviation Corporation

February 21 55. Ms. MARY ANG, CEO and General Manager, Heritage Multi-Office Products, Inc. 56. Ms. MARILOU “Malou” C. CRISTOBAL, Chair and President, Multinational Investment Bancorporation 57. Ms. MARIFE B. ZAMORA, Board Director, PLDT 27

February 22 58. Atty. DARREN M. DE JESUS, President and CEO, UCPB General Insurance Company 59. Mr. GEORGE T. SIY, President, Face & Body Rejuvenation Center, Inc. 60. Mr. JORGE MIRANDA YULO, President and CEO, 1 Document Corporation

February 23 61. Mr. ROLANDO R. AVANTE, President and CEO, Philippine Business Bank, Inc. 62. Mr. DANTE M. BRIONES, Chair and CEO, Sasonbi, Inc. 63. Ms. AGNES A. GERVACIO, Chief Operations Advisor, MDI 64. Mr. RAFAEL “Peng” R. PEREZ DE TAGLE JR., Board Director, Metro Rail Transit Corporation 65. Ms. LOURDES “Chingling” R. TANCO, Managing Director, Mida Trade Ventures International, Inc.

February 24 66. Mr. EDILBERTO “Bert” B. BRAVO, Chair and CEO, U-Bix Corporation 67. Dr. ROLANDO “Rolly” T. DY, Professor, and Executive Director, Center for Food and Agri Business, University of Asia and the Pacific 68. Mr. LEE C. LONGA, EVP and CFO, Pru Life U.K. 69. Mr. ROLANDO J. “Don” PAULINO JR., Managing Director and General Manager, Shell Philippines Exploration BV

February 25 70. Mr. EBB HINCHLIFFE, Executive Director, AMCHAM Philippines

February 26 71. Mr. PROTACIO “Ding” C. BANTAYAN JR., Advisor to the Board, ORIX METRO Leasing & Finance Corporation 72. Mr. RENATO “Renan” B. VELONZA, COO, Trends & Technologies, Inc.

February 27 73. Ms. ENUNINA “Nina” V. MANGIO, President, Mawell Chemical Corporation

February 28 74. Mr. JOSE “Jo or Jomag” P. MAGSAYSAY JR., CEO, Cinco Corporation (Potato Corner) 75. Mr. BENJAMIN “Ben” C. ZETA

Please like MAP on Facebook by clicking the following:

https://www.facebook.com/map.org.ph/

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