BROTHERHOOD OF CHRISTIAN BUSINESSMEN AND PROFESSIONALS
BUSINESS FORUM SUMMARY
Changing the Face of Business A FORUM ON WORKPLACE TRANSFORMATION 28Â APRIL 2018 SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION A Forum on Workplace Transformation
PRESENTATIONS FR. HERB SCHNEIDER
TRANSFORM
Tracing the Beginning of BCBP's Vision and Mission
THE WORKPLACE FOR
MR. ROLANDO MEDEIROS Business as a Noble Vocation
CHRIST
DR. OSCAR BULAONG JR. Becoming A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing
This booklet contains the messages delivered during the 2018 Business Forum of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals held on 28 April 2018 in Subic Bay, Philippines.
MR. PYTHAGORAS L. BRION Transforming Lives Through Education
This Business Forum focused on the theme "Changing the Face of Business" and highlighted the phrase "Workplace Transformation." The topic of workplace transformation is so apt and timely a reminder to the BCBP Community.
MR. ALLAN L. CRISTOBAL Creating Shared Value: Lessons from the Bamboo
As a community, the BCBP is called to cast out into the deep. This Business Forum is a deep dive into the BCBP's battlefield, the world of business, the marketplace where we have been sent as evangelizers by our Lord Jesus Christ.
DR. CECILIO K. PEDRO The SPIRIT of Workplace Transformation
PUTTING FAITH INTO ACTION
As the BCBP continues to fulfill our community's vision and mission today and into the future, may we all gain new perspectives on how we can bring Jesus Christ more powerfully into the workplace..
The Institute for Business Transformation
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INTRODUCTION
A Forum on Workplace Transformation The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) called on its more than 10,000 members in the Philippines and major parts of the world "to have a new mindset" where business will be considered no longer just a profession but a "vocation." More than 5,000 BCBP members from all over the Philippines, Southeast Asia, the USA, and Canada gathered at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on April 28, 2018 for the Business Forum that served as one of the highlights of the BCBP's 38th National Annual Convention. POWERHOUSE CAST OF SPEAKERS Leaders of important industries were invited to share their experiences and the valuable lessons they learned from them. Rolando Medeiros, president of the International Christian Union of Business Executives (Uniapac) shared Uniapac's efforts to promote business as a vocation in other parts of the world. Other speakers who graced the forum were Dr. Oscar Bulaong, Jr., Director of the Gov. Jose B. Fernandez Ethics Center of the Ateneo de Manila University; Pythagoras L. Brion, Senior Vice-President of PHINMA Corporation; Allan L. Cristobal, CEO of ALC Holdings; and Dr. Cecilio Pedro, President and CEO of Lamoiyan Corporation The Business Forum also marked the launching of the Institute for Business Transformation (IBT) that will provide learning opportunities for executives who want to change the way they do business.
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The Beginning of BCBP's Mission By Fr. HERB SCHNEIDER, SJ BCBP Founder and Spiritual DIrector I would like to begin with the year 1980. At that time, I, together with the leaders of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community, became convinced that the Charismatic Prayer Group, from which most of us came, was turning out to be a very limited resource for the kind of men and women needed to build a community. Most of those attending the prayer meetings were
answer to evangelizing men. Observe everything
married women without their husbands and who
carefully, miss nothing. And when you get back to
were unable to bring their husbands to the prayer
Manila, start something like this -- a businessmen’s
meetings. We knew that you could not really build a
breakfast back in Manila and try to bring people in
community with only one of the spouses. But how
managerial position to the breakfast. These men will
do we evangelize the men?
have many of the gifts you need to build a community." And so in 1980 we began with a men’s
So that year, we went again to the Word of God
breakfast at the Makati Sports Club. We knew that
Community in Ann Arbor Michigan for training in
contrary to the ladies at the prayer meeting, the
community building.
men who came to the breakfast would have no problem bringing their wives along and so it turned
While there, I was invited to a businessmen’s
out.
breakfast and as I participated, it was as if the Lord tapped me on the shoulder saying, "Here is your
The businessmen’s breakfast at the Makati Sports -
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Club was really the birth of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP). At
us to evangelize decision-makers in business. And to
"We want to raise up men and women who will will act, work and move their business forward as stewards of a God who created this world for the good and benefit of all."
win the marketplace for Christ meant that these
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the beginning a community as it exists today was not envisaged, but as more and more men came to the breakfast it became clear to us that a support environment, a community, was needed. To make a long story shorter, the BCBP came into existence with its own way of life and with a double mission: 1) To bring Christ to the marketplace. And 2) To win the marketplace for Christ. The first part of that statement, to bring Christ into the marketplace and into the professions, meant for
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converted leaders will change the way business as done in the way of Christ. It is the second purpose
for the many who are now unable to find employ-
of our mission that determined over the years the
ment. We want men and women, who desire to
kind of people we wanted to evangelize and win for
share the benefits that result from their business
Christ.
venture with their employees, who desire to structure and organize work where their
The breakfast became not only the entrance to the
employees can apply their gifts, talents, and
BCBP. It also was for many the beginning of living
creativity to the job, and, through it, grow as human
and working as disciples of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
beings by developing their potential.
The process goes something like this. A member brings a guest (colleague from the office) to the
In 2015 the former president of the Ateneo de
breakfast. Here he comes in contact with men, who
Manila University gave me the invitation of
are regular guys, but who also love the Lord. He hears testimonies of how others have found the Lord and the difference it had made in their lives.
UNIAPAC to the Thailand Conference. Fr. Bienvenido Nebres thought that it would be of interest to the BCBP. From the program it was clear that the
Through the ongoing attendance and being in
conference would help us understand the second
contact with committed disciples, the desire for
part of our mission in a clearer way.
more grows in these new comers. They are then invited with their wives to participate in the BCBP’s Christian Life Program (BCLP), a 12-week seminar leading not only to adult conversion, but also to taking steps to assure growth as a follower of Christ. The BCLP is similar to the Rite of Initiation of Adults of the Catholic Church.
I believe that, finally, after 38 years of the existence of the BCBP and 38 years of doing the first part of its mission well, the time has now come for the BCBP to move forward boldly to win the marketplace for Christ. As a major step forward, the BCBP will launch today
We wanted to raise up men and women of vision and to make their business ventures a blessing for all their stakeholders. We want to raise up men and women who desire to create work places and jobs -
the Institute for Business Transformation. May our Lord bless this venture and make it a powerful tool for winning the marketplace and the professions for God’s glory. 0 5 -
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Business as a Noble Vocation By MR. ROLANDO MEDEIROS President, International Christian Union of Business Executives (UNIAPAC) Let me start my dissertation with a prayer. Lord Jesus, I ask You the grace of knowing You and loving You more for me to become a faithful disciple and, through my work testimony, be a missionary in the business world. I offer You my effort to build a society which is more just, prosperous, united, and humane. Remain among us and send us Your Holy Spirit to allow our intentions, words, and actions to fulfill Your will. Amen. First of all, I thank Mr. Chairman, Tito Serafica, Mr.
40 business leaders associations from different parts
President, Joffe Almoro, and Mr. Former President,
of the world: Asia, America, Africa and Europe. It has
Joey Avellana. It is through their invitation that I am
more than 30.000 direct members, more than
here participating in your 38th Anniversary
100.000 business leaders associated to it and a
celebration, in this forum “Changing The Face of
network of over 3 million people.
Business -- A Forum on Workplace Transformation” and the launch of the Institute of Business
UNIAPAC aspires to be recognized worldwide by its
Transformation. I feel very honored and grateful for
distinct promotion of “Business as a Noble Vocation”
being here today with you and to represent
by undertaking its mission of uniting, guiding and
UNIAPAC as its international president.
leading business leaders for them to see themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life; this will
I would like to introduce very briefly UNIAPAC, a
enable them truly to serve the common good by
worldwide organization which gathers more than
striving to increase the goods of this world and to -
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make them more accessible to all. To realize its vision of the future, UNIAPAC has the following objectives: 1) Study, disseminate and deepen, in international and social activity, Christian social thought, in the light of the Gospel; 2) Serve as a link between Christian associations of business leaders throughout the world, promote and facilitate exchanges between them and organize, if necessary, their common expression; 3) Assist and support the actions of these national and regional associations; 4) Encourage the creation of Christian associations of business leaders where none exist, and 5) More generally, take or promote any initiatives that further the above objectives. In light of the challenges of the 21st Century we deem the current role of UNIAPAC in society as more relevant and impactful than ever. Nowadays the enterprise needs to play a much more active role to help tackle socio-economic changes, to address the key challenges the world is currently facing, and to support the implementation of a policy agenda for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, quality job creation, and a more inclusive economy with better labor markets, environmental awareness and ethical deployment of technology. Business should serve to improve society and, for business leaders, the compass that guides their work should be ethics. Businesses should be a key conduit in building trust with all the stakeholders through behaviors that unconditionally respect the human dignity, foster inclusiveness, and enhance intercultural understanding and a sense of belonging to a community in all type of social interactions.
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wealth more accessible to all and more justly distributed among all the stakeholders for the betterment of the society as a whole. And these organizational cultures can only be built with business leaders who see themselves as critical social change agents that contribute to the transformation of society into a better world. Leaders who understand that the purpose of a business firm is not simply to make a profit but is to be found in its very existence as a community that creates value, offers talents, skills, and knowledge, its initiatives and innovative ideas, to help build and fulfill a purpose of common good. Leaders who understand their life mission also as the creation of meaningful, involving work experiences. Leaders who underpin their entrepreneurial mission on key values: respect for human dignity, responsible freedom, representative democracy, equity, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Ultimately, leaders who are willing to transform their business endeavors into a noble vocation. UNIAPAC's Vision of the Future is to be recognized worldwide by its distinct promotion of business as a noble vocation. Thus, UNIAPAC aspires to be to be a source of inspiration and support for leaders wishing to embrace that path, adopt a broader view of their role in society, and transcend the quest for short-term profits to become builders of the common good and promoters of a new humanism of work. UNIAPAC aims to helping business leaders to welcome purpose into their everyday lives and into their calling at work. Business is still too often perceived as a part of the problem rather than as a part of the solution. And while there is certainly abuse, there is also often a great deal of nobility in business; a nobility that needs to be, not only portrayed, but extensively promoted worldwide in order to serve the Common Good for the betterment of society as a whole. As already mentioned, the underpinning elements of our Vision of the Future are based on the conviction that business is a vocation, and a noble vocation, provided that those engaged in it see themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life. This will enable them truly to serve the common good by striving to increase the goods of this world and to make them
However, in order to truly assume these relevant social responsibilities, a more humane corporate culture needs to be built in organizations and engrained in the attitudes and behaviors of their members so that they see themselves as active participants in a community where they can flourish by contributing to a long-term business project -- a project aimed at the generation of -
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more accessible to all.
2. MORE HUMANE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURES
In light of this conviction, three essential success factors in the transformation of business into a noble vocation can be identified: 1) personal transformation; 2) more humane organizational cultures; and, 3) business serving the Common Good. Let´s review these elements with a bit of more detail, as follows:
Business leaders need to become role models in the organizational efforts to ingrain a culture based on the principles of human dignity and the common good; in building a work environment where everybody and all the members of that community organize their work in ways that adhere to the principle of subsidiarity, which fosters a spirit of initiative and increases the competence of the employees who are thereby considered “coentrepreneurs” and see the workplace as a source of meaning. A more humane organizational culture requires that the roles played by all the members are based on a concept of the business as a community of persons. A community of persons who interact with their stakeholders not as instruments for achieving the goals of the company, but as human beings; as people in the broadest and deepest sense of the word, with needs and reasonable expectations which the company is willing to endeavor to satisfy; and with interests that the company respects and are taken into consideration in the decision-making process.
1. PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION Business leaders are required to seriously undertake the journey allowing them to see them challenged by a greater meaning in life and, thus, willing to adopt a broader view of their role in society by transcending the quest for short-term profits to become builders of the common good and promoters of a new humanism at work. This deeper meaning in life involves associating the business leadership role to God´s plan. The challenge means adhering to such a plan as a way to find the good in order to realize it fully. In this plan, the business leaders should find their truth, and through adherence to this truth they should become free. To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity. Chief amongst the numerous obstacles standing on the way of realizing the potential that businesses have to be a force for Greater Good in any society is a divided life: the split between the faith which a business leader profess and his daily life. Business leaders who do not see themselves as serving others and God in their working lives will fill the void of purpose with a less worthy substitute. They will not see business as a vocation. A Christian business leader should strive to see signs of God in the daily experiences of life. Faith does not merely grant interior firmness, a steadfast conviction on the part of the believer; it also sheds light on every human relationship because it is born of love and reflects God´s own love. Thus, faith becomes a light capable of illuminating all our relationships in society and a service to the Common Good.
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It is only in this manner that every person becomes a main actor in the business and finds in the enterprise a source of fulfillment. At the same time, this is a way to prevent companies from becoming a means to achieve a development for the benefit of a few. Furthermore, also a way to ensure that the company profit does not become a goal in itself, but the consequence of the correct understanding of the needs of those who interact in and with the company; a consequence of having organized the resources available to address those needs in efficient, effective, environmentally friendly and socially responsible manners.
"Business leaders need to become role models in the organizational efforts to ingrain a culture based on the principles of human dignity and the common good." ROLANDO MEDEIROS
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3. BUSINESS SERVING THE COMMON GOOD Business serving the common good is what follows when long-term value is created for customers, employees, shareholders, and society. Consequently, for businesses to serve the common good a more humane corporate culture is needed which, in turn, demands an emphasis on properly ordering a set of practical principles. Key amongst them, besides the principle of subsidiarity critical for building workplaces as sources of flourishment, are the principle of meeting the needs of the world with goods that are truly good and truly serve without forgetting, in a spirit of solidarity, the needs of the poor and the vulnerable; and the principle of sustainable creation of wealth and their just distribution among the various stakeholders for the betterment of the society as a whole. These practical principles are, in simple and concise terms, the “3Gs” for the service of the Common Good: Good Goods, Good Work, and Good Wealth: • Good Goods: Making goods that are truly good and services that truly serve. Underlying this concept is the principle of universal destination of goods and the right to common use of them. • Good Work: Organizing work for the employees to develop their gifts and talents. While businesses strive to create goods and services, it should not come at the expense of good work and the integral development of the workers (i.e. the subjective dimension of work). • Good Wealth: Creating sustainable wealth and distributing it justly. The principle of just distribution calls for wealth to be allocated in a way that creates “right relationships” with those who have participated in the creation of such wealth. When businesses properly order these three goods, they serve as the economic engine of a society and play an indispensable role in generating material prosperity for wider numbers of people. When they disorder any of these goods, businesses fail to mitigate poverty. If a business is to serve the Common Good, it has to achieve all three of these goods.
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The whole network of UNIAPAC associations all over the world, including the BCBP, are expected to be working in closing their own gaps against the common vision of the future of being recognized worldwide for our distinct promotion of business as a noble vocation. The deployment of this visiondriven strategy is expected to result in higher levels of collaboration and synergies amongst the different associations. It is easy to envision how such a high degree of alignment could result in powerful contributions to put UNIAPAC’s mission effectively forward in all regions for the betterment of the whole world. The BCBP can diagnose its present condition on the same dimensions of UNIAPAC’s Vision of the Future and identify its unique and peculiar set of gaps for its complete realization. The process of managing the gaps then becomes a fully autonomous exercise in light of BCBP´s particular situation, circumstances and capabilities. However by sharing its specific actions, innovative programs and creativity with all the other UNIAPAC associations, BCBP will be making significant contributions to UNIAPAC by providing a great opportunity to disseminate best practices, capture synergies and allow other associations to learn from BCBP´s successes and failures. In turn BCBP will benefit from the experiences of other associations in its efforts to close its own gaps. In closing, let me quote some phrases from the recently released Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis “Gaudete et Exultate” [“Rejoice And Be Glad”] which are insightful advices in our quest, as business leaders, for the transformation of business into a noble vocation: we are called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves (#14) and, as Christian business leaders, we cannot think of our mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness (#19), a mission that has its fullest meaning in Christ, and can only be understood through him (#20). If we truly assume our business leadership role as a noble vocation we can find in our business activities a path to sanctity… Let´s pray to the Holy Spirit to illuminate that path.
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Becoming a Sheep in Wolf's Clothing By Dr. OSCAR G. BULAONG, JR. Executive Director, Gov. Jose B. Fernandez Ethics Center Ateneo de Manila University Can I ask you two or three questions? Did you sleep well? Did you have a good breakfast? Are you familiar with this Bible passage? "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15). Do you find this Bible passage disturbing? I find it disturbing as well. I first encountered this Bible verse when I was a kid,
clothing. I like this image. I like the idea of
when my mother introduced me to the Bible while I
something subversive, of something that challenges
was busy playing Atari. I remember reading this
the status quo. But how is it possible for me to go
passage and I found it really disturbing because it
into a world that is dangerous, that is unsafe, where
depicted the world outside as dangerous, not only
there are deceptive wolves, and I don't know the
because there are predators, but the predators are
difference between those I can trust and those I
deceptive, and they are wearing sheep's clothing. I
cannot trust?
asked myself, "Is the world an unsafe place? Is it something that I should not engage, simply because
As Christian businessmen, I think we should be
it is dangerous?"
subversive. I think we should subvert that notion that it's a concrete jungle out there, with wolves in
Can I show you an image? I'm showing you an image
sheep's clothing. I would like to look at our work.
of the opposite. That's not a wolf, right? That's a
Bro. Rolando talked about the vocation of the
sheep. And the sheep is wearing wolves'
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development and personal transformation. Those
so. Because the third stonemason has compassion
are precisely subversive insights. And I'm not sure if
for his work. May malasakit siya. He will do his work
that makes sense to you as something revolutionary
excellently. What is special about the third
and subversive. Why? Because the challenge is this:
stonemason is he acts according to his mission, a
To be a sheep in wolves' clothing, the challenge is
grand narrative.
to be more clever, to become more competent, and It is an issue in business -- a tug of war between
to be better than the wolves.
ethics and profits. Have you heard this expression A concrete example: Do you know this practice in
before, "Negosyo ito, hindi charity"? O ikaw ba,
the Philippines both in government and in private
sinabi mo na yan dati? No, no, no. Yung kalaban ko
called "Everybody Happy"? It comes in different
yan. Kaya ako nalulugi. Kasi yung kalaban ko
forms. One form is in the bidding process. If you
nagnenegosyo, ako nagcha-charity. Ganun ba yun?
have four bidders, the purchaser just tells you that if there are four projects, then why not just distribute
Now think about it, is the work we are doing -- that
the projects to all of you. And everybody happy. But
of of bringing Christ into the marketplace -- is it
it defeats the purpose of the bidding. The wolves in
contradictory? What about the work that you do: Do
sheep's clothing are conspiring.
your products or services serve genuine human needs? Or do you need to refine them? Have you
What does it mean to be more clever and more
designed the workplace and the systems to be
competent than the wolves? It's not that we must be
formative so employees develop themselves. Do we
transformed into wolves ourselves. But to win the
follow the principle of subsidiarity? Is the manner
marketplace for Christ. With this challenge, I'd like
we earn profit justly distributive to those who are
to impart some insights. I'd like to share the story of
affected by our operations? Is our operations
the three stone masons. And maybe we can learn an
exploitative, and only in the end that we do charity?
important lesson from it. Let's cite the example of a hypothetical company You know stonemasons, right? Stonemasons cut
called "A Moral Company." The only purpose of this
stones into shape. There are three stonemasons in
firm is to maximize shareholders' value. It produces
the story. The architect goes to the first stonemason
products using substandard material. It lowballs its
and asked the question, "What are you doing?" The
suppliers. Its employee policies are exploitative,
first stonemason said, "I'm making a wall, and I'm
they pay below minimum wage, require long work
getting paid for it." The architect goes to the second
hours. It has an unsustainable factory that harms the
stonemason and asked the same question. "I'm
environment. And it cheats on taxes.
helping make a cathedral," said the second stonemason. The third stonemason, when asked the
But afterwards, the company signs several checks
same question, said, "I am helping the work of God."
and give them to charity. Then they take pictures of the act and shows it to others that they have been
The first stonemason sees it as an input-output kind
charitable. This is called CSR 1.0 or the first concept
of thing. The second stonemason sees his work as
of CSR. The company does this to window-dress its
something bigger. But the third stonemason sees his
image.
work as a part of a grand narrative. If you think about it, the first and second stonemasons are doing
How distributive is our operation? How do we deal
the same thing.
with our clients or customers? Do we give just prices? Our suppliers, do we have good relations
Do you think the first stonemason requires a sort of
with them? Our employees, do they have work-life
quality control? Yes. Do you think the third
balance? Is the environment sustained because of
stonemason requires quality control? I don't think
our operation?
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Good wealth can be achieved by the way we
a book I read by leadership guru Frances Hesselbein.
distribute our wealth. I would like to show you an
In it, she said, "Start where you are. Use what you
empirical evidence that ethics have a direct benefit
have. And do what you can." That means you don't
on the bottomline and is good for your business.
have to be the president of the Philippines or the
This graph is very old but it is very popular because
president of BCBP to start transformation.
it shows that having ethical business practices is
Transformation happens always in small places
good for the business. On the Y-axis of this graph is
where they are not easily noticed.
the Human Development Index that measures the health, wealth and education of people in these
To be a sheep in wolves' clothing is to be clever and
countries. It compares these to the X-axis which
competent for Christ. We have to be more clever and
shows the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) or the
more competent and to conspire among ourselves.
degree of corruption in a country.
We must continue studying and developing new
skills on ethical practices. Because that kind of
There is a pattern globally. And what is that pattern?
competence enables the ethical alternative,
The less corrupt the country is, the healthier its
generates new knowledge, and allows us to can
people become and the better educated they are.
evangelize the marketplace.
And the inverse is also true. Knowledge production has to take the form of Corruption is like putting sand in the wheels of
witnessing, not only during Saturday breakfasts, but
commerce. It makes commerce, both in the micro
more so in our everyday business dealings. We have
and the macro level, less efficient.
to develop functional area-focused skills. We need to learn operations management properly, to do
It is not difficult to comprehend that doing good is
finance better. We propose personal leadership
both profitable and sustainable. I teach
workshops that hone not only skills but also
undergraduate students and MBA students, and
character. And finally, we need to do strategic
many of them say they are not the decision maker
management workshops.
and there is nothing they can do to solve the problem of corruption. They think the corruption
We should conspire to truly be a sheep in wolves'
issue is so rampant that it is like a monster. There is
clothing and win the marketplace for Christ.
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Changing Lives Through Education By Mr. PYTHAGORAS BRION Senior Vice President, PHINMA Corporation On behalf of all the brothers and sisters who work with PHINMA, I would like to thank God for placing us to work with a lay business organization with a very Christian heart. PHINMA has always organized its businesses to serve the country. Started in 1956 by two professionals, with the aim of going into businesses that could help rebuild the country after the destruction of the war. PHINMA's first business was cement with the
Since 15 years ago, PHINMA has redirected its
acquisition of the Bacnotan cement plant that
businesses from rebuilding the country to making
eventually grew to become the largest network of
Filipino lives better. Specifically, to make lives of
cement manufacturing in the country now known as
poor Filipinos better. This may be best illustrated in
Holcim Lafarge . This was quickly followed by entry
our education business, where we serve the lowest
into steel roof manufacturing, glass bottling, and
socio economic DE class at a tuition at least 50%
the first Filipino controlled oil refinery that was to
lower than our downtown universities in Manila.
become Petron. Allow me to read from the talk shared by our CEO in It may not be well known that PHINMA also went
the Servant Leadership Conference held at the Rizal
into agriculture for many years; sugar, coconut, fish
Ballroom, Makati Shangri-La, 31 January 2018. Mr.
farming, even vegetable farming for exports – the
RRR spearheaded PHINMA’s entry into the education
sector that employs the largest component of labor
business in 2003: "In his speech before the US
and the poorest segment of the Filipino people.
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of business, Pope Francis first said, 'I would
done. Hence, we brought our management,
encourage you to keep in mind all those people
systems, and practices and our decades of
around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty.
experience and expertise to bear on what was so
They too need to be given hope. The fight against
fundamental a need -- education.
poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and
on many fronts.'
Our strategy was to reduce education down to its most essential elements, appropriate facilities and
Therefore business’ mission is not only about making
learning materials, a proper classroom, and a great
lives better but is most especially about making the
teacher. We did not take shortcuts, nor sacrifice
lives of the poor better. This is most true in our
quality. We spent heavily on faculty development,
country where de-humanizing poverty continues to
ran our own in-house training programs and gave
be a reality for millions. Beyond providing jobs and
full graduate education scholarships.
paying decent wages, we can fulfill this mission by
choosing businesses that directly impact the lives of
We did not spend heavily on administration –
the poor through the provision of goods and services
choosing instead to use the same people and
that meet their critical needs at an affordable cost.
systems across our network. Nor did we spend on
academic research, but focused on teaching
In my own company, PHINMA, this is best
expertise. Finally, expenses for non-academic
exemplified by our entry into education. Our entry
student activities, such as sport and extra-curricular
into education was not just about entering the
activities, were highly selective.
education sector; it was about serving the
marginalized in Philippine society. Our students are
As a result, our tuition and fees remained affordable,
the children of our farmers, policemen, public school
averaging P13,000 to P15,000 per semester, and the
teachers and other government workers, of pedicab
proportion of our students coming from the D and E
drivers, street vendors, and manual laborers. These
income classes has grown from 63 to 75 percent.
are the families that need the best and greatest
Even more significantly, 65 percent of our college
opportunities to improve their lives. And our mission
freshmen are first generation college students. We
is to give them just those opportunities, by providing
are successfully giving Filipino families a chance to
accessible, quality higher education through a
graduate for the first time a child from college.
country-wide network of institutions.
But to truly serve this market, our education could
Seventy-five percent of our 58,000 students come
not only be about low tuition fees. While the lack of
from households that earn no more than P15,000 per
financial resources is often the major obstacle to a
month, or are from income class D. Twenty-five
good education, a weak basic education, the lack of
percent come from the lowest income class, income
preparedness, and the inability to read, also exclude
class E, or are from households that earn no more
the youth from educational opportunities. Exclusion
than P9,000 per month or are below the country’s
comes in many forms.
official poverty threshold. This is the market PHINMA Education has committed to serving, not by
PHINMA Education’s own freshmen enter with Grade
accident, but by intention.
4 Reading and Math competencies. Based on assessment exams, only 3 percent are ready for
To serve those most vulnerable, whose ability to
college while 36 percent belong to the lowest
matriculate changes from semester to semester
quartile in terms of college readiness. If we were to
depending on their families’ finances, it was
address their poverty, our education had to be about
incumbent upon us to change the way things were
effectiveness. No, for this market we served, it had to be about extreme effectiveness.
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Our key intervention is a program called the Student
the 2013 cohort to 71 percent for the 2015 cohort.
Success Program (SSP), which is based on the
So as business servant leaders, it can be more than
experiences of Teach for America, University of
just providing jobs and paying decent wages. Our
Texas–Austin and other organizations whose work is
business, the goods and services we choose to
relevant to low-income, first-generation students.
provide, can in themselves make a difference. We need only apply our knowhow and expertise to
The SSP seeks to provide our students with mindsets
making these goods and services affordable,
and tools for success in school and in life in general,
effective and transformative. This is the first way
going beyond academics and addressing the causes
we fulfill our mission, by choosing businesses that
of shortcomings. The goal is for them to internalize
directly impact the lives of the poor and provide
three key messages: I Want. I Can. I Belong.
routes out of poverty.
In our I Want sessions, we nudge our students to
Our efforts to make education accessible does not
reflect on their heart’s desire and set milestones
end in our running our own schools efficiently. The
towards their goals. As Antoine Saint-Exupery wrote,
problems of very high fall out of students without
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to
completing high school, even with free tuition at
collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work,
that, to find the most menial work just to earn a
but rather teach them to long for the endless
living for his poor family due to lack of employable
immensity of the sea.”
skills; the problem of high school graduates who cop out of college because they have not been
Our I Can intervention shows students scientific and
prepared to have the basic reading and arithmetic
neurological proof that intelligence is malleable, not
skills to cope with college materials cannot be
fixed. Most of our students have received messages
addressed effectively only by adding classrooms and
throughout their lives that they were intellectually
giving scholarships to a deserving few.
weak and incapable. Through this program, they will
realize that they themselves can change their ability
Allow me again to lift the following from our CEO's
to learn and that learning is just an issue of effort,
speech to the Serviam community in January this
practice, and grit.
year: “Entire education system had to change and
business had to participate in and, if need be, lead
Finally, when disadvantaged students encounter
this change. The K-to-12 Basic Education cycle,
adversity they often believe that they are dealing
probably the largest transformation of our education
with problems by themselves. This increases their
system in recent decades, was one of PBEd’s
chances of dropping out. Instead, through the I
advocacies. PBEd and many other initiatives --
Belong programs, we want them to internalize the
Philippine Business for the Environment, the Joint
belief that they are not alone and other students like
Chamber of Commerce’s Arangkada, the National
them have succeeded.
Industry Academe Council -- attempt to go beyond
dole-outs and become actively involved in
As a result of the Student Success Program and the
governance and policy.
commitment to academic excellence, our overall board passing rates have gone from an average of 50
"The impact of the K-to-12 system is not just to
to 70 percent from 2009 to 2016. In that same
make our basic education program equivalent to
period, our average tuition fees decreased from
most developed countries. By adding Grades 11 and
P30,000 annually to P25,000. At the same time our
12 to the high school program, poor students gain
average teachers salaries rose 30 percent. Moreover,
more time to upgrade their basic reading and
the number of our graduates employed six months
arithmetic skills. More importantly, it allows them to
after graduation has gone up from 57 percent for
acquire functional skills in voc-tech subjects that
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will equip them to qualify for regularly paying and
with PHINMA, her PNS Ate who works with me in
meaningful jobs or even go on their own micro
PHINMA’s Treasury, was one of the donors of this
business to start with, even if they decide not to
project.
pursue a college degree." Another alumna who maintains her links with Improved education also needs very much great
PHINMA to continue to make lives better is Zoe
teachers. PHINMA Foundation under Bro. Bobby
Nery. Zoe is currently a Teach for the Philippines
Laviña’s leadership has formulated a scholarship
Fellow assigned to a public school in Guimaras. As
program for teacher education in cooperation with
the school has limited resources, we connected her
the Philippine Normal University. Our scholars come
to the PHINMA-University of Iloilo where she is able
mostly from low-income families in the provinces;
to bring her students to study in our library.
most of them are the first in their families to reach college. When they graduate and obtain their
The PHINMA scholarship program has not only
teacher’s license, they are committed to return to
developed good teachers, also good multipliers of
their provinces to teach for at least 5 years and to
the good that they have received. Our transformative
apply in a public school immediately.
approach to business is not limited to education.
To properly equip them, these scholars’ training are
In housing, we have had opportunity to apply the
not confined to academics and the classroom. The
same principles with heart-warming results.
PHINMA Foundation program provides the
Bistekville 2 housing for relocated Informal Settler
mentoring and the training to develop their
Families (ISFs) in Quezon City is a case in point. The
leadership skills and potential. Throughout their
property was squatted on for many years, until the
college term, scholars absorb the values of integrity,
owner worked out an arrangement with the Quezon
competence, professionalism and nationalism. In
City Local Government Unit to relocate the informal
fact, 70 percent of the cost of scholarship is spent on
settler families (ISFs). We were engaged by the to
educational field trips, outreach activities, and
undertake the construction of the houses at
leadership conferences to make them good citizens
P450,000 government funded rate. Usually, this
and effective leaders. Employees are engaged to
cannot be done profitably in a Manila setting. But
participate in mentoring the scholars as Big Brother
PHINMA Property did it -- building a total of 1,078 in
or Big Sister. The Ate's and the Kuya's meet monthly
row houses and flats in 3-storey medium-rise
with their little brother or sister to make kumusta,
buildings. About 4 of the original ISFs and a few
encourage, tutor, or give guidance on personal
hundred ISFs living in waterways in Quezon City
concerns.
were resettled in decent homes with running water, tiled toilets, and metered electricity. The subdivision
To date, the PHINMA National Scholarship program
had paved roads with lighted streets and a police
or PNS has 117 alumni teachers nationwide.
outpost, all as a contribution of the QC LGU.
Demonstrating that they have learned the values of PHINMA, our alumni continue to pay it forward. One
But PHINMA’s development did not stop at the
example would be Patricia Boncayao, who is now
construction and turnover of the dwelling units.
teaching in a remote public school in Quezon
Under the direction of Bro. Ricky Siton, Vice
province. She noticed that many of her students
President of PPHC, the Haggai Council was formed.
were unable to attend class due to the difficulty of
The Council was a cooperation among the QC LGU,
commuting (often walking as much as two hours
the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP),
each way). On her own initiative, she raised funds to
Focolare, the Diocese of Novaliches and the
purchase bicycles that she then lent to the students,
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Professionals (BCBP). The QC LGU organized the
profitable, albeit with persistence, perseverance, and
estate management to keep order in the community.
patience if we in business can really put our hearts
PBSP assisted the community in organizing a
into it. It does come with a cost, but eventually
homeowners’ association that mobilized residents to
reasonable profits can be earned.
participate in the continuing development of their community. Focolare and BCBP provided values
The Bistekville project did not make money for PPHC
formation.
as the length of time to execute the program to meet our desired transformative objective took three
To augment their mostly irregular income, PBSP
years longer than planned. Despite that, we are
conducted livelihood training programs. Today, many
prepared to do something similar with lessons
residents are engaged in micro businesses like SIM
learned from the Bistekville project. God has sent us
card selling, rag making and fashion item-making
a few projects to work on. For many years, our
from recycled materials, and food processing.
schools did not even make returns that cover the cost of capital. The first school to attain a 10% ROE
All these efforts of community building have given
took us more than 7 school years to achieve that.
these poor people a sense of dignity and a hope for a
Even another university acquired in 2009 remains a
better future. Having their own homes that they pay
single-digit return investment as of the last school
for instilled a high sense of pride among those
year. But we expect this school to finally break the
previously looked down as ”mga squatters”. And
hurdle this coming school year.
their children have the confidence to invite classmates to their little homes and play in a safe
A recent independent assessment of the school
environment.
business values the business at more than three times the investment we have so far made on the
Most surprisingly, these people spent less on rent,
seven schools. We do not intend to sell the business,
water ,and light in homes they own than when they
but that kind of valuation will allow us to raise more
were “renting”, about P 600 less per month. Making
capital to expand our efforts to organize, run, and
business doing good can be made reasonably
expand businesses that could transform lives for the better.
PHINMA'S Bistekville 2 project
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Creating Shared Value: Lessons from the Bamboo By Mr. ALLAN L. CRISTOBAL
Founder and Chairman, ALC Holdings and ALC Foundation Most of us today are successful and fulfilled in our respective professions and businesses. In all of God’s blessings, do we view ourselves as a dot in a white blank page? A dot? An end to a sentence – a mark of completeness, the fulfilment of a thought or message – a small dot that is drowned in the overwhelming vastness of one big environment such as this white blank page. As individuals, are we the same kind of dot with a
We started our humble business as a one-table
sense of completeness and fulfilment
trading company. With the entrepreneurial spirit
but, are operating in an environment that is vast –
that has been inculcated in me all through the years,
as a matter of fact full of potential – but at the
together with a mix of talented individuals on
same time in an environment that is blank – a
board, bold decisions made and right opportunities
hollow space of no ground, of no purpose? Are you
explored, we were able to grow our group of
the same dot? I was.
companies to what we have today.
I am Allan Leal Cristobal, Founder and Chairman of
As an entrepreneur, I was very much fulfilled and
ALC Holdings, Inc. (ALCHI) and ALC Foundation. We
complete. I was like that one dot in a blank page,
are a diversified group of companies with 16 years
excited to expand and grow to fill and conquer the
of experience. Together, the group and the
un-colonized space around me. Success has been
foundation are geared towards growing socially
measured by business excellence and business
sustainable businesses.
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most tragic event in our life happened. I am a
of Creating Shared Value (CSV), the Lord has
husband to a loving wife, Sheila, and a father to 5
revealed to me that these values are leading us to a
adorable children, namely, Paulo, Angel, Sofia,
mission -- a mission to be of impact in the areas of
Alliana and Sean . My family is my inspiration, they
Wellness and Health, to be of sustainable value in
are my top priority after God. My drive to grow the
advocating for the environment, to foster human
business is primarily to be a responsible providing
development via education, and to be an instrument
father to them.
in providing livelihood to the communities – a mission to be bigger than the business, to grow
It was on May 5, 2013, our second born, Sofia, has
beyond profit. This is our purpose.
been diagnosed with giant intracranial aneurism. She is a survivor and a fighter. And this has
I exist today because of this purpose. And my
transformed our family, and the way we live our
purpose is not to become a stationary dot but rather
lives since then. This has shifted my perspective to
a functional wheel ready to serve the Lord in
look up and seek the Lord. We are grateful that I
transforming our business and the communities one
have joined BCBP before this incident as this has
at a time. This has transformed the way we do things
prepared my family to be steadfast in faith. The Lord
at ALC Holdings, from a limited view of profitability
has been magnified. I accepted Him fully in my life.
to an inclusive view of sustainability; from being
He made me realize that my view as an individual
socially reactive to becoming socially proactive; from
dot in a white blank page is a perspective that has
being an efficient supplier/customer to becoming a
been blinded by the greatness of my potential
responsible business partner; from customer-centric
impact as a humble dot to the community as a
to community-centric; from a corporate citizen to a
whole. And I am starting with my organization.
nation-builder.
As a group, as we were reflecting on how we
This shift in mindset has transformed our
envision the organization to move forward and grow
organizational setup as a whole. Before, we used to
for the future, I am astounded to hear that the
call it Corporate Social Responsibility. This setup
common aspiration amongst everyone is to be in the
today, we call it Creating Shared Value. From CSR to
growing business of touching and transforming lives.
CSV! Together with my purpose-driven team, we
And that in doing so, together we realized it has to
foster a win-win platform for sustainable growth for
be in a sustainable model of shared value –
the community we operate in as a whole. This is our
mutually beneficial to the community and to the
way to honor and praise the Lord! Matthew 25:40, "I
business. The team is onboard! I looked up to the
tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the
heavens and it was as if the Lord talked to me and
least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did
said, “I have already prepared and equipped your
for Me."
army and you, as captain, to fulfill your purpose.”
Let me share with you how we put this in practice.
And so here am I with my team – day by day, we are
Our situation is this. We live in a country that is
creating shared value. This has magnified what is
disaster-prone. We are geographically positioned
inside me as a humble dot. He has blessed me with
highly susceptible to the effects of climate change.
the capacity to be Excellent. He has equipped me
According to the United Nations Office for Disaster
with the insight to be innovative. And He has
Risk Reduction (UNISDR), our country is fourth in the
anointed my hands to be a steward of his creations.
world among countries hit by the highest number of disasters over the past 20 years. From 1995 – 2015,
I exist because God has anchored me to these values
there were a total of 274 disasters recorded in the
– same values that have enabled me to grow my
Philippines, trailing the United States (472), China
business all through the years. With the realization
(441), and India (288).
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Something has to be done. During tropical storm
Kawayanihan leads to the mitigation of the effects
Ondoy in 2009, God ministered to me the power of
of climate change. On the other hand, communities
the bamboo to survive and remain steadfast amidst
may harvest this bamboo then process them for
the devastation of a strong typhoon. And this
varied products, providing them a sustainable source
inspired us to further study how the bamboo is as a
of livelihood and income.
blessing to humanity. Did you know that the bamboo, with its net-like roots, creates an effective
This project we call Bamboohay (Bamboo +
mechanism for watershed protection? Bamboo is an
Hanapbuhay). Bamboohay also organizes
eco-friendly material for many everyday products. Its
communities through Community-Based Bamboo
high-yield capability and sustainability means it is a
Nursery (CBN) and develops into Barangay
good cash crop for income generation. The list goes
Cooperatives nationwide The global potential of
on about the awesomeness of bamboo.
bamboo is huge! Allow me to show you these examples. Applications from architecture,
Thus, we launched Project K -- “Kawayan para sa
engineering, construction, furniture, and so many
Kalikasan, Kaligtasan at Kabuhayan.” Project K aims
possible products.
to plant bamboo all over the Philippines, on riverbanks, mountainside in any open and available
According to the International Network for Bamboo
space to create green, safe, liveable, resilient and
and Rattan (INBAR), the global trend for bamboo is
empowered communities through bamboo growing
said to reach $10 billion in 2010, $20 billion in 2018
and propagation while developing and providing for
and $60 billion in 2020. Taking huge chunk of this
alternative community-based livelihood.
opportunity is China and India. ALC Foundation would like to take part of such potential. Currently,
Under Project K are two flagship Initiatives -
we have over 7 planting sites in Luzon. But we won't
Kawayanihan and Bamboohay First we have
stop here. We want to be bigger. Brothers and
Kawayanihan (Kawayan + Bayanihan), is a Bamboo
Sisters, I invite you to please join us in this crusade
planting initiative that directly impacts the
towards a greener nation and make the Philippines
environment. Under this program, we provide
the bamboo capital of the world. We are bold to
technical skills transfer to communities on how to
impact change and make a difference. We are not
propagate and grow bamboo. Saplings are then sold
afraid to revolutionize the playing field. We are
by the communities to a wide array of partners, such
determined because our end-goal is clear – our
as NGOs, Corporate Citizens and many other
purpose is Christ-driven.
institutions. These partners in turn plant these saplings via their community development programs
To end, I would like to share this video… 2.5 million
to varied areas where watershed protection is
dots to come-up with this finished product. Of all
necessary.
the billions of dots, each one of us is God’s masterpiece. And each one of us fits perfectly in
Through Bamboo Planting, we encourage the
God’s ultimate masterplan. 2 Corinthians 3:18, "And
participation as well as drive environmental
we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the
protection awareness among communities , LGU’s,
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image
academic institutions, organizations and other
with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the
corporate partners This initiative also aims for the
Lord, who is the Spirit." Who do you choose to be
re-greening and reforestation along the riverbanks,
today? Be that dot in this vast white space or be one
mountainsides, shorelines and any open or available
of these millions of humble dots contributing impact
space. This will serve as added protection against
and relevance in the big picture. The difference
flooding and soil erosion, not to mention its
between these two choices is PURPOSE. Let us seek
contribution to improve biodiversity; Hence, overall,
God and have that purpose revealed today.
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Beyond CSR: The SPIRIT of Business Transformation By Dr. CECILIO K. PEDRO. Chairman, Lamoiyan Corporation Are you Hapee? Or are you Colgate? What a privilege. Akala ko ang kausap ko mga 200 people. Ang dami pala. More than 5,000. I am so happy that there is now hope for this country because of people like you who are willing to work to transform the workplace and bring the Lord Jesus Christ to the workplace. My talk is based on the core values of Lamoiyan
inclusive society."
Corporation. And the word we use as an acronym is SPIRIT. The SPIRIT of Lamoiyan, the foundation of
Inclusive means it includes all, especially those who
Lamoiyan. S-P-I-R-I-T. S is for social responsibility. P
need help the most. In the Bible, Jesus said,
is about pursuing excellence. I stands for integrity. R
"Whatever you do to the least of My brethren, you
is for respect for the individual The other I is is for
do it unto Me." Who is the least of our brothers? In
innovation. And T is teamwork. We have the biggest
the case of Lamoiyan Corporation, it is the hearing
team in this place. 5,000. If we can work together,
impaired. If you work in Lamoiyan Corporation, you
we can change the world.
know na tahimik po sa amin. Walang tsismis. We teach our people sign language. You know sign
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said,
language? You use your hand to sign. We help other
"The emphasis placed by more and more companies
handicapped people, the lame, the blind. Even
on Corporate Social Responsibility symbolizes the
supposedly normal people are handicapped. Take
recognition that prosperity is best achieved in an
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in basketball, I am handicapped. Maliit ako eh. So in
My God, your God, is so good. 2002 He sent an angel
college, I joined swimming.
from Unilever, Elmer Buntag, the best Filipino scientist of Unilever. I asked him, "Can you help us?"
So let us go to SPIRIT. S- Social responsibility. This is
And he said, "By all means." So he completely
a huge, huge challenge for companies today. The
changed our formulation. changed our entire
number one challenge of listed companies is to
process. Anong ginamit niya? Eh di Close Up. So he
make profits. Puro profits ang pinag-uusapan. No
changed our formulation to gel. Then the idea came:
compromise. If you fail to meet your targets,
Palitan natin yung flavor to give it the Pinoy taste.
investors will bring your price down. I like to see companies pay attention to profits and social
In 2005, God took away Elmer Buntag from us. He
responsibility. Ramon del Rosario of PHINMA knows
passed away. But that year, God sent another angel,
this. kasi may Jaycees training. Service to humanity is
this time from Colgate. Zeny Soriano, the chief
the best work in life. The emphasis of more and
scientist of Colgate. At that time, Colgate transferred
more companies now is inclusiveness -- helping
their factory to Thailand. Tanggal din siya. Sabi ko sa
those in the peripherals. One third of our workforce
kanya, "Zeny, we have lost Elmer, your friend. Will
is composed of the hearing impared. We have 3
you help us?" Sabi niya, "I know you, I know your
schools for the deaf, one of them, in Nueva Ecija, is
company, I would love to help you."
from grade school to high school. We introduce the Gospel of Jesus Christ for them to know God. We
So she came over, changed our formulation. Anong
have to help the people in the periphery, especially
formulation? Colgate! She changed our formulation
the hearing impaired.
for white. So yung Hapee white is basically Colgate. Pero lasang Pinoy. So we have the best quality, the
P -- Pursuit of excellence. "Excellence is never an
best process, from the best people who worked for
accident. It is always the result of high intention,
these wonderful companies, my competitors. We
sincere effort, and intelligent execution," said
have to excel. More so because we are believers. God
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher. We have to excel.
calls us to be the best for His glory.
Hindi pupuwede yung puwede na. Bawal sa amin sa company na puwede na. Mediocre ang puwede na.
I-Intergrity. W. Clement Stone once said, "Have the
Pag sinabi sa akin na puwede na, it means you can
courage to say no. Have the courage to face the
still do more. Nowadays, our competition is no
truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are
longer among us Filipinos. We now compete with
the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
the Chinese. If we are not excellent, then we will not
This is a big challenge for businessmen. All of us
have a chance. Your benchmark should be the best.
face the same challenge, the same concern. We tend to challenge our own integrity. If you don't practice
In our case, we had to pick. Colgate or Close Up? Yan
integrity, it will be very hard for you to train the next
lang ang alam ko eh. In 2002, we were 30 percent
generation to have integrity. You want the kids to
cheaper than Colgate, they decided to lower their
have integrity when dealing with you? You must
price. Binagsak nila yung presyo to fight us, to make
practice integrity. Masakit po. Pay your taxes
sure that we won't grow anymore. Sabi ko sa mga
correctly. Deal with people with integrity. Pag sinabi
board members ng company namin, perhaps it is
mong 10 o'clock, kailangan nandito ka ng 10 o'clock.
about time that we go head-on. We have to compete
The courage to do the right thing. It is what's needed
in quality. I went to the Lord. I asked God, "How can I
today, in the workplace, in the factory, and outside of
compete with giants in this industry? I don't have the
the company.
people. I don't have the know-how. I don't have the resources."
R-Respect for the individual. "If you want to be a - 2 2 -
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great leader, remember to treat all people with
became my inspiration. I told God, maybe you want
respect at all times. For one, because you never
me to be the William Colgate of the Philippines.
know when you’ll need their help. And two, because it is a sign you respect people, which all great
So I went on to produce my own toothpaste. Of the 4
leaders do." -- Simon Sinek, Start With Why.
P's of marketing, the only thing I had was "price" because I could make the product cheaper since I
You have to respect people to earn their respect. You
made my own tubes. But I did not have a product. So
want to be respected, start respecting people.
I sold my toothpaste at cost -- at half the price of
Walang shortcut dyan. It's just like going to heaven,
Colgate. Filipinos tried our product because of
there is no shortcut. In the morning, when I go to the
necessity.
office, the first person I meet is the janitor. I say, "Good morning. How are you today?" Tuwang-tuwa
So in 2003, they cut their price. So we had to
yung bata. So when he sees my car coming in,
innovate. God sent an angel, David Salvador, the
magwawalis yan. Laging malinis ang factory namin.
country manager of Johnson & Johnson. He joined us.
Our CR is also very clean, puwede kayo kumain dun.
We competed in sachets. Colgate came out with a
We see to it that our CR is as clean as that in a 5-star
sachet with P7. So we fought by coming out with 2
hotel. And we respect those people who clean the
sachets at P5. They responded and matched our
CR. The security guards, we also respect them and
price. So we came out with 3 sachets for P5. Hindi na
we train them to be respectful. Treat them well.
sila sumunod. God is good. He sustains all of us. If
Respect them and they will respect anyone who
your desire is to help, He will help you.
comes to the office. Do you remember our Kiddie Toothpaste? We came Respect must also be always present at home.
out with 7 flavors, and the bestseller was the tutti
Husbands must respect their wives, and vice versa. If
frutti. Mothers thanked us because it made their
respect is there, then the children will respect their
children brush their teeth automatically. But some
parents. I am against divorce. No to divorce. But if
said their children even used our toothpaste as
there is no respect, then kahit walang divorce aalis
sandwich spread. Masarap eh!
yan. T - Teamwork. "Great things in business are never I - Innovation. "There is a way to do it better? Find
done by one person, they are done by a team of
it." -- Tomas Edison, the greatest inventor ever. Sabi
people." Everybody knows Steve Jobs. It's not about
niya if there is a way to do it better then we must
one person. It's about the team. It's about people
find it.
working with you or for you. It's about coming together.
When I started, I made aluminum tubes for toothpaste. But my customer changed from
I was in Huawei recently, and I was told that the
aluminum tubes to plastic. Sabi ko, anong gagawin
innovation in the company is being handled by a
ko sa mga makina ko? Sabi nila, "Problema mo na
team of 200,000 scientists. How much is the budget?
yan." I cried. The inspiration to come out with my
172 billion dollars, bigger than our national budget.
own toothpaste came from a guy named William. He
They are now experimenting with robots. And that is
came from a poor family in England, went to
because of their team. Tayo, saan tayo?
Pennsylvania to work in a soap factory. He was a
If you want to compete, empower your team. I am
good Christian and his first salary he gave to the
here because of my team. Nobody ever succeeded
Church. So he became successful. Eventually, he was
alone. it's always because of a team. God is providing
able to own that soap factory and began to produce
you with angels. But you must work with them as a
toothpaste. His name was William Colgate. He
team. - 2 3 -
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Putting Faith into Action: The Institute for Business Transformation
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teaching tracks from the International Christian Union of Business Executives (Uniapac) in its Formation process.
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) has been synonymous with Marketplace Evangelization since its birth in 1980. The BCBP continues to fulfill its vision and mission through the Institute of Business Transformation (IBT). The IBT is an arm of the BCBP that aims to promote Business as a Vocation. It will unite, guide, and mold business leaders, challenging them to aspire for a greater meaning in life -- eventually sending them out to their marketplaces to win other businessmen for Christ.
For Action Teams -- The IBT will bring together executives with similar hearts and minds in small cluster teams. They will engage in prayer, Bible study, and sharing of best practices in business. For Public Fora -- The IBT will gather businessmen and professionals per industry as well as government and civil society leaders and engage them in meaningful discussions about business transformation.
The IBT will focus on Good Products and Services, Good Work, and Good Wealth to transform businesses into noble vocations. It believes businessmen are searching for "meaning" and the IBT wants to help them work for the common good -- for God's greater glory.
For Consultancies -- The IBT will provide mentoring and business coaching services to corporations through certified Business Transformation coaches who will work with the corporations for an agreed package fee for 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on the need.
The IBT will offer the following services:
For more information about the Institute for Business Transformation, please contact: Joey Avellana +63 918-927-8424; Roy Calleja +63 917796-2690; Serge dela Fuente +63 917-883-4599.
For Formation -- The IBT will combine BCBP modules, social teachings, Papal encyclicals, and
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