A year-ender to top all other year-enders, so to speak. And why not? 2016 was a year that will not be easily forgotten in human history. The volatility and the temperament were not just here, mind you, but also in the US, in Europe, and in other parts of the world. To say that “Change is Coming” is rhetorical because, indeed, change has happened and change will definitely stay.
The Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute for Strategic and International Studies (ADRi) hosted such a year-end conference dubbed “The Pilipinas Conference” that sought to look at the vision and outlook for Philippine economic growth and diplomatic leadership under the Duterte administration.
The conference was made up of panel discussions on these primordial topics: federalism, regional security, the economy and Philippine Business in Southeast Asia. I led the fourth Panel Discussion on “The Philippine Footprint in Southeast Asia and Beyond” together with RFM Corporation President and CEO as well as Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo Founder and current Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala II, and International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Bloomberry Resorts Chairman and CEO Ricky Razon.
It’s not often that we get these leaders of industry in one forum; thus, my task was to ensure we maximize their presence and milk them of their views and ideas. We were not disappointed. It was, by far, the most engaging, thought-provoking, and profound panel that I have been part of. Indeed, starting from their vantage point as CEOs and captains of industry, all of them were able to eloquently and succinctly share with the audience their respective views; which was clearly culled from a strong academic background, a deep understanding of business and realpolitik. We were taken on an exciting tour of the inevitability of a “ New World Order” and what we must do to prepare for it.
My opening salvo was to ask what made these captains of industry decide to “expand their horizons” abroad or beyond the Philippines. Striking in this discussion was what Ricky Razon said, that “the easiest place to do business is the one where you make the least money.” Some grain of truth there.
Other points of discussion included the preparation that each of their companies did with the forthcoming Trump administration in the US, especially on certain policy pronouncements he has made like, for example, with BPOs and the review of existing trade agreements; the kind of advice they would give the audience and their companies on the “change” that is happening; their take on the present foreign policy thrust of the administration; and about the highly-sensitive topic of change in the form of government and lifting of the restrictive economic provisions of constitution.
The responses were varied, but not necessarily unrelated to what each had to say. All points mentioned seem to add up to a whole—a particular direction, a particular framework. I believe all panelists were of one mind in how they wanted business to flourish, in how they expected government to act. It’s just that they expressed these different parts of a whole in different ways.
Truly, the kind of year-ender that should cap an otherwise interesting or, shall I venture to say, amazing year. But don’t take my word for it. View it yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_gJYvWjozU&t=3501s.
Happy Holidays!