Atty. Vivian Dabu, former Entrep Student at AGSB Clark, a Remarkable Public Servant

An Ateneo Graduate School of Business Advantage

I am constrained to write a few words on Atty Vivian Dabu, a former student at AGSB Clark.  She could have been an outstanding ASG student and graduate.  When I first saw her, I thought she was an ordianry MBA student.  Later I learned that she was the trusted assistant of Fr. Emong Panilillo, the priest governor of Pampanga.  I learned more about her as she made her presentation and more when I got the embed code of her Grameen bank slideshare presentation. I was surprised on what I found out.

She has ll slides on various topics mostly ethics and government service.  It is good that I had 4 more than her.  Otherwise I would have been shamed.  (Some students shy away from this Slideshare assignment, which they do in Markma anyway and do not want to open a slideshare account).

Here is the link to her slides:

Slides of Atty Vivian Dabu at Slideshare

Congratulations Atty.  It was great honor to have been with your company for 8 4 hour session.

Public Policy, Corruption and Ethical Issue

Our generation needs an ENTREPRENEURIAL REVOLUTION. I have been often asked by students as to whether in my business practice, I come across shakedown deals by revenue, customs, and LGU officials and employees, as if it is a trap question when the Lord was asked as to whether he would pay taxes to Cesar.

Well, I usually answer, if you were in a pig sty, would you not eat mud?

Can you succeed despite bad deeds around you?  You give back what is Cesars.  And hopefully Cesar would benefit from what he got from you.  You got your permits anyway.  And you can do business and you are on your way to serve your customers better with better products.

Obviously, whether there is "Tuwid na Daan" or not, the enterprising (or entrepissing) government minions will always have their way.  I had two former classmates who did not last long in Cabinet positions (under an upright President) because:

          > the technocrats he inherited have their own syndicates of suppliers and auditors;  he could not bend mend their ways;

          > he could not get a budget approval from the approving body unless he appoints a less qualified protege or crony

      Another colleague who also teaches, formerly a senior military officer, and was absorbed in a Cabinet position resigned because his colleagues concocted cases against him; and since he did not have the money, he could not bribe COA or the Ombudsman.  The corrupt, the crooked path (baluktot na daan most of the time wins, whatever the dispensation)

     Despite the effort of the President to go after the Big Fish, the small fishes, I was informed by friends, are finding excuses to exact higher bribes and toll from small traders and businessmen because "Mahigpit eh"  (It is stricter)   Despite paying taxes to the government, their toll (bribes) have to be bigger, at this time that the former President GMA was served a WOA (Warrant of Arrest),  It has no effect on them. " Tsk tsk tsk maski sinampolan"

      The LGUs are very exacting.  No PHP, no No wad of Ninoys, no permit, no clearances.  And they could reach millions.  Barangay clearances sometime run into hundreds of thousand.  What the local government code had wrought, more crooks and bolder too, because they have more powers to veto.

     Well power corrupts and it corrupts absolutely.  People in the government, wield power and mighty power too:   legislators, judges, police officers, revenue officers, tax collectors, approving officers.  The brother of a friend had to sell his trucking business after he was fleeced of P5million, after the brother of mayor in Luzon rammed into his truck. 

      And we entrepreneurs must live with that, to kowtow to power wielders, and brokers.  I hope the President is successful in his dream to rid the government of crooks.

Public Policy and Entrepreneurship

Public policy,  (government policy and regulations) is an important enabler (or deterrent) to entrepreneurship.  It could either be an opportunity, or risk (remember the Chinese Ji- Wei?), an enabler or deterrent.  Let us try to look at some current events:

l.  There were Peace Bonds issued l0 years ago.  And they were supposed to be tax free.  And now BIR turns around and taxes the bonds?  Isnt this double cross?  Doesn't business/entrepreneur thrive on stable policies and  environment?  What do you think?

2.  The Chamber of Mines recently posted a l/2 page ad in a leading daily, decrying the inconsistency in thrust of the government in promotion of mining as a necessary industry.  The Chamber mentioned also the Ateneo School of Government which sponsored a forum on the industry, but where most of the papers to be presented are anti mining.  What do you think of this?

3.  A government agency, intent on collecting its receivables, has been using a provision of the law that criminalizes the non payment, and its lawyers are busy filing cases in courts, even if the payments have been made, and the police force are busy arresting board of directors and CEO of companies (instead of running after criminals).  Of course, these guys are cursing swearing vs the courts, and the police, especially if payments have been made and cases still filed.  (Hmm, isnt there abuse here?)  Is this not anti entrepreneurship?

4.  Corruption.  The current government, intent on the Tuwid na Daan program will be prosecuting many suspected crooks of the past administration with the end in view of setting the standards of integrity and ethics.  This is great and commendable.

However, in the World Bank ranking of the countries in Doing Business, Philippines is l48th, and some of the issues here are access and efficiency of the bureaucracy which should be addressed with the same vigor as corruption.  Some civil servants, steeped in the old ways - manana habit, gross inefficiency must be retrained or retired.

Maybe corruption at the highest level was quite gross, that is why even mug shots of the fmr President were published.  But are we not missing something here with regards to achievement of economic progress.?  Is this the only thrust/emphasis, focus to the public sector?

Many countries, (let us mention their names;  all countries civil and political servants are not lily white) achieved progress inspite of being corrupt.

Is it not time not to equate progress vs. lack of corruption?

Despite these perceived difficulties, Philippine economy buoyed up the service sector, more government spending, lower inflation would see Philippine growth at more than 4% (compare this with Eurozone's 0.5%!!!)

P.S.  Oh yes, the traffic?!! Can they not manage this well?   How are our traffic czars doing.  Traffic jams waste a lot of fuel not to mention its effect on climate change. And disrupts the economy.  I nearly came late to an appointment this morning because, the thoroughfare where we pass, is a major choke point;  it is one huge parking lot for private vehicles, and terminal station for tricycle. 


Our generation needs an ENTREPRENEURIAL REVOLUTION.