Measurable Goals

The government, in conjunction with the PCCI (Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry), again held a forum ꟷ Sulong-Pilipinas ꟷ for Duterte’s Economic Team to get business’ inputs to what should be the top 10 priorities for government to address this coming year.

The same format was used as was used last year in Davao just before Duterte assumed the presidency, and from which came the final version of the 10-point socio-economic plan, was used. It’s a very successful methodology. From that forum came 10 points that have proved their validity and relevance over the past 12 months. And will continue to serve as the backbone of the administration’s programs.

This time it was only one day as against two in Davao, and was, I think, a little too rushed because of it. If it’s to be only one day in the future, the content should be strictly economics/business. The social welfare side which was discussed in the afternoon, could be set elsewhereꟷ and with a different crowd mix. As it, too, is important.

A number of Cabinet Secretaries were there, pretty much the whole Economic Team, and the President joined at the end of the day to hear the result and respond.

Ten points in businessmen’s “wishlist” were agreed on, and the President assured they’d get action priority. Let’s hope so, we’d kind of lost hope of getting anything we wanted done in the last government. Duterte came into power promising rapid action. I suspect he wasn’t fully aware of how lethargic and absurdly complex the bureaucracy can be, is. And that indeed was one of the ten recommendations: “Improve the ease of doing business through the convergence of different agencies.” That’s good, but, in itself, is not enough as it’s only one aspect of the bureaucracy. A shake-up of far wider proportions is needed. It requires a new mind-set, a new attitude of public servants, not only the improvement, simplification and convergence of systems. No system can work without the active support of the people.

The issue I liked best was “completion of the Circumferential Road 6 (C6)” not because it’s the most important. In fact, it’s well down the list. But because it’s detail specific, and can be seen to be done, or not in July 2018 when we next meet to assess and discuss, C6 will connect the Skyway through the FTI in Taguig City to the Batasan Complex in Quezon City, or it won’t.

Something like “improving health services by expanding PhilHealth coverage” is certainly high on the priority list as it can help ever so many Filipinos. But what are the benchmarks, what says it was achieved, or wasn’t. It’s a nice motherhood statement that doesn’t “demand” that action happen. I’d like to see a government task force work with business compatriots, Technical Working Group (TWG) over the next four weeks (max) to come up with specific measurable goals to achieve. E.g. 200 outpatient health clinics will be opened by June 30, 2018. And so on. And TWGs organized for all 10 issues to set up similar detailed plans. We need to rush things a lot more than we have in the past. And do so in a more time − bound way.

How do you measure “rallying the government and the private sector to drive growth and competitiveness.” That’s awfully general, awfully motherhood too, even more so. Who wouldn’t want to do that ꟷ but what does it involve? What outcome could be expected? I’ve no idea, I don’t want to be in that task force. But I do want to see one created. They may need more than 4 weeks, perhaps 8? We need to rush things a lot more than we have in the past.

I like “identifying the best competitive advantage versus other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).” I’ve always been a firm believer in niche marketing, focusing on one thing where you have competitive skills, and doing it exceedingly well. That’s the principle upon which I formed my business 34 years ago. I’d been a CEO, I knew what they needed, and in what form they needed it. I focused on providing it. 34 years of a successful business I’d suggest has proved the concept works. The world’s top athletes are there because they had an inherent advantage (a superior physical skill us mere mortals didn’t have) and honed it…> > TOP