I remember my father telling once, when I was still in government, that if a person wanted to cheat his way to riches in public service, the way to do it would be to actually over-declare the value of his assets to bloat his net worth – so that when he accumulated the material gains from his corruption, he would have a high baseline to justify them right from the start. My father had a point: the mere possession of riches by a public servant does not necessarily mean that those riches were ill-gotten if he had them prior to joining government in the first place. My father warned me though to never even consider it.

The SALN, despite being created as a tool to help identify grafters and corrupters, may also be used to mask the fact of graft and corruption if one knows how to use it. In the end, the figures and entries in a SALN may be interpreted in the most disparately extreme ways, depending on one’s agenda and motives.

Nowadays, the buzz on the impeachment trial is whether Corona will take the witness stand to clarify, once and for all, the charges against him. Focus is on the existence of what is rumored to be ten million dollars’ worth of undeclared bank deposits. Defense lawyers consider this juicy piece of gossip as exactly that – gossip – and are fighting tooth and nail technically to stymie the presence of Corona on the witness stand.

I am not a lawyer, and I can be easily discombobulated with the technicalities that a legal expert can throw into the court. What I know, though, is that I concur with the Dalai Lama when he once said that, “at the end of the day, the only person we would have to live with is our self.“

Corona knows the existence or fiction behind these purported dollar accounts, and I leave it to the Senate to put forth their judgment based on facts beyond reasonable doubt and on the provisions of our laws.

But this is not about Corona. My ultimate concern is how much importance we give towards our concept of honesty, and how much we practice this value as reflected in our integrity.

It has been a month since April 15. Did you pay the right taxes? Cheating on them compromises our government’s ability to provide basic social services to the people. Do you pay your employees the right wages? There is great power and even greater responsibility in being able to dictate the quality of life of the people who work for us. Do you provide the goods and services you promised to your customers? Providing the market with something that is not the best you can offeris an insult to both the market and to yourself. Are your prices fair and give value for money? When the answer is no – that makes you a cheater.

We are not mere spectators in the impeachmenttrial. The moral high ground from which we precariously perch does not make us righteous judges on this case against Corona.

It is only when we know we do not lie, cheat, corrupt and give in to avarice can we sleep at night. This is what I wish not only for Corona, the Senate and all government officials and employees but, most importantly, for every Filipino with or without a SALN to his name.

Honesty is not supposed to be a lonely word.

In my previous column, I also underscored the dissent created by PNoy’s Mindanao Power Summit speech, where he made it an issue of being between THEM and US. I am done ranting, and decided to write today’s column as a direct response to the challenge created by that Friday the 13th speech.

If Imperial Manila is implying that we are on our own in this crisis, here is my four cents worth on how Mindanaoans can be empowered (pun definitely intended!) by clear policy to take care of themselves.

Power barges have been identified as a critical albeit short-term component for effectively bridging power demand and supply. Barges use diesel to generate energy. Would it be too simplistic to suggest that by removing the VAT imposed on diesel used for power barges and readjusting the rates so that consumers are the direct beneficiary of VAT removal, this will result to a win-win situation for both providers and consumers? The duration of VAT suspension may be computed based on the capacity of each barge, the volume of diesel used for operations, and the anticipated operationalization of additional, long-term power generation infrastructure, among other critical factors.

Since the crisis is a direct result of supply not meeting demand, there is a serious need to review policies that detract from the establishment of power generating-related infrastructure. PNoy does not need emergency powers. But, the deficit is an emergency and therefore, policies must encourage the implementation of solutions (i.e. sources of energy that consistently deliver the goods such as – the viable – coal). If policies are detrimental to potential providers, there is no better time to seriously rethink the rationale for them than now. For instance, incentives may be put in place for providers, provided that these incentives should translate to direct benefits to consumers.

Congruent to policy review and revision, the autonomy of LGUs also needs to be reinforced. Vic Lao hit the nail on the head when he said that the Mindanao power crisis can best be solved by Mindanaoans; and who better to take the lead than Mindanao’s local leadership? Incentives for generators can be provided by LGUs, who in turn provide a safe location for power generation and distribution. It is worth noting, however, that these LGU-led incentives should never be constrained by national policies.

My last cent: there is so much hoopla about sustainable energy sources, particularly solar, which environmentalists harp about despite its high cost. If solar power is so palatable and massive replication is being advocated, then government must find a way to make the technology accessible to ordinary Filipinos. China produces the cheapest solar panels – Pnoy does not want Chinese panels here as he advocates in the same breath for solar panels on the roof of every Filipino home. His reason? Scarborough. Come on, every other product in the Philippine market today is made in China! Was PNoy even thinking when he made that statement?

If this administration wants to prove that it has the capacity to think critically, it must also demonstrate the ability for forward thinking. What PNoy needs to do is not just to implement policies that simply stymie the crisis in the present time. He should also be able to put in place a long-term strategy that is able to project the increasing power demands of the entire country and make provisions that such demands will be met.

They say it is better to light just one little candle than to stumble in the dark. But I demand more from the government. We deserve better than one little candle.

I downloaded the transcript of PNoy’s Power Summit speech as soon as it was made available on the internet. To say I was disappointed is a severe understatement – I was angry at the audacity and condescension in the statements he made.

To quote my favorite lines verbatim:

“Mindanao was exempted from the EPIRA and there was an oversupply for YOUR power, more than adequate for YOUR needs… But the old assumptions that allowed YOU to rely on hydropower are not there anymore – YOU need a more diverse mix of energy resources. If any of YOUR power plants malfunctions, the problem returns (sic)”.

“Can government pay for new plants plus old loans and still provide the services and facilities YOU need? YOU NEED TO PAY MORE… There are only two choices: pay a little more, or live with the rotating brownouts. What WE need YOU to realize is that the old days of cheap power are no longer sustainable and YOU must also put in YOUR fair share in solving this problem.”

“And that is why I am here, not just to show all of you that WE are focused on the problems YOU are facing but more importantly, that WE do not want YOUR region to just get by these next one or two years. WE want YOU to be a pillar of our economy in the coming decades.”

Oh the rhetorics – I felt sad and insulted. Imperial Manila is alive and well and it has chosen to spit on the faces of the people who only seek relief from the darkness. In its heyday of excess power supply, Mindanao effectively augmented the deficit of the rest of the nation. Now that it is suffering, as after the People Power Revolution, what gives this administration the right to call this something between THEM and US?

The audacity to ask Mindanaons to pay more is wrong. Even from an economic standpoint, it has been proven that people may be willing to pay more if the services being provided – whether by the public or private sector – is efficient and reliable. However, to ask us to subsidize the PROCESS of making power generation and distribution more efficient and reliable (as if the generation and distribution charges reflected in our monthly electric bills have not been enough!) is an injustice and points to a lack of foresight and good governance.

What was sorely lacking in PNoy’s Friday the 13th speech (and it was nothing more than that) was even just an indicative policy direction on how this administration intends to manage NAPOCOR debt, power generation and distribution and privatization in a way that would give the people relief from the darkness that it knew was a long time coming.

By depriving Mindanaoans clarity on what he intends to do, PNoy provided fodder for dissent and highlighted his incapacity to substantially assess and properly manage sensitive issues that have national implications.

It was bad enough that his speech was rhetoric. What made itworse was that the rhetoric told Mindanaoans to basically screw themselves.

Many investments – big and small – have succeeded but more have failed. The ultimate barometer of success, and the opposite is failure, of any investment is its own growth measured in terms of profit or its ability to generate more and additional wealth.

In recent studies, about 1% of all business establishments are large scale (with , 9% are micro enterprises, and the remaining 90% are small and medium scale enterprises. This simply means that majority of establishments could be put up with relatively small amount of capitalization. Almost anybody can go into business; it only requires some guts to take inevitable financial risks. Setting up a business is a gamble and it depends not only on one’s ability and acumen but also on the business environment he or she operates.

In another recent study, almost all business establishments that failed or folded up pointed to the unfriendly business climate as the main cause of business failure. Creating and ensuring a conducive environment for business to thrive and prosper is the domain of government, particularly cities and local governments, but this is not given much attention and priority.

Better or more business friendly environment entails the following elements:

1. Streamlined business registration processes. This means that the requirements and steps to get a business permit or a mayor’s permit are easy, simple and uncomplicated. It implies that documentary requirements of various government agencies and entities can be acquired or accomplished almost effortlessly; they are accessible and available where business registration is done – at the business permitting and licensing office of the local government. It also necessitates the reduction of the steps or processes to basic minimum. In some local government units, the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) is the venue where business registration takes place. As the name implies, BOSS intends to bring together agencies (such as BIR, PhilHealth, SSS) that have something to do with business registration. Cutting down the “time” to acquire that valuable signature of the mayor is the ultimate measure of a streamlined process.

2. Investment planning and direction. Explicit vision for development, particularly for areas or sectors for possible investment is critical for business decision. Potential investors need guidance on the types of business that can easily make money with minimum risk. As such, it requires the local governments to come up, based on its vision and development goals, a list of potential industries and economic enterprises, as well as programs and projects where the private sector could invest into.

3. Investment promotion. For investors to come in, it is necessary for them to know or be informed of the industry potentials of the locality as well as the incentives they can avail of. At the end of the day, attracting investors is a competition among local governments. Hence, it requires aggressiveness in “selling” the potentials and “showcasing” what the locality can offer in terms of support policies, technologies, facilities and utilities; after-investment services; human resource capacities; and resource endowments.

4. Strong partnership and coordination. Attracting investments is one thing; making them stay is another and the better thing. Hence, the host local government units should strengthen its coordination – within the government itself, between government and the private sector, and among key stakeholders. Through partnerships, the host local government can establish an enabling environment – one that provides (a) credit facilities for investors, (b) security and protection of human resource and facilities, (c) reasonable and affordable tax rates, (d) facilities that allow trading across borders, and (e) mechanisms that facilitate contract compliance.

People cannot be the main object of tourism – that was my first thought. If there’s anything that comes to mind when talking about tourism, people would be the last in my list. In fact, in my recent travels abroad, there were only 3 things in my list – accommodation, transportation and places to visit. To go with these 3 items, I should have 2 things – money to spend and a map of direction. If and when schedules allow, “friends and relatives” are also in my list and I consider them as “companions” rather than mere “people” – as the main object of tourism in those countries. In short, what I am saying is that tourists are no longer directly dependent on “people” (note: I am not saying “relatives and friends”) to make pleasure trips truly memorable.

On second thought, people could make or break tourism. It becomes a very important ingredient – not the main object – in making tourism something to enjoy, something that makes the taste buds salivate and crave for more.

The Philippines can offer a menu of places and activities which will surely make tourists come to the country. Name it and we have it – from Pagudpud in the north to Island Garden City of Samal in the south. From historical landmarks to natural landscape formation, from museums, old churches and cultural heritage areas to sophisticated high rise modern buildings, from ukay-ukay to branded or signature items, from Italian to oriental cuisines, from musicals to stage plays to theater shows, and from whatever-you-call-it to whatever-others-may-call-it. We have almost everything to satisfy the different tastes of the most exploring and adventurous tourists on earth. In fact, it would take at least a couple of weeks to explore and exploit the unique and exotic beauty of the Philippines.

For a long time now, we have all these, yet the tourism industry of the country has not really flourish as it should be. While there were increases in tourist arrivals over the years (thanks to “Wow Philippines!”), the industry’s share to the total gross domestic product of the country remains low (no thanks to “Pilipinas kay Ganda”!) compared to what it could potentially contribute.

To further develop the tourism sector, it is not enough that we have the exciting activities and festivities, the beautiful and majestic sceneries, and the ever-loving and hospitable Filipino people. Likewise, it necessitates not just international promotion and marketing. For me, it requires us to see our tourism industry with “FUN” so that at the end of the day, we could see that there certainly is more fun in the Philippines. The acronym FUN (according to my own dictionary) stands for:

F – for facilities and amenities. Clean, safe, convenient and comfortable facilities and amenities are essential to the industry. These include provisions for board and lodging, parking, convenience stores, health and wellness centers and emergency services accessibly located where tourists are expected to go.

U – for utilities and support services. Tourists that come to the country either on business or mere pleasure are mobile – they want to go places, and they would like their contact back home unrestrained. A must in the development of the industry are reliable, safe, convenient, comfortable, accessible and affordable transport and communication networks, and a reliable and safe power supply.

N – for nearby tourist attractions. Whether on business or pleasure trip, tourists always want to see something unique, awesome and extraordinary when they travel to a different place. They would like to have a good taste and a firsthand experience of what they hear about the country and everything that the country can offer them.

The challenge for the DOT now is to be able to lead, mobilize and engage the right people, not just the generic “us” in enjoining everybody to cooperate, to make everything possible. When I say the right people, I am referring to the private sector – the business people – who can help provide at the right place and at the right time the F, the U and the N to make the country a true destination where there is certainly more fun. Fun without the FUN is no fun.

If we look inward to our country and assess what actually happened in year 2011, we could probably wish that the feng shui predictions for this year would really come true. We did not have a very bad performance in terms of economic growth last year but it nonetheless needs some significant improvements. Hence, we can give our country and our economy another chance to do better this time. This however seems to be a repeat of our wish last year and all the years that had passed.

According to the most recent Pulse Asia survey, 38% of all respondents believed that our economy deteriorated in the last 12 months between October 2010 and November 2011, and 18% said it improved while 40% said it has remained unchanged. To put it simply and to quote the survey result, it says: “the percentage of Filipinos saying the economy is better now declined by 12 percentage points while the percentage of those who observe a deterioration in the Philippine economy increased by 22 percentage points.”

The result of the survey further says: “Among those who say the Philippine economy is in a worse state now than a year ago, 66% were strongly affected by this perceived economic deterioration, 31% were somehow affected and only 3% did not feel the impact of the worsening economic situation in the country.”

I will stop there because the figures alone could already tell the whole and real story.

On the other hand, if we look at what the economists and leading development institutions have to say about our prospects for year 2012, we can find the following: (a) according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch in its “Global Economic Weekly” released last week, the Philippine economy is expected to grow faster this year; (b) according to the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) in their joint 2012 Economic Outlook Briefing also held last week, “the country’s GDP is projected at 5%-6% anchored on an anticipated increase in government spending, robust dollar remittances from OFWs and higher consumption spending”; and (c) according to UA&P economist Victor A. Abola, “…the domestic sector will do well and the lagging sectors last year will bring the economy into the fast lane,” referring to the agriculture, mining, construction and manufacturing sectors.

In terms of investments, gaming, infrastructure and consumer sectors are expected to also remain favorable for investors.

Further, many economists believe that government spending is expected to contribute in sustaining economic growth this year owing to its big-ticket items under the public-private partnership (PPP) program and the DPWH’s other infrastructure projects slated for construction this year. Hopefully, this scenario will create more jobs and employment opportunities which in turn are expected to boost personal consumption and consumer spending to higher levels this year.

Likewise, it is foreseen that international trade performance will also improve with export earnings growing by 5%-7% coming from a “negative performance” last year, while import earnings will likely grow by 10%. Inflation this year, on the other hand, is seen to ease within the 3.5%-to-3.7% range.

On the whole, the forecasts on the economic performance of the country for this year offer some rays of hope to all of us. What seems to be the only negative prospect for the year is the exchange rate which is projected at P43-P45 per dollar – as the US economy is expected to continue to outperform the euro zone. With the economic rebound of the US, it is anticipated that the peso will depreciate against the dollar. As of this writing, the peso-dollar exchange rate is now P44 per US dollar, compared to P43.8 per US dollar just a month ago, or P42 per US dollar some 5 months ago. While this may seem negative, it has positive effects to OFW remittances and international trade.

As the year further unfolds, most of these positive projections and prospects will not happen without leadership, hard work, persistence and policy stability. Many believe that starting the year right would also mean a year of good disposition and prospects. And starting the year right means doing what we need to do – facing squarely the problems of the nation and moving it towards economic progress that is felt by all. If we just let things unfold, the positive forecasts and projections will remain fictional and illusionary, just like the Dragon – the only fictional animal in the Chinese Zodiac.

An entrepreneur, as most people know, is somebody who has chosen to take the path of being his or her own boss and engaged in a micro, small or medium enterprise as one’s main means of livelihood. What distinguishes an entrepreneur from a lifestyle entrepreneur is that the latter’s main motivation is the lifestyle that comes with being independent from the employment grind, and not the level of income or financial rewards that may or may not come with owning a business.

Nowadays, there are so many outside stimuli that have influenced people on what it means to have a life. This means going beyond the stressful office-housework schedule and having enough time to stop and smell the roses. Travel, leisure activities, watching the children grow, working from home, pursuing a hobby that brings contentment and peace – these have now become part and parcel of a routine that is defined as ideal. They have also been among the main motivations why more and more people choose to be lifestyle entrepreneurs.

In selecting a business, most lifestyle entrepreneurs select a field that reflects their competencies and interests. While most of them are mid-career professionals who may have a small amount set aside for the future, these fields usually require minimal start-up capital and fueled by the entrepreneur’s drive and passion.

I have a friend in his mid-thirties who was an upper middle manager in one of the biggest advertising firms in the country. He was making more than enough to subsidize life in a middle class neighborhood in Manila, and travelled constantly within and outside the Philippines for work. It was exciting when he was in his twenties, he told me, but after the birth of his daughter, my friend told me that the satisfaction he felt with every successful pitch suddenly paled in comparison to the happiness he felt when he was home.

With the support of his stay-at-home wife, my friend turned his back on his lucrative but backbreaking advertising career and started a small bakeshop and advertising consultation business. The money, he admits, is a far cry from his old income. In order to increase their savings, he sold his two-bedroom condominium in Ortigas and transferred to a house in Rizal. “At the start, I made just enough for my family’s needs”, he shares, “and it took some adjustments on all of us. But that little thing is nothing compared to the fact that when I woke up, I would smile because I know I didn’t have to sit through another meeting or travel and be gone for two weeks. My daughter’s asthma cleared up because of the fresher air in Rizal. The work I have to do now is the same as before, but the big difference is that I work from home. My family is happy, and I am happy. And that is more important to me than a six-figure salary. I am living the life I want now, and I’m glad that I did not wait for my retirement to enjoy my life and my family.”

To some, being a lifestyle entrepreneur might be a luxury that can only be indulged in by successful mid-lifers. But I beg to disagree. If you have gone beyond mere survival (that is, successfully struggled beyond earning just enough for basic food, shelter and clothing) and find yourself always asking if you could start pursuing a higher purpose in life that gives you true satisfaction, look inward and ask yourself if you can make being a lifestyle entrepreneur work for you – the same way taking the plunge has worked beautifully for me.

Feel free to send your comments to nic_agustin@yahoo.com.

I was dumbfounded. Here I was – polite, law-abiding, driving a registered vehicle with a valid driver’s license, a taxpayer and fully paid of a year’s worth of road taxes – and I was being unjustly punished because a slow, illegal, unregistered trisiboat cut me off. Shock turned to comprehension, then anger – which probably registered on my face, and offered motivation for the MMDA to let me go.

Such occurrences may be rare in Manila, but the scenario is different in Davao. Here, my daily drives will always include a close encounter with a trisiboat, a trisikad, a tricycle, a payong and all forms of excruciatingly slow motorized and non-motorized conveyances that transport people, animals, vegetables, scrap metal, cartons and boxes, eggs, gasul tanks, beds and sofas AND the kitchen sink – and trailing behind them, a long line of vehicles driven by flabbergasted motorists who cannot believe that their commute is being dictated by a tin can travelling on three wheels that law enforcers are inutile to do anything about.

The trisiboat problem is like a large tumor that indicates a cancer lurking beneath. It is an indicator of poor governance, of a local government that chooses to watch as the cancer spreads – without doing anything. It is not merely a traffic problem – it is an indicator of a system that allows people with the audacity and impunity to not follow rules to have the upper hand, while all other Davaoenos suffer through worsening conditions on the streets of the city they used to love passionately, but slowly beginning to detest.

I used to rant that these pseudo-vehicles should be totally banned from Davao. But conversations with some local officials have somehow changed my stand – they tell me banning them will deprive Davao’s poor of a means of livelihood. Given this humane argument then, how to solve the trisiboat problem? The answer is to regulate them, but regulate them rationally.

First, require registration. All conveyances must be registered, and unregistered trikes must be embargoed and released only when its rightful owner finishes the registration process. The city government can determine a fair rate for registration – one that inculcates a sense of responsibility and accountability for ALL who make a living in Davao.

Second, regulation. I believe such modes of transport have no place in national and major roads and the downtown area. How many times have I seen a payong being followed by a cargo truck in Diversion? Quite disturbing! Trisiboats, trisikads, tricycles and payongs should be limited to areas where no other forms of public transportation are available, to allow for the efficient flow of traffic. These conveyances are redundant when jeepneys ply their route. Most ideally, they should only be an option within and to and from residential areas where public transport is absent. Thus, registered trikes should have defined routes and even times of operation. That way, it complements the existing transport offerings and maximizes usefulness while minimizing its nuisance-ness.

Third, standardization. This means strict guidelines on how they should look (e.g. color-coding for those plying a specific, official route, including assigning body numbers for easy monitoring), how many passengers they can carry (at least, an effort for passenger safety) and maybe even a uniform for its drivers (to give them some dignity while they pursue a living, not just a pathetic excuse for livelihood).

I am looking forward to the day when trisiboats have found their rightful place – a place that respects my rights as a motorist, and in Davao – a city that will not allow them to multiply like a plague of termites that eats away at the slight semblance of order we have in our streets. Only then will I be able to say that life, indeed, is here.

Feel free to send your comments to nic_agustin@yahoo.com.

It is undeniable that we are becoming increasingly dependent on technology to live and make a living. But it is pioneers like Steve Jobs, who gave us beautifully designed tools for modern existence and successfully changed our lives with their vision. If you are glued to your iPhone, iPod, iPad and laptop, Steve Jobs indeed change your world. “I” ceased merely to be a letter symbolizing the egotistic side of human nature – it became instead a prefix for something excellently designed, innovative and desirable in a way that makes you say iWant and iNeed. And want and need the results of Steve Jobs’ imagination, we did.

While there are many of us who would like to leave the world with such an impact, few demonstrate actual temerity to see such noble intentions through. But making ripples in this world, no matter how minuscule in comparison to legendary behemoths such as Apple, still need to be celebrated. And it is in this light that I would like to share how Steve Jobs brought my son to Vancouver Fashion Week.

Steve Jobs said: “Do what you love to do. Find your true passion. Make a difference. The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” My son heeded the siren call of fashion design while practicing his trade in the airline industry and a diplomatic mission. He recognized that skills and an education were critical prerequisites to succeeding in this highly competitive and creative field, so he worked hard to get the fundamentals down pat.

But therein lies a caveat – passion alone is not enough to get results. Many may profess to be passionate about something – say photography or the culinary arts – but only 20% or less would be willing to put in the constant, unwavering sacrifice of becoming simply competent.

Steve Jobs said: “Do your best at every job. Don’t sleep! Success generates more success so be hungry for it.” It is this hunger that will allow you to attend, participate and work hard in every single class you signed up for, despite long, daily commutes from Manila to Taguig to attend to your uncompromising and exacting full-time job.

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works”, said Jobs. And so, upon finishing his design course, my son realized that creativity and excellence were two principles that needed to be practiced and obsessively ensured in every aspect of his professional life – and that they were not mutually exclusive. Creativity leads to innovation, while excellence ensures the delivery of products resulting from your innovation.

But there was something else that Steve Jobs said: “Be different, think different”, and so the fledgling designer decided to concentrate on menswear, not only to avoid jumping into the oversaturated pool of women’s clothes but because the former was his true passion. With his field defined, my son decided to hold on to another Jobs mantra: “People judge you by your performance, so focus on the outcome. Be a yardstick of quality.” And a stickler for quality, the designer became.

The proof is in the pudding, they say, and soon enough, Philippine Fashion opened its doors to the designer to showcase the results of his hard work on the runway, retail shops, intimate shows for fashion insiders and all forms of media – print, television and the web. The mileage was not a result of some weird popularity contest but from practicing another sage advice from the founder of Apple: “Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. Advertise. And deliver.”

Last October 1, Nico Agustin successfully presented his collection during the maiden Vancouver Men’s Fashion Week, being one of only two foreigners invited to show in the event. He got a standing ovation. And pieces were hailed by fashion media as part of the emerging menswear trends in North America.

The success of our fellowmen is a blessing to others with its capacity to inspire – and so I end this article with another insight to push you, dear reader, in the same direction as that nerd who changed the world: “Start small, think big. Don’t worry about too many things at once. Take a handful of simple things to begin with, and then progress to more complex ones. Think about not just tomorrow, but the future. Put a ding in the universe.”

You can. In the same way that my son has put a ding in mine.

Feel free to send your comments to nic_agustin@yahoo.com

The most amazing thing is that these are mere products of young minds. Time has greatly changed. Before, practical arts or vocational subjects were focused on the use of indigenous raw materials to create and recreate things. It was plainly reproducing existing objects into something more beautiful but functionally the same. Science before was more on observation and learning about the existing world – what it. Today, there is now the integration of science, technology and practical arts. It allows young minds to challenge the existing order by recreating and improving it.

Young minds can easily generate new ideas simply because they think about what-ifs and other possibilities. They can go beyond existing norms, set rules and standards. Their only guides are logic and science. Consequently, they produce something different. Wonderful! Consider for example the car fueled by solar energy produced by college student of a university in Manila. To some, this may not seem very new as the principles that guided the production of the solar energy-powered vehicle have long been in existence. The guts and daring spirit of these students to combine different technologies and principles that enabled them to produce it made all the difference.

It’s not merely the production of new things. It’s about the application of knowledge to produce relevant, useful and globally competitive new products. To me, that’s the real essence of invention.

We claim that Filipinos are great inventors. We claim that certain products were invented by well-known and not-so-well-known Filipinos. Some of these claims were contested; some were simply ignored. The fluorescent lamp is a classic example.

In another television show, some old Filipino scientists and inventors were aired as they call the attention of the government to provide them with funding support so that they could continue to harness their inventions or creations. The inventions that stuck me most were: the super kalan (cooking stove) fueled by the traditional charcoal but more effective in producing the needed heat; a dust pan with wheels so that you can simply drag it as you clean the house; and a disposable plastic cover for toilet bowl rim to protect you from unnecessary infection when using public toilets.

Are these the type of “new” creations that require funding support from the government? There’s really nothing new with the super kalan which I have heard about some 20 years ago. It just evolved into something physically more attractive, and perhaps, more functionally effective, but it applied the same basic principles in each stage of its evolution. No addition or introduction of new knowledge. No integration or combination with new technology. Call it a Filipino brand of cooking stove; it doesn’t make sense.

What about the dust pan with wheels? Why not invent a remote controlled vacuum cleaner by combining the principles of robotics and the usual operation of a vacuum cleaner. Yes, this is already in existence. The challenge is to make it a Filipino brand with the materials it is made of and the source of power to operate it. The idea is to advance what we have originally invented into something that projects intelligence, knowledge and technology – something that we can be proud of in the international market. We then have to think global – becoming at par with the quality of products of the rest of the world.

I am not trying to be little old inventions. It is just that I don’t feel comfortable by having these products as eternal novelties of Filipino ingenuity. I believe that we can do more; we can do better.

If the government needs to invest, let it be for the further development of the young minds. Invest in schools as they advance their curricula in research and development, and in science and technology.