MONDAY: FEBRUARY 15, 2016
B6 Otsuka executive posts bail A MAKATI court has ordered the arrest of an executive of the local unit of Japanese conglomerate Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. for alleged perjury that nearly resulted in the collapse of a small Filipino trading company. Court records showed Makati City metropolitan trial court branch 63 presiding judge Alberto Azarcon III issued a warrant of arrest against Jose Jacinto Aquino, the associate finance director of Otsuka (Philippines) Pharmaceutical Inc. The Makati court scheduled the arraignment on March 17, 2016, after Aquino posted a cash bond of P6,000. The Makati City prosecutor’s office earlier indicted Aquino for alleged perjury, after his alleged “false” statements under sworn affidavit almost led to the garnishment of the properties of the Filipino trading company. The trading company is the former exclusive distributor in the Philippines of ‘Pocari Sweat,’ a healthy drink imported and supplied in the country by Otsuka. Aquino had sworn that the trading company failed to pay for the goods delivered by Otsuka Philippines, a claim that was strongly denied by the trading company. The trading company then filed a perjury case against Aquino for claiming that it stopped paying for the goods delivered by Otsuka. Aquino’s affidavit, made before Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 57, prompted the court to issue a writ of preliminary attachment against the assets of the trading company in May 2015. The former distributor of ‘Pocari Sweat’ said it did not stop paying for the goods even after the agreement had expired as evidenced by official receipts issued to Otsuka from October 28, 2013 to November 10, 2014 in the total amount of P26.218 million.
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Election not likely to hurt PH economy By Julito G. Rada
US FINANCIAL group J.P. Morgan said the Philippine economy will remain strong, despite the outcome of the presidential election in May. “In our view, we do not see the presidential election as a gamechanging event to the economy or equity market,” J.P. Morgan said in its Asia Pacific Equity Research over the weekend. “We think post-election policy changes are remote given that economic planning is institutionalized, particularly fiscal reforms that were put in place over the last two administrations,” it said. The US bank said there could be
risks on policy execution depending on who won the election. It said Vice President Jejomar Binay’s strength would be his long experience in government and his track record as a pragmatic government executive. Binay’s government-style of emphasis on the lower socioeconomic echelon might also help improve inclusive growth, it said. “However, the perceived lack of good governance and the extent of the corruption charges are rea-
sons why Binay does not appear to be popular with the middle class and educated voters,” it said. J.P. Morgan said presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s biggest weakness was his lack of political machinery to wage a nationwide campaign, while Senator Grace Poe’s disqualification cases “sapped” her popularity. “The bottom line for this election, in our opinion, is for the electoral process to be completed in a peaceful and credible manner,” J.P. Morgan said. The continuation of policy reforms after the Aquino administration is one of the hottest issues usually tackled in different economic fora in the country.
Some sectors have expressed concern on whether the next administration could sustain the reforms instituted over the past several years. Government think-tank Philippine Institute of Development Studies said earlier that slower global growth and the next administration’s uncertain commitment on policy reforms and good governance could pose major risks to the Philippine economy this year. PIDS president Gilbert Llanto said in a report the issue of succession after the May presidential election had provoked several questions, such as if the next leader would be as committed to policy reform and improved governance.
New community.
Over a hundred informal settler families belonging to Goldmine Interior Homeowners Association Inc.who used to live in shanties along Tullahan River move to their safer and permanent homes located at Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon, Novaliches, Quezon City. The housing project amounting to P41.6 million is under Social Housing Finance Corp.’s high density housing program.
Collaborative pairs THE campaign season started a few days ago, with the presidentiables as well as the vice-presidentiables roughed it out on stage addressing a crowd and raising both their arms as a sign of unity, partnership and indomitability. But whoever wins in the May elections, it’s optimal that both come from the same party to ensure collaboration and cooperation for the betterment of our nation. Look at what happened with President Aquino and Vice Prescient Binay who, coming from different parties, manifested their divergent interests in the end. There is wisdom in a pair collaborating and working with each other towards a common purpose. In fact, in the landmark book Collaborative Circles: Friendship Dynamics and Creative Work, author Michael Farrel shows that collaborative pairs have been the cornerstone of many masterpieces and breakthroughs in art and society. He argues that pairs together engenders an environment of “instrumental intimacy”, wherein both can constructively criticize each other. Successful pairs Examples of successful pairs Farrel cited are the first daring experiments in impressionism -Claude Monet and Frederic Bazille and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and
Alfred Sisley, and later by Monet and Renoir. Another example is authors J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings) and C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) who discovered that they shared an interest in what Lewis called “Northernness.” Other examples I can cite are Francis Crick and research fellow James Watson who described the structure of DNA in 1953; Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels who created “scientific socialism”; and more recently John Lennon and Paul McCartney who composed beautiful timeless music; and Vin Diesel and Paul Walker who, with their inimitable chemistry, filmed one the most successful movie franchises of all time. Legendary pairs Even in business, creative and collaborative pairs have become a formidable force to reckon with. As cited by Professor Roberto Verganti in his Harvard Business Review article, The Innovative Power of Criticism, former Apple colleagues Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers started with a shared vision, contemplated on some rough ideas, criticized each other but with mutual trust and respect, until they founded Nest Labs, a home automation technology start up in 2010, which was later bought by Google for
$3.2 billion in 2014. As cited by Verganti, recent history is rife with successful pairs who created REYNALDO C. LUGTU, JR. legendary companies: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, to name a few. Mathematics in Germany which is running a Sparring partners Pairs can also play a role in the innovation program called “Research in Pairs” with the process at established organizations objective of bringing together small groups by finding a sparring partner. Verganti of researchers, usually in pairs, to carry out succinctly prescribes the necessary elements joint research in the stimulating atmosphere. to make this successful: “Trust and respect This resulted in productive and innovative between the two individuals is a must. A prior research outputs in the field of mathematics. Collaborative pairs are a new way of working relationship often helps, because that provides a foundation of interpersonal working that can bring innovative and trust and understanding. Some degree of creative outputs, may it be in personal life, difference in background and perspective like a husband and wife team, or in business, can be helpful, in that it generates cognitive science, arts and other endeavors. diversity. A thick skin is crucial. You don’t The author is a senior executive in a want someone who has a hard time taking criticism. You want someone who isn’t going technology firm. He also teaches strategy, to play it safe, afraid to hurt your feelings. management and marketing courses in the Finally, you are looking for someone who MBA Program of the Ramon V. del Rosario has similar motivations and objectives. Are College of Business, De La Salle University. you on the same page in terms of what you The views expressed here are the author’s are trying to accomplish?” One example of an organization and do not necessarily reflect the official who adopted a similar tack is the MFO position of DLSU, its faculty, and its Oberwolfach Research Institute for administrators.
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