Proudly Filipino

Havaianas vs. Islander slippers. Ever Bilena vs. L’Oreal cosmetics. Penshoppe vs. Gap clothing? Marikina-made leather shoes vs. Italian shoes. Which one would you prefer to be seen using?

Why is it Filipino tourists are willing to spend as much as 9000 yen (about P4,500) per day to rent a Japanese kimono while strutting the streets of Osaka, but would not be caught dead donning a baro’t saya unless required to do so?

Why do Koreans in the Philippines still prefer to eat Korean food, buy from Korean grocery stores, purchase Korean-made consumer durable brands like automobiles, mobile phones and appliances even if they have the resources to buy European, American, or Japanese brands?

Why do many Filipinos equate Filipino products with being cheap, baduy, bakya or jologs, and of poor quality?

I remember during a recent trip with my friends to Bangkok how they almost emptied the shelves of a local Thai cosmetic store selling cheap make-up. They didn’t even know whether the products are hypoallergenic or safe. They just know the cosmetics are imported and cheap and, therefore, good enough to use and to give away to friends and family back home. One of them jokingly said: “Do you know that when Thai ladies go to Manila they buy Ever Bilena cosmetics?”

This lack of national pride and identity, of course, has been attributed to centuries of living in the shadow of the country’s foreign colonizers who made us feel small and insignificant. The rest of Asia doesn’t even consider us Asian enough. Even our own country does not have its own identity (except now that the whole world knows that the Philippines is a small country with a hard-hitting president fighting drugs and the International Court of Justice).

When the Solid Group introduced the MyPhone brand of mobile phones to the Philippine market a decade ago, nobody believed it would survive. MyPhone is made in China, but is a Filipino brand. At that time, foreign brands like Nokia dominated the local market. But by 2014, it was the third biggest selling brand in the country. Today, the brand is still doing well, despite competition posed by Chinese brands like Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi, and, of course, the heavyweights like America’s IPhone and Korea’s Samsung.

Recently, the same group that brought us MyPhone introduced a new brand of mobile phones called Brown and Proud Movement. As the name suggest, the phones, which are designed in Korea and made in China, but is a Filipino brand, are colored brown to represent the Filipino.

But Brown and Proud is more than just a mobile phone. As explained by Solid Group president David Lim, the phone is just a platform for bigger things to come. As described in its website, the Brown phone “is your portal to a new world full of creativity and opportunities, bringing you closer to artists and entrepreneurs, while keeping you updated on the latest news, hottest trends, and innovative products and services, making your life better and more inspiring.”

When one purchases a Brown phone full kit, they not only get a mobile phone, but can also get free entrepreneurial skills trainings, as well as a platform that will give them access to business opportunities.

Brown and Proud Academy offers master classes for creative entrepreneurship. The class modules were designed by Professor Jonathan Petalver, chief transformation officer of BPM and dean of the academy. Petalver is the program director of transformational sales leadership programs of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – Center for Continuing Education.

As explained by Petalver, the Solid Group has been in business for the past 70 years and has pioneered and built brands in the Philippines like Sony, Samsung, Sanyo, Aiwa, TCL and Kia Motors. A lot of credit goes to the original P.I., the original “politically incorrect” lady Elena Lim, David’s mom, who inculcated in her children not only an astute business sense, but also love for country and anything that is Filipino.

Elena’s husband, Joseph Lim, (whose factory in China produces MyPhone and Brown, as well as mobile phones for other foreign brands), is still able to play golf for three days straight. He has just launched a new business – a flat glass factory in Mariveles, Bataan – and is not slowing down his activities at 92.

Petalver explained that Brown will not only offer devices, but also healthcare, homecare, consumer electronics, apparel, and the like. It makes available six master classes in creative entrepreneurship which will serve as foundation in any business that one may choose. The classes, which right know are physical but will eventually be available online, would probably cost about P5,000 each if availed of elsewhere. If one becomes a part of the movement, they get all six classes together with the phone for around P10,000 to P20,000. Generous rewards, benefits and privileges await those who want to become dealers.

Brown uses a device-driven hybrid business model. To join, one only needs to buy a Brown phone, register online, and if one is able to encourage others to join, they get rewards.

Less than two months since Brown was launched, about 4,000 members have already signed up and the number keeps growing. The company has already signed up a considerable number of overseas Filipino workers in Hongkong and will soon launch the movement in Singapore and other countries.

But bigger than Brown is Brand Pilipinas, which David Lim explained, is a brand that hopes to build patriotism by supporting and nurturing local brands. Lim said they will use Brown to build Brand Pilipinas.

In addition, the group has launched Barko 1000, an advocacy that will help build a thousand technology start-ups through Brown’s platform. The start-ups can use the platform to tell the world about their project or invention and encourage others to invest.

Given its potential, Brown is one product and brand that we Filipinos can truly be proud of.

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