'The world is spinning towards Asia and I've put my chips on the Philippines'

Google “Starfi.sh” and see what it means to have a web strategy. Francis Barbero knows that companies around the world need websites as effective tools for marketing. So, with the technologies and techniques that he learned from England, he set up Starfi.sh in Manila four years ago. Yes, the beaches and mountains increased his desire to move to the Philippines, but it was the talent of the Filipinos that clinched his decision.

Francis, 40, lived in London for most of his life. Before moving to Manila, he lived a life of pleasure, going to museums, cafés, and riding his motorbikes. Weekends would be spent walking in parks, reading and entertaining at his house in central London. Francis spent a lot of time in Madrid, lived in Germany and Hong Kong, then traveled throughout Europe in a camper van, which he bought with the money he made selling candies in school. One day, he had a choice: to go around the world for two years or move to the Philippines and do something useful.

“I believe it takes a person a while to find his true self and most people sell themselves short through fear of living,” Francis says. “I have had over 25 car crashes and five motorcycle accidents; I have failed in business more times than I care to remember but I always pick myself up. I’m really excited to see what the Philippines has in store for me because I know it’s going well.”

One of my goals this year is to buy a special bottle of Glenmorangie Whisky and get a Great Dane.

The site that inspires me is where I go jogging in the South Cemetery. That is the only piece of nature near where I live. It’s nice. Not peaceful, but you see a microcosm of society represented in that cemetery. There are the rich and the poor man’s tombs and the children’s tombs. There are the dogs, cats and people playing; honest, smiling people. Young kids looking after even younger kids. One thing I really do love is the smile of the common person. I think a lot of people who have a lot of money don’t go to those areas anymore because they feel uncomfortable walking among children playing in the streets. I don’t feel any danger when I am there. They accept me quite well.

If a failure of elections is called, it wouldn’t surprise me. In fact, it would excite me because it should enrage the people enough to do something drastic. Hopefully we will see some results.

When my friends talk about politics, I realize that I don’t really understand why Filipinos vote for whom they vote for. They decide based on one or two basic facts, like Villar is interested in property development, or Noynoy comes from a good family. These are very clichéd lines. Election candidates should have good websites telling people what their policies are. Each candidate can spell out his policies in very simple English instead of writing massive, long paragraphs that do not actually say what importance they give to issues.

The last meal that truly impressed me was the rosemary chicken in Amici’s. It is authentic. I am not a big restaurant person. I don’t really have the time to eat out a lot right now.

The last music I purchased was probably the first CD I bought, which is “True Blue” by Madonna.

The last music I downloaded was the mix of Lady Gaga. I wanted to keep up with the trends and please the staff. On a hot day, after lunch, we turn up the music to wake up the staff.

A recent find is the cards I was dealt in my game of pusoy dos. I was playing with this other person and we split the pack in half and my hand was 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, ace and 2! They were completely random cards. I kept the cards. I thought there must be a meaning to this. I don’t know what it is, but it must mean something. I haven’t played since.

The last thing I bought and loved was a Miele dishwasher. I like quality appliances and am a bit of a minimalist, so I don’t really go shopping.

For grooming and style I rely on Maite Matute. She does the Penshoppe big ads. One day she will be my stylist and take me shopping. I haven’t done any proper shopping since I arrived in Philippines.

A memorable place I have traveled to is the Philippines. I did fall in love with Philippines. It wasn’t just the white beaches of Boracay; something more profound … the rawness of humanity made it a very honest place and that meant something to me. I really did fall in love with Philippines, then I fell out of love with it when I saw the dark side and now, am accepting it for what it is.

The best gift I have given recently is a microscope I gave my eight-year-old godson. I spent quite a bit of money for it. I was given a microscope when I was a kid and it opened up a whole new world for me looking through plants and seeing what they are made of. It was my favorite toy, so I thought I would pass on some of my enthusiasm, but I was up against the PlayStation. I think I lost.

The best gift I’ve received recently was a balikbayan box that my parents prepared and sent to me from England … with PG Tips tea, a toaster, a kettle, chocolates … just things I miss.

In my fridge you’ll always find Yakult, bagels and San Mig Lights for the guests.

My favorite websites: I am a bit of a geek so I go to Dilbert.com and check BBC to see what is going on around the world. Wikipedia.

The grooming basics I am never without are hair wax, moisturizer and baby cologne.

In school, I learned to sell sweets. That was my first business. I was 11 years old and making big profits selling two kinds of hardboiled sweets at lunchtime. I bought a camper van with the money I made.

I choose my employees based on their teamwork and general intelligence. They have to be young because I want to teach them things that are much more advanced than anyone knows here. If they think they know it and they come here, then I have to un-train them to do things very differently. I would rather someone admit they don’t know than try to work it out for themselves because that costs more money for the company than them asking again and again and again. Communication is knowing how to ask. 

What helped me to conquer fear were the judo lessons I took when I was six. Made me not afraid of falling on the ground. Helped me to be more boisterous and take more risks. Physical pain does not really bother me. It is more of the emotional pain that I have to learn to be wary of. There is only so much that you can put a person through.

* * *

E-mail : aurorawilson@gmail.com