There is life outside of politics

With the way the stock market has reacted and how the peso has risen against the dollar because of the EVAT, investor confidence is beginning to come back. While there was plenty of politics before the implementation of the EVAT, the good thing is it is done and there are clear signs of the economy moving forward. We have to give credit to the Administration for being consistent in pushing it in spite of the potential political fallout. This is the kind of political will we need today. If legislators can just devote 50 percent of their time in legislating economic measures to pump-prime the economy, then they can spend the rest of their time investigating everyone including themselves.

In 1980, Enrique Zobel invited me for lunch at the Executive Lounge of the Bank of Philippine Islands telling me that he was planning to form a club exclusively for Makati businessmen. EZ’s vision for the group was to be unified on issues affecting the economy and business. Abhorring politics, EZ never intended to use it as a political forum, ever. And so in 1981, Enrique Zobel, as its first chairman, founded the Makati Business Club.

Today however, it is regrettable to see the Makati Business Club straying away from its founder’s vision and devolving into a partisan political group. The GMA Resign manifesto signed by the Makati Business Club — headed by Dick Romulo — is proof of this. In a recent business forum where FVR was the guest speaker, Dick Romulo referred to GMA as becoming a Martial Law ruler like Marcos. Ironically, it was his father, Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, who was one of the chief defenders and apologists of Martial Rule. Max Soliven recounted to us how in just eight days he was transformed from the country’s top journalist to a subversive. It happened when General Romulo toasted him as one of the greatest journalists of this country in a dinner at his Kasiyahan home a week before Martial Law was declared. A couple of days later, Max was arrested while General Romulo was in the United Nations defending Martial Law saying that the only ones arrested anyway were subversives.

The trouble with some of these business group leaders today is that they have become legends in their own minds. Just because Estrada resigned, they probably thought they were responsible for removing him from office. But in reality, it has always been and it always will be the military as the deciding factor. That’s why businessmen should come back to earth and just engage in business to help build the economy. The problem today is that most people seem to think everything revolves around politics.

Those who have stayed away from politics and simply focused on business are reaping the harvest today. Henry Sy’s businesses have grown tremendously employing around 140,000 people. Tessie Sy-Coson who is now the heiress apparent of Henry Sy and is in the Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in Business 2005, continues to concentrate on expanding their banking business and their retail outlets. In fact, their flagship project Mall of Asia along Roxas Boulevard is set to open at the end of this year. It’s expected to be one of the most lucrative businesses of the SM group’s development and mall operations arm. It is expected to boost trade and tourism as well because it can give other shopping complexes in the Asian region a run for their money. In fact, ShoeMart is already in Xiamen, China. The family’s investment arm also acquired 143 million shares worth P9 billion in San Miguel, whose manufacturing operations reach as far as Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia. But their core business continues to grow because they refuse to be lured into political involvement.

Carlos Chan is another example of a successful entrepreneur. He built his Oishi empire to what it is today – a $500-million operation. Lucio Tan continues to focus on his businesses and he has now decided to stay away from politics. His business empire extends to Hong Kong and China as his interests range from cigarettes and beer to banks and airlines. Lufthansa Technik Philippines – a joint venture between Tan’s MacroAsia and the German firm Lufthansa Technik AG – is a world-class maintenance facility for Airbus 330s and 340s. Aside from PAL, Tan also owns Air Philippines, a low-cost airline servicing local destinations as well as Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, and China.

Manny Pangilinan steered PLDT into the world of information communication technology. Today, the company offers virtually the widest range of communications and IT services in the country. PLDT subsidiary Smart Communications is the top cellular company in the country with more than 20 million subscribers. Conservatively, he expects to have no less than P20 billion in combined revenues for Smart and PLDT this year.

On the whole, these businessmen avoided politics and just focused on creating wealth and exploring opportunities. This enterprising spirit is what makes this country going. Having a global economy, there’s no other way to go but the free enterprise system. Ronnie Concepcion, one of the original signatories of the Makati Business Club’s GMA Resign manifesto, has realized his mistake and withdrew his name. He is concentrating on his consumer advocacy and issues that involve business. This is an example of a positive role businessmen should take.

Anywhere in the world, it is businessmen, big and small, who move the economy, create more jobs, and generate more wealth and tax revenues. Businessmen who have been successful all these years should have only one focus in mind — Concentrate on business because there is, in fact, life outside of politics.

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