The ART of presidential management

"May anak ba na hindi pinapagalitan ng ina?" countered Presidential Management Staff chief Arthur Yap when asked if, as one of President Arroyo’s most trusted men, he gets bawled out by his boss – his former teacher.

When asked if his lady boss ever says she’s sorry (okay, she did, once, on television and she’s regretted it, sources say), Art says she doesn’t need to. "But she shows, through her body language, that she’s not angry anymore."

Art, along with Albay Rep. Joey Salceda (one of GMA’s most brilliant students, according to him) were once students of economics under Professor Gloria Arroyo. GMA obviously remembered Art’s abilities well, for he was not only her former agriculture secretary, he is now her presidential adviser for job creation. And he’s also PMS chief, a post that keeps his shoes treading on the corridors of power at Malacañang.

Still, members of the press at the Bulong Pulungan lunch forum at the Hotel Philippine Plaza were more interested in what went on inside the corridors of power at Malacañang rather than in Yap’s job-creation portfolio.

Is there a conjugal partnership running the presidency?

"There is no partnership," he stressed, "when it comes to running the presidency." It’s a solo act.

But could he categorically say the First Gentleman does not influence his wife? Art gave us that "Oh, c’mmon look."

"You wouldn’t believe me either if I said that a husband has no influence on his wife and a wife has no influence on her husband. The Arroyos are a normal married couple," he says.

He clarifies, however, that when it comes to running the country, it’s Mrs. Arroyo, not Mr. Arroyo, who is the boss.

As to his job description, Yap was asked if like previous PMS chiefs, he had the power to decide who got to ride on the presidential plane, and who got to sit beside the president. At Malacañang, that made you a god of sorts, making you a real player in the corridors of power because you bestowed access to a very busy president.

However, Yap said he had no such powers. The Protocol Office determined seating arrangements and the hands-on Commander-in-Chief herself determines who gets to sit beside her, or who is relegated to the back-up C-130.

No, Art isn’t a one-man job placement agency, so please, no Wowowee-like queues on his doorstep. His job as presidential adviser for job creation is "championing specific skills, matching of job-lookers with job fairs designed especially for 19 priority areas in the National Capital Region."

"We don’t want just another generic job fair where both employer and applicants go home because each wasn’t fit to answer their needs.What is unique about this program is its tailor-fitting to the existing skills of job hunters in critical hotspots, be it their previous experience, interests or acquired skills such as masonry, carpentry, automotives or even being a service crew."

The key employment generators are cyberservices, hotel and restaurant, aviation (no wonder my husband wants our son to be a pilot!), health services, mining and medical tourism.

Whatever his job description, it is clear that Arthur Yap wields more power than he cares to admit.

Sony says ‘Thank you!’ to dealers for an ‘Xplo-sive’ Sony Year

As way of concluding its fiscal year, Sony Philippines recently gathered its dealers from all over the country to a historic two-day conference at the Dusit Hotel Nikko. Notable personalities from high society and the business circle graced Sony’s grand dealer conference, and eagerly witnessed the unveiling of Sony’s spectacular new product line-ups.

The event culminated in an awarding ceremony, where Sony Philippines gave recognition to its most outstanding dealers for 2006. Calvin Millado hosted the grand affair. Among the awardees were Avid Sales Corp., which won Dealer of the Year for Handycams and Digital Imaging Accessories; Abenson Inc. for Sony Cyber-shots; and Star Appliance, Inc. for Large-Screen TVs. Ansons Emporium was cited for having the highest growth for Grand Wega, Projection TV Wega and Bravia; while Du Ek Sam Group was cited as top provincial dealer.

Special recognition for positive sales growth was also given to Colours Fotoshop (for Cyber-shots and Handycams) and Imperial Appliance (Large Screen Size TV / Projection TV Wega / Grand Wega & Bravia).

The most-anticipated award, that of "Top Dealer of 2005" went to Avid Sales Corp.

And Sony Philippines is further reinforcing its number one position with the expansion of its existing line-up of personal and home audio-video products. The new models introduced were that of the fabulously-vivid Sparkling WEGA, the fun and funky Hi-Fi with Karaoke Scoring Function, the sensational Cyber-shot H-series and the ground-breaking hard-disk drive Handycam DCR-SR100.

But aside from adding new models to the existing product categories, Sony also unveiled a new product category with the launch of the dangerously sexy Xplod car audio series. The grand launch was hosted by the vivacious and bubbly Mariel Rodriguez and was also held at the Dusit Hotel Nikko in Makati.

"Sony Philippines has always been driven to be the best; whether it is in terms of features, connectivity or design," said the dynamic Hiroaki Kobayashi, Sony Philippines’ president and managing director. "This is why we are the Philippines’ number one brand for home and personal AV products. With the launch of the Sony Xplod, we are extending our leadership to the car audio market."

The Sony Xplod Car Audio Series feature the complete line of head units, amplifiers, speakers, and subwoofers. They come in designs that are not only aesthetically advanced, but are also proven to rev-up performance.

"The Sony Xplod Series is specially targeted to enthusiasts who really invest in after-sales personalization of their rides. With its advanced technology, integration and connectivity to a wide range of AV products, such as the Sony Network Walkman, PSP and even the Sony Ericsson phone, the Sony Xplod Series can transform any car trip into a fantasy joy ride," said Kobayashi.

Indeed, with Sony’s Xplod Series and new AV products, this year promises to be a scorching and sizzling one!

(You may e-mail me at [email protected])