The freedom of being Jimmy Laya

For Jimmy Laya, being the chairman of KPMG Laya Mananghaya & Co. group is just another jewel in his brilliant career. KPMG is one of the Philippines’ largest auditing firms and Jimmy is also the president of the CPAs Association in Public Practice.

When people talk about him, they almost always refer to him by his complete name, "Jimmy Laya." He mingles quietly in cocktail crowds but whispers of Jimmy Laya being one of the guests make you notice him. An expert in managing his time, he is a man of vision with the skill to focus on details.

A father of four, Jaime knows how government works. He is a former minister of Education, Culture and Sports, and the Ministry of Budget; governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines; chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts; and dean of the UP College of Business Administration. In the 12 years that he spent in public service, he established a reputation and has earned the respect of people in business and art circles.

On what occasion do you lie?

I don’t, though I am tempted to make an exception for interviews like this.

Which living person do you admire most?

I admire the average Filipino who’s generally hardworking and uncomplaining, plugging away in the face of great odds. I only wish he would look more often beyond the here and now, think more strategically.

What is your most fervent wish?

It has always been to be good at whatever I am doing.

How do you resolve your conflicts?

Gather and weigh facts, identify options, then make a decision.

What hobbies do you like most?

Reading about history and art, visiting museums, collecting things, writing.

Where are you most comfortable?

My den at home. I have two nice chairs – one for reading, the other one for sprawling and letting my subconscious go (daydreaming, that is). Books are shelved on one wall, a CD player sits in one corner, there’s a large table for a computer and also piles of books and papers, paintings and antique santos here and there. That’s paradise now.

What film influenced your life?

I am truly low-brow about movies. One that affected me was Les Jeux Interdits about two small children caught in war.

What book influenced your life?

Biographies and history. They teach what makes people great or mediocre, provide examples to follow or what not to follow, how decisions are made and how people behave and react .

What is your greatest fear?

Being condemned for something I did not do and not being able to do anything about it.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Sometimes I get into trouble unnecessarily by assuming that people think and behave like me.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Incompetence, more so if the person doesn’t even understand his/her limitations.

How do you start your day?

Scatter birdseeds out the window. It’s so nice to wake to the twittering of birds even if all they mean is, "Hurry up with breakfast, you lout."

What is your current state of mind?

Tense, Why so many tricky questions in this interview?

If you had the chance to change something in your life, what would that be?

I shouldn’t have pigged out last Saturday – lechon, leche flan, bulalo.

What is your greatest extravagance?

My hobbies. I buy too much collectibles only to put them in some closet.

Which historical character would you like to have been?

I guess I am a character – minor, of course – of contemporary Philippine history. That’s good enough.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being reasonably good at most of the things I’ve tried to do.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Going to bed with a clear conscience.

Which famous quotation would you have wanted to be the author of?

"Veni, vidi, vici," but only after I deserve to say so.

What makes you laugh?

I usually see the funny side of things and enjoy witty turns of phrase, ridiculous situations – the whole human comedy.

What does your dad often say to you?

My father passed away when I was 13, and I don’t really remember anything that he often said except maybe, "Are you through with your arithmetic?" (Sorry, Tatay.)

What is your favorite occupation?

I like whatever it is I’m doing at a particular time – managing, consulting, attending some meeting, attending a cocktail party or concert, browsing in some antique shop or bookstore, swimming. I try not to do anything that I probably will not enjoy or that probably will be pointless. One thing I can’t stand is aimless shopping.

What is your greatest regret?

That there are not more people these days who think country ahead of self.

Who greets you when you get home?

Happy and Friendly – two bright-eyed and bushy-tailed overgrown puppies.

Name an embarrassing moment at work?

Arriving a day (or a week) ahead or late due to some calendar mix-up.

What do you most do with your hands?

Type.

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