From a culture of cheating to good governance!

Since we’ve written a lot about that celebrity case involving the Negros Navigation Corp. (Nenaco), you can say that I was pleasantly surprised to read the news on page B-7 of The Philippine STAR’s Business section which heralded "Nenaco turns around, nets P88 M in 5 mos." This story stemmed from a report of Nenaco rehabilitation receiver Monico Jacob who was happy to reveal that the company was doing better and has exceeded its targets. But should we take this report hook, line and sinker? Where can we have it validated or confirmed?

Pardon my skepticism, but two years ago, we read a similar news item also in The STAR which said that Nenaco posted a net profit of P67 million just a year before the courts ordered it to be rehabilitated. We questioned why Nenaco posted a net profit when it still owed the Balamban-based Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. P45 million in dry-docking bills. So the question we ask is has Nenaco this time around settled its obligations with Tsuneishi Heavy Industries? I hope for its sake that it had, otherwise its report of having a net profit of P88 million is at the very least fraudulent! So let’s hear it from Mr. Monico Jacob!

We’ve written a lot of articles that our government is so corrupt and that it is time to have a paradigm shift from a culture of cheating to a culture of good governance. But before we can demand this from our government, we in the private sector ought to set examples of good governance and the best examples should come from the corporate world. Unfortunately, we have ugly mishaps from companies like Nenaco, whose officers should not only work for the financial rehabilitation of their ailing company, but should themselves experience moral recovery that should lead them to espouse good corporate governance.

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As our usual practice, we reprint the many letters e-mailed to us in response to the articles we’ve written in the past week. So allow me to reprint some of these letters:

"From: Miko Ventura ([email protected]) subject: re the shame article. I’ve never been fond of reading columns in broadsheets. I just get a quick scan of the international and national news, entertainment and the comic strips, and I’m finished. When I read the title of your column, I initially thought that it was another pro-opposition (column). I sat and read it, and was thankful that I did because I got to read good stuff. Your column actually inspired my writing in my most recent blog. I’m no writer, I’m just a computer technician to some dumb Americans.

"I do try to analyze the other side of the coin once in a while. I try to be a non-biased observer and believer of things proper. Being born and raised in Metro Manila, we originally believe that all the action is here. But then again, the voice of Metro Manilans is not the voice of the country. We should always take into consideration (the voice) of those in other places, especially those in Cebu. It’s where GMA won massively. And I am with you in supporting the government. To let you guys know, we are so sick and tired of the circus playing right now. Hopefully everything would come into place. Thanks for writing that article. We are so tired of the negativity, and your article is like a breath of fresh air in the congested metropolis."

Here’s another letter: "Mr. Bobit S. Avila/Sir: Please count me in as one of those who ‘refuse to be thrown into that swirling self-destructive pit’... I just can’t help remembering one of late father’s ‘golden teachings’ which has to do with ‘pointing a finger’ at others. He used to warn me to be wary of pointing a finger at other people because three fingers (would point) back at me. My name is Mayette Morales, a retired employee (1996, optional retirement) of the Legal Office, Office of the President. From where I came from, I do know what you meant re ‘politicians out there have also done the same.’ Thank you for the article. God bless and more power to you, Sir... Mayette"

Here’s another letter: "Dear Mr. Bobit S. Avila: I like the way you speak in your article ‘Inside Cebu’ dated 01 July 2005. You have integrity, sound judgment that hit Ms. Susan Roses hard like bazooka fire together with (the) other politicians (who) are also power-hungry. More power and God bless. Sincerely yours, Pancrasio R. Pahilan, Balangkas (Bukid), Valenzuela City"

Finally, here’s a letter-response to our article on the Philippine Navy:

"I am writing to you in reaction to your column today about our Navy. It is true that by far, we have the weakest armed forces in the ASEAN and perhaps our Army, Navy and Air Force are the perennial cellar dwellers in comparison to our neighbors. About your suggestion for self-sufficient armed forces, it is a very good idea, indeed.

"I was in Balamban last summer and saw the shipyard making repairs for SuperCat and it did occur to me that what if instead of buying new combat vessels and accepting hand-me-downs from Uncle Sam, we make the boats ourselves and that way we can increase our defense capability, especially since our country is an archipelago and we have no money to buy new combat vessels. In addition to that it gives the Filipinos additional income and employment. Not to mention that if we develop this industry, we may even be selling (these vessels) to our ASEAN neighbors and contribute to our GNP. The same goes to our Army tanks.

"We have many ‘talyer’ that make jeepneys like Sarao, etc.. so surely they can build Simba APCs, too. It’s all about finding simple solutions to problems and not always resorting to band-aid solutions because the government should think that our people are already burdened enough with the taxes that they pay. It’s time naman siguro to use common sense. We have to innovate and that way, we can perhaps gain advantage and (have one of the) respected armed forces if not in the world, even in our own region and particularly our own country. Thank you and more power!! Colin Antig, Cervini Hall, Ateneo de Manila"

There is no question that we need to rebuild our nation to one that we can all be proud of. Perhaps, the biggest problem we need to address is that shift from a culture of cheating and corruption to a culture of good governance. But let’s start in the corporate world as our good example.

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talk show, "Straight from the Sky," shown every Monday, at 8 p.m., only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 of SkyCable.