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Dream a little
Michael Alan Hamlin
With an approval rating of 85%, President Benigno C. Aquino III enjoyed a historic level of goodwill as he approached the rostrum Monday afternoon to deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the 15th president of the Philippines. His speechwriters and handlers must have agonized over the approach the much-anticipated address should take. Yet the choice had to have been clear: Manage the high expectations of an adoring nation; or, inspire the nation.
In the end, the decision was to manage expectations, despite the president’s assertion that, “We can dream again.” Mr. Aquino bared a litany of anomalies to illustrate why government coffers are empty, suggesting that scarce financial resources limit his administration’s options for improving long-neglected education, infrastructure, and social services. Then Mr. Aquino deftly transferred the burden of filling the financial gap to the private sector, along with a large measure of accountability for the nation’s future.
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Posted
7/28/2010 5:41:42 PM |
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Timing is everything
Michael Alan Hamlin
Six days before the 90-day constitutional ban on appointments leading up to national elections, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed a nine-member board to oversee the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), including its chairman, Mr. Deogracias Custodio. The Freeport was created with the passage of Republic Act 9721. The bill that led to the new law was principally authored by Congressman Albert S. Garcia, who represents the 2nd District of Bataan.
Cong. Albert Garcia is the son of former congressman and current Bataan governor Enrique “Tet” Garcia, Jr. The governor was reelected to a second term in May. Gov. Garcia’s family is closely identified with the former president, and like other political dynasties across this archipelago, maintains a strong grip on its sphere of influence. Jose Enrique S. Garcia III was elected mayor of Balanga City, the capital, in May. A close associate of the Garcia clan, Jesse I. Concepcion, was elected mayor of Mariveles where the Freeport is situated.
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Posted
7/22/2010 11:38:16 AM |
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Return on CSR
Michael Alan Hamlin
A client recently told me that two things stood out to him in talks with employees at the large outsourcing firm where he is an executive, and with prospective employees interviewing for jobs. First, he said, the agents and applicants he talked to said they were impressed with the firm because it offered a real career path for employees. That’s an important competitive advantage to have associated with an outsourcing brand.
The industry is perceived to suffer from a high rate of churn-not nearly as high as urban myth suggests, though-as a result of burnout and the difficult working hours. Credibly communicating that his firm offers real upward mobility can help attract applicants that might not otherwise consider working in the outsourcing industry. It can also reduce turnover, and contribute to a motivated workforce.
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Posted
7/14/2010 12:04:01 PM |
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That's cool, Jay!
Michael Alan Hamlin
Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu), a highly visible and outspoken journalism professor at New York University, recently spoke to World Bank communications officers. They had gathered from around the world to listen to Mr. Rosen speak about impression management-trying to control what others think of your brand-transparency, and “secrecy via complexity.” I think that means purposeful obfuscation (Mr. Rosen would argue with that assumption.). Continue reading here.
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Posted
7/1/2010 11:37:03 PM |
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