Curbside Stories

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivered his 4th State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on July 22. I think the best thing about this year's SONA is the President asking every Filipino, "What have you contributed so far?" Read the entire speech after the jump.

1. Leaders engage themselves in filtered information, they surround themselves with bureaucracy that thinks the same way they do. As a consequence, although they reach agreement, oftentimes that agreement is not contemporary and not in any way relevant to what's going on in their marketplace. 2. Leaders who engage in selective hearing, in other words, they hear what they want to hear but not necessarily what they should.  3. Wishful thinking that when the business is off, the market will come back, they all do, they see the world through rose-colored glasses, they see the world as they want it and not as it is.  4. Fear. There are cultures that suppress reality. They punish people that have views that are confrontational or that are different from the norm. Organizations that suffer from this don't get real information, as a consequence, you behave in a way that's not contemporary with what's going on around you. This is from Larry Bossidy's speech ...

I dream of going to Disneyland even when I was still a kid. I grew up watching all the Disney princesses and I think that Mickey Mouse is the most lovable mouse ever. Indeed there is some sort of magic that makes people dream of going to the happiest place on earth. How Disney maintain that certain level that is beyond comparison is something that tickles my imagination. When I went to the bookstore to find reference books for my research, I stumbled upon a book entitled The Disney Way by B. Capodagli and L. Johnson. I read the foreword and before I know it, I was already at the cashier paying. I could not put the book down. It was amazing reading their management principle is almost the same as any other large companies, maybe, just maybe, the only thing that differentiates Disney from the bunch is that the have with them the most committed and happiest employees who believe in their vision to make Disneyland the happiest place on earth. I will let you in on Disney...

Above all things, I think we need a government with common sense and true concern. Would you build roads and bridges during the rainy season? I bet your answer is NO because common sense teaches us that concrete must be cured enough to make it stronger and the rainy days will impede the construction process. If you see that a house is flooding because their drainage system was dumped with soil from the road widening project you are doing, would you help dig up the soil? I bet the answer is YES because we are human beings with the inherent gift of care and compassion.

This week is just one of those days when I feel I am at my lowest... Let me explain. My house was flooded for days because the public works had to widen the road so they dumped soil to flatten and make even the surface. The excess soil covered our drainage system. When we asked the contractor to remove the soil so that water will not stagnate, the foreman said it's another contractor's job. I was so devastated to hear the lack of concern. That moment of truth hit me... it is not war but the lack of concern that will annihilate us. We were forced to spend money to hire someone who would dig up the soil to get rid of stagnant water that is attractive to dengue mosquito, leptospirosis and all other debilitating diseases. Monday is the first day of work and the only day in our weekday wherein all department heads gather for a flag raising ceremony... I was expecting to receive some words of encouragement from our boss to get us through the week with enthusiasm, but to ...