Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño has given the “go signal” for the release of President Rodrigo Duterte’s “drug watch list” to regional directors of the Philippine National Police.

"The controversial list containing the names of the local government executives, officials and civilians alike, who are involved in illegal drugs will be handed over to the PNP Regional Directors who are also Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) vice chairs. This is to avoid any conflict of interest and malice as RPOC chairs are also local government executives,” Sueño said in a statement.

Sueño met with RPOC leaders on Friday during which he encouraged the participants, composed of local government heads and PNP regional directors, to keep their firm resolve in the fight against illegal drugs and confirmed that the list be furnished to the regional directors to be disseminated to local chief executives upon request.

Sueño said the turnover of copies of the list was in response to what President Duterte pledged to the governors and mayors whom he met in two separate meetings in the past weeks.

In the meeting with local executives, President Duterte committed that they will be furnished their own copy so that they may have a clear view of what possible course of action they may undertake,” he said.

Sueño also clarified that local officials requesting for a copy of the list from the PNP regional directors should only be given the names of people in their area of jurisdiction.

“If a mayor requests for a copy of the list, he would only obtain the names of alleged illegal drug personalities within his town or city. He will not be granted full access to the names of people outside his authority to maintain the confidentiality of the list,” he said.

He said the move to give the list initially only to PNP regional directors was to ensure that if there would be leaks, the Department of the Interior and Local Government would immediately ascertain the source as it is only limited among the ranks of regional directors and would only be given to local execs upon formal request.

Mr. Duterte often brandishes the list during his speaking engagements, sometimes even slamming them on the podium or dropping them on the floor to drive his point that the country has become a “narco-state” due to the thousands of local officials involved in the drug trade or as protectors of drug syndicates.

Sueño said the list should only be considered as a ‘watch list’ due to the ongoing investigation and continuing intelligence work to verify the names and information contained in it.

MANILA, Philippines – Some Filipino businessmen do not see any reason to be alarmed over the “America first” pronouncement of new US President Donald Trump as opportunities for the Philippines may even arise from it.

In Davos, Switzerland where the World Economic Forum was held, US bankers, buoyed by a resurgence in profits, are advising their counterparts in Europe to think positively about the new administration of Trump.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president George Barcelon said the “protectionist” statements made by Trump could trigger more trade and investment opportunities for the Philippines from other global powerhouses who might be turned off by the developments in the US, the world’s largest economy.

The PCCI official told The STAR the statements Trump made were mostly aimed at China, the second largest economy next to the US.

Barcelon said it is US trade with China that might be in the crosshairs with Trump’s pronouncements.

“He is always saying China is unfair and they play with their exchange rate to benefit them. What Trump is threatening… is imposition of tariff (on China),” Barcelon said.

“If they will really impose that, it would indirectly benefit us because if that is going to happen, the Chinese would probably come to the Philippines and invest. Here is where they could be running. Their trade and investment interest could be diverted to us so of course we benefit,” he added.

The Philippines under the leadership of President Duterte has recently renewed its ties with China after years of tension due to territorial and maritime disputes.

As far as the country’s exports to the US is concerned, meanwhile, PCCI honorary chairman and Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said Trump’s statements were “nothing new” and should not be a cause of concern among exporters.

“Our exports to the US are not that big so a little change will easily be covered by China and Japan. So we should not be worried about it. Maybe, the other Asian countries should but I don’t think we should be, especially that Trump and Duterte seem to strike (it off) well with each other,” Ortiz-Luis said.

“The fact remains that at the end of the day, businessmen will decide on what they will do,” he added.

According to Barcelon, the products the country exports to the US are “those things that they cannot really afford to make,” which should make exporters a little more optimistic.

“But the service industry is a different matter. Over time, they would probably use artificial intelligence to lessen their dependency on foreign back office support, but that would take some time,” he said, apparently referring to the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

Trump was sworn into office as the 45th US president last Friday. His pronouncements in his inaugural speech that he would push for “buy American, hire American” or “America first” policy sent jitters all over the world.

But despite early indications of his leadership style, the local business community said it might really be too early to judge and project what he would actually do.

“It is still too early to react. We need to see what actions the Trump administration will actually take,” Makati Business Club chairman Ed Chua said.

For its part, the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham) said US firms have invested in the Philippines for over a century in step with Philippine economic growth and they intend to continue doing so in the coming years.

“We support globalization and believe the American economy can become stronger without being isolationist,” AmCham Philippines senior advisor John Forbes said.

Think positive

At the WEF, the annual gathering of the world’s political and business elites in Davos, US financiers told investors and overseas’ rivals to focus less on Trump’s anti-globalization rhetoric and more on his Cabinet picks, comprising of Wall Street veterans and corporate bosses.

But many Europeans still need convincing.

Many European bankers fear Trump, who campaigned on an “America first” platform and who has threatened to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese imports, could trigger a trade war with the world’s second-largest economy.

Jose Vinals, chairman of Standard Chartered Bank and a former deputy governor of the Spanish central bank, said there was a lot of unease over whether the Republican’s campaign rhetoric would translate into his policies as president.

“In Europe, there is concern and trepidation about Trump’s administration and how his politics will affect global trade and finance,” he told Reuters.

“Any form of protectionism will likely ultimately make the US economy less competitive and be bad news for the world,” said Vinals, who has previously built up an expertise on Asian markets, including China, while working as a senior official at the International Monetary Fund.

But Mary Callahan Erodes, who runs the asset management arm of US bank JPMorgan, sought to assuage concerns about the incoming White House administration.

She told the WEF that Trump’s officials, including former Goldman Sachs bankers Steven Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, would push a pro-business agenda that would drive economic growth.

“We are going to have to get used to thinking very pro-actively and getting excited about growth,” she said. “It is a pendulum swing and it is going to be positive for business. It just is.”

Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge fund manager who has been appointed by Trump to liaise with the business community, was the only member of the new US administration to attend the Davos forum.

He spoke publicly about how Trump would be good for the global economy and, according to banking sources, followed this up with private discussions with European bankers. But the sources said industry players in Europe wanted more clarity on key US economic policies from Trump himself.

Banks on both sides of the Atlantic might be happy at having a leader in the White House who has pledged to cut tax rates and ease restrictions imposed on banks’ risk-taking in the wake of the financial crisis.

Trading strength

At private lunches and evening cocktail receptions in the Swiss ski resort, some US financiers expressed concern about the impact from Trump’s blunt re-evaluation of key foreign policy principles and his penchant for castigating American companies on Twitter.

Most bankers expect volatile market swings in 2017 after investors, having driven up stock prices in anticipation of tax cuts and spending hikes, grow impatient for action.

Increased volatility plays to Wall Street banks’ greater strength in trading bonds, stocks and currencies.

US investment banks have already reported bumper fourth-quarter results following a surge in trading volumes across commodities, interest rate products and foreign exchange as investors reworked their portfolios in response to Trump’s surprise victory and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hike.

Goldman Sachs, the bank most dependent on trading, has seen its stock rise nearly 30 percent since the Nov. 8 election.

European banks have not yet reported fourth-quarter earnings but their shares have also have been boosted by the US developments.

The region’s banking index is up 15 percent as investors bet banks such as Barclays and Deutsche, which have US investment banking operations, will get a boost from increased trading and deal action.

To be sure, some European bankers reflected that sunnier outlook in Davos, saying Trump was good news for banks.

“He wants banks to have more say in economic growth and I fundamentally think that is an inextricable link combination, you don’t have strong economies in the long run without strong banks, and vice versa,” Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Britain’s Lloyds, said.

“Banks are for the economies like blood is for the body and, therefore, I see that as very positive,” he said.

ONCE more, an international expert on economic growth and policy-making has suggested that our government must reduce our dependence on exporting Filipino labor and focus on creating more jobs.

This time it’s Dr. Dan Steinbock, founder of the Difference Group, a global consultancy and research outfit, who made the analysis.

He said the Philippines could take advantage of its good demographics—in other words its huge population, by harnessing its potential in manufacturing, electronics, information and communications technology and tourism, among other sectors.

We think President Duterte and his government’s economic managers have this goal engraved in their brains—as it is in the mind of every thinking Filipino. But it’s good that experts like Dan Steinbock remind our top government officials and policy makers when they come to visit our country.

That’s because each powerful office holder has his and her own personal likes and dislikes, favorite areas of expertise, comforting memories of success and jobs well done and can all choose to make their favorites their goal-to-achieve priorities.

We’ve lauded President Rody Duterte’s choice of ending the reign of criminals and lawbreakers, especially drug lords, in our neighborhoods and a vigorous war against government corruption for his top priorities. And he has been quite effective in performing what needs to be done on these fronts in the half-year or so that he has been our President.

We must also praise the President for his administration’s initial good work in the economic growth and business fields, as Mr. Dan Steinbock did.

The global economy pundit commended the President for his correct response to the new world order’s call for stronger national economies as forces of globalization and integration wane and mature economies are frozen in the fight for growth.

He said President Rodrigo was on the right path in making it a policy goal to bring home the millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and generating jobs here at home for them by attracting foreign investment and upgrading the country’s infrastructure.

“Duterte is making the right move. It will be the first time in five years that I can sit down and say that you have chosen the policy stance that makes sense, most importantly investment. Whether it comes from foreign sources or domestic, you cannot build infrastructure without it,” he said.

He said something that other analysts seldom talk about: that having a huge population is an asset. But of course the country’s leaders in government, business and industry must prepare the ground for the millions of workers to have jobs. He criticized past leaders for being complacent about this, wasting these assets and opportunities. He warned that a huge population turns into a destabilizing force in the future—if not allowed to exercise their capabilities to be productive.

But he insisted that a huge pool of young workers, together with the economic environment that makes their capabilities productive through jobs, is what yields high economic growth.

This has unfortunately not been attended to by successive generations of Filipino government and private sector leaders. And this, Mr. Steinbock said, is why a great chunk of the working population has been forced to work overseas—and are supporting the country with their earnings abroad.

“Demographics is not enough unless you have jobs. We saw in Latin America what happened [in the 1950s to 1960s]. They had youthful demographics but no jobs,” he said. “So for me, demographics is actually really important. You cannot have a major change without it. However, if you don’t have jobs, you have a problem.”

He decried our country’s failure to make our asset an instrument of growth. He was not happy with the policy of encouraging OFWs to be our main source of income.

“When you export people, you don’t grow. You have to have the people…It just doesn’t work [to make them leave home]. Look– any sustainable, fast-growing, large emerging economy, none of them are exporting people.”

TWO years ago, in a different column for another paper, I wrote my objections to political dynasties as they have evolved in the country. Let me review what I said.

dy·nas·ty(dī′nə-stē)n.pl.dy·nas·ties

1. A succession of rulers from the same family or line.

2. A family or group that maintains power for several generations: a political dynasty controlling the state.

[Middle English dynastie, from Old French; from Late Latin dynastī, lordship; from Greek dunasteia, from dunastēs, lord; see dynast.]

[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Political+dynasty]

Some social scientists, including political scientists, work on their theoretical constructs and argue that they can make equal cases for political dynasties being a force for social good, even as others make a case for these being social evils. I do not question the possibility that dynasties can be benign and prove helpful to a people. I will accept that probably there are examples in history the distant and the recent, of families that benefited a whole population by staying in power and introducing stability to a population.

However, we need to deal with our current realities and our experiences with the phenomenon of Filipino political dynasties. The original anti-dynasty bill several years back may well have targeted the Binays of Makati. But the Binays are only one of the obvious targets. They are not the sole targets. Our official history, incomplete to be sure, and many times inaccurate, records all kinds of socially, economically and politically powerful families, acting solely or in collaboration, that dictated what happened in municipalities, districts, provinces, regions, and even the nation through their collaboration in Congress.

We have heard the names, like Osmena and Duranos in Cebu; the Arroyos at one time and then the Lopez brothers of Iloilo; in Negros, the dynasts were more socio-economic rather than political but they, too, were known to support certain politicians. There were the Romuladezes of Leyte; and the Teveses of Negros Oriental. And there were the Muslim overlords in Mindanao – names like Kiram, Ututalum, Pendatun and Alonto. In Luzon, we heard of the Crisologos and Singsons of Ilocos Sur; the Montanos of Cavite; the Lazatins of Pampangga; the Cojuangcos of Tarlac; the Romans of Bataan; and the Reyeses and the Santoses of Bulacan. When one observed the political turnstiles, we see how family members take turns in occupying the office.

To be fair, many of these families initially did a lot of good for the people they served. A number of family members were known not to have abused their position. Many of those families are still there but are no longer considered dynasties. They are just “well-situated”. It has been pointed out that while people benefited, the family benefited even more.

What made these powerful families remain as powerful as they had?

The shift to the “dynasties-as-evil” phenomenon came with the Marcos-Romualdez reign. Marcos was probably the most intelligent and far-thinking President we ever sat in office. He parlayed his skills to build political, economic and social capital, and once seated, worked to increase all of those. Assured of his popularity with a re-election, he then connived with his cabal to consolidate his hold on the country by declaring martial law. Within this context, he was able to do what he wanted, but always cloaked in legality. The allies who worked with him were given the chance to develop their own fiefdoms, their own satrapies, their own dynasties.

The Marcos-Romualdez alliance developed the first of the deep dynasties – family members holding appointive positions in many sectors and elective positions in many layers of government. Through various means he managed to hold a nation in thrall as he used various means of securing agreement or negating dissent. Ferdinand’s dreams fell apart as the illusion of prodigious Philippine growth development melted away, at first slowly, then with gathering speed, and the lies were revealed.

Marcos is no longer in power, though the rest of the family is around, unrepentant, defiant, eager to re-establish itself. But the family’s resurrection into prominence isn’t “Ferdinand’s Revenge”. His revenge is the way he has corrupted the minds of even some of the best of us, people who spoke the right sentiments when in rebellion against him and his cabal, but who were astute students of the cabal’s ways and means.

These people, given the opportunity, built their own empires. They got either appointed or elected into positions of power and influence from where they built their political, social and economic networks. Instead of dismantling the mechanisms of abuse they retained and improved them, drawing more resources than even the Marcos cabal did. Today we have the Binays, the Revillas, the Remulas, the Ejercitos, the Ampatuans; and there are many more that have chosen to stay regional and provincial but dynastic nonetheless.

They used existing laws and prevalent cultural values. Our current cultural norms, rooted in agrarian society and feudal systems, in confluence with the poverty of our people to ensure a system where powerful politicians can distribute ill-gotten largesse, handing these out freely, promising more benefits while keeping people in a state of false hopes.

The system of providing patronage through “KBL” – kasal, binyag, libing (marriage, baptism and burial) – gifts and contributions help the poor, as do helping them get jobs; subsidized basic but substandard education; subsidized health services; birthday cakes plus a P1,000 gift; free movies for seniors, etc. But the social costs are clear to those who would understand.

We need to change our corrupted system. It will be a steep uphill battle. But fight it we must, for our self-respect and dignity as a people, and especially for our children and grandchildren who will inherit all these.

* * *

The author teaches at the Asian Institute of Management and consults with business, government – civilian, police and military–, not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations in the Philippines and abroad, and has worked as line manager in all four sectors.

IT appears that the underpinnings of an incipient Dutertenomics is coming into shape with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) doing a first with an open consultation with the public on the Philippine Development Plan (2017-2022). The five planks opened for public review were creatively termed as: Malasakit (Enhancing the Social Fabric), Pagbabago (Reducing Inequality in Economic Development Opportunities) and Kaunlaran (Increasing Potential Growth). NEDA likewise asked for comments on two additional sections: macroeconomic and competition policies and infrastructure development and ecological integrity.

Dutertenomics at its core revolves around peace and order, geopolitical rebalancing, improvement of frontline service, simplicity and a lot of common sense in governance. One piece still evolving is the much-needed tax reform. Peace and order focuses on the police and the military and public order issues as well as the war against illegal drugs.

Geopolitical rebalancing is based on hopefully a soon-to-be-defined foreign policy and national security framework, the components of which are ASEAN- and Asian-focused, and the redefinition of our relationship with the United States, China and Russia. Frontline service has clearly been felt in the way government delivers services to the public but it will even take a bigger structural reform, that of the change into federalism and a parliamentary system. With federalism you bring government closer to the people. With a parliament, one forces the need to have real political parties in the country. These are parties that win because of ideology and programs and not by machinations of foreign and local operators paid by tremendous sums of money that makes winning a transactional deal than a democratic one.

Simplicity and common sense are values that this administration seems to embrace to its core. Protocols have been minimized. Pomp and pageantry scaled down and common sense injected in every problem-solving exercise and decision-making process. The leader deals in broad strokes, leaving the details to the Cabinet to thresh out. There are good and bad points in doing so but it seems the system now in place may not be the best in terms of responding to issues. That does not mean the system does not work. In fact, it seems to be moving well, adjusting as the Cabinet meets a hurdle and recalibrating when needed.

The simplicity was awe-inspiring during the state visit of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. As the first foreign leader to visit Duterte (as well as Davao), it signaled to all that Japan is the chosen one as the vital partner in international relations and diplomacy of PRRD. The formalities were toned down and it was a revelation to see stiff and protocol-centric Japanese politicians do away with what they have been used to in dealing with Filipino leaders. PRRD showed Abe who he is. He opened his home and had his favorites for breakfast and Abe gamely tasted the biko, suman, kutsinta and mongo soup. It was show and not tell to Duterte and Abe was rockstar in a carefully drilled itinerary executed masterfully by Ambassador Marciano Paynor, Jr., chief protocol officer.

For Japanese businessmen, it has been said that sealing deals are off the boardrooms, and the meeting at the kitchen table of the simple home of PRRD showed to all the mastery of PRRD and his team. It showed to the West what Asian values are and what can be discussed and agreed upon outside of the formalities of office. Leaders can be just their ordinary selves and yet still be able to agree on so much. The “kitchen diplomacy” resulted in Japan matching China’s pledge to PRRD (in business, rice cakes and mongo soup for a trillion yen package will now be the norm). Who will first deliver on their pledges will define Duterte’s foreign play in the region.

Interestingly, Abenomics, the economic policies advocated by PM Abe, is based on “three arrows of fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms.” The ideological basis of Abenomics is also related to the rise of China as an economic and political power. There are explicit parallels between Abenomics and the Meiji- era program of fukuoku kyohei (enrich the country, strengthen the army). In addition to providing a “stronger counterweight to China in the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening the Japanese economy is also intended to make Japan less reliant on the United States for defense.”

We should also give it to PM Abe for being game and positively responding to every event laid out for his visit. As our top trading partner and per PRRD, “truly a brother,” Japan is the anchor that PRRD has chosen to throw to the Asian continent in the rebalancing that is taking shape in our foreign policy. But even Japan is countering the sudden influence of China with PRRD with Abe’s pledge of a “¥1 trillion aid package to the Philippines, including government aid and private investments, over the next five years to help its infrastructure development and strengthen strategic ties with the key Asia-Pacific nation.”

As the United States’ influence with PRRD is shaky, Japan is now the countervailing force to China in the region. Duterte’s sound byte is clear and precise: “We will continue to forge ahead with our efforts to advance the rule of law in order to secure the waters in our region.” Dutertenomics further stressed that “as maritime nations, the Philippines and Japan have a shared interest in keeping our waters safe and secure from threats of any kind.”

Duterte seems to have integrated the Golden Rule in foreign policy: “Don’t do to other nations what we don’t want them to do to us.” In seven months, Duterte’s voice, emanating from a small nation strategically located in the Pacific, is no longer in the wilderness. The “little brown brother” has roared and is now primus inter pares. And yes, Juana, the kitchen does wonders!

Cagayan de Oro city was declared under state of calamity by local officials early Tuesday after a massive flooding in the city spawned by two weather disturbances.

“City council declared a state of calamity in Cagayan de Oro City after holding an emergency session at 1 a.m. today, Jan. 17, 2017,” the local government of Cagayan de Oro posted on its Facebook page.

A low pressure area and the tail-end of a cold front caused heavy flooding on Monday in Cagayan de Oro City and other parts of Misamis Oriental.

Classes in preschool, elementary and high school were suspended in Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday due to the rains and floods. Classes in the college level will depend on the discretion of the school heads.

Forced evacuation was also carried out in the villages of Tumpagon, Pigsag-an, Lumbia, Tuburan, Pagalungan, Sansimon, Iponan, Blua, Pagatpat and Canitoan.

Code Red was also raised over Iponan River by local officials, prompting forced evacuation.

A state of calamity will allow the local government to have access to funds for relief operations and related assistance.

 

The Chinese cyber attacks have been carried out extensively on regional states along with political influence operations designed to falsely convince the international community that the waters of the sea are and have been China’s sovereign maritime territory.

James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, told a Senate hearing last week that aggressive Chinese cyber attacks were continuing. ” China continues to succeed in conducting cyber espionage against the US government, our allies, and US companies,” he said.

 

(First of the two-part series)

 

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte is again meeting with a "special friend who's closer than a brother."

This was how he described Japan after his official visit there last October.

Now it's Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's turn to visit the Philippines.

 

”We all do better when we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.”

– William Jefferson Clinton

BY tradition, an incoming United States President gets 100 days to adjust to his or her new surroundings. I never aspired to become POTUS myself, but have enjoyed success as a leader elsewhere. I’m an American, born in the great State of Minnesota. You betcha! I’ve been visiting the Philippines for nearly a decade, having dated and then married my Filipina wife whom I met in New York. I fell in love with the country, the people, the food. How could I stay away? After many years working on Wall Street honing my skills and business acumen, it was time to move to the Philippines to take advantage of the many opportunities here. I made my decision to move here in March of last year, in the midst of a fascinating election season in both the Philippines and the US.

I (permanently) arrived in Manila just around the time of the first SONA delivered by the then recently elected President Rodrigo Duterte. (Note: Personally, I identify as apolitical, I’m not about platforms or rigid agendas but rather rely on a fair political process to select capable leaders.) Highlights of the speech were replayed on ANC news which I regularly keep on in the background while I work. One of his quotes that kept replaying, even though I don’t think it was part of the SONA speech, was “I serve everyone and not only one.”

By my 50th day I had disappointingly only played four rounds of golf. I had set a goal of playing at least once per week while here, potentially more if I could find a way to conduct business dealings on the course. Fellow Wharton alumnus Peter Coyiuto had invited me for a round at Manila Golf, which I very much enjoyed, and I was especially impressed with the condition of the course and the quick pace of play. My tee shots were an injustice to such a beautiful course. I’ve also had the opportunity to play Wack-Wack and Navy, as well as Apo Golf in Davao. Even this amount of golf was an upgrade to my ability to play golf in New York. I did enjoy taking the Long Island Railroad to Bethpage for a weekday round when time permitted but overall my game just couldn’t progress while living in Manhattan. The golf courses here are wonderful, and I enjoy at least the possibility that I can play more than one round per week in the future.

As for business opportunities, the dominant reason for my excitement to find the Philippines such a nice place to live is that I have great enthusiasm for the economic potential of the country. The likelihood of 7 percent-plus growth rates for the foreseeable future, potentially higher if certain administration spending plans pan out, is a great starting point. The possibility that rules and regulations will evolve to make it even more attractive for foreign capital is the icing on the cake.

I’m here to invest and to help others invest. I spend a large portion of my days working to bring global pools of capital and technological expertise into the country. If I’m good at what I do, then the Philippines is the beneficiary, more value-added products (and services) should be produced/performed here, and for an intermediate period of time the country can continue the “BPO theme” of exporting a talented and educated workforce. This activity includes finding partnerships and investment capital for established companies, but also involves funding and development of small and medium enterprises (or SMEs).

The SME sector is the backbone of strong economies such as Germany and the US. It is entirely possible for the Philippines to grow this sector into an engine that can lead to continued outperformance of regional and global growth. Why not? Let’s do it! I like to solve puzzles, and being able to have an impact on the Philippines through my efforts to traffic in capital and business ideas furthers my excitement to finally have found my way home.

Which brings me back to leadership. I’ve been fortunate to interact with many business and government leaders in my short time here. These are good people with talent and ideas, and my own ideas have been well received. The environment here is quite conducive to partnerships, in whatever form they may take. I’ve felt no specific effect of my status as an American on the possibility of working together.

On my 100th day in Manila, the people of the United States elected Donald John Trump as their next President. He has promised change, primarily on an America-first platform, yet he does have an encouraging early rapport with President Duterte. Wait a minute…now I have some questions: Do I get another 100 days? Can I now express my incremental (and even random) thoughts via Twitter? Should I learn Mandarin? Should I learn Russian? Answer: No! I’m still Matt, I’m still working hard and having fun here in the Philippines. My motives are uninterrupted, my plans remain, I’m in this for the long haul. I’m far from being upset at the election of Mr. Trump, many of his ideas are good ones. We live with our elected leaders, let’s support them and continue to work together toward our personal and common goals.

* * *

Matthew Peter Kolling is managing director at Primeiro Partners in Manila. A Wharton-educated finance professional, he has spent his 17-year career working on Wall Street in private equity, venture capital, special situations hedge funds and investment banking. Before moving to Manila, he worked at Providence Equity Partners, Caxton Associates, Och-Ziff Capital, and Morgan Stanley, all in New York.