I’ll first let the Naked Juice ad below do the talking through its amazing kinetic typography advertisement.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DkRznTser0]

Wow, I was amazed.  This is beyond the recycling green advocacy.  The concept of “reincarnating” is great, in the aspect of bottles, is great because plenty of drinks and packaging use it.  Especially in the Philippines, it is one of the major garbage found in bodies of waters and in the streets.

But then, continuous “reincarnation” of bottles to be used for eternity will greatly reduce waste.

Bottomline: this is a prime example of what it means to go beyond “responsibility” and become an embodiment of “sustainability”.

It is hard.  Trying to go against the current of the status quo.  Witnessing everyone around me taking the relatively safer road, the one tried and tested, while I am contemplating what I will do in the future.

This term made me ask questions.  To start pursuing corporate or start with a socially/sustainability-oriented career?  Corporate life promises the allure of comfortable money-filled life.  The other one, less travelled, promises self-actualization that my idealistic desires want to materialize.

Idealism.

I want to achieve monetary and soul-nourishing things.  I do not want to be a martyr; what I want is to achieve the best for me and the best for those around me.

Some would say I do not have a duty to serve those below me, but why is my conscience telling me otherwise?

The reason why I wanted to look at a social entrepreneurship career or working for an institution that includes social or sustainability entrepreneurship motives is that I wanted to be doing what is beyond right, yet I know I can sustain it.

Living a dream life while pushing others upward in the process.  Who would not want that?

I believe that CSR, in its current form now, is not enough.  There are even some that use it for the sake of reputation, not out of the drive to help.

I want to be part of an institution where these kinds of things are integrated in its processes, in its core business model perhaps.  I don’t want these things to be just “sidelines”.  I want this integrated in my career.

Yet I also want a relatively lucrative career.  Those promised in the corporate lifestyle, but instead of just increasing profits, there is social value generated.

For my last internship term, I will be going at the Foundation again.  I will believe and fight for the belief that social entrepreneurs, or those involved in a similar career, do not have to be martyrs just to serve.

Socially-oriented career takers should be able to live the dream, while letting others have the capacity to realistically dream as well.

It is hard to embody these beliefs, but these are beliefs worth fighting for.

The final prayer for our YFC Shared Learning was filled with these series of words:

“Thank you, Lord!”


“Salamat po!”


“Gusto lang po namin mag-thank you!”


“…kahit na medyo maulan, biniyayaan pa rin kami!”


“… di Mo kami pinabayaan!”


“Salamat din po sa mga darating pang mga blessings!”

This kind of gratitude is very rare.  Most of the time, people will be praying for supplication, for blessings.  Most of the time, people will pray to receive, not give thanks.

And this is what Bo Sanchez, in his new book (which unfortunately I forget the title as of the moment!) wrote.  We should learn to be thankful for the things we have received, what we are receiving, and what we will receive.

Bo tells in his book that this is the way to attract daily miracles in our life.  Perhaps this helps, because this kind of philosophy inevitably leads a person to look at life half full, that somehow a Higher Being, and in my case, God, will shower blessings and will continue to do so out of love.

Taking this to a level of business perspective, isn’t it amazing that businesses can become enablers of gratitude for people to spread blessings?

Let businesses become enablers of gratitude – from the past, present, and future!

For me, the highlight of our COSORES class discussion today lies on the concept of “imperfect competition”.  If I’m not mistaken, (economics majors please correct me!), the assumption of capitalism and economics is that the invisible hand of the market will enable justice and fairness due to perfect competition.

Now I know what Yunus was talking about when he said that capitalism has failed.  The invisible hand theory of Adam Smith seemingly failed to regulate powerful corporations capable of selfish monopoly and oligopoly.  Moreover, there are times that government, though discouraged by free-market extremists, failed to regulate these predatory businesses from being abusive.

Failure through monopoly.  Failure through oligopoly.  Enabled by bad politics.

Our mentor in the Social Entrepreneurship and Good Governance Training Program at ADMU said that social entrepreneurs must introduce:

“Pattern-breaking social change”.

Then I remembered my father telling me that positive change can only happen, especially in the Philippines, when:

“People get sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Is tremendous poverty not yet enough?  Do we need more tantrums from Mother Nature before we act and take things seriously?

It’s time for us to get sick and tired of being sick and tired.  We should be, in our own ways, be inducers of pattern-breaking social change.

I know that what I write is easier written, easier said, than done.  And I know that I do not yet have the best answers to these issues I am writing here.

But I know that I’m in the process of finding the right answers, the right things to do.  Maybe, this is my own little leap of faith, that since what I’m craving for is for the greater good including my good, perhaps Someone  out there will guide me however invisible His hand is.

It’s time to change the status quo.

I remember playing an exciting role-playing game in the PlayStation1 called “Suikoden II”.  It is a game where the hero leads a rebellion army to unite the state called Dunan.

Before the climatic final war, Shu the strategist asks the hero, (paraphrased) “Would you choose the easy path, the path of the ordinary and safe, or the path of thorns, the path of the glorious king?”

The path of thorns is uneasy, is risky, is unsafe.  But at the end of it lies the greater goal, the greater purpose.

There are businesses that have failed and gained massive losses.  What more if CSR, touted as “cost”, is integrated?

Entrepreneurship is a hard road, with only a select few from the many being able to succeed after their initial and jumpstarting years.  What more if the enterprise is a social, eco/green, or sustainable one?

This is the path of thorns that the change makers must traverse.

It has been quite a year.  Since January, I have been eager to explore a career social innovation, particularly through social entrepreneurship.  Some would deem me as to being too worried – I still have one academic year to decide what to do after graduation.

Fast forward to 7 months later, I’m still torn whether to engage in corporate or start dedicating my life to social entrepreneurship.  I believe there are people in the same predicament as me.
After an internship with the Visayan Forum Foundation, doing a thesis on sustainable entrepreneurship in the Philippines, having a part-time internship in the Benita and Catalino Yap Foundatoin, studying a class of corporate social responsibility (COSORES), and enrolling in a Social Entrepreneurship and Good Governance Training Program in ADMU, I’m still searching for the answer.  Funny how these things may appear to be many in number, and sometimes others may mistake me that I am 100% certain of my career direction, but still I’m uncertain.
What I know is that I know little.  Ironically, the more I search for answers and competencies, the more I realize that I know little.  And this little knowledge and experience sometimes paralyzes me to have a leap of faith.
However, what I also know is I’m searching for a career I can integrate sustainability and responsibility while having the ample material wealth I need to start saving for the future.  My short term need is the material wealth security, but my long term need is to have spiritual wealth as well.
Almost 10 months to go before I decide whether to start in corporate or start early in my pursuit of social innovation.  I admit, all the activities I am engaging with in these times can be so tiring.  But I know they are essential if I want to have a clear, informed decision of what to do with my career.
So, I pray that God would give me the strength to continue this ardent pursuit to integrate a lifelong career with what is the greater good.  To continue with the classes and the internships and give it my all.
My own hero’s journey continues.  Will I immediately take the call to the unknown or special world?

Awhile ago, we helped conduct the YFC Sports Festival at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament near Mindanao Avenue and Quirino Highway.  The activity started and ended in prayer through song worship.

And boy, it has been a long time since I’ve been part of a song worship.

Then it occurred to me: what if spirituality became an integral part of any organization?  Is it not a wonderful and satisfying feeling to offer activities to a Higher Being through glorifying songs of worship and exultation?

Is it not great, even if one considers himself an atheist, to offer actions and activities in the name and pursuit of Common Good?

I believe that if activities and programs would be seen more than just activities, if they would be seen as offerings for a Higher Purpose, then ethics will follow.  The great thing about spiritual organizations is that all of their functions have an innate greater intent – to celebrate God or whatever ones consider as the Higher Being.

As Peter Drucker mentioned, businesses can learn from nonprofits.  And I’d like to add that businesses can learn from spiritual organizations as well.

Above the profit motive and all the financials, we humans, whatever religions or faith we believe in, have greater purpose.  We are not here just to survive, but rather, fulfill our greater destiny.

It’s amazing how my part-time internship in the foundation, the shared learning in COSORES, and my continuous search for engaging in businesses with higher purpose converges in this one thought: spirituality.

Business gurus such as Philip Kotler has recognized how the market is shifting towards spirit-driven consumption.  Visser has contended how CSR must now focus on sustainability as well.  We are living in times where finally, businesses and organizations touted with brutal efficiency are now being imbued with the needs of the spirit to achieve higher purpose.

Truly, exciting times.