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In the trust economy, marketing is no longer just about promoting value; it’s about living it. As we introduced last Friday in the discussion on the Trust Economy Flywheel, today’s Filipino consumers and citizens are reevaluating what they expect from brands and institutions.

This follow-up zooms in on one critical principle: Cultural Literacy (Principle No.2). At stake is not just public perception, but the very foundation of trust that marketing, leadership and long-term business growth all depend on.

Within the Trust Economy Flywheel, cultural literacy has two dimensions: understanding and action.

In our original definition, we described it as the awareness of cultural norms and the courage to challenge those that obstruct transparency or accountability. Cultural integrity is the manifestation of that courage in action.

In this article, we unpack that action-oriented dimension, what we now call cultural integrity, to show how leaders can live out values in ways that build trust and reform culture.

Cultural literacy is more than knowing Filipino values. It’s about leading and communicating through them. Trust doesn’t begin with words. It begins with consistent actions.

Consider the recent Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ghost project scandal. It’s not just a story about missing roads. It’s a vivid symptom of a much deeper breakdown: a loss of trust not only in systems, but in the shared behaviors and unspoken norms that uphold our institutions.

Trust doesn’t crumble simply because policies fail. It collapses when patterns of behavior shaped by culture, those silent and unchallenged forces, go unchecked.

What unspoken rules keep people silent? What emotional costs are they trying to avoid?

The cultural roots beneath misconduct

Filipino values like pakikisama (keeping harmony), hiya (avoiding shame) and utang na loob (debt of gratitude) are strengths, not flaws. They are survival tools that knit communities together.

But these same values can be weaponized, shielding wrongdoing or muzzling honest voices.

This is not just a system failure; it is a cultural one.

In many organizations, people sense when something’s off. Yet, the fear of shame, rejection or retaliation keeps them silent. Hiya quiets the truth. Pakikisama pressures conformity. Utang na loob demands loyalty, even when loyalty blinds.

Add to this the dread of not being in the ‘in’ group, or being called ibang tao, an outsider, a powerful social punishment in our collectivist culture. To speak up risks exclusion from the circle where protection, opportunity and belonging reside.

So many conform, not because they agree, but because they fear being left out.

This highlights a common misconception that being ‘nice’ automatically earns trust. But niceness alone is not integrity. Sometimes, niceness is the veil that sustains silence.

Real trust grows from transparency, alignment and the courage to stand apart when the group no longer serves what is right.

From cultural literacy to cultural integrity

Understanding culture isn’t enough anymore. Even cultural intelligence, knowing how to navigate norms, has limits.

What’s needed now is cultural integrity: the courage to live out values through an ethical lens. It is not to reject our culture, but to evolve it so it builds trust rather than protecting silence.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

Pakikisama: shared accountability, not silent complicity

Hiya: constructive humility, not paralyzing shame

Utang na loob: honorable gratitude, not blind loyalty

Cultural change doesn’t come from criticizing the past, but from embodying a better way: daily, visibly and relationally.

Instead of preserving culture as a static heritage, we should ask: How do we reform it to protect trust while preserving the heart of what makes us Filipino?

The Flywheel of Trust: A behavioral ecosystem

Trust is not just a feeling. It is a complex behavioral ecosystem. Our Trust Economy Flywheel draws from behavioral anthropology, ethics and leadership science. It acknowledges that Western trust models miss key emotional and relational layers vital in collectivist societies like ours.

Here’s how leaders build trust that lasts and how cultural integrity is the ethical compass that powers the Flywheel’s other steps.

Humility: In a culture where hiya can silence truth, genuine humility creates safe spaces for feedback, like participatory audits and culturally sensitive communication channels.

Cultural literacy: Honor our heritage without ignoring the norms that undermine trust and transparency.

Empathy: Leaders must not just listen but feel what their people feel and respond with sustained, culturally grounded action.

Transparency: Without context, transparency is tone-deaf. Clear, respectful communication builds trust more than technical reports.

Authenticity: Filipinos value sincerity. Leaders who consistently walk their talk earn lasting credibility.

Consistency: Trust is built on showing up every day, not grand declarations. Cultural literacy helps leaders understand what ‘showing up’ truly means on the ground.

Accountability: When framed through Filipino values, accountability is healing. It restores honor and opens pathways for real repair.

Leadership is culture in action

Culture is not just what we believe. It’s what we allow, avoid and repeat, often without question, often unconsciously sustaining power structures and shared meanings.

In the Filipino context, it lives in relationships: in the pull of pakikisama, the quiet of hiya and the weight of utang na loob.

It is both a comfort zone and a constraint. And unless we make it conscious, it will shape trust by default, not by design.

Leadership must move beyond position and power. It must be daily modeling of values: conscious, consistent and authentic. Not charisma, not control but the steady work of shaping a culture that truly reflects who we stand for.

Our Filipino values are beautiful and unifying, but they can also be hijacked by dysfunction. Trust isn’t built on who we are. It’s built on who we choose to become, together.

Sustaining integrity: The leader’s self-audit

Institutional reform doesn’t start with new policies. It starts with self-awareness.

Ask yourself:

Are we rewarding silence or protecting courage?

Are we designing for applause or honest criticism?

Are we changing policies or changing behavior?

Trust isn’t restored through compliance. It’s restored when integrity becomes habit.

A call for trust-focused leadership

The DPWH ghost project scandal is more than a systems failure; it’s a cultural wake-up call. But the Filipino spirit is rich in compassion and community. We already have the foundation for trust.

Consider, for example, the local government in Naga City that removed confidential funds and introduced the MyNaga app, a safe space where people can voice concerns without fear of shame or exclusion.

This openness built transparency, accountability and turned pakikisama into collective responsibility, not silent complicity.

What we need now is leadership that can rethink, reform and reinforce our values so they build integrity rather than shield dysfunction.

It’s time to guard against the misuse of our cultural strengths and lead culture toward a more trustworthy future.

A free Trust Economy Flywheel briefing will be held via Zoom on Oct 24 at 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.. Preregistration is required at bit.ly/TrustEconomyFlywheel2025. INQ

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved a P740.8-million additional replenishment for the government’s quick response funds (QRF) that is crucial for relief and recovery efforts following the recent natural disasters that hit the country.

In a press release on Friday, the DBM said P640.834 million was released to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and P100 million for the Department of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense.

‘President (Ferdinand) Bongbong Marcos’s order is clear that the government’s response should not be a one-time effort. Our support to agencies and LGUs will continue to help our countrymen return to normal life,’ Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

The P640.834 million QRF replenishment is intended for the procurement of the DSWD’s Family Food Packs and Non-Food Items.

It will also be used for the Emergency Cash Transfer to 73,348 families affected by earthquakes in the city of Cebu in Region VII and Davao in Region XI, and for residents affected by the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong in the Bicol region.

Meanwhile, the P100 million replenishment of the OCD’s QRF will be allocated to cover the agency’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses to support its disaster management operations until the end of the year.

Losing their first three games wasn’t easy for coach Norman Miguel, not after steering Chery Tiggo to a finals appearance in the PVL on Tour and a fourth-place finish in the Invitational.

But Miguel had to be strong for his team despite its struggles in the Reinforced Conference.

That strength finally translated into a victory-a 25-9, 25-16, 25-23 beating of the winless Galeries Tower on Thursday at Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.

‘I needed to be the one to stay strong,’ Miguel said in Filipino. ‘Of course, I’m human, too. I feel frustrated sometimes, especially because I know our team can perform better. We showed that during the On Tour and Invitational tournaments.’

‘That’s why I always remind the players not to give up or get too disappointed. The tournament is long, and the format gives us time. We just have to keep working every day. I don’t want to see them feeling down. I avoid feeling that way myself, no matter what our current standing is. I have to stay strong so we can keep pushing for more wins.’

Very coachable

Cuban Kazakh import Yunieska Batista, who lifted the Crossovers with 20 points for an improved 1-3 record in Pool B, also carried the same strength into her games.

‘I think Chery Tiggo is an amazing team. They’re fighters. So when I go to the court, they give me this vibe to continue fighting and working,’ said Batista. ‘When you lose a game, you just have to learn from that . we’re not superhumans, we’re just humans, we just try to learn from this and try to give our best and try better next time.’

‘We need to learn from our mistakes. Every game, you need to see the positive way because you can share that [with your team].’

Miguel is also grateful for Batista, who has been very coachable despite her experience, including a stint with Cuban national stint.

‘I’m also happy that Batista is starting to meet our expectations. I can really see her improvement. She’s coachable. When I tell her, ‘Yuni, I want you to hit this direction,’ she listens and adjusts. She’s very receptive to coaching, and that’s something I really admire about her,’ he said.

Chery Tiggo faces a tough challenge in keeping the momentum from this win when it battles defending champion Creamline on Tuesday. Miguel has faith in his team that they can sustain this performance.

‘We’ve done this before during the On Tour and Invitational. We started rough but eventually got better. That’s what we’re hoping for again,’ said Miguel.

‘This game wasn’t our 100 percent, but it’s the kind of performance we’ve been expecting from Chery Tiggo. We saw what we needed to see. Winning today was important, but we know we still have to work twice as hard. It’s a good thing we have enough time to prepare. We’ve faced Creamline many times, so we already have some strategies. Now we just need to refine what we’ve done before, improve on it in training, and hopefully apply it well in our next game against them.’

Ara Galang was also instrumental for Chery Tiggo with 11 points and six digs. Pauline Gaston had 10 points. Setter Alina Bicar had 19 excellent sets, while libero Jen Nierva tallied 13 digs and seven excellent receptions.

Limited

Chery Tiggo missed Imee Hernandez for the third straight game, as she recovers from a minor knee injury.

Galeries, which missed sophomore setter Julia Coronel, remained winless in four games as no one scored in double figures anew, with Dimdim Pacres and setter Ivy Jesel Perez scoring seven each.

Jelena Cvijovic was limited to six points against her former team in 2022, but had 17 excellent receptions. INQ

Disaster survivors and progressive groups held a Black Friday protest in front of the gate of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to condemn the alleged whitewashing and cover-ups in the ICI’s investigation into the infrastructure anomalies across the country.

The groups arrived at the ICI building at around 9:40 a.m. on Friday. Tension immediately surrounded the area as security personnel halted them from entering the gate.

The groups condemned the ICI’s alleged slow investigation and its alleged lack of transparency.

According to Eufemia ‘Mimi’ Doringo, spokesperson of group called People Surge, it has already been two months since the investigation into corruption in flood control projects was conducted, but until now, no one has been arrested and held accountable.

‘While ruthless officials steal billions of pesos from the public treasury, millions of poor people are still homeless, unemployed, and they continue to drown in poverty. It is not only climate change that is killing us, but also corruption,’ Doringo said.

‘We will continue to protest while no arrest is done, and until the public’s money is returned,’ she stressed.

The ICI is currently investigating the alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects nationwide./apl

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) said it is ready to deliberate the administrative case against the 12 police officers allegedly involved in the abduction of at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros).

‘We’re finished. The draft resolution is already on our desks, but we haven’t sat down to deliberate on it and release it precisely because we’re waiting for the DOJ resolution,’ Napolcom Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan said in an interview with reporters at their Quezon City office on Friday.

‘We will coordinate with the DOJ. We will wait for the proper time to release our decision in the sabong cases so that justice isn’t empty in the Philippines,’ Calinisan added.

Last June, whistleblower Julie Patidongan (also known as Dondon or Totoy) claimed gaming tycoon Atong Ang hired the 12 police officers to kidnap and kill the sabungeros for allegedly cheating in the games.

Patidongan and several family members of the missing sabungeros filed an administrative complaint before Napolcom against the officers last July 14, and the agency formally filed the charges against the cops last July 29.

On the criminal side, on Tuesday, the Department of Justice said it had completed its preliminary investigation into the charges against Ang and 60 others and had submitted the case for resolution.

Ang denied allegations last July, calling them ‘entirely false and without basis,’ and accusing Patidongan of attempting to extort P300 million from him, supposedly in exchange for not implicating the gaming tycoon in the case.

The Benguet State University (BSU) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Cordillera are spearheading a three-year research project to identify the causes of vegetable oversupply in the region, which has long caused distress among local farmers.

La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) market supervisor Janice Alleg said on Thursday that the study aims to help farmers cope with fluctuating prices and prevent losses caused by excess production.

‘The study can help overcome the worry of farmers on low vegetable prices due to oversupply,’ Alleg said in an interview.

The project, titled ‘Agri-Innovate: Development and Piloting of Supply Chain/Value Chain Solutions for Excess Supply and Resource Recovery of Vegetables in the Cordillera Administrative Region,’ began on June 1, 2024, and will run until May 31, 2027.

It is currently in the data-gathering phase.

The study is seeking to analyze the region’s vegetable supply and value chains – from farm production and transportation to trading and marketing – to understand the factors that lead to market saturation and price drops.

Its first phase covers farmers’ production calendars and crop rotation practices, leading up to how produce reaches the trading centers.

Vegetables traded in La Trinidad come mainly from Benguet, the Mountain Province, and Ifugao.

However, the influx of supply has often caused drastic price declines, leaving many farmers unable to recover even half of their production costs.

In extreme cases, farmers have resorted to giving away or donating unsold vegetables, with some using social media to invite the public to collect the produce for free. Others simply let their harvests rot due to unprofitable selling conditions.

‘We often hear farmers complain about low prices. For some, they do not anymore bring their produce to the trading post once they are informed of low prices,’ Alleg said.

La Trinidad hosts the region’s two biggest vegetable trading hubs – the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post in Barangay Pico and the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center in Barangay Betag. Vegetable wholesalers from as far as Mindanao flock to trading centers here daily to buy vegetables, competing with traders who supply vegetables in the wet markets of the Visayas, Metro Manila, and Luzon. (Delmar O. Cariño

The Liberal Party (LP) will expel any of its officials or members who are found involved in corrupt schemes especially in the aftermath of the flood control mess, Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan warned on Friday.

Pangilinan made the statement during LP’s ‘Kung Walang Korap, Walang Mahirap’ (if there’s no corrupt, no one is poor) fellowship in Quezon City, adding that the party will clean its ranks regardless of their position or influence.

‘We cannot ask for transparency if we will not live by it. We cannot condemn corruption if we condone it within our own backyard,’ Pangilinan said.

‘That’s why, as the chairman of the Liberal Party, this is my promise to the Filipino people: We will clean our ranks. We will expel any member who has been involved in corruption, regardless of how high their position is in government or how influential they are,’ he told the members.

Pangilinan and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, two of the LP members in the 20th Congress, earlier released copies of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) as a first step towards promoting transparency.

In a subsequent ambush interview, Pangilinan said this is their call for all LP members – to release their SALNs.

‘That is what we said. Well, for the Senate, I’m the only LP member. So in the House (of Representatives), that is our call – to be sensitive to the people’s cry and their request for transparency and accountability,’ the senator said.

At the House, there are four LP members in the Minority – de Lima, Dinagat Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Albay Rep. Krisel Lagman and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice.

Of the four, only de Lima and Bag-ao have released their SALNs publicly.

De Lima is the 12th House lawmaker to publicize the documents, with Bag-ao – as part of the Akbayan Reform Bloc – releasing her SALN last September 1.

So far, aside from de Lima and Bag-ao, the following House members have released their SALNs to the public:

House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno

Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña

Akbayan party-list Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio

Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago

Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co

Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga

Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando

Negros Occidental 1st District Rep. Jules Ledesma

Calls to release SALNs came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in late August 2025 gave the directive to do a lifestyle check – starting with officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who are currently on the hot seat due to the issue on anomalous flood control projects.

Palace press officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro said that Marcos’ directive covers the entire executive department, beginning with the DPWH, the agency implementing and overseeing the multibillion-peso projects he wanted investigated for alleged irregularities. But Malacañang also asked other agencies, particularly the Office of the Ombudsman, the Commission on Audit, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Bureau of Customs, as well as local government units, to conduct parallel checks.

The National Police Commission (National Police Commission) and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) are now barring police officers from red-tagging and threatening journalists.

The Napolcom and the PTFoMS on Friday signed an agreement aimed at protecting media workers’ rights and deterring police officers from threatening or harassing journalists.

‘The use of force against media, red-tagging and issuing statements that place media journalists at risk, and retaliatory actions against media practitioners for critical coverage are no longer allowed,’ Napolcom Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan said in his speech after the agreement signing.

‘We will uphold respect and protection for all members of the media,’ he added.

The agreement between Napolcom and PTFoMS provided for a case referral, investigation, and monitoring system for administrative cases filed by media practitioners over alleged rights violations by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

It also provides for a referral system for protective custody and psychosocial support for complainants, as well as the review of existing PNP rules on media relations.

Whom does the agreement consider as media workers? Quoting the signed memorandum, PTFoMS Director Jose Torres Jr. said, ‘Media workers shall refer to individuals engaged in journalistic activities, including the production and dissemination of information in the public interest through an editorial process.’

‘This includes but is not limited to media educators, reporters, anchor persons, commentators, columnists, opinion writers, campus journalists, and photojournalists,’ he added.

And if police officers violate media workers’ rights anyway? Calinisan said Napolcom can file an administrative case against them for grave misconduct.

‘We will teach our friends from the PNP not to do that to our media practitioners. We will not allow that and we will never allow that,’ the Napolcom vice chairperson added.

The National Press Club joined Napolcom, PTFoMS, and PNP in signing the agreement.

For his part, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Chairperson Jonathan de Santos welcomed the development.

‘We, of course, welcome closer collaboration between PTFOMS and Napolcom especially on ensuring press freedom and freedom of expression as well as on case referral in cases of potential attacks and violations by police personnel,’ de Santos said in a message to INQUIRER.net later on Friday. ‘We also hope this MOA (memorandum of agreement) will mean better coordination on matters like accreditation of media covering police units and the prohibition on red-tagging,’ he added.

Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. of billionaire and port tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. will further ramp up its energy game as the Philippines’ competition watchdog cleared its P50-billion acquisition of First Gen Corp.’s natural gas assets.

In a disclosure Friday, the Lopez-led firm said that the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has cleared the proposed deal.

‘First Gen and Prime Infra continue to work towards satisfaction of all other conditions precedent,’ it said.

Last May, both parties executed a term sheet with Prime Infra getting a 60 percent stake in the following facilities:

* 1,000-megawatt (MW) Santa Rita power plant;

* 500-MW San Lorenzo power plant;

* 450-MW San Gabriel power plant;

* 97-MW Avion power plant;

* the proposed 1,200-MW Santa Maria power plant; and

* Interim offshore liquefied natural gas terminal.

First Gen, meanwhile, will keep the remaining 40 percent.

Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, along with other congressmen, may be included in the first batch of flood control cases set to be filed before the Sandiganbayan in November, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said.

In an ambush interview at the Senate on Friday, Remulla said Co is ‘most likely included’ in the initial batch of cases to be filed before the anti-graft court.

‘I don’t have the complete list. But many names are on it, including some congressmen,’ Remulla said in Filipino.

‘Most likely included because I remember seeing a Mindoro case filed,’ he added when asked specifically if Co would be charged.

Co has recently been implicated in alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects, particularly flood control works in Bulacan. Former district and assistant engineers testified that he was involved in budget insertions that totaled at least P35 billion from 2022 to 2025.

They also claimed that kickbacks were delivered to Co, including one alleged delivery of P1 billion in cash, packed into more than 20 suitcases and transported in multiple vans to his penthouse at a luxury hotel in Taguig.

Remulla also said he is uncertain whether any senators will be included in the first batch of cases expected in November.

‘As for senators, I am not sure if any are included,’ he said in Filipino.

At the Senate subpanel on finance’s hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of the Ombudsman, Sen. Gatchalian noted that filing cases before the Sandiganbayan can take two to three years.

Responding to Gatchalian, Remulla said that under his leadership, case filings-particularly for anomalous flood control projects-would no longer take long.

‘What’s good about this is that, because of the crisis, we found ways to fast-track cases,’ Remulla said. When asked when cases would be filed with the Sandiganbayan, he said they are targeting within 30 days.

‘Hopefully, within 30 days, we will be able to file before the Sandiganbayan. That’s possible,’ he added.