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A couple of years ago, I started hearing the unthinkable. Expats, I was told, who’d long loved living in the Philippines, no longer viewed Metro Manila as a plum post. From traffic to climate, red tape, and services, the country was increasingly considered hopelessly inefficient, backward, and downright unpleasant compared to neighbors, Filipinos and expats alike had long considered hopelessly provincial and boring. To me, it marked the end of an era stretching back to the 1980s when the Asian Development Bank built a new headquarters and surrounding enclaves were favored as expat residences.

A similar stretch of time, 33 years, separates two speeches by two Zobels. The first, titled ‘Democracy is development,’ was delivered by Jaime Zobel de Ayala on Oct. 23, 1993. The second was the keynote address at the Makati Business Club’s 45th anniversary by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

Zobel Senior reflected on the role of government in economic development when memories-and wounds-of the dictatorship were still fresh, but the newly restored democracy had already committed its share of mistakes.

‘Conventional wisdom favors maximum free enterprise and minimum government. The historical truth is that effective government is indispensable to economic progress. When government works, the economy succeeds,’ he said.

He listed what government does and what happens when it’s remiss in its duties:

‘Without law courts, there is no sanctity of contracts, therefore, no security of trade.

‘Without police, there is no security of property, therefore, no reason to invest in industry.

‘Without publicly built and maintained roads, rails, ports, bridges and telecommunications, commerce can only crawl.’

But then as now, there was the preoccupation with success and failure: our neighbors versus ourselves, and beyond, marked, he said, by ‘government, not just as catalyst, but as leader and main actor in rapid economic development.’

His prescription? ‘What is needed is not more imperious orders, but the same laws, rules, and regulations evenly applied.’ As for the rest, ‘The last thing we need is a change of form of government … What is needed is to stay the course …. Let us shun quick fixes and slick slogans. There is no easy way out.’ He added, ‘Let us pay our taxes, but let us make our officials pay if they misuse our taxes. Only in a democracy can we do that.’

By and large, he articulated what public opinion has been saying in the generation since; his son did something similar: ‘Business cannot thrive over the long term in a society that is not itself thriving,’ he said. ‘As global companies diversify their supply chains, we should think beyond which company, industrial park, or sector secures the next investment,’ because in a dog-eat-dog world, ‘a more important question to ask is whether the Philippines itself is winning.’ But to do so, he suggested, requires ‘an honest conversation.’

The ongoing disruption of institutions and systems globally means that global multinationals are actively diversifying their supply chains from the hubs that traditionally dominated, just as shipping is finding new pathways beyond the choke points that the Suez and Panama Canals have become. Seeking new paths for supply chains is an opportunity the Philippines is increasingly missing: Zobel Junior cited a steep decline in foreign direct investment as proof of this and anecdotal evidence of fewer international investors coming to Manila to look at prospects. The demographic ‘sweet spot’ enjoyed by the country is thus relatively underutilized, while the digital economy, which is already at 10 percent of gross domestic product, is in danger of not meeting its potential because of domestic handicaps.

He enumerated five fundamentals required if we are to attract long-term investments:

Talent: Do we have the required workforce and high-level productivity?

Infrastructure: Is the country’s infrastructure modern enough to handle the influx?

Energy: Is there sufficient, reliable, and transition-ready energy?

Regulatory environment: Is the local regulatory landscape friendly to foreign capital?

Institutional stability: Is the environment predictable and secure for multibillion investments?

Zobel Junior proposed that ‘we can remain fierce competitors in the marketplace, while recognizing that there are areas where collaboration creates greater value for everyone,’ identifying what he calls the three pillars of national advancement: education, citizen health, and reliable livelihood generation where the private sector can help scale up ‘social infrastructure.’ The Ayala Corp.’s own efforts include investing in its Healthway Medical Network (filling the need for affordable health care), partnering its own drugstore networks with local government units to support PhilHealth needs, and its own social outreach efforts to bring medicines and health care to remote barangays. In education, it is working to provide workforce-ready curricula to schools and to support greater capacity and quality in education for 3- to 5-year-olds. For sustainability and mobility, it is supporting the transition to electric fleets for private companies and LGUs, and renewable energy for municipalities.

The now-retired generation might remember former President Fidel V. Ramos’ ‘Team Philippines’ approach, which he lacked the charisma to sell.

I may have intuitively, though fearlessly, foretold the ascent of Alexander G. Gesmundo to the highest post in our judiciary. On Jan. 6, 2006, in my cluttered chamber as the two-week-old chief justice (CJ), I inducted him as a new Sandiganbayan magistrate. After formally administering his oath of office with both of us in our official robes, I matter-of-factly offered him my seat so he could sign his appointment papers. Spontaneously, I told the inductee whom I had never met before, ‘Please, sit down on my chair. One day, you will occupy it.’

AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, 15 YEARS LATER, on Apr. 5, 2021, he was appointed the 27th chief justice of the Philippines. Remarkably, CJ Gesmundo neither sought his nomination to the post nor coveted the appointment. Though not the most senior or second most senior justice at the time, his ascension was nonetheless accepted by all the justices-a tribute to his modesty, intellectuality, collegiality, and integrity. They knew his ascent did not involve political bargaining or calculated ambition; it was the natural culmination of a life devoted to humility in greatness.

Without fanfare or publicity, he took his oath as the primus inter pares of the Supreme Court before Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe (who normally should have been a shoo-in for the top post), with the Court en banc as witnesses. Unlike prior chiefs who were sworn in by the President at Malacañang, this act of independence from the appointing authority endeared him to his colleagues.

Over the years, CJ Alex and I have grown quite fond of each other. At my request, he has faithfully chaired the board of judges of the legal scholarship program of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity (FLP) for five years since his appointment. Graciously, he welcomed the finalists into the inner sanctum of the Supreme Court-a privilege reserved for a select few-where he and the board conducted their interviews. Even beyond that, he inspired the interviewees to champion liberty and prosperity under the rule of law, a legal philosophy he shares with FLP.

HE INHERITED A JUDICIARY BESET BY THE RAVAGES of the pandemic and a huge backlog of cases. Undaunted, he spearheaded a reform agenda called the ‘Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027,’ a five-year blueprint to guide the judiciary toward case decongestion, enhanced legal education, technology-driven court processes, coupled with a steadfast protection of constitutional rights.

Though passionate in forging digital transformation, he nonetheless always stressed that technology is merely a means; justice for our people remains the ultimate end. Thus, he pioneered the Court’s framework on ‘human-centered augmented intelligence’ to ensure that innovation supports, rather than supplants, human judgment.

Anchored on this vision, he ensured the accessibility and responsiveness of the courts to ordinary citizens. As he so simply but eloquently summarized, ‘[t]he majesty of the [Supreme] Court shines clearest and brightest in our devotion to rendering justice swiftly, without fear or favor.’

A brief survey of his key decisions reveals a passion for substantive justice over technicality. He consistently interpreted the law to humanize it. In People v. Pagal (Sept. 29, 2020, en banc)-in which he acquitted the accused of murder despite his guilty plea-CJ Gesmundo opened his ponencia with a quote from Cicero, asserting that essential justice for the poor transcends the immense power of the state to prosecute.

Truly, the words of justices carry a god-like finality, immortalized in jurisprudence, read, debated, and admired (or despised) long after they pass from this Earth. Despite this rather intoxicating power, CJ Alex kept to his characteristic humility and relied on his conscience and private prayers to guide his every decision.

NOTABLY, HE FOSTERED COLLEGIALITY IN THE COURT. He listened intently to his peers, welcomed divergent views, and did not impose his will. When tempers flared during difficult debates, he would quietly arbitrate to preserve institutional unity.

His modest, selfless approach to leadership stems from his reverence for the office. Indeed, he views his headship more as a divine calling and less as a worldly achievement. True, he did not seek the top office in the judiciary, but our country is infinitely better because he accepted the call to it. Surrendering to a duty larger than himself, he personified the constitutional duty of ‘proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.’

On Nov. 5, CJ Alex will reach the compulsory retirement age of 70 and regain his freedom after his long exile on the quiet, secluded peaks of Mount Olympus. I am personally delighted that he has accepted his election as an FLP trustee, effective Nov. 6.

As president of the association of retired justices, I will gladly welcome him as the most junior member of our group. Our retired (but not retarded) colleagues will join him in pursuing personal passions or hearing his quiet reflections about the high office he once held-remembering the humility with which he served it, and the greatness with which he left it.

The Philippine National Police has intensified intelligence operations nationwide to determine whether separate child exploitation cases in Pangasinan and Cebu involve a common network of perpetrators.

Authorities in Pangasinan are investigating alleged exploitation activities in Urdaneta City, while a French national was arrested in Cebu over alleged sexual offenses against minors.

Intelligence

‘Criminal networks must not be allowed to exploit provincial boundaries to evade justice,’ said PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. in a statement on Sunday.

‘By linking our regional intelligence, we are dismantling these syndicates from the roots up and ensuring that no corner of this country serves as a safe haven for those who prey on our children,’ Nartatez added.

Police units have been instructed to establish whether the cases in Pangasinan and Cebu involve the same individuals or organized groups operating across provincial boundaries.

The issue in Pangasinan drew public attention after vlogger Christian Albert Gaza shared a video on Facebook featuring a house in Urdaneta City, where several alleged unlawful activities, such as child exploitation, child molestation, maltreatment, physical assault, torture, and illegal drug-related activities, were reportedly taking place.

Last Friday, the Pangasinan provincial government said it was coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the National Bureau of Investigation regarding the issue.

United response

Meanwhile, a French national was arrested in Catmon, Cebu, on Oct. 29, on the strength of a warrant issued by the Tribunal Judiciaire de Montauban, France, on March 28, 2024, for alleged rape, corruption, and sexual assault of minors under 15.

The foreign national was turned over to the Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit for appropriate legal and immigration proceedings.

Nartatez said the PNP would pursue both local and foreign suspects involved in the exploitation of Filipino children, adding that police would continue coordinating with international law enforcement agencies to track down perpetrators.

‘Child exploitation is a transnational crime that demands an unyielding, united response,’ he said.

Nartatez added: ‘Whether these perpetrators operate within our provinces or cross international borders, our reach is long, our partnerships are firm, and we will hunt down every single individual who attempts to violate the dignity of our youth.’

This year, the Philippines ranks 15th out of 60 countries in the Out of the Shadows Index, developed by Economist Impact with advocacy led by Together for Girls, in efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence against children.

The index assesses 60 countries, which cover 83 percent of the world’s children, across four pillars: governance and accountability, prevention, healing, and justice.