Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Under the solemn gaze of the golden statue of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, the sound of clanging pots and whistles filled the Edsa Shrine on Friday, Oct. 10, as the Trillion Peso March movement launched its weekly protest.

Instead of the silence often tied to peace, the air rang with noise- from whistles, stereos, pots and pans- demanding accountability.

This is because the protest includes noise barrage, candle-lighting activities and a mass.

Among those in the crowd of men, women, queer, old and young was 18-year-old Christian Alday, one of the young voices calling for change. But it was not Alday’s first protest of the day. Earlier, he joined a campus walkout organized by students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

Alday, a first-year Public Administration student specializing in Fiscal Administration at PUP’s Quezon City campus, said he felt it was his duty to stand with the movement. ‘I joined these protests because, as a student specializing in Fiscal Administration, we want to help improve our system of fiscal governance. We want budget deliberations and discussions on public funds to be reformed and corruption to finally end,’ said Alday in Filipino.

‘As an iskolar ng bayan (scholar of the nation), joining protests will never be a burden to me. In fact, I just came from a rally earlier. We staged a walkout from PUP Quezon City to the House of Representatives.’

Alday is a member of Akbayan Youth and the Student Council of the Philippines (SCAP), where he serves as national finance officer.

Student activism

Yet his journey as an activist did not begin in college, not in PUP that has long been known for its tradition of student activism.

It started when he was in high school, at Batasan Hills National High School (BHNHS)- the public secondary school with the highest number of enrollees.

‘I have long been an advocate of quality education,’ said Alday.

He recalled his days as student council president. For him, BHNHS is the perfect embodiment of the problems many Filipino students face with the education system.

‘First of all, BNHS is overpopulated. We have very few classrooms yet the number of students reaches more than 15,000 to 20,000 every year,’ he said.

‘There is also a clear lack of funding. We see our teachers- the teachers of the nation- not receiving competitive salaries from the government despite their heavy workload. And it’s not just the teachers but also the school administrators who face the same situation.’

Facing these challenges as an everyday reality, Alday said that SCAP helped open his eyes about how the system works- and why it must be changed and improved. ‘We may not be able to see the fruits of what we are fighting for but someday, in a distant future, we will achieve what we are struggling for,’ said Alday.

A solemn vow

Some activists have called the launch of the weekly protest as their panata or solemn vow.

‘We join the call that someone should be jailed. These anomalies cannot be allowed to pass, they cannot be swept under the rug,’ said Francis ‘Kiko’ Dee during the media interview.

Dee is the co-convener of the Buhay ang People Power Campaign Network and the grandson of martyred Filipino hero Ninoy Aquino and late President Corazon ‘Cory Aquino.

He said that the protest will continue every Friday, as they want to see district engineers and other high-ranking officials held accountable.

‘We want to see meaningful cases filed against high officials. We want to see people jailed, and we hope that the cases that will be filed against them will be non-bailable,’ said Dee.

Too many entrepreneurs treat networking, marketing or content as magic fixes.

We join clubs, attend meetups, post daily, hustle hard. But no matter how busy you seem, if your business model is flawed, nothing sticks. I’ve learned this after mentoring thousands of entrepreneurs and guiding teams at Mansmith and Fielders.

Let me show you why so many fail despite the hustle, what a strong business model really means (including its 11 building blocks), how to evaluate yours and what to do when it’s broken.

What I see most often

Here’s what happens in the field:

A founder spends P100,000 a year on networking, gets leads and conversations, but no orders follow.

A business launches a flashy website, hires influencers, but can’t cover costs for goods, labor and distribution.

Teams argue over marketing tactics without testing if people will actually pay.

These are symptoms of a broken business model.

Networking helps, but it can’t fix core flaws. Before your next event, campaign or partnership, make sure your business model works.

The 11-Block Business Model Framework

In June 2010, I launched the 11-Block Business Model Framework, a tool to diagnose and design business models across three critical components: the offering model, operating model and financial model. This framework has helped many companies build scalable, sustainable businesses.

The offering model starts with your target market, the specific customers whose needs you understand deeply. A vague audience means your offer won’t resonate.

Next is your value proposition: what problem do you solve, and why should customers choose you?

Then there’s your channel strategy: how your product or service reaches customers. Whether digital or physical, channel cost and efficiency affect your profitability.

Finally, your customer bonding strategy is a system to create loyalty and repeat buyers.

The operating model begins with your value chain: all activities need to deliver value, from sourcing to production, distribution and service.

Then, key processes are how you onboard customers, maintain quality, manage inventory and deliver service.

Scalability

These systems make or break scalability.

Next, here are the key resources: your people, technology, brand, intellectual property and capital. Supporting these are your complementors: partners, suppliers, platforms, collaborators who add value or disrupt your operations if they fail.

The last block is reconfiguration, your business’s ability to adapt, pivot or innovate. This strategic agility is vital.

The financial model has two pillars. First is your revenue model: how you earn and collect income through subscriptions, one-time sales, licensing or usage-based pricing. Second is your cost structure, all fixed and variable costs like salaries, rent, logistics and service delivery. The balance between revenue and costs determines sustainability and profitability.

Together, these 11 blocks form a complete picture. Ignore one and you risk building something that looks good but fails under pressure.

Signs your business model is the problem

Even if you hustle and network, your business model might still be broken. Watch out for these red flags. There are too many to ignore!

Market vagueness: You can’t describe your target market clearly and try to sell ‘to everyone.’

Low-quality magnet: You attract low-value or hard-to-retain customers.

Weak ‘why’: Your value proposition is superficial, and customers don’t see a strong reason to pay.

Pain-free problem: You solve a problem that isn’t urgent or painful.

Channel trap: Your channels are expensive, slow or confusing, and you rely too much on one.

Leaky bucket: Low retention or repeat purchases

Promo dependency: You rely only on discounts or promos to bring customers back.

Broken product chain: Quality issues from weak sourcing or production

Ecosystem fragility: Supplier or partner failures cripple you.

Chaos scaling: Internal processes are chaotic; scaling causes more problems, not revenue.

Founder bottleneck: The business can’t run without you or a few key people.

Copyable company: No strong brand or intellectual property advantage; competitors easily copy you.

Platform dependency: Too reliant on one platform or partner

Stale strategy: No innovation; locked into old strategies despite market changes

Revenue overreliance: One revenue stream or client dominates risk

CAC-CLTV imbalance: High cost of customer acquisition (CAC) versus low customer lifetime value (CLTV).

Margin squeeze: Costs grow faster than revenue; margins thin or negative.

Overscaled overhead: Your fixed costs are too high or unnecessary for your current concept or scale.

The quick commerce case

Quick commerce, the ultra-fast delivery of low-margin goods, may seem like a breakthrough in logistics and last-mile delivery. But when evaluated using the 11-block framework, it reveals important strategic gaps.

Its target market is broad: urban millennials who value convenience but are often price-sensitive and prone to switching brands. The value proposition is centered on speed rather than quality, affordability or uniqueness. This raises the question: Is speed alone a sustainable differentiator?

The channel strategy depends heavily on paid digital media, increasing customer acquisition costs. Meanwhile, customer loyalty is built through promos and discounts, not long-term engagement, limiting repeat purchases and retention.

Operationally, the model demands capital: dark stores, real-time systems and rider fleets. While these deliver speed, they also create inefficiencies. Complementors such as, suppliers and logistics partners, offer limited differentiation, making profitable alignment difficult.

More critically, quick commerce may lack strategic flexibility. Can it pivot to slower, more profitable formats, or is it locked into speed at all costs?

Financial challenges persist: low basket sizes, thin margins and high operating costs weaken unit economics. Without external funding, many players struggle to sustain operations.

This raises important questions: Is the pricing model both viable and acceptable to consumers? Are decision-makers influenced by sunk cost fallacies or momentum bias?

Strategy is not just about innovation. It’s also about alignment, differentiation and long-term profitability. Quick commerce reminds us that growth without fundamentals is rarely sustainable.

Hustle matters: work ethic, persistence and visibility count. But hustle without a valid business model is wasted effort.

I’ve seen founders tirelessly take every meeting, post daily, cold call for hours, yet stall. Not from lack of effort or talent, but because the business mechanics don’t align. They promote something that:

has no clear customer,

has no scalable delivery system, or

doesn’t make money.

In contrast, low-profile founders who focus first on product-market fit, profitable delivery and clear value grow slower but steadily, often with minimal public promotion. Their working business model amplifies the impact of marketing and networking, instead of compensating for failure.

How to evaluate and redirect your business model

If you’re unsure, the fix isn’t guesswork; it’s structured evaluation and testing.

That’s why I created the 55-video Business Model Course under Continuum Academy. It teaches founders how to formulate, evaluate and redirect their models using the 11 blocks.

This course is based on years of field application, with real, relevant examples for Filipino entrepreneurs. It’s practical and actionable, not just theory.

The goal is simple: help entrepreneurs answer these key questions:

Is my value proposition strong enough to win and keep customers?

Can my operating model deliver at scale, cost-effectively, without burning me out?

Does my financial model give me the margin and cash flow to grow sustainably?

You don’t fix these by working harder. You fix them by understanding how the parts fit together and finding leaks.

What to do next

If you’re joining another networking group, investing in more content or launching another promo without clear results, do a strategic pause.

Ask yourself:

Does my business model truly work?

Are my offering, operating and financial models aligned?

Am I solving a problem worth paying for, delivering it efficiently and making a fair return?

Use it to find weak spots and fix them before scaling.

Build your model first. Fix the foundation. Then market, then network, not the other way around.

Because in business, effort only works when the structure is sound.

Don’t just hustle. Build smart. -CONTRIBUTED

Josiah Go is chair and chief innovation strategist of Mansmith and Fielders Inc. He will speak at the 9th Mansmith Entrep Summit on Nov. 8: ‘De-Risk to Succeed: How to Spot the Flaws in Your Business Model

Before the Market Does.’ It’s live nationwide via Zoom. Register early at mansmith.net to get a free copy of ‘Entrepreneurship: The Four-Gate Model,’ the no. 1 entrepreneurship book in the Philippines today.

The Trillion-Peso March movement will hold anticorruption protests every Friday starting on Oct. 10 as part of the buildup for a nationwide rally on Nov. 30.

The launching of the weekly protests will see simultaneous mass actions being held in schools, offices, parishes and various community hubs.

Among the activities being planned are noise barrage, candle lighting and gatherings to be held in designated areas. A Mass will also be celebrated at Edsa Shrine and in other places in different cities.

Organizers urged participants to bring candles, placards and noise-making objects, such as whistles, horns, pots and pans.

The Trillion Peso March movement, spearheaded by the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation and backed by over 80 civil groups, described the campaign as a moral struggle against corruption.

Critical crossroads

‘We stand at critical moral and national crossroads. Trillions of pesos-meant for health, education, and disaster response-have been plundered. Every stolen peso dims a future, endangers a life, and betrays our people. This is not just a political crisis; it is a profound moral failure,’ it said in a Facebook post on Oct. 7.

‘Join us in daily acts of solidarity: wear a white ribbon; put a white flag in your house, car, and churches; ring the bells and hold a noise barrage; light candles at 8 p.m. and [observe] the National Day of Prayer and Public Repentance,’ it added.

The Nov. 30 rally, which will also commemorate Bonifacio Day, is expected to be a culmination of the movement’s series of actions. Some 100 groups are expected to attend the gathering.

The movement was born from the ‘Trillion-Peso March’ held on Sept. 21 at the People Power Monument to protest against corruption in government. The mass action was spurred by congressional hearings that showed that government employees and lawmakers connived with contractors to pocket billions of pesos in funding for flood control projects that later turned out to be nonexistent or substandard. The allegations are now being investigated by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure created by President Marcos.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chair Teodoro ‘Teddy’ Casiño earlier told the Inquirer in an interview that there were ongoing plans to hold another massive protest against corruption this month.

Malacañang on Friday announced changes in top positions at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

In a Viber message to reporters, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said LTO chief Atty. Vigor Mendoza II will become the new LTFRB chair, replacing Teofilo Guadiz III.

Markus Lacanilao will assume the role of LTO chair, while Guadiz has been assigned as chair of the Office of Transport Cooperatives. Lacanilao was the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime.

Malacañang has not issued an official statement regarding the changes, but transport groups, collectively known as the ‘Magnificent 7,’ had recently called for Guadiz’s resignation over his alleged failure to implement the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), formerly the PUV Modernization Program.

The group includes Pasang Masda, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas, Stop-and-Go, Fetodap, Busina, and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations. However, five members have since withdrawn their calls for Guadiz’s resignation.

Transport group Manibela, on the other hand, expressed support for Guadiz after the LTFRB reaffirmed its commitment to fully implement the PTMP and emphasized that transport sector reforms remain a top priority.

Guadiz was also previously linked to a ‘lagayan (bribery) scheme’ exposed by his former executive assistant, Jeffrey Tumbado, who alleged that Guadiz facilitated under-the-table transactions, including route modifications and prioritization of franchise papers and special permits-a claim Guadiz denied.

Meanwhile, Lacanilao was cited for contempt last April for allegedly lying during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing investigating former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest. He voluntarily appeared before the Senate that same month to comply with the order.

The inquirer sought comments from Guadiz and Mendoza on their new positions, but had not received a response at the time of posting./mcm

The Philippine Coast Guard in Southeastern Mindanao has suspended sea travel following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Manay, Davao Oriental, on Friday, and triggered a tsunami warning from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

‘All ships, water crafts transiting within the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao are hereby suspended until further notice,’ PCG said in its advisory coursed through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), following the earthquake that was felt all over Mindanao and parts of the Visayas.

PCG advised all ships and boats plying the route to take note of the information and take precautionary measures at all times.

Phivolcs said that based on instrument readings, the earthquake whose epicenter was traced 44 k.m southeast of the shores of Manay town, Davao Oriental, would generate waves higher than the usual tides by one meter or more and even higher in enclosed land formations.

Phivolcs predicted the tsunami waves to hit shore between 9:43:54 a.m. to 11:43:54 a.m. and may last for hours, as it advised people living along the eastern seaboard of the Pacific Ocean to seek higher grounds or go inland./coa

Occupants of hotels, big establishments, malls, and government and private offices in Cebu were also evacuated on Friday morning after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m. was felt at Intensity 5 in the city.

At Radisson Blu, a five-star hotel at the North Reclamation area in downtown Cebu City, personnel assisted the guests in the evacuation process. The guests and occupants were given water and bread while waiting for the management to allow them to return inside the building.

Among those evacuated were shipping owners who were about to hold a general membership meeting for the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association.

After an hour, the management allowed the guests to return to the hotel after confirming that the facility had not sustained damage.

The evacuated shoppers and other occupants of SM City Cebu, which adjoins Radisson Blu, were also allowed to get back at the mall at about the same time./coa

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced Friday an indefinite suspension of road reblocking nationwide due to allegations of corruption.

‘Effectively, I am now suspending all reblocking activities. and I will issue a new department order (DO) on reblocking,’ Dizon said at a press conference.

He said the suspension follows reports of road reblocking projects-particularly in Bocaue, Bulacan, and Tuguegarao City-being carried out despite the absence of actual issues.

Dizon alleged that these projects may have been undertaken to secure kickbacks.

‘Why does the DPWH keep tearing up roads that seem perfectly fine, only to redo them? Well, in many cases, we probably already know why. it’s because some people are making money out of it,’ he said.

‘They profit from tearing the roads up-and they profit again from rebuilding them,’ he added.

However, Dizon clarified that the suspension does not affect maintenance work on roads that are already damaged.

‘But if the roads aren’t damaged, like those in Bulacan and Tuguegarao, that’s definitely not allowed,’ he said.

According to Dizon, the forthcoming DO on road reblocking will be more ‘clear’ and ‘transparent,’ ensuring that such projects are properly justified./mcm

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck offshore Manay, Davao Oriental, on Friday morning was also felt across parts of Bohol province, prompting brief panic and precautionary evacuations.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the tremor occurred at 9:43 a.m. with a depth of 10 kilometers. The quake’s strong ground motion was felt in several areas of the Visayas, including Bohol.

In Tagbilaran City, anxious parents rushed to schools to fetch their children, while in Guindulman town, classes were suspended and students were sent home as a safety measure.

At the Bohol Provincial Capitol, employees and guests attending the State of the Province Address (Sopa) of Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado on the fourth floor were advised to vacate the building. After structural checks confirmed there was no visible damage, they were allowed to return inside.

Phivolcs warned that aftershocks and possible damage may follow the strong quake as monitoring continues

What were they thinking?

Barely two weeks after massive protest rallies expressed nationwide outrage over substandard or nonexistent flood control projects that showed the possible involvement of several senators in the anomalous deals, 15 senators signed a resolution urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to put former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest ‘for humanitarian reasons.’

Duterte, 80, is under ICC custody in The Hague and is facing trial for crimes against humanity for the thousands of extrajudicial killings during his brutal war on drugs. Based on official data, more than 6,200 suspects were killed during police drug raids, although critics and rights groups put the figure closer to 30,000.

Citing Duterte’s advanced age and deteriorating health, the resolution introduced by Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also asked the ICC to assign the detainee a doctor to determine his fitness to stand trial. The other senators who voted for the resolution were Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Joel Villanueva, Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, Joseph ‘JV’ Ejercito, Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, and Mark Villar.

Senators Risa Hontiveros, Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, and Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan voted against the resolution, while Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto and Sen. Raffy Tulfo abstained.

Tone-deaf response

Could the resolution be a well-timed distraction from the Senate blue ribbon committee probe that threatened to incriminate more senators until it was suspended last week? At the very least, the resolution is a tone-deaf response to the people’s demand for transparency and accountability in the corrupted government projects that had sunk lives and livelihood among vulnerable sectors.

The resolution is a slap in the face of the victims’ families, who are forced to seek justice outside of their own country precisely because of the indifference of government officials. As Hontiveros pointed out, the resolution is further proof of how our laws are harsh against ordinary citizens, but lenient and forgiving toward the powerful. Asked the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates: Why ‘prioritize Duterte’s comfort while ignoring clear injustices against political prisoners?’

Rights groups noted the hypocrisy of the Senate that turned a blind eye to the search for justice among Duterte’s victims. ‘The Senate has undertaken no concrete measures to assist the families of victims . No action. No accountability. No compassion,’ pointed out the group Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services.

Political intrusion

Several rights groups said the Senate resolution only aims to ‘shield power’ while ‘spit[ting] on the memory of the thousands of Filipinos slaughtered in Duterte’s so-called war on drugs . Instead of accountability, the Senate has chosen denial,’ it added.

For all its compassionate posturing, the resolution is a futile attempt because the ICC now has jurisdiction over Duterte, and is ‘insulated’ from the ‘special arrangements’ that the Senate is requesting for him. ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti also noted that the resolution is ‘patently self-serving,’ and could even be ‘counterproductive,’ in that the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I ‘will only consider matters of fact and law.’ In fact, she added, ‘this move could backfire if the court sees this as political intrusion and a form of undermining its independence.’

At the same time, ‘the ICC may also see this as conclusive proof that the Dutertes still exercise significant political clout nationwide [especially] in Davao, which is why he cannot simply go home there,’ Conti said, echoing fears that the former president and his allies still wield considerable influence and could threaten victims and complainants.

Personal ambition

Proof of such influence is the recent Golden Pillar of Law award given to Duterte by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines no less. While the award is given to lawyers who have reached 50 years of legal service, the IBP grossly overlooked how the former president had flouted due process in his extrajudicial killings and weaponized the law to silence his critics. How can the IBP ignore how this awardee had trampled the very institution it represents?

The Duterte factor figures strongly as well in the Senate resolution that reflects the partisan politics behind it. With President Marcos midway into his term, the senator-signatories seem to want to curry favors with Vice President Sara Duterte, seen as a leading contender in the 2028 presidential race. Instead of showcasing compassion, the resolution is clearly a naked bid for political survival. Putting their personal ambition above public interest should consign these senators to house arrest themselves on ‘humanitarian grounds.’ That is, to give Filipinos a chance to rebuild the democratic processes and justice system their lawmakers incessantly tried to demolish.

Mondelez International underscored its commitment to supporting its advocacy on mindful snacking during recent engagements with leading Philippine nutrition and health organizations.

Tang Sin Loon, Southeast Asia Lead for Nutrition Strategy and Communications of Mondelez International, shared insights on mindful snacking with stakeholders from the Philippine Society of Nutrition and Dietetics Convention 2025, and participants of the 31st Annual Convention of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity, themed B.E.A.T. Obesity. Mondelez International also supported the recently held Philippine Association of Nutrition 78th anniversary and annual convention.

‘Filipinos love to snack,’ Tang highlighted, citing findings from Mondelez International’s 2024 State of Philippine Snacking report, which found that 98 percent of Filipinos enjoy at least one snack a day-well above the global average of 91 percent.

He explained that the role of snacking has evolved significantly over the years. Once seen primarily to fill hunger between meals, it is now also a source of nourishment, an energy boost, and enjoyment. This evolution has fueled consumer demand for snacks that are both convenient, offer functional nutrition and emotional uplift.

Mondelez International is the maker of such beloved snacks such as Oreo, Toblerone, Eden cheese and Cadbury Dairy Milk. ‘Snacks, when eaten in the right portion and consumed mindfully, can fit into a balanced lifestyle,’ Tang said. ‘Mindfulness is about being intentional and present in the moment as you eat, and research shows that mindful eating can help people find more satisfaction in food while consuming smaller amounts.’ Mindful snacking, as advocated by Mondelez International, focuses on four key areas: mindful eating, mindful portions, mindful recipes, and mindful choices. The company has expanded portion-control packs across its snacking portfolio, which refers to individually wrapped options and products sized at fewer than 200 calories. Clear labeling and easy-to-understand portion guidance on-pack and online also help consumers make more informed decisions.

At the same time, the company continues to enhance its recipes by gradually reducing health-sensitive nutrients, fortifying the snacks with positive nutrients, and offering a wide variety of options to suit different snacking moments. These efforts, Tang noted, align with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2023-2028, which emphasizes social and behavioral change communication to address malnutrition. Scientific evidence further supports mindfulness as a tool for healthier eating. Clinical studies have shown that mindfulness interventions applied to eating help reduce binge-eating disorders, with benefits observed across both at-risk and healthy populations. The key principles of mindful eating include paying attention to the eating experience, recognizing hunger and satiety signals, savoring food with all the senses, and making conscious, deliberate food choices.

‘Snacking is a holistic experience that supports both physical and emotional needs,’ Tang said. ‘By empowering consumers with mindful snacking options and education, we aim to help people enjoy the snacks they love as part of a balanced lifestyle.’

Mondelez International continues to work with experts, stakeholders, and consumers to advance its mission of empowering people to snack right. By embedding mindfulness into its products, packaging, and consumer education, the company seeks to help Filipinos enjoy the snacks they love while living mindful, balanced lives.