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MANY people start a budget with the best intentions. They download an app, create a spreadsheet or write down every peso they spend. For a few days, it feels empowering, but then the excitement fades. Tracking becomes exhausting, the numbers stop matching reality, and the budget quietly disappears.

Others avoid budgeting altogether. They say it makes them feel deprived, or that money ends up controlling them instead of the other way around. Some try one method, give up, and then blame themselves for lacking discipline.

If budgeting is so important, why does it work for some and fail for others?

More than just math

TRADITIONAL advice tells us to track expenses, follow formulas like the ’50/30/20′ rule, or use systems such as zero-based budgeting. These methods can work, but they often overlook one truth: budgeting is not only about math. It is also about personality, habits, and mindset.

Financial knowledge alone is not enough. Even the best system will fail if it clashes with how a person naturally thinks, feels, and behaves with money.

Personality differences in budgeting

SOME people thrive on structure. They enjoy spreadsheets, itemized categories, and the sense of control that comes from knowing exactly where every peso goes. For them, zero-based budgeting or detailed tracking works well.

Others find that level of detail overwhelming. They prefer simple systems such as percentage-based budgeting, the envelope method, or automatic transfers to savings. Too much complexity drains their motivation, so a lighter approach keeps them consistent.

Our personalities shape the way we handle money:

Detail-oriented vs. Big-picture thinkers. Some like to see every peso, others just want a broad overview.

Impulse-driven vs. Cautious personalities. Impulsive spenders may need stricter boundaries, while cautious savers might thrive with more flexibility.

Structured vs. Flexible types. Some follow rules easily, while others feel trapped and rebel against strict limits.

Behavioral tendencies also play a role. Present bias pushes us to prioritize immediate gratification over future security. Loss aversion makes us feel the ‘pain’ of cutting back more than the benefit of saving. These tendencies influence how likely we are to stick with a budget.

Other influences beyond personality

IT is not just personality that matters. Our past experiences and environment also shape how we manage money.

Upbringing and money scripts. If someone grew up in a home where every expense was tracked tightly, they might see budgeting as restrictive. Others who experienced financial instability may either become very cautious or spend freely as a way of rebelling.

Cultural expectations. In the Philippines, family obligations often take priority. A person may carefully plan a budget, only to divert funds to help relatives. Environment and stress. A demanding job, irregular income, or frequent emergencies can make detailed budgeting difficult to sustain.

These influences show why no single method works for everyone.

Why budgets fail

WHEN budgets fail, it is rarely because people are careless. More often, the system they tried did not match their personality or situation.

Feeling deprived. If the budget is too strict and leaves no room for enjoyment, it is hard to sustain.

Feeling overwhelmed. If the system requires too much time and effort, people eventually give up.

Lack of emotional connection. If budgeting feels like a punishment instead of a tool, motivation disappears.

Copying others. A friend’s method may work for them, but feel impossible for someone else.

The psychology of finding what works

THE truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all budget. The best budget is the one you can actually stick to.

If you hate tracking every peso, try a percentage method like 50/30/20 or set up automatic transfers to savings. If you love detail, spreadsheets and zero-based budgeting may give you confidence. If you tend to overspend on wants, cash envelopes or e-wallet limits can help you stay in control.

The system does not need to be perfect. What matters is that it matches your personality, values, and lifestyle.

Practical tips for creating your own budget style

START simple. Begin with one or two categories (such as savings and expenses) before adding more detail.

Allow flexibility. Give yourself room for small joys to prevent splurges later.

Automate good habits. Set up savings or bill payments so they happen without effort.

Reflect on past habits. Think about which systems motivated you and which ones drained you.

Treat budgeting as an experiment. Test, adjust, and refine. A failed method does not mean you failed. It just means you have not found the right fit yet.

Budgeting is often seen as a rigid exercise in discipline, but it is really about self-awareness. Understanding your personality, habits, and influences makes it easier to design a system that works for you. The goal is not control for control’s sake. It is freedom, peace of mind, and the ability to align your money with your values.

Budgets do not fail because people are weak. They fail because the wrong system was forced on the wrong person. When you find the budget that fits your personality, you stop fighting against yourself and start moving toward a financial life that feels sustainable and empowering.

Malacañang is confident the Bureau of Customs (BOC) can erase its ‘one of the most ‘corrupt government agencies in the country’ tag by the United States (US) State Department by citing its sweeping reforms to clean up its ranks of illegal practices.

In a press briefing last Tuesday, Palace Press Office Claire Castro said the BOC is now coordinating with the American Chamber of Commerce and the US Embassy to relay the said initiatives to ‘reinforce transparency, accountability and professionalism’ among its personnel.

Under the leadership of BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, she said BOC has banned any conflict of interest among its professionals by ensuring they are not engaged in business or financial interest with customs brokerage within the fourth civil degree by affinity and by consanguinity.

The revenue-generating agency was also able to digitize 96.99 percent of its transactions and process through its online initiatives which includes Overstaying Cargo Tracking System, Enhanced e-Travel System and ATA Carnet Monitoring.

The report to the US entities also included BOC’s achievements forfeiting overstaying cargoes.

‘So, with this report, we think and can expect that the US State Department’s response will probably be positive,’ Castro said.

In its report released last month, the US State department disclosed that the US Embassy in Manila has received reports from American businesses, which claimed that they were being asked for bribes by customs officials.

This prompted the US department to describe BOC as one of the most corrupt agencies in the country.

Anti-corruption initiatives

The Marcos administration has initiated measures to improve the reputation of the government to the public including conducting ‘independent’ lifestyle checks, which was ordered by the President for government officials and personnel last August.

It was initiated as the concerned government agencies launched investigations on anomalous flood control projects.

Castro said the initiative is now being spearheaded by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

As for problematic public works, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) created last month leads the probe on the said matters.

When asked about the Palace reaction to the growing public frustration on the apparent slow pace of the filing of charges by the ICI against erring government officials and personnel involved in substandard, non-existent or overpriced public works, Castro urged Filipinos to be patient with the three-man fact-finding panel.

She noted that the ICI is just making sure that the case it will file will be airtight.

‘This cannot be rushed. Because if you file charges just to achieve [high numbers], it will end up being dismissed by the courts,’ the Presidential Communication Office Undersecretary said.

Castro said ICI has already said it may soon file its first case after a week or week four [since its creation].

Water conservation at SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), is not just about infrastructure; it’s also about changing the mindsets of every individual who walks into its properties and redeveloping their relationship with water.

Across its malls, SM Prime implements its Water for Tomorrow campaign with dedicated programs that mindfully demonstrate how every drop of water can be used efficiently.

Stepping into the grounds of SM Supermalls becomes a subconscious learning experience for the unsuspecting mallgoer. Its sustainable water management systems, including widespread sewage treatment plants and rainwater harvesting, run like clockwork to contribute to the care of the planet’s natural resources.

Greywater recycling systems ensure that water from sinks and drains is reused for sanitation or landscaping, reducing the overall demand for water from the grid. Tenant-partner engagement programs encourage restaurants and shops to adopt water-saving practices.

Key to the success of the program, SM Supermalls invests in bringing the community together in thoughtful ways so that everyone thrives in the long term. Mall-wide behavioral campaigns remind millions of Filipinos that simple acts-turning off taps, avoiding water waste, and mindful consumption-create a collective ripple effect.

By positioning malls as living classrooms for sustainability, SM Prime amplifies its commitment to conservation beyond its operations. Millions of mallgoers learn that their small, everyday actions have a shared impact, helping to secure water resources for the future.

‘Every drop counts. Our malls show how simple actions, from reuse to mindful consumption, create everyday lessons in water conservation for millions of Filipinos,’ said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

‘We have a term for that core value in our country. It’s all of our pagmamalasakit – all our genuine concern and taking the right action today to care for this precious resource, so that our children can also have a comfortable and bright tomorrow,’ said Tan.

Through the SM Green Movement, SM Prime continues to promote water stewardship by empowering the younger generation, families, and communities to make conscious actions and create lasting impact.

Imagine this lineup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama, all on the floor at the same time as teammates.

MVPs. Scoring champions. NBA champions. Triple-double machines. Defensive wizards. International players, all together in one highly decorated, incredibly accomplished, flat-out-scary lineup the likes of which probably has not been seen too many times in basketball history.

The NBA seems on the brink of making it possible.

Changes to the All-Star format are most certainly coming, once again, and the plan that the NBA has settled on is one that has US players going up against players from the rest of the world in a tournament setting. Think Ryder Cup golf or 4 Nations Face-Off hockey, and it just so happens that this season’s All-Star weekend at Inglewood, California, is smack in the middle of another national-pride sporting event – the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

‘I talk to a lot of fans, and All-Star Games for whatever reason take on particular interest around basketball,’ NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. ‘I think we should be able to create something that’s fun, exciting, engaging. Not expecting guys to play the way they would in the finals necessarily or even in a playoff game, but yet to go out, play hard, put on a good show for the fans.’

The plan, which isn’t yet finalized, calls for a three-team tournament: two American teams and one international team, all with eight-man rosters. The reason: Roughly two-thirds of NBA players are American and one-third are not, which is why the NBA thinks it’d be fair to give Americans two-thirds of the roster spots.

‘Hopefully, it’s going to be better,’ said Jokic, the Denver star.

It has become almost an annual exercise for the NBA: fixing the All-Star Game. Silver and other league officials – and to be fair, some players as well – desperately want the product to be better and more competitive. They tried having captains like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo pick the teams for a few years, and not much changed. They tried go back to the standard Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format, and it wasn’t great either. Having a final score of 211-186 in Indianapolis in 2024 was the last straw in many respects, so the NBA last year tried a mini-tournament on for size and few people cared for that.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry was MVP of that All-Star event, a four-teams-of-eight competition that had a 41-25 final score in the title matchup and saw the final game stopped for about 20 minutes for a tribute to TNT and its run as a league broadcaster.

‘I honestly thought last year went great until it dragged on for a long time,’ Curry said. ‘We all know that All-Star has changed over the years, but there has to be some type of solution for keeping the players fresh and loose and keeping the action going. Last year it came to a screeching halt. But whatever the format is, I know we’re going to keep taking swings at the plate to figure it out, and that’s what the league is supposed to do.’

International players have said they love the idea of a U.S. vs. The World concept. Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee star, has talked about it previously and playfully said that the league should give him credit for the idea.

‘The NBA’s going to take all the credit. But I love it, man,’ Antetokounmpo said.

‘I think it’s going to be exciting for people to watch. I’m going to play hard. I’ve always been playing hard, but I think it’s going to put a little bit more juice to the game. . All players have ego. Nobody wants to be embarrassed. Guys will play harder because they don’t want to become – I don’t know how you say this – they don’t want to become viral. I’m excited for this format.’

The league has been working on the plan for a few months, and Silver has said he hopes that it can be formally announced by the start of the season. The season begins Oct. 21.

‘The World vs. U.S.? We’ll see how it goes. I think it’s interesting,’ said Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, who was a first-time All-Star last season. ‘I wanted to play in the East vs. West game, me personally, but I think I will have my opportunity to do that one day. . Playing for the U.S., I know we’re going to be playing hard. I think it will be good.’

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP and scoring champion from the champion Oklahoma City Thunder, knows the league wants a more competitive All-Star event. He isn’t sure if the format is a reason why someone would play hard or not.

Like everyone else, he’s interested to see how it plays out.

‘Guys that make it are grown men and they’re going to compete if they want or not compete if they don’t want to. And I think that’s what it’s going to come down to,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘So, the change in the format, it’s good, it’s fun. It keeps the fans engaged. It could be interesting. It’s what the league is supposed to do. They do a great job of that. But I think it’s just going to come down to if the players want to play or not.’

Santo Tomas City in Batangas has taken bold steps in its cervical cancer prevention program by investing in immunization of adolescent girls both in private and public schools with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 4-valent vaccine. This is in support of the Department of Health’s (DOH) National Immunization Program for cervical cancer prevention.

The initiative under the leadership of Sto. Tomas City Mayor Arth Jhun A. Marasigan, underscores the vital role of local governments in achieving the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.

Despite the long delay in the delivery of HPV vaccines supply from the DOH, to sustain vaccination efforts, leading LGUs like Sto. Tomas City are stepping up by allocating local funds to procure 4-Valent HPV Vaccines to ensure the continuity of the DOH’s national HPV immunization program.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Filipino women, yet it is largely preventable through HPV vaccination and screening; and highly manageable with timely treatment.

Sto. Tomas: A Model for Local Action

In 2024, Sto. Tomas completed the catch-up vaccination of around 1,800 14-year-old school girls from public and private who missed their dose of the 4-valent HPV Vaccine initiated by the DOH, as part of its localized Cervical Cancer Elimination (CCE) Plan under the program SHEmpre Ligtas-Student Health Education, implemented by the Health Education and Promotion Unit (HEPU) of Sto. Tomas.

With this milestone achieved, the city has now moved into the next phase, targeting to vaccinate another batch of around 1800 school girls with the 4-Valent HPV Vaccine. This plan runs until 2030, ensuring protection for every adolescent girl in Sto. Tomas.

Mayor Marasigan emphasized that the initiative complements the DOH’s current program in place, which covers public school girls aged 9 to 14 years old.

‘Cervical cancer elimination is a shared responsibility. While the Department of Health leads through the National Immunization Program, LGUs like Sto. Tomas must do our part to ensure no girl is left behind. By investing in HPV vaccination, we are securing the future of our daughters and our community,’ he said.

‘Our commitment is long-term. We will continue vaccinating adolescent girls until 2030. This is not just a health program; it is a legacy we want to leave for future generations: a city free from cervical cancer.’

National Momentum for HPV Immunization

The health program of Sto. Tomas is very aligned with the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted HPV vaccination as a government priority, noting dedicated funds to protect Filipinos from HPV-related cancers. The DOH’s 2025 budget includes increased funding allocation for HPV vaccines, signaling progress in addressing preventable cancers

Still, the country’s coverage remains below WHO’s 90% target, with many girls over 15 left outside the DOH’s designated group. This reality underscores the importance of LGU complementation.

‘We welcome the renewed prioritization of HPV vaccination at the national level. But even with these investments, local governments must continue bridging critical gaps. I call on my fellow mayors and governors: let us step up together. With national and local governments working hand in hand, we can meet the WHO 90-70-90 goals for the Philippines. We also hope that our initiative the, DOH central office would increase its assistance to us as an LGU especially with this health priority of ours.’ Mayor Marasigan added.

The WHO strategy calls for 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15, 70% of women screened at least twice in their lifetime, and 90% of women with pre-cancer or cancer receiving treatment.

The world’s largest maritime nations are gathering in London on Tuesday to consider adopting regulations that would move the shipping industry away from fossil fuels to slash emissions.

If the deal is adopted, this will be the first time a global fee is imposed on planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Most ships today run on heavy fuel oil that releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants as it’s burned.

Nations are meeting at the International Maritime Organization headquarters through Friday. The Trump administration unequivocally rejects the proposal and has threatened to retaliate if nations support it, setting the stage for a fight over the climate deal.

In April, IMO member states agreed on the contents of the regulatory framework. The aim is to adopt it at this meeting.

That would be a major win for the climate, public health, the ocean and marine life, said Delaine McCullough at the Ocean Conservancy. For too long, ships have run on crude, dirty oil, she said.

‘This agreement provides a lesson for the world that legally-binding climate action is possible,’ McCullough, shipping program director for the nonprofit environmental advocacy group, said.

Shipping emissions have grown over the last decade to about 3% of the global total as trade has grown and vessels use immense amounts of fossil fuels to transport cargo over long distances.

Here’s what to know:

The regulations would set a pricing system for gas emissions

The regulations, or ‘Net-zero Framework,’ sets a marine fuel standard that decreases, over time, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed from using shipping fuels. The regulations also establish a pricing system that would impose fees for every ton of greenhouse gases emitted by ships above allowable limits, in what is effectively the first global tax on greenhouse gas emissions.

There’s a base-level of compliance for the allowable greenhouse gas intensity of fuels. There’s a more stringent direct compliance target that requires further reduction in the greenhouse gas intensity.

If ships sail on fuels with lower emissions than what’s required under the direct compliance target, they earn ‘surplus units,’ effectively credits.

Ships with the highest emissions would have to buy those credits from other ships under the pricing system, or from the IMO at $380 per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent to reach the base level of compliance. In addition, there’s a penalty of $100 per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent to reach direct compliance.

Ships that meet the base target but not the direct compliance one must pay the $100 per ton penalty, too.

Ships whose greenhouse gas intensity is below a certain threshold will receive rewards for their performance.

The fees could generate $11 billion to $13 billion in revenue annually. That would go into an IMO fund to invest in fuels and technologies needed to transition to green shipping, reward low-emission ships and support developing countries so they aren’t left behind with dirty fuels and old ships.

Looking for alternative fuels

The IMO, which regulates international shipping, set a target for the sector to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by about 2050, and has committed to ensuring that fuels with zero or near-zero emissions are used more widely.

Ships could lower their emissions by using alternative fuels, running on electricity or using onboard carbon capture technologies. Wind propulsion and other energy efficiency advancements can also help reduce fuel consumption and emissions as part of an energy transition.

Large ships last about 25 years, so the industry would need to make changes and investments now to reach net-zero around 2050.

If adopted, the regulations will enter into force in 2027. Large oceangoing ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which emit 85% of the total carbon emissions from international shipping, would have to pay penalties for their emissions starting in 2028, according to the IMO.

The International Chamber of Shipping, which represents over 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, is advocating for adoption.

Concerns over biofuels produced from food crops

Heavy fuel oil, liquefied natural gas and biodiesel will be dominant for most of the 2030s and 2040s, unless the IMO further incentivizes green alternatives, according to modeling from Transport and Environment, a Brussels-based environmental nongovernmental organization.

The way the rules are designed essentially make biofuels the cheapest fuel to use to comply, but biofuels require huge amounts of crops, pushing out less profitable food production, often leading to additional land clearance and deforestation, said Faig Abbasov, shipping director at T and E.

They are urging the IMO to promote scalable green alternatives, not recklessly promote biofuels produced from food crops, Abbasov said. As it stands now, the deal before the IMO won’t deliver net-zero emissions by 2050, he added.

Green ammonia will get to a price that it’s appealing to ship owners in the late 2040s-quite late in the transition, according to the modeling. The NGO also sees green methanol playing an important role in the long-term transition.

The vote at the London meeting

The IMO aims for consensus in decision-making but it’s likely nations will vote on adopting the regulations.

At the April meeting, a vote was called to approve the contents of the regulations. The United States was notably absent in April, but plans to participate in this meeting.

Teresa Bui at Pacific Environment said she’s optimistic ‘global momentum is on our side’ and a majority of countries will support adoption. Bui is senior climate campaign director for the environmental nonprofit, which has consultative, or non-voting, status at the IMO.

If it fails, shipping’s decarbonization will be further delayed.

‘It’s difficult to know for sure what the precise consequences will be, but failure this week will certainly lead to delay, which means ships will emit more greenhouse gases than they would have done and for longer, continuing their outsized contribution to the climate crisis,’ said John Maggs, of the Clean Shipping Coalition, who is at the London meeting.

Farm-to-market roads (FMRs) are the lifelines of rural agriculture in the country. They are more than mere stretches of pavement-they represent the crucial link between our farmers and the markets that sustain their livelihoods. Efficient FMRs reduce travel time, lower transportation costs, minimize post-harvest losses, and enable farmers to fetch better prices for their produce. Beyond individual benefits, these roads stimulate rural economies, invite investment, and strengthen the nation’s food security. In short, the state of farm-to-market roads mirrors the health of the country’s agricultural sector.

Yet, a troubling reality has surfaced: funds intended for these vital roads have been hijacked by corrupt lawmakers, resulting in ‘ghost roads’ in political strongholds rather than in the nation’s key rice granaries. Even more disheartening is the admission from Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. that billions are being spent by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on FMR projects without the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) involvement-effectively sidelining the very agency tasked with supporting farmers.

This scandal reveals a deep systemic problem: the disconnect and lack of coordination between agencies, compounded by corruption and inefficiency. The fallout is clear-farmers remain underserved, infrastructure rots unused, and valuable public funds are squandered.

In light of this, the DA’s commitment to take direct control of farm-to-market road projects should be welcomed as a decisive step forward. Secretary Tiu Laurel’s acceptance of the Senate’s challenge is a courageous move that signals accountability and renewed focus on the real beneficiaries-our farmers. With his private sector experience and the agency’s plan to collaborate closely with local government units, farmers’ groups, and citizen auditors, there is hope that transparency will improve and costs will be curtailed. (Read the BusinessMirror story-‘Challenge accepted: Department of Agriculture to take over from DPWH on farm-to-market roads,’ October 12, 2025).

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Francis Pangilinan’s support underscores the urgent need for reform. The staggering overpricing uncovered-up to 96 percent above benchmark costs-calls for rigorous audit and oversight mechanisms, which the DA’s citizen participatory audit promises to provide. This model of inclusive governance could set a precedent for other sectors plagued by corruption.

However, the DA’s undertaking is no small feat. The magnitude of farm-to-market road projects demands not only technical expertise but also political will, community engagement, and unwavering integrity. The success of this initiative hinges on genuine collaboration across government layers and civil society, as Secretary Tiu Laurel rightly emphasized.

Ultimately, the plight of Filipino farmers and the future of Philippine agriculture depend on the government’s ability to restore faith in public infrastructure programs. Every peso allocated to farm-to-market roads must translate into tangible roads that farmers can use. Anything less is a betrayal of the Filipino people’s trust and a missed opportunity to uplift rural communities.

The challenge is evident, and the stakes are high. Now is the time for the DA and all stakeholders to step up, take back the farm-to-market road program, and create a pathway to a more prosperous and food-secure Philippines. The future of our farmers and the nation’s food security relies on this action.

POWERFUL shouts of ‘kiai’ will reverberate across the Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City on October 25 and 26 as shinai-wielding kendo practitioners vie for honors and rank upgrade in the Seventh Philippine National Kendo Tournament (PNKT).

Kristopher Inting, president of the United Kendo Federation of the Philippines (UKFP) which organized the event, said 145 kendokas from across the country will compete in ‘shiai’ matches for individual and team awards, while 110 candidates will try for higher ranking through the ‘shinsa’ official grading.

This will be the UKFP’s largest shinsa since the first one in 2022 and participants will contend to earn points for kyu (beginners) and dan (advanced) rankings.

Inting said competitors will come from the Cebu Kendo Club; Davao Kendo Club, Davao Kenyukai, and Davao Yushinkai in Davao City; IGA Kendo Club in Quezon City; Metro Kendo Club in Manila; Negros Shiseikan Kendo Club; and Tiger Kendo Club in Angeles City.

The event will also feature guest referees from Japan, Korea, Australia, the United States, and other ASEAN countries, underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to maintaining international standards of practice.

Kendo, known as the ‘way of the sword,’ is a modern Japanese martial art famous for its use of shinai (bamboo swords) and bogu (protective armor). Kendo practitioners score points by using the sword to strike designated areas on an opponent’s armor.

Last September, the UKFP team made its mark at the three-day 13th ASEAN Kendo Tournament in Singapore, bagging silver for the men’s team, as well as the Fighting Spirit Award for both team and individual competitors.

Inting said beyond the matches, PNKT highlights the spirit of ‘keiko’-continuous learning and self-improvement, as it provides a venue for practitioners in all levels to test their skills, share experiences, and uphold the values of respect, perseverance, and integrity that define the martial art.

UKFP is the official Philippine affiliate of the International Kendo Federation (FIK) and is dedicated to spreading awareness of and promoting the development of kendo in the Philippines.

WE are all worried whether our jobs are going to be affected by Artificial Intelligence. And that is understandable.

But my focus today is not on employment hazards, but on dignified employment. Allow me to define dignity as a responsibility of leadership, with emphasis on integrity, ethics, respect and honesty. Is that a tall order?

Let’s quantify dignity in four ways and look at the benefits we derive from ‘dignity at work’:

Growth People come to work to apply their talents and their skills. They seek an opportunity to grow and develop as contributors.

Autonomy Employees today want a degree of autonomy and the ability to make their own choices in their work. They also want the ability to determine their carrier path.

Health We cannot work where we don’t feel safe from infection or mental health. For that reason, employers are responsible for ensuring safe working conditions.

Dignity creates opportunity. Diversity means bringing people with different background into the workplace. Equity demands equal opportunity as well as equal pay. And inclusion insists upon listening to, learning from, and promoting those individuals. None of this can happen without respect for the people and what they do. That’s dignity in the workplace!

As employers create hybrid workplaces, keeping the notion of dignity front and center creates a workplace where people want to be. It makes a value system where people feel they can contribute significantly. Why? Because they think they belong! Their workplace becomes our workplace.

When this occurs, organizations have a greater chance of fulfilling their mission because they are more engaged, productive, and collaborative.

These are the benefits we derive from creating ‘dignity at work’.

The feeling of connection is so important. Employees deserve a human-centric future, with space for trust. Every single one of us has the right to be treated with dignity. In turn, we all have a responsibility to treat everybody else with dignity.

I started my article with the sentence that we are all concerned that our jobs will be affected by artificial intelligence. Let me briefly go back to that. We need to train our workforce, all levels, for a digital economy. We have to make cybersecurity awareness a basic need. We need to champion AI not just for novelty but for competitiveness. And we need to push business leakers to go beyond delegation-to personally understand and lead technology requirements.

A DECLINE in carpentry material prices tempered the overall increase in construction costs in Metro Manila in September, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

The Construction Materials Retail Price Index (CMRPI) in the National Capital Region rose by 1 percent in September 2025, slightly slower than the 1.1 percent recorded in August.

The year-on-year growth was also lower compared to 1.2 percent in the same month last year.

The softer uptick was mainly due to a 0.1 percent annual decline in the index of carpentry materials, reversing the 0.3 percent increase posted in the previous month, per PSA.

Other material groups also registered slower annual increases, such as the plumbing materials easing to 0.1 percent from 0.4 percent.

Meanwhile, electrical materials contracted to 1.8 percent from 1.9 percent, masonry materials to 1.4 percent from 1.5 percent and miscellaneous construction materials to 0.2 percent from 0.4 percent.

In contrast, painting materials and related compounds saw a slightly faster rise of 2.2 percent in September from 2.1 percent in August.

The index for tinsmithry materials remained unchanged at 1.8 percent.

The CMRPI tracks retail price movements of construction materials commonly purchased by individual consumers and small-scale builders, serving as an indicator of trends in the residential construction sector.