Sink or Swim

More than a year ago, the House of Representatives and the Senate signed a new law that sent real estate developers, marketing companies and real estate practitioners into a frenzy. The new law was actually two decades old and was first filed by a gentleman from South Luzon. Rep. Nograles and Senator Enrile signed the law and eventually got into the hands of PGMA and became what we now call as the Republic Act 9646 or the Real Estate Service Act of the Philippines effective June 29, 2009.

What makes RESA very special or shall we call almost controversial? In terms of economics, the law will directly and indirectly affect a P150B industry composed of real estate agents, developers with in-house marketing and other allied real estate services. While the law is geared towards the professionalizing of the real estate service profession through the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the industry actually has thrived and flourished even without the intervention of the PRC. A good number of real estate practitioners have earned millions of pesos even though they were unlicensed as individuals, riding on to the license of the big developers and marketing companies which were secured from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board. Many developers have sat pretty and comfortable with their in-house agents who showed exemplary performance and loyalty in pushing the sale of their own projects.

Most real estate marketing companies, not brokerage companies, have developed and trained high grade and top caliber salesmen out of their recruits who came from all walks of life - from the plain housewives to drivers to teachers to doctors and other you-name-it-and-they-have-it professions. I personally know a lot of people who rose from the ranks and became senior executives and they have not even reached the tertiary education. Some are not even high school graduates and they have all become millionaires.

The passage of the law has actually placed many individuals and companies in a "sink or swim" attitude. The law has put a minimum educational attainment requirement for the practice of real estate service - at least second year college. This has compromised the performance of many salesmen whose educational attainment is below the minimum as set by the law. They feared losing their jobs or income source which they have so dutifully loved and nurtured. Many will be going underground for fear of being prosecuted. Real estate companies, both developers and marketers, have grown wary and cautious. As a result, their sales production also dropped significantly. But for those who are more defiant, they continued doing their ware as if RESA doesn't exist. They are waiting until such time that someone files a complaint with the PRC. But until then, they will try to save their dwindling sales production.

Our company has chosen to comply. The law may be harsh but it's the law. As a result, we will hold the honor to be the first company to finish a comprehensive review on real estate service course based on the new law as accredited by the PRC. The Philippine Association of Real Estate Brokers (PAREB) sponsored our review classes. It is quite remarkable to see a lot of agents, from young ones to young once, attending the review classes. Our group is of mixed profile from accountants to lawyers to engineers to teachers and doctors. The best thing that happened to this review class is the coming to life of an old saying by Aristotle - "Learning is a never-ending process."

In the end, RESA will be implemented in its full force and this exercise is an early vehicle for us to comply and not be bothered by issues and concerns in the future. The best part is that I became part of the first ever class that is compliant with the law. We will go down in history as the first batch to take the licensure board exams for brokers given byPRC. Now, to pass it is another matter. We will see soon...

The Oddball

In his signature murmur-like speech, Freddie Roach moves his head left to right and vice versa without taking off his eyes before the man holding a highly sensitive microphone positioned a few inches away from a host of other live cameras, microphones and cellphones. Roach declares, "Manny Pacquiao is an oddball. You won't simply see and experience a fighter of his caliber in a generation!" Roach, a former ring pugilist himself, was neither in a marketing program nor into a team aggrandizement propaganda when he made this declaration. He knows what he was saying and definitely knows where his prized ward is going. And that was almost two years ago. Now, the world knows who Manny Pacquiao is - the Fighter of the Decade, the pound-for-pound king and the only man to wear seven glittering loose belts around his waist and not draw a negative comment from fashion icon Tyra Banks.

In today's standards, given Pacquiao's current iconic status in boxing, Roach's declaration that Pacquiao is an oddball is actually an understatement. Wikipedia defines oddball as unusual or eccentric. Pacquiao is more than unusual. He has transcended the not so usual all-victory and no-loss record by many of the boxing greats. It is now about getting into the edge of what is humanly possible, without the magic and the drugs - only skills and determination. This is what people of all races are hungry about knowing. We crave for answers for questions like "Can he demolish De la Hoya?", "Can he absorb beatings from a true welterweight?", "Is he strong enough to put down a steel-chinned 155-pounder?"

Our demands and clamor are actually what defines the quality of fight Pacquiao delivers. He feeds our cravings to see what we haven't seen yet, so promoters and match makers invent something new out of this necessity. These are the things that make Pacquiao different from the rest - a pure eccentric, an oddball. That is why we cannot ask why the world is watching... because you won't simply see a man like Pacquiao in a generation.

Of Elections and Predictions

What does the future hold? Can anyone really foretell the future? Nostradamus... the prophets in the Bible... the Mayans...? Many of their predictions or prophecies have already come true except that the greatness of their divination is nothing compared to the mundane things that Filipinos tend to give more attention to - like the outcome of the automated elections. There are three things I would like to highlight about the recent election-related events in our country.

First is the automated election. It was quite remarkable for Comelec to have gathered almost 75% of election data on the first day and sent the biggest contenders to conceding to their rival candidates the folowing day. Prior to May 10, 2010 national polls, the Philippine Daily Inquirer made a very safe but practical prediction about the automated election - that on May 11, 2010, a day after the election, "the Comelec may come out in a blaze of glory or end up in a day of infamy!" The ever unbiased "walang kinikilingang" media giant cannot go wrong with this two-sided projection. I remember one World War II fortune teller who made a similar sureball prediction for Hitler. When asked by Hitler himself when would be day of his death, the fortune teller announced with all confidence, that the Fuhrer will die on a Jewish holiday. Hitler eagerly asked, "Which of the many Jewish holidays?" The fortune teller replied, "Anyday you die will become a Jewish holiday."

Well, my congratulations to the Comelec. It is not very often that we see a generally peaceful and fast election. It has proven all its critics wrong. They have all the right to bask in the glory of this hard earned success. Commissioner Larrazabal actually made an invitation to all the doomsayers earlier to join them in their thanksgiving dinner.

Second is the emergence of a "dark horse", a "native dark horse" who pulled a come-from-behind rally in the last week of the campaign for the vice presidential contest. If the trend hold up, this could be one of the greatest upsets in election history. Question is how did he do it? Was it because of the magical sway of Chiz Escudero's baton while murmuring the enchanted word NOYBI? Or was it because of the solid voting Masa of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino of his running mate Erap Estrada? Here is my wild guess - Binay has been silently campaigning in almost all provinces of the country for so many years now - through his medical mission coordinated with Makati Med, reaching out with needy Filipinos in various municipalities. The white paper theory of the reds is very effective in poverty stricken areas. People tend to remember who brought the deepwell in their waterless community.

Third is the rise of the Marcoses. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos was already proclaimed senator-elect and so is congresswoman-elect Imelda Marcos and daughter Governor-elect Imee Marcos. Who could have thought that Villar will be instrumental to bringing back together the Aquinos and the Marcoses in the same political limelight that their fathers used to be at before the declaration of Martial Law? This is literally saying that "history repeats itself". Now, this is interesting because KBL and Imelda have promised to restore the honor of her family and to recover their hard earned (not ill-gotten) wealth. Who could have predicted this?

My prediction - we only get what we deserve!

Singularity of Purpose

I was listening to a mentor in one of the unforgettable seminars that I have ever been to and I cannot help but to appreciate what he was telling us. He was talking about success and leadership and he made indelible prints in my mind about his formula for success. There were many things he said but what struck me was "singularity of purpose". This is very much related to focus. An eagle hovering a kilometer above literally has a "bird's eye view" of the ground below. With its acute vision, it can see many delectable dinner on the ground like rats, rabbits, chicken, etc. Although, he sees two or more preys at the same time, it will always go for just one, knowing that trying to get both will leave him nothing for dinner.

John F. Kennedy, the second youngest President of the United States of America said before the Joint Session of Congress in 1961 that he will put man in the moon before the end of the decade. It was a preposterous idea but it stirred a nation to great action and cooperation. And in 1969, six years after his assasination and well within the decade that he set to be, Neil Armstrong made the first step in the moon's surface. When asked about what would become the giant leap for mankind, JFK said that, "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." JFK had a vision and he was able to reduce this goal into one singular purpose. At that time, the task was gargantuan, but every industry did their part in making the goal a reality.

Manny Pacquiao has a similar attitude. He reduces an enormous battle into one singular purpose - to train like it's fight night . There is a saying that goes, "The more you bleed in training, the less you bleed in battle." Every training day for Pacquiao is fight night - that is why when the real fight night comes, he is just up there in the ring doing what he had been trained to do, just plain and simple execution.

Pacquiao is undaunted in his determination to win because he knew he had already won the battle beforehand. He is one of the few fighters who can set up a stage for a victory party months before the fight night.

Today, Pacquiao has another purpose but I think politics isn't boxing or is it?

Do Cows Give Milk?

One thing I learned from senior executives of our company is asking the right question. It is not always about giving the right answer or decision that matters. It is all about throwing the right question at the right moment. Leaders and learned people in business and economics say there are no right or wrong decisions - only sound decisions.

My limited experience with top level management has taught me that questions are actually answers in disguise. In the Book of Genesis, Cain asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?" One's imagination and creativity are tickled and triggered into action by simple questions. Mahatma Gandhi once asked his fellow countrymen, "What is 50 years of independence if we cannot manufacture our own cars?" Now they have Tata. The skillful trial lawyer leads his witness to revealing the facts of the case by his questions.

Pinoy Henyo, the famous noontime game show invented by Eat Bulaga is a very good testing ground for asking the right questions. Ask the wrong questions and you lose the game. The whole country is spellbound once Kris Aquino asks her signature question, "Pilipinas, game ka na ba?!"

We save a lot of time if we ask the right questions. Communication is sure to become two-way when you start asking questions. And it threshes out vague matters.

I cannot forget when my seven-year old brother came back from school crying due to a mistake in an exam. He was insisting that his answer to the question, "Do cows give milk?" was correct. I asked him what his answer was. He said, without blinking an eye, "No, cows don't give milk!" I asked why cows don't give milk. He said, "They did not say if it's a male or a female cow."

Let's all start asking the right question. It saves nine.

The Looming 2nd Reign of Joseph Estrada

I was asked by a friend who do I think will be the next President of the Philippines. I said Erap's second coming is looming. My friend thought I was just joking but when I said that Erap is once again moving in to Malacanang Palace after May 11 national polls, he knew I was serious in my prediction.

Why do I say Erap is going to be President again? In Philippine setting, winnability is a matter of mathematics. Ever since the two-party system was abolished (or abandoned in practice) by the traditional politicians, the multi-party system has set the stage for strategic alliances, thereby giving birth to the numbers game during elections. There are more people now eating the pie. This means that the voting populace will be distributed. The candidate that wins the election will not win by majority votes but by dominant minority votes.

Erap has a strong solid base in the voting "Masa". They number close to 7M which is around 14% of the voting population. The candidate that will capture at least 20% of the voters will most likely win the presidential race. The way things are going, the other presidential hopefuls (aside from Noynoy and Villar) are making good in the surveys and the figures are improving as the election draws nearer. Those who are not voting for Noynoy or Villar will most likely vote for the tailing candidates. This event puts Erap at the advantage side because every drop in Noynoy/Villar tally pushes Erap's standing even if Erap's figure doesn't move. Remember that Erap's captured "Masa" voters are solid and will very likely to grow due to the negative publicity that each of the candidates has thrown against the other.

While the other candidates engage in cut-throat gymnastics not only in front of the Filipino people but in the whole world as well, Erap is sitting pretty, waiting for his time to pack his bags from San Juan and move in style to the Palace along Pasig River. Just like the old times, when we (the middle class and the elite) all said that Erap is not going to win, we are once again in for the greatest surprise of our lives. Brace yourselves for the return of President Joseph Estrada.

Whoever becomes the next president, the Filipino people deserves him. We get what we deserve!

The Best Things in Life are Free Gifts

"Count your blessings!"

Many times I've heard these words of encouragement from family members and friends but never did I literally count my blessings. Maybe because I am fond of estimates and averages and that I always thought that my blessings will always outweigh or outnumber my problems. Lately though, I said to myself to give it a try. I started counting my blessings. At first it was difficult, not because I have too many or too few blessings but because I did not know how to identify them. I didn't know where to start!

Start counting my blessings...

Then I decided to begin with the people nearest to me. And as I was already lying in bed at that time, I saw Happy, my wife, right beside me. I can tell she was in deep sleep by the sound of her breathing. Her hair hang loosely and her right hand still clasping the calculator. She is a certified workaholic and she has given me two children - a girl and a boy. My wife and my two children... I haven't even gone far and I think I can stop counting. My family, my most precious treasure.

Continue counting my blessings...

Then I thought of my parents. I can say they are not the greatest of parents but certainly the best ones that the heavens have sent to serve my limited needs and requirements. They loved me and worked hard to give me something no money can buy - good Christian values and education - things no thief can steal. My siblings - Ate Vajz, my two years senior, and the younger ones - Andrew, Nono, Sugar and Prince - all gave me unforgetable experiences that contributed greatly for what I am today. I quietly ran down the images of those happy moments when we were together and those when we were seas apart. It was just amazing how it made me happy and motivated.

More blessings...

My job, my co-employees, my colleagues, my boss, my fellow officers, the homeowners, the guards, the maintenance men, the park personnel, the park engineers, the customers, the contractors, the suppliers, my friends, the coop, the couples... the list is long (in my mind) and I haven't even listed them yet till this blog. And I'm afraid I may not be able to list everyone.

The intangibles...

Ms. Cathy, Engr. Adonis, Engr. JB and Ms. Del never forget to say "Thank you." in all their text messages. You hear them say these words and you feel blessed. When you think about blessings and your thoughts are trained to identify the blessing and you look at someone, you would surely measure up quantitatively the things that you have. One thing's sure though ... you can't count enough.

I am blessed more than I can imagine. I'll just keep on counting my blessings.

A Persistent Grandma

What happens to a hardworking civil servant after forty (40) years of incessant dedicated public service as an elementary school teacher? The law says one must retire and enjoy the rest of your life pampering your grandchildren. Well, I'm talking of my Mom. On November last year, she passed on the baton to somebody else whose joints don't ache yet. She was the Odiongan South Central Elementary School District Supervisor as inscribed under her name "IREJEAN M. FAMERO" in a marble ornament sitting flat on her desk.

With all those enormous workload gone instantly, Mom can't help but train her eyes on things she has been raring to do - renovate our dilapidated house and play around with her grandchildren.

Just five (5) months ago, Barjae Miguel was born. He was my second child and one of only three male grandchildren in the burgeoning Famero family. Though seen only a few times, my Mom developed a strong affinity to Barjae. She has been very persistent in asking Happy, my wife to let her bring Barjae to the province so that she can take care of him even for just a short while. Persistence and patience are great virtues and they give excellent results. We eventually gave up our reluctance. And on March 26, 2010, we set sail back to Odiongan together with Karylle, my eldest, Nono and Prince John, my brothers and of course, the persistent Lola.

It was such a happy moment to be able to come back again to your native town, enjoy the company of your old neighbors, savor the fresh easterly wind at the beachfront and most of all, the warmth of your family celebrating your rare visit.

And the dilapidated old house? It's great to see it has been refurbished. All because of a persistent Grandma.

A Refreshing Start... Again

Here I go again! I have to say to myself, "Congratulations, Bar. You made it! You managed to pull yourself again to visit The Graveyard Shift!"

Actually, it's very true. I have been raring to once again write an article but never found time. It's a great hurdle, indeed, to make time.

Great things happened in my absence. Let me count (the blessings) the highlights which stayed off due to my hibernation.

First, I am now a daddy twice. My second child is a healthy, handsome and richly endowed boy. (I think I will be in for numerous girly problems in the future. Things I never experienced in my adolescence because I was a "good boy".)

Second, the yard for the table tennis has been set up by our homeowners association. It's not a very good place but will surely satiate our desire to start a weekender activity where we can all shed pounds and sweat. It's great to know that there are professional table tennis players in our neighborhood. It serves more than render a trimming to your physical body but also to connect and to get to know newfound friends in the block.

Third, Pacquao wins again! I was right in my prediction that the Pacman will prove them all wrong. His winning streak is surely unprecedented - class after class, division after division in ten years. Morales now thinks that he is the best among these fallen legends as he was he last one to pull a win from Pacquiao. I'm really proud of what Manny did (and does). It makes me proud to be a Filipino.

What else? There are other things but those can wait. Just happy to be back. For now...