In the book Building Trust: In Business, Politics, Relationships, and Life, American authors Robert Solomon and Fernando Flores assert that trust isn’t something that’s constantly present but is rather cultivated – an active and dynamic part of life. They also introduced the concepts of naive trust, which is easily broken, and authentic trust, which is “sophisticated, reflective, and possible to renew.”

This brings us to the topic of the Philippines’ trust landscape. Which institutions drive trust within the country? Is the trust they have built naive or authentic? How different is the trust landscape today compared to that of the pre-pandemic Philippines?

These questions and more were some of the points tackled last November 24 during the virtual launch of Rise and Respond: Trust Rewards the Agile and Future-Ready, the 2021 edition of the Philippine Trust Index (PTI). The PTI is communications firm EON Group’s biennial study that takes a picture of the country’s trust landscape, including the different factors that affect the Filipinos’ trust in six key institutions: the government, the business sector, the media, non-government organizations, the Church, and the academe.

The report presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring experts representing each institution: Atty. Kristian Ablan, undersecretary at the Presidential Communications Operations Office and program director of the country’s Freedom of Information Program; Ruth Novales, VP for Corporate Affairs at Nestlé Philippines; journalist Camille Elemia; Atty. Gianna Montinola, co-founder of Hands On Manila; ABS-CBN chaplain Rev. Fr. Tito Caluag; and Dr. Jamil Paolo Francisco, the interim School Head of the Asian Institute of Management’s Stephen Zuellig Graduate School of Development and Management. The forum was moderated by sociologist Dr. Jayeel Cornelio who is also the director of Ateneo de Manila University’s Development Studies Program.

During the discussion, Ms. Elemia expressed relief in seeing the media’s increased trust level this year after the constant tirades that journalists had received pre-pandemic from the current administration, which undermined their credibility. However, she also recognized the media’s continuing challenge of providing accurate information 24/7 and the consistency with which it needs to do this to further increase public trust. This includes journalists judiciously selecting the stories to report on and avoiding sensationalist angles so that the public can focus on the stories that have actual implications on their lives.

When it came to the trust in the Church, Fr. Caluag observed how the institution has been able to maintain its high overall trust level while also seeing a decrease in extreme trust. As an institution whose work is based on faith, the reverend believes it’s not just the quantity but the quality of trust that it must nurture. He believes that the continued high trust in the Church is due to its leadership that works “tao-tao” or on a personal level to create an environment where members of the congregation feel cared for. However, he acknowledges the institution’s need to reinvent its traditional clerical structure of authority where a congregation often defers to a priest’s opinions. In his view, the Church must foster greater solidarity among its community, particularly among younger members who could be encouraged to participate more actively in its initiatives.

For his part, Dr. Francisco was glad to see that trust in the academe remains high since it is an institution whose work is about the search for the truth, even with the proliferation of so-called alternative channels of information. According to him, trust is a fundamental core of economic activity: People need to gauge first whether an institution such as the academe is trustworthy enough for them to engage (or continue to engage) with. He wondered, however, if the academe is communicating enough of what it does to the public, given the netizens’ mostly neutral sentiment for it and the millennials’ tempered trust in it. With upskilling a more crucial aspect now in an individual’s career rather than a degree, the educator stated that teaching is only one element of the academe’s job. Teachers must also help students generate their own ideas.

A big winner in this year’s trust landscape is the NGO sector, whose trust rating nearly doubled since 2019. Atty. Montinola described this spike as “a function of everybody’s work,” with NGOs mostly composed of volunteer members. Especially in light of organizations being used by “unscrupulous” individuals and groups in the past, the sector’s visibility during the pandemic has been part of its hard climb to earn back public trust. She also credits the multi-sectoral effort that went into the country’s pandemic relief since tending to the basic needs of Filipinos during the crisis is a task that cannot be fulfilled by only one institution.

Meanwhile, the government’s trust standing is a little more complicated. While the institution mostly maintained its 2019 trust level, its pandemic response has caused a negative change in the perception of its trustworthiness. For his part, Undersecretary Ablan took this dip in public trust in stride, saying that in light of what has happened in the past twenty months, the 2021 rating will serve as the government’s base rate so that it could work at raising it in the future.

Survey ratings for the most and least trusted government agencies were also presented, with the most trusted ones working in the sectors of education, aid distribution, and loan assistance. A question from the audience noted how the Department of Health didn’t appear in either list despite its critical role during the pandemic and the corruption allegations against it. The DOH’s trust rating actually declined from 85% in 2019 to 81% in 2021, which could be attributed to its alleged misuse of funds and the generally weak leadership it has shown in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, while the Filipinos see these publicized issues as signs of failure, the DOH is more than just its secretary. It also includes the personnel who have been working on the frontlines and whose efforts were felt by the people on the ground. This could account for the department’s middle-level performance, with its trust and distrust levels canceling each other out.

With the business sector earning the lowest trust rating this year, Ms. Novales urged all industry players to work on leveling the playing field. Most businesses that had to close during the pandemic were micro, small, and medium enterprises, but as the Nestlé executive put it, the sector’s weakest link is also its biggest link since SMEs serve as suppliers to multinational corporations. She called for greater collaborations not just within the industry but with other institutions, especially the government, so that even SMEs can benefit from improved taxation and pricing policies. This way, businesses can continue to provide products to consumers and employment to the people even during a crisis,  and thus earn back public trust.

Aside from the overview of the country’s trust landscape, the conversation also touched on its implications on the 2022 elections. To this, some of the panelists noted that the candidates’ respective pandemic responses and plans for moving forward will be assessed by Filipinos. Other issues that have also been critical in driving trust in the government, such as the economy and the protection of Philippine territories, will continue to be hot topics until election day, with voters studying each candidate’s platform for solutions to these concerns.

Since election season is also a time when various surveys are conducted, the question of the importance of trust ratings was asked. All of the panelists agree that surveys are helpful in providing the data they need to implement better programs for the public since they tell the story of the people’s experiences with these institutions. They inform stakeholders of how Filipinos perceive their performances and pinpoint the areas that need improvement.

Data from surveys also help institutions identify if there has been a communication gap. It provides a snapshot of which narratives are popular with the public and which ones have fallen through the cracks. Once stakeholders can see what the data is telling them, they can then fix what needs to be fixed. As Atty. Montinola said, almost everything now is about perception. With PTI being a perception survey, its results tell institutions where they need to better communicate authentic stories to combat both the lack of public awareness of their initiatives and the spread of misinformation.

The panel discussion at the 2021 PTI launch was a rich conversation filled with insights on the state of trust in the country. One of the biggest takeaways from it and the study is how the Filipinos’ personal experiences of each institution’s leadership and aid during the pandemic have shaped their trust. As the Philippines continues to work to recover from the crisis, our leaders in society must also strive to rebuild the trust they’ve lost and strengthen the trust that they have kept. After all, trust is dynamic and ever-evolving. It always opens up “new and unsought possibilities” for all of us.

2020 may very well be the longest year any of us have ever experienced, Filipinos of all walks of life were faced with new adversities, many of which remain unresolved as we approach 2021’s halfway point. Nevertheless, changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic also brought about new forms of creativity, accountability, and connectivity, with many Filipinos embracing the new aspects of our circumstances. With scientists working on medical solutions, we have a responsibility to create solutions in our own respective industries for our own respective stakeholders.

In order to create these solutions, comprehensive understanding of how drastically society has been changed is critical. To learn how Filipinos feel about a rollercoaster year, EON conducted a nationwide survey, “Quarantine@1: A Look Into the Status of the Filipinos.” This survey asked 6,000 Filipinos across the country about what has changed for the better and for the worse since the first set of lockdowns in March last year, interrogating respondents on what new systems have benefited their lifestyles as well as which gaps have endured or even widened. A summary of the findings of this research follows, which we hope will inform the decisions of those in positions of power toward making a “better normal” as sustainable as possible.

We begin with the obvious – the country has emerged from a year of quarantine consumed with feelings of sadness, fear, and regret over the state of affairs. While respondents note a vast number of changes to their routine since March 2020, the majority cite the inability to leave the house as a key difference, with many Filipinos frustrated at how physical restrictions have impacted the ability to attend mass or hang out in shopping malls. Still, Filipinos demonstrate their ability to make the best out of unpredictable situations, with many sharing the tremendous role which family support has played from both a psychosocial and financial angle. Though Filipinos lament their newly limited mobility, their fears center over the health and protection of their family, with more respondents afraid their loved ones will catch Covid-19 than afraid of the pandemic’s impact on their work and livelihood.

This is not to say that Filipinos are not feeling the impact of Covid-19 on their finances. On the contrary: a clear majority note that expenses have risen due to the pandemic and that frugal living has been essential. Of the Filipinos surveyed who confirmed their debt, a majority express desire to work harder, but many also indicate they are simply unable to pay lenders back and are out of options. Potential solutions to financial issues manifest in social media, with many confirming that financial constraints owing to the pandemic have inspired new interest in setting up online businesses. Still, while we can’t say for sure if Covid-19 is the only cause of our financial distress, we can definitely state that it did not help anyone’s situation.

In sifting through the data the Filipino people have provided us, we see that issues are just as comprehensive as the efforts our people utilize to solve them. When asked how to move forward, Filipinos reveal that they are anything but single-issue thinkers. Respondent sentiments run a considerable gamut, with Filipinos calling on the government to do away with corruption, calling on the business community to create more jobs, and calling on one another to be vigilant about one another’s safety. It is clear to the people that fixing one crack in our broken system is not enough: respondents stress the importance of financial literacy, thorough research on political candidates, and proper hygiene. The diversity of issues and solutions raised by those who engaged in our research sends a powerful message: Filipinos are keenly aware of the world around them, and are not shy at all to share what they believe it takes to make 2021 more prosperous than the year which preceded it.

With so many dimensions to the pandemic, the question begs of what is to be done. I would argue first that the average Juan dela Cruz is already doing all they can. Our research shows that Filipinos have utilized a variety of coping mechanisms for each of the issues brought about by this pandemic, whether it’s immersion in social media to pass the time confined at home or whether it’s exploring online business opportunities to make up for economic shortfalls. It is also quite clear from what respondents have said that Filipinos comply as diligently as possible with safety protocols and urge their countrymen to maintain the same standard. I would thus hesitate to continue messaging which attributes our issues to a lack of discipline. The people work with what they are given, and for many it has only been enough to survive.

For those of us privileged enough to worry more about quarterly financial projections than when barangay assistance will arrive, I implore you all to demonstrate empathy to your employees like never before. Too many business leaders have used Covid-19 as an opportunity to showcase their ability to pivot in the face of crisis; too few have indicated efforts to connect to the deep emotional and physical wounds afflicting their staff. The data makes the overwhelming hopelessness washing over our countrymen quite clear, and while many commit to working even harder to make a living, this resilience should not come at the cost of mental and spiritual stability. If we cannot be there for the people who make our businesses operate on a daily basis, we cannot call ourselves successful business leaders.

Lastly, truth in messaging is non-negotiable, whether leading a company, organization, or political movement. Innovations brought about by the pandemic have afforded the public greater accessibility to their leaders, with social media tearing away the walls separating decision-makers from their constituents. The importance of meaning what you say – and doing it soon after you say it – cannot be overstated at a time where so many of us are losing loved ones at a rapid pace. Tensions have never been this high and the consequences of this “better normal” have been chillingly real for too many of our kababayan. We owe it to ourselves as leaders to advocate for truth, guide those who follow us on the right path, and strive in all that we do to empower and safeguard the Filipino from misinformation. I hope readers will rise to this call-to-action and look forward to the collaborations which will strengthen our country in the days to come.

To get the full report of the “Quarantine@1: A Look Into the Status of the Filipinos” by EON’s Trust Central team, please email info@eon.com.ph.

This article was previously published in the MAP Insights column of BusinessWorld last April 26, 2021.

The rise of COVID 19 from a ‘crisis-to-watch’ back in late November 2019 to a global pandemic that got every country into a virtual lockdown, is nothing short of meteoric. The world’s economy fell in doldrums with businesses (except for a handful) struggling with almost non-existent operations, disrupted supply chains and an unprecedented surge or drop in demand that were not even in any planning scenario. We are all caught flat-footed in this continuously evolving threat, at a loss as to what will come next, not knowing where to start our business continuity and recovery efforts.

The COVID 19 pandemic is redefining many aspects of the society, the environment and the world. It is revealing vulnerabilities of both public and private institutions, and in sharp contrast, showing the strengths of communities, families and individuals to come together and ‘save the day’. We see heightened activities in the social media that has become a potent ‘microphone’ for the people to say what they think and feel; and how this platform is being used to amplify the message that the governed should have influence over the decisions and actions of those who govern. Trust has become the most stable ‘currency’ that institutions must have in huge reserve to engage stakeholders.

The acceptance or rejection of the behavior, actions and policies adopted by the government and the business organizations depend on how well they are trusted to deliver on what was promised. People are looking closely not at just the plans, but how well these are implemented; not just at the pronouncements or press releases but what their networks’ – families, friends, co-employees, communities –  testimonials are. The talk must be the walk.

Therein lies the challenge. Because trust is a critical factor in crisis, its presence constitutes a major capital for organizations and leaders, one that can be leveraged on to bounce back and recover faster in the aftermath. Conversely, it’s absence will dictate how long a time they will need to regain lost ground, if they survive at all.

How are the actions increasing or decreasing the trust reserves? Ligo and Coca-Cola are two known brands who have reallocated their entire advertising budget for COVID-19 relief operations, winning the approval of audiences. Companies who are showing compassion to their employees by coming to their assistance at this time of need are perceived more favorably than those who are announcing plans to lay off workers. Airlines are winning and losing by the policies they adopt on cancellations and refunds.

There are LGUs that are stepping up and providing creative solutions to provide access to food and transportation; and the people responded by coming to the rescue of these trusted leaders, protecting them from political repercussions. In contrast, we also witness how the political shine of other local leaders dimmed because of lack of trust that they can deliver.  

Communication to stakeholders has become a critical component in trust-building. Credible, transparent and reliable information are the best defenses to lies, fear, anxiety and wrong perceptions. Because the medium is the message, it is vital that leaders and organizations pay equal importance to both content and the one tasked to deliver this, to ensure that the narrative covers all the touchpoints – not just with data and numbers, but also with emotions. Proper communication cannot be left to chance; it requires insights, empathy, critical thinking and discipline to strike a note that will swing the trust pendulum in the right direction.

Finally, we must not be afraid to say that we do not have all the answers and that we can commit mistakes. Transparency is a must if we are to build a trust-based relationship with our stakeholders. 

Gaining the trust of our stakeholders takes time. It adds up with every action that shows how we put the customers first by giving them their money’s worth; by how we improve their experience with every complaint they report; by how well we treat our employees; by the importance we place for purpose, not just profit; and by our concern for environment, sustainability and governance.

Communication is the bridge that connects what we do to build this trust, the stakeholders we need to build relationships with, and to society in general. 

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For leaders in both the public and private sector, this is our moment of truth. In a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely eroded our notion of normalcy. Businesses are suffocating with ceased operations, disrupted supply chains, and an unprecedented surge or drop in demand for which nobody has adequately prepared. When our management team sat down to create EON’s COVID-19 business continuity plan in early March, the sheer scale and unprecedented nature of this crisis meant we had no one to look to who can say they have “been there, done that.” So we chose to rely on our human instincts and our expertise as communicators.

We find ourselves grappling with a multitude of questions to which we don’t have concrete answers. How might we ensure business agility and productivity to survive this crisis? How might we play a more valuable role in our customers’ lives given the current situation? But also, how can we continue to provide ourselves, our loved ones, and perhaps even our own people with the most basic necessities of modern life, such as food and proper healthcare? By mid-March, all leaders were thrust onto a tightrope, balancing the need between maintaining economic and organizational stability and protecting the health and safety of their people.

If the last few weeks have taught us anything about leadership, it’s that people need to come first in our decision-making processes, whether they are our employees, our customers, or anyone in our supply chain. This entails a mindset shift in the way we communicate and act: crisis should be seen as proactive reputation enhancement over reactive reputation defense. In this global health crisis, never has efficient and coordinated communication been more critical, and people are looking to brands to provide exactly that.

Vice President Leni Robredo paid a surprise visit to partners, volunteers, and drivers of her office’s Free Shuttle Service for Frontliners

What Makes a COVID-19 Leader? Qualities for Effective Crisis Communication

Transparency. During these uncertain times, we saw the importance of speaking up early and truthfully with accurate information. With COVID-19, transparency is no longer a mere selling point to attract more discerning audiences– it is now vital to our survival as a society. Employees, clients, suppliers, and constituents need to be informed, so they can act accordingly and take necessary precautions to mitigate the spread of infection.

Empathy. During the early days of the Community Quarantine, the online space started lashing out at influencers who berated Filipinos for refusing to stay home, called COVID-19 a ‘blessing’, and brushed off the quarantine as a chance for people to stay home and watch Netflix. Many have called them out for being insensitive and privileged towards those who can’t afford to stay home — our “no work, no pay” Filipinos. As leaders, we need to be able to understand the different perspectives of our stakeholders and their anxieties around COVID-19, in order for us to determine how we can play a more valuable role in their lives today.

Decisiveness. When we help our clients manage crises, we always tell them, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control what to do about it.” During a crisis, what we can control is how to communicate both internally and externally. In the case of COVID-19, we are expected to act and communicate quickly. Learn how to deal with imperfect information during times of crisis and not be crippled by it. By being decisive and providing quick solutions and next steps to our stakeholders, not only do we help them gain a sense of control over their respective situations and mitigate the spread of fear and panic, we also reinforce the value of our brand.

Agility. There are no silver-bullet solutions in the face of a 21st century pandemic, more so the one we are facing today. Providing quick, preventive solutions is expected upon leaders, and with it, comes an understanding that many mistakes will inevitably be made. Lapses in judgment and errors will eventually be forgiven, as long as we remain upfront with our audiences and we use our learnings to bounce back with agility.

The Philippines is still finding its footing as the number of cases continues to rise exponentially. How can leaders actively utilize communication today, to manage a crisis that is still getting worse before it gets better?

Vice President Leni Robredo inspects her office’s repacking, sorting, and testing area for locally produced protective suits on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

A. Activate your purpose. Go back to your organization’s raison d’etre, key strengths and offerings, and channel them into messages and efforts that show how you continue to create value, help those in need, or take part in ending the epidemic. In the last couple of weeks, we have seen these proactive and purposeful efforts from both the private and the public sectors. Ligo and Coca-Cola are two known brands who have reallocated their entire advertising budget for COVID-19 relief operations, winning the approval of audiences. LGUs are stepping up and getting inspiration from one another on creative solutions to ensure access to food and transportation for their constituents. Even small businesses such as restaurants and fashion studios are using their talents to help provide food for our frontliners and design PPEs to address supply shortage.

B. Stay engaged with your customers. The whole process of communicating during a crisis is fluid. Customer needs can shift dramatically during crises such as this one, often from the rational to the emotional, and it is important for organizations to intercept that shift. In crafting new initiatives or promotions, be prudent in making sure these aren’t seen as attempts to capitalize on a crisis or undermine public health efforts, but reinforce a message of solidarity with customers. Agencies need to stay relevant to their clients during these challenging times. Our role as consultants in a volatile and unpredictable environment is critical in ensuring that business for our clients thrives when conditions improve and, more importantly, that their reputation is protected throughout the entire journey, by helping them navigate turbulent waters through tools and capabilities that make the trade of communicators crisis-proof.

C. Prepare for the New Normal. We don’t yet know when, but when this pandemic is over, things will run quickly, and our world will not go back to the way it was. Now is the time for all your organization’s key leads to discuss how this pandemic might affect your business holistically– how measures of productivity might have changed in a Work-From-Home setup, how customer behaviors and expectations subsequently shift following this month-long quarantine, and how the public might return to their daily routines with a renewed cautiousness about the actions and intentions of personalities and brands. 

COVID-19 has made this much clear: the dogmas of brands and individuals alike are put to the test once the going gets tough. There is no better time to demonstrate what you stand for as an individual and as an organization. Using your expertise or brand capital to help during this crisis is not about commercial advantage or profit. Rather, it is about cementing your reputation and showing your true corporate values and citizenship to help society.  Do your COVID-19 communications — and more importantly, your actions — truly reflect the purpose you have voiced out? Are you truly doing your part in bringing the Bayanihan spirit to life, and inspiring the same in your stakeholders? As leaders, it is also our duty to empower our stakeholders to channel this spirit and get through this crisis together. After all, it is the people who make an organization, populate a community and —make no mistake about it — build a nation.

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Home is where the heart is, and for many of our kabayans, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become home—providing a safe space that allows them to pursue their dreams.

 

Today, our typical kabayan in the UAE is a well-educated, highly skilled professional working in a technical or creative field. He is full of hope, vibrant and enjoying life at the same time—a far cry from the stereotype low-skilled worker of our yesteryears.

 

Indeed, the face of the Filipino worker in the UAE is continuously undergoing a tremendous transformation. Where once we knew overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as low-skilled workers destined to a life of manual labor, today’s Filipino workers in the Emirates have transcended boundaries, breaking stereotypes and creating a strong presence in almost every sector, such as information technology, the sciences, business, the arts. In fact, a noted few are even making waves globally in creative fields, such as fashion and furniture design.

 

Today, no one questions that Filipinos in the UAE are among the most skilled, dynamic and prosperous—demonstrating not just their highly valued skills but also distinctive Filipino traits: caring, collaborative, creative and colorful.

 

In fact, Filipino workers have long become deeply interwoven into the economic and cultural fabric of the UAE. It is therefore not a surprise that the Filipino community in the UAE is very engaged, increasingly wealthy and is actively looking for ways to help support the diverse, tolerant and multicultural country that they now proudly call home.

 

In our quest to better understand Filipinos in the UAE and hopefully, guide institutions and companies to see them not only as consumers but as powerful allies with unique aspirations and dreams, EON has released a pioneering research called, “EON Insight: Focus on the Filipino in the UAE.”

 

The report validates the observation that the narrative of the Filipino overseas worker has changed, a transformation that has taken place because the UAE provides them the optimal environment combining economic opportunity, tolerance and the space to celebrate their authentic selves.

 

Beyond peering into the thinking and aspirations of Filipinos in the UAE, the report recognizes the rising purchasing power of the sizeable Filipino community, which UAE companies can no longer afford to ignore. Together, these individuals are a significant and important player—ready to purchase their own homes, build smarter relationships with financial services companies, and explore the world of entrepreneurship.

 

This narrative is fleshed out in the report’s five key findings, as follows:

 

First, the UAE is a highly attractive destination for professional Filipinos due to the economic opportunities it provides and its tolerant open society. The 2019 Philippine Trust Index showed that the UAE is Filipinos’ top work destination in the Middle East. Highly skilled Filipinos are now represented across all industries in the country. In fact, 64 percent of Filipinos in the UAE are college graduates and 6.7 percent hold postgraduate degrees.

 

No doubt, the UAE’s unique mix of policies, programs and initiatives, as seen in its strong infrastructure, economic development agenda centered on diversification, and extensive government support for entrepreneurs, makes it a suitable environment for Filipinos ready to spread their wings professionally.

 

Second, the Filipino community is an ever-growing contributor to the economic diversification and growth of the UAE economy, with 62 percent of the Filipinos surveyed working in sectors that contribute heavily to the UAE’s economic diversification and expansion.

 

The top five sectors they work in are architecture, engineering and construction (17 percent), tourism and hospitality (16 percent), customer service (13 percent), health and medical fields (10 percent) and marketing and advertising (8 percent).

 

Among the participants, 37 percent earned at least AED 8,000 (about P111,000) a month with 20 percent earning AED 13,000 (P181,000) a month. In view of their growing disposal incomes, Filipinos in the UAE are spending on themselves, with 48 percent going to the mall at least once or twice a month, with 45 percent willing to spend up to AED 50 (about P700) for one meal and 16 percent willing to spend more than AED 80 (P1,100). The Philippines also benefits from their relatively higher income: in 2017, the UAE surpassed Saudi Arabia in becoming the second top source of remittances, coming just after the United States.

 

Third, the Filipino community has a long-term commitment to the UAE and is increasingly looking to invest and build deeper interlinked roots in the Emirati. More than 40 percent of Filipinos surveyed have been living in the UAE for two to five years, while 37 percent have been living in the UAE for more than six years. Over 30 percent say they intend to stay in the UAE for another three to five years.

 

Fourth, freedom to worship freely and in peace is a major draw for the Filipino community. In fact, a number of them spend their free time participating in church activities, such as Bible studies and community service programs.

 

Fifth, positive mentions of UAE by the Filipino community on social media have helped make the UAE a top 10 destination for travelling Filipinos. Filipinos are beginning to see the Emirates as a place to visit and possibly work or live in, thanks to these social media posts. In fact, Filipino influencers are making their mark in the UAE by creating well-curated content that is relevant to their fans and following, and are performing well in terms of engagement and reach. This shows that Filipinos are an untapped marketing force in the UAE as they are constantly connected online. Their social influence and digital behavior are perfect vectors to promote brands, services and causes.

 

For sure, there are many opportunities waiting to be tapped in the burgeoning Filipino market in the UAE, and these headline findings attest to this. There are no limits to the products and services that our kabayans may need, and those businesses that can tap into their needs and wants stand to gain much in the process. With creativity and resourcefulness, businesses can find ways to grow with this market, as the Filipino OFWs’ narrative continues to evolve.

 

More than any other time in history, it is time to set up Filipinos for success and break down the walls that keep them from realizing their full potential. The term “OFW” has outlived its purpose and should be reframed to shine a light on the contributions of the Filipinos in the countries where they are. “Global Influential Filipino Talents” is a reframing that captures the new narrative of the Filipino abroad—their creativity, role as social glue, and expertise act as gifts they generously share with the world.

 

It nudges all spectators, kabayans included, that when introduced to a setting that allows for authenticity and economic opportunity, Filipinos have the remarkable ability to shine, bright enough to illuminate even the darkest shadows of our past. The lesson is clear and approaching at breakneck speed—for fellow Pinoys, it is time to raise Pinoy pride and help surface the success stories that fall into the cracks; and for everyone else, it is time to get with the program.

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Trust is society’s most important currency. We are all here, exercising our respective roles in society, because of the trust that has been accorded to us by our stakeholders. Trust allows us to grow humanity’s most important asset: relationships. Without trust and relationships, the mechanisms that have long enabled each of us to survive and advance would be put at risk. Yet trust is an ever-evolving organism, and we have to continuously nurture it to let it flourish.

This is particularly true in 2019, where people are more connected and more involved than ever. But in the midst of hyper connectedness, we have seen the lasting effects of fake news and the decline of fact-based society. Needless to say, these are taking a tremendous toll on institution’s trust coffers. 

This was the disturbing finding of the 2019 Philippine Trust Index, the EON Group’s proprietary biennial research that tracks levels and drivers of trust among institutions in the Philippines — the Church, the Government, Media, Businesses, NGOs, and the Academe. This is the first time this has happened since we started doing the PTI in 2011.

Curiously, despite falling trust levels in institutions in their country, Filipinos remain full of hope, with a super majority or 99% saying they do not want to leave the Philippines, and would want to keep it as their permanent country of residence.

The Changing Trust Landscape

What does this changing trust landscape tell us then? Evidently, institutions need to do a better job at building trust with their stakeholders. Trust, after all, is the single most important currency that leaders need to nurture, even it remains sadly, strangely undervalued.  

Social media’s role in the erosion of trust is easy to see, Despite the increase in the amount of time Filipinos spend on social media, they trust this platform less as a source of information compared to 2017. Social media has become a magnifying glass that allows people to examine institutions and judge if these are worthy of their trust. For better and for worse, social media has engendered a heightened sense of vigilance among people, and has served as a platform for the free exchange of information and opinion among people.  With thousands of Filipinos glued to their smartphones, issues that go viral  or stand out on social media—including fake news and biased claims—grab people’s attention faster and shape their perceptions.  

This free flow of communication and heightened vigilance brings institutions under greater scrutiny, with the 2019 PTI also revealing a drop in performance ratings in the trust drivers across all institutions since 2017. This means that Filipinos want these institutions to put greater effort into building and sustaining their trust. The business sector, in particular, is seeing a shift in trust drivers. In previous years, the top trust drivers for businesses have always been a mix of their ability to provide quality products and services and commitment to treating their employees and customers well. This year, we saw these drivers shift to focus purely on human welfare. Interestingly, a business’ ability to ‘provide quality products and services’ has been replaced by ‘helping underprivileged communities’ as a top trust driver.

While overall trust across institutions has declined, some sectors and sub-institutions still enjoy high trust levels. Notably, extreme trust in the Church, one of the most trusted institutions, remains consistent with its 2017 rating, emphasizing the unshaken faith of the Filipino. Furthermore, while overall trust in the government as an institution has declined, trust in the Office of the President has increased slightly.

How, then, are institutions supposed to manage unmet expectations at a time when trust levels are dwindling? Better yet, how do we convince people that we are the opposite of the perception they have of us?

Clearly, we have to accept that social media is a critical and powerful platform to control narratives. From where we sit, we cannot absolutely control or police the proliferation of disinformation yet we are duty-bound to fight it.  This begins with creating content based on the truth, and making sure it resonates with our publics. It also means being mindful and selective of our sources of information, as we should not add to the flow of disinformation.

Needless to say, this means investing time, effort, and resources, in ensuring that we get the right messages out. This also means institutions should step up their game—knowing that Filipinos have not given up on their country. This means institutions have to look deeply at themselves and examine how they can be relevant and contribute positively to the lives of people. This also means investing in the truth, knowing that these should benefit us all in the long run.

For businesses, in particular, it is imperative to invest not only in aspects that will enhance profitability, but sustainability as well, with a special focus on the welfare of people. People have to view the business organization as an entity with a social purpose and a commitment to be of service to people. Needless to say, these are the actions that will help engender trust, and give us the biggest return on our investment in trust-building.

If we need any further reasons to do so, we only need to think of the 99% of Filipinos who refuse to give up on their home land. Now, it is up to these institutions to work in ensuring that the Filipinos keep calling our country home by continuously investing in society’s real currency: trust.

Growing and Managing Your Trust Currency

Take Charge of Your Narrative

Despite the decline of trust in social media as a source of information, it continues to play a critical role in shaping the public’s perceptions toward institutions, ultimately affecting how they trust. Take advantage of this two-way exchange of information to create targeted, relevant conversations with audiences. Furthermore, in the age of fake news and disinformation, it is important to fight fire with fire: content that resonates with the public and is based on truth.

Walk the Talk

The decline in performance ratings across all top trust drivers suggest institutional dissatisfaction. There is a pressing need for institutions to put more effort into protecting the welfare of the Filipino, and as leaders, we need to lead the charge in going beyond profits or organizational success and creating change for good.

Fight Against Polarization

The results of this year’s PTI show trust gains or consistencies for some sectors, and extreme losses in others. Organizations within key institutions see polarizing trust levels, which could lead to even greater institutional dissatisfaction and weakened overall trust. Everyone, especially those already enjoying high levels of trust, should take responsibility in rebuilding trust within and across all institutions. We need to work hand-in-hand in making our country home to people who are wealthy, not in material terms, but in the trust they put on themselves, each other, and the society that serves them. As the Philippine Trust Index has shown, Filipinos may be losing trust in the institutions around them, but they continue to keep faith and hope in the country as a whole – something that institutions should strive to always keep burning and alive.

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Today’s world has become a most chaotic place. Daily disruptions are the norm, and even the most agile of businesses and individuals are struggling to cope with this blitzkrieg of changes. Business leaders are left pondering a future where uncertainties are the only certain and playing by the old rules can no longer work.

Consider these new realities:

Global imbalances continue to widen, sparking massive discontent and conflict. Incomes continue to rise, yet poverty’s grip is stronger than ever. New billionaires are minted everyday across Asia, yet there remain places without access to electricity or water and that includes the Philippines.  

Technology amplified the world’s inequity and inequality. In this interconnected globe, people witness how prosperity has been limited to the few in real time, fanning anger and dissatisfaction. Almost every day, social media comes alive with netizens angered by the latest display of arrogance, abuse, or incompetence by those in power, be it someone disregarding traffic rules or somebody spewing out half-truths as a result of ignorance or brazen politicking.

There is the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) that is bringing about seismic changes in the geopolitical, economic, technological, social and ecological realms as the locus of power shifts continuously. The economic displacement that artificial intelligence can bring about is a hotly discussed topic, yet how many can say they are truly prepared for it? 

It is no wonder that trust levels for governments have plummeted to unheard-of lows, and people are casting their sights to the other end of the spectrum in the hope that they will get answers where the present systems and institutions are failing them. Amidst quickly shifting views and different versions of the truth, will business be a friend or a foe? Or will we see the rise of new brand of leaders who are willing to embrace the call for inclusive development and changed paradigms?

There are game-changing opportunities that these emerging realities bring. Businesses can play it faster and smarter, as they compete with newer, fleet-footed enterprises run by a new breed of tech-savvy, innovative entrepreneurs, to meet the evolving needs of customers; but will these be enough? 

In this transformed new world, leaders have to realize that the business equation is no longer a simple arithmetic of revenues and profits. A company that does so much business yet pays no regard to people or the environment will lose the goodwill of its customers – and fast. Just look at how the Boracay closure and clean-up turned out, with no one coming to support the polluters. 

Inevitably, a new reality will emerge. To survive, businesses need to accept that they must do good, not just look good. They need to define a higher purpose beyond just profits. They must drive social change, not just shareholder value. Sustainability, impact, and development – they will be the yardsticks which will determine whether businesses will still be in the future.

The future of business requires thinking about doing the unthinkable – putting the goals of equitable and inclusive development on the same plane as profitability targets. Business prosperity must be measured in terms of how the individuals who enable productivity and creativity are enjoying the fruits of their contribution.

Business goals will have to evolve. The measures of organizational success should be expanded to activities that engage their communities, and espouse ethical practices that do no harm to people, the planet, and society. 

For now, all these may seem too big, too radical and too ambiguous but then that kind of thinking might just be the reason why sustainability, development, and impact remain elusive. But not for long; these ‘big’ words are slowly yet steadily unfolding. Those who will not take steps to be part of this changing narrative might just become the case studies of how the failure to act with foresight can lead to business extinction. 

The 2019 MAP CEO Conference aims to be part of this journey to a new business future. It will provide a forum where can jumpstart discussions and help business leaders find answers to these burning questions. Through the experts sharing their views, we can expand the arsenal of strategies and options that will help us all survive and live to share our stories.

The Conference will feature a session on Strengths Strategies for Optimal Living, zeroing in on people equation and strategies that produce the most significant increases in energy, performance, and relationships. A panel discussion on doing the unthinkable provides experiences from the successes of those who chose business pathways anchored in social agenda as well as discussions that delve into the new fortune that can be found at the bottom of the pyramid.

Savvy leaders recognize that sustainability and social impact will be the future of business. The 2019 MAP CEO Conference offers an opportunity to be informed with the ongoing conversations as inputs to mapping the future of our organizations

 

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It’s all systems go for the Philippine Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020, the largest and most prestigious expo in the world. With President Duterte greenlighting the country’s participation in this mega event, the Filipino community in the Middle East is understandably excited at the opportunity to see their very own pavilion showcasing the best that the country has to offer.

Making Expo Dubai 2020 extra-special is that this will  be the first time that the World Expo is being staged in the Middle East, where approximately one million Filipinos are based.

Running for six full months, the glittering Expo Dubai 2020 will no doubt attract millions of visitors looking for business transactions and networking opportunities. Its theme is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, with the sub-themes of Mobility, Opportunity & Sustainability. All these will come alive  in the pavilions, exhibits and cultural events, where hundreds of participants including nations, multilateral organizations, and businesses, take turns in dazzling the audience.

As expected, massive preparations are now underway, under the leadership of the Philippine Organizing Committee helmed by the Department of Trade and Industry, working closely with the Department of Tourism. Also taking part in the effort are Filipino thought leaders led by Budji+Royal Architecture Design who are spearheading the design and concept of the 3,000-square meter pavilion, which is envisioned to showcase the Philippines’ natural beauty. 

The sheer size of the pavilion – more than three times the original size of 900 square meters — indicates the United Arab Emirates’ acknowledgement of the Filipino workers’ talents and skills, especially in building something from the ground up. 

This early, the Philippine team has said that it aims to make a great splash with the pavilion, with a design inspired by nature and which will redefine the history of the country.  The sense of excitement is palpable among those involved in the plans and the flurry of activities.

Even before the actual work for the Philippine pavilion started, so much effort has already gone into ensuring its success. First was to convince the government that it had to be done. The government was skeptical about the magnitude of the undertaking and was initially reluctant to take part in the event.   It didn’t help that the Philippines had missed the last few world expos, and that it was quite a challenge to embark on a massive project in a distant country. Yet the Filipino community was undeterred by the obstacles and pushed hard to see the Philippine pavilion come into being.   

Keeping an open mind and a listening ear, the Philippine government reversed its position upon seeing a groundswell of support among Filipinos, especially those in the Middle East. From the expats and entrepreneurs doing business in the country  to frontliners manning the restaurants and bars in the city to the construction workers building the structures that will support Expo 2020, the call was loud and clear—the Philippines had to take part in the event. This message was reiterated when President Duterte paid a state visit to the gulf region in 2017, and saw for himself what Expo 2020 can do for the country not only in terms of increasing trade and business, but also in becoming a source of national pride. 

Now that everything has been formalized and the Philippine pavilion is imminent, the sense of excitement and anticipation has been heightened among the Filipino communities in the gulf region. True to the bayanihan spirit, Filipinos from all over the United Arab Emirates are pitching in, volunteering precious time and resources to see the Philippine Pavilion come through. For them, the purpose of the pavilion has always been clear: it will show what the Philippines has to offer. Not only  will it quash negative images of the country, it would also shine the light on the many great things that the Philippines is actually doing.

Most importantly, the Expo 2020 is a great opportunity for the Philippines to showcase its most wonderful asset – its people.  The Philippine Pavilion can highlight what truly counts—the mind, heart, and soul of the Filipino. It is, in many ways, the Philippine country brand coming to life, defined and made real by the creativity, collaborative spirit, caring hearts, and colorful ideas of the people behind the pavilion.

This is why it is imperative to have an impeccable execution of the plans laid out by the organizers. By paying utmost attention to every important detail of the Pavilion, and keeping an eye on the purpose of the undertaking, we can highlight the craftsmanship and artistry that Filipinos are known for.  It is equally critical for the private sector to work alongside the government in bringing the Philippine Pavilion to fruition. After all, this is a collaborative effort, and the private sector can leverage its strengths to help in showcasing the best that the country has to offer. 

Indeed, Expo 2020-Dubai is our opportunity to showcase the best of our people and to build up the Philippine country brand—right in a country where our very own people are making a difference.

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