How does corruption hurt us? Does it make sense to fight corruption?
For years the Integrity Initiative has tried to create Integrity Nation, a nation where transparency and integrity rule,…
Royal Cargo Inc.–the anti-corruption model
ON the day after yesterday’s elections, it is my pleasure to highlight an anti-corruption model and its willingness…
Privacy protection/digital services/press freedom
WE are living in a “crazy” world. Just look at the three issues I am highlighting today: Privacy…
Global Cooperation on Privacy and the CBPR System: The Path Forward
Given the deep interest of the Philippine private sector, specifically the BPO industry, and the National Privacy Commission…
Hunting for data and believing in tech
Today, I would like to highlight two interesting developments that we, working with data and data protection on…
Data governance and cross-border data flows
Allow me to address two issues today: 1. US and EU Agree in Principle on New Trans-Atlantic Data…
Everyone is born with dignity—It begins with you
Some months ago, I wrote about the interesting subject: Are we born smart, or do we learn to…
Work from home (WFH) is expanding
A new report from freelance marketplace Upwork found that work-from-home arrangements (WFH) are prompting a significant amount of…
Artificial intelligence–the good and the not so good news
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is on the rise in many organizations across various…
The Kremlin kleptocrat’s war on freedom is very close to us
Vladimir Putin’s TNT terror is a two-hour flight from the center of Europe. Two hours? In reality, the Kremlin…
The grave situation in Ukraine also shows the abuse of the financial system
I was a small kid at the end of World War II. It wasn’t until I was older…
Anti-trust: Are we failing to protect consumers?
What can we do better in 2022? This question applies to us as individuals as much as it…
Young people can fight corruption
BusinessMirror reported last Wednesday that 37 million youth may spell the outcome of the May 9 elections. This…
A new lease on life in 2022
While January 2022 has been a slow month in many businesses (definitely in mine), there is no doubt…
Competition: Are we consumers protected?
IF you feel mergers and acquisitions are picking up the pace in the economy, you’re right. If you…
Industry 4.0 needs to be supported by Governance 4.0
Food for thought: Can your organization move at the speed of technology? The answer is, most likely, no.…
Come the metaverse, will we go crazy?
In my column last week, I tried to demonstrate that the metaverse could turn your body into a…
Metaverse vs data privacy protection
IF we’re not careful, the arrival of the metaverse could be way worse for data privacy than traditional…
‘The King is dead! Long live the King!’
This medieval chant I like. Given the objectives of the Integrity Initiative, I have three options to apply…
Let’s create change in 2022!
AS we are heading into a new year after a problematic 2020 and 2021, it’s time to reflect…
Dignified employment
WE all know that people need work to achieve livelihood security and give their lives purpose. However, there are…
Jobs, jobs, jobs
People need work to achieve livelihood security and give their lives purpose. However, there are not enough jobs available,…
The knowledge society
All countries and peoples are changing rapidly—as the market economy, democratic politics, and the international millennial’s culture spread…
Creating shared value
What is the proper role of business in society? The question certainly is not new. Debates about the…
We need ‘honorable merchants!’
IN a world where short-term gain seems to be more attractive than long-term sustainability, in a business environment…
Philippine Disability Sector: A Research on Education, Employment, Public/Social Services, and Civic Participation
Recently, research in exploring the disability sector in the Philippines and how current laws and policies has served…
Technology trends for 2022
What was our premise for 2020? Survival. What was the directive for all of us in 2021? Get…
Data breaches and cybercrime must worry us in business
Supply chain attacks, misinformation campaigns, mobile malware and larger scale data breaches are just some of the threats…
Data curiosity
I was reading an exciting story about two German brothers in their 60s, who are still expanding their…
What should we be worried about as we move closer to 2022?
Over 1.5 billion Facebook users’ personal data found for sale on hacker forum. Are you scared about the…
Public perceptions of political integrity
Wouldn’t we all like to see political decision-makers put our shared interests ahead of their own? Take, for…
Data Protection Trustmark–existing in Singapore and coming to the Philippines
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) is finalizing its work on creating the Philippine Privacy Trustmark (PPT). This is…
Business continuity management–preparing for an unpredictable future
Being deeply involved in data management and data privacy protection, it is my pleasure to share information provided…
Artificial intelligence: The road to data privacy and ethics
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly adopted in many industries and our day-to-day lives. The concept of AI is…
Impunity and corruption: Going hand in hand!
Unfortunately, that’s the truth. Powerful perpetrators involved in corruption can too often stymie enforcement against them by interfering…
Question: Would you sign an Integrity Pledge?
When we at the Integrity Initiative launched the Integrity Pledge in 2011, we saw the Pledge as a…
What’s new in privacy rules, data sharing and cyber security
The National Privacy Commission bans online lending apps for privacy violation The NPC has ordered the shutdown of…
Companies need to undergo a shift in cyber culture
Did you read about the recent large data breach? It happened at T-Mobile in the US. The cell…
The success of intrapreneurship
A few weeks ago, I wrote about entrepreneurs achieve their goals and admitted that I did not achieve…
Being disciplined–makes the difference!
Almost everyone wants to be disciplined, right? But for some reason, we just can’t seem to be consistent. Maybe we…
Dominating organizations: Are they looking after society?
Digital capitalism ON July 27, everyone saw immediately how well quasi-monopolists pay off—for themselves, not for society. You…
How do entrepreneurs achieve their goals?
I basically achieved in my life what I wanted to achieve. But there is one thing that I…
What’s hot for us these days? (other than the temperature)
When will the third vaccination with the Biontech vaccine come—and how does it work? New data show that…
Entrepreneurs want to change the future
Enjoy this wonderful sentence from the investor Guy Kawasaki: “Entrepreneur is not a job title. It’s a mindset…
Are governance, risk management and compliance and data protection converging?
Data protection has gained prominence in recent times, driven by digitalization, increased awareness of consumers about data infringements,…
Youngsters don’t want the hottest job in tech. That’s a big problem for business
I cannot believe this. With everybody running around with gadgets and spending plenty of time with online data,…
Data sovereignty, localization and protection
1. It is important to note that the uncertainties created by the pandemic have benefited the local information…
What’s new regarding data privacy protection rules in the region?
National Privacy Commission of the Philippines (NPC) creates “privacy mark.” The NPC said it will be rolling out…
Good news–and their consequences!
AS I have mentioned in previous columns, I hate bad news and am unwilling to focus on them.…
Trustworthy and ethical AI systems–possible?
I hate to say this: Artificial intelligence (AI) as a technology is maturing. Far from the stuff of…
Chief data officers deliver value!
The data-driven approach requires an emphasis on securing data and analytics leadership. While not every business may need a chief data officer, leadership in data and analytics can however help the enterprise use data as an asset and develop a modern approach to planning.
Please consider: None of the existing vaccines would have come about without an attractive innovation environment
Having worked in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry for 25 years, I am certainly deeply concerned about US…
European authorities scrutinize data flows leaving the EU
Allow me to highlight latest movements in Europe regarding cross border data flows and data privacy protection. I…
Talent management
Talent development programs can keep employees operating at the top of their skill set and prepare them to…
AI is it–but what about ethical deployment?
While companies are making progress deploying artificial intelligence (AI), more than half of enterprises overestimate their levels of…
Are you scared of cybercrime?
I am. Both as an individual (with a bank account and a credit card) and a management member…
We need CIOs in business today!
A lot has changed since the first Chief Information Officer (CIO) roles emerged in the 1980s. Personal computers…
New technology can drive innovation—if people come first
TO compete in the world of tomorrow, companies need to stay with technology trends. But they have to…
We need CIOs in business today!
A lot has changed since the first Chief Information Officer (CIO) roles emerged in the 1980s. Personal computers…
New technology can drive innovation—if people come first
TO compete in the world of tomorrow, companies need to stay with technology trends. But they have to…
Digitalization is a must—but do we take data privacy protection seriously?
IT is important to realize, especially in the Philippine setting, that as economies digitalize, cross border transfer of…
What is social selling?
I was a salesman all my life. I am now watching with interest the change in selling tactics:…
People, process, technology
The answer is, most likely, no. Technology far outpaces the speed at which companies can respond, leaving a…
Digitalization and innovation needed? That will not work without training our people
What are we supposed to be involved in these days? Digitalization and innovation? To get there, we are…
Celebrating innovation
The discussions about vaccination are intense. And that is understandable. Because it’s about a lot. The images of people on breathing…
Are there business opportunities in vaccinating people?
The pandemic which hit us in 2020 has caused a lot of suffering but, surprisingly, also created plenty…
Without teamwork–no progress in future
I was recently reading two articles with great interest, on how millennials are sparking work changes; and how…
Leadership change 2021–The next boss should be a coach
Up to early 2020, no matter how much the office changed, the image of the boss endured: it was…
Jobs of the future–more digital, agile and volatile
WE have already lived and worked in corona mode for nine months, and many things will change permanently, especially in…
Covid-19 vaccination–ensure that distribution is equitable and transparent
The acceptance of vaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Astra-Zeneca/Oxford University in various countries is making headlines around…
Let’s untap the potential of the Blue Philippines in 2021!
I trust that you were happy to leave a problematic 2020 behind you and slip with great expectations…
Data protection needs in 2021
You will agree with me that the global pandemic has sped up the process of digitalization and transformed…
Let’s create change in 2021!
AS we are heading into a new year after a problematic 2020, it’s time to reflect on how…
Maritime News–good and not so good
Good news from the Philippines: The Seafarers’ Identity Document (SID) Card of Filipinos is now used as the…
Philippines–major maritime player in Southeast Asia
IN 2016, about four years ago, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) announced that “it will become a premier…
Vaccinating against corruption
The publication by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca of the interim efficacy results for their Covid-19 vaccine is making…
Blue Economy–the next steps to be taken
AT the beginning of November, I wrote about the “Blue Economy,” explained what Blue Denmark and Blue Singapore…
Sustainability challenges to be addressed NOW
Despite all the difficulties the pandemic has delivered in 2020, we have no choice but to plan ahead…
Building an ethical business culture while joining government’s anti-corruption drive
I was impressed last Thursday by no other than the new “Anti-Corruption Czar,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra: I…
Blue economy
Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the blue economies around the world substantially, we firmly believe that the time is now to establish a world-recognized Blue Philippines: creating a Philippines International Shipping Fleet, carrying the National Flag.
Corruption–will we ever see a change?
I used this headline in my column in 2018. Looking at the headlines in national newspapers during the…
Are we born smart, or do we learn to be smart?
When we hear stories about a seven-year-old who can speak 14 different languages, or see a video of…
Are we too young, or old enough?
Daphne S. Sagun, a BA Communications student at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, wrote a great story about…
What is corruption?
I have to admit that I have been involved in corruption a long time ago. But I am…
The power of data–what do we do with it?
Data has become the new life force driving the world today, powered by digitalization. Most of us have…
Cross-border data transfer rules–What now?
The regulatory environment affecting cross-border data transfers continues to fluctuate, leaving many organizations without clear guidance when exchanging…
The Future of Work 4–what to do now?
Looking at my previous columns on the subject of the Future of Work, realizing that we are still…
The Future of Work–skills of today and tomorrow
AS we are still adjusting to the job challenges of the Third Industrial Revolution, so let’s familiarize ourselves…
2020 is the epitome of change–but business ethics are still needed
IN addition to all the effects on every one of us, companies must break new ground more than…
The Future of Work–based on creative destruction
Last week, I started to focus on the “Future of Work.” When we dream about how work will…
The ‘future of work’
Kenneth Cobonpoe was quoted in the papers a few days ago as saying that, “You can schedule Zoom,…
The need to develop the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain now!
IT is exciting to read every day that the hunt for a Covid-19 vaccine is heating up. Scientists and pharmaceutical…
Powerful analytics in integrated compliance management
There are many compelling ways to make a solid case for deploying powerful analytics within your compliance program. As a Bloomberg article put it, compliance programs “like everything else in the 21st century must be data-driven”.
Creative hubs vs remote work
Four months ago, managers and employees at many companies went home and did something incredible: They got their…
Cross-border private data flows. What happened last Thursday? Impact of decision is immediate and global
Thousands of companies will face restrictions on storing information about European Union (EU) residents on US servers, after…
For remote work, what staff and technologies are needed?
Since the Covid-19 crisis, the morning briefings I get mostly start with a negative report—with infection numbers, bankruptcies or…
Where are we heading?
WE are suffering from two crises: The Covid-19’s very contagious influenza infection, and the hype and to some…
Big cyber-security threat: Employees
For obvious reasons I am following the issue of Wirecard and the “disappearance” of about $ 2.1 billion…
Silver lining: Some companies are doing the right thing
Times of crisis have a way of shining a light on an organization’s true colors. Although fear, change,…
Is your innovation strategy socially responsible?
Many of us have no choice but to reevaluate our company’s purpose, whether we own it, whether we…