Thinking Out of the Box
 When our editorial team first lined up the story on Illac Diaz, we intended it to be under the Enterprise section, where we feature successful SMEs. But after our writer and senior research associate, Roxanne Lu, came back from her interview with Diaz, she was all praises for his pioneering ventures and efforts to find ways to help the marginalized sectors of society. It was decided that Diaz is worth a cover story.
Indeed, the country needs people like Diaz to continue thinking of alternative ways to challenge the status quo. As humans, we have the tendency to be satisfied with the way things are, afraid of rocking the boat, lest consequences inconvenience us. Sometimes, we also apply this “status quo” mentality in the way we view issues. We are staunchly in favor of or against an idea, never opening up to “the other side.”
Take the case of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement—a hotly discussed issue nowadays. As our writer, Michael Mundo, says in his Agenda section article on page 18, the JPEPA’s fate lies with the Philippine Senate. Pro-JPEPA advocates argue that the agreement will further open up the Japanese market to Philippine exports of goods, and even services. Critics, however, are wary about the toxic wastes that will allegedly be dumped here once the agreement is ratified. Environmentalists argue that with the JPEPA, we are further giving license to Japan to export to the country used appliances, computers, and vehicles that will soon conk out and get buried in our soil and shores. But for whatever remaining life these items have, don’t they make those who buy them—usually the poor—happy? Thinking out of the box means considering the question, Can we strengthen the country’s capability to accommodate these recyclable materials? This may entail the use of higher technologies, but the search must begin now, if the search is not yet being done.
We are also pleased to feature in this issue a new concept that we hope will catch on—cycling as an alternative mode of transport in the metropolis. In our Corporate Citizenship section on page 28, contributing writer Rocky Tirona of Campaigns and Grey calls on the corporate sector to provide a “cyclist-friendly” environment in their buildings to encourage employees to bike to and from work. Of course, local government units will also have to start thinking of bike lanes in their areas. It may take years before this concept takes off, but again, the thinking out of the box starts now.
NONETTE C. CLIMACO
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
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