Albeit inflation, ongoing wars between countries, and the impact of the pandemic, what remains among the Filipino people is good foresight for the Philippines. In the height of tough times, hope is still in the pusong Pinoy. That’s how Issa Litton, the host of Kapihan sa MB, threaded the discussion on the future of big businesses amid the world crisis. With technology continuously developing, it offers a perspective that’s sure to impact our way of life. For those that can monetize it, it’s an investment.

But discussions are always made better when actual experiences are shared by no less than the experts. The business sector has been the catch basin of the recent economic changes. How entrepreneurs and industry leaders have survived and adapted to these conditions are narratives of challenges overcome. At Kapihan sa MB, they share their successes, a story no one would want to miss. Mr. Henry Aguda of UnionBank, Mr. Felino Bernardo, and Dr. David Hardoon, who both play a big role for the Aboitiz Group, as well as DICT Undersecretary Anna Lamentillo, talked about today’s technology drives development in companies and how they adapt in a digital world – transitioning from a conglomerate to a “techglomerate”.

Now, what exactly is becoming a “techglomerate”, and how does transforming into that help small and medium-sized companies in the Philippines at a time where we also transition from the pandemic stage to an endemic stage? The answer is technology-driven. To harness growth and success is to utilize technology.

Bernardo, who hails from Aboitiz Group, which is also the company dubbed as the country’s first “techglomerate”, shares that amid volatility and turbulence in the current times, he says he wants to remain positive. Bernardo posits that “technology is at the heart of all of these,” talking about the potential of digital and how it could bring forth a positive impact to businesses. When asked by Issa if all companies should get on board the digital trend as Aboitiz Group leads the way, Bernardo answers that their goal has always been to “uplift the lives of the Filipino people”, hence their efforts to seek innovation and development in the said field.

Meanwhile, Hardoon, also from the Aboitiz Group, discusses transformation in technology and how it’s important to contextualize it. “There is no technology for the sake of technology. It’s the technology for efficiency, focus, objective, and essentially making the experience delightful and pleasant,” he explains. Hardoon shares that while telling the importance of how it should serve consumers and businesses. He also talks about how he disagrees with the idea that AI will soon replace humans in their jobs, all because AI only gives more room for knowledge and hence more opportunities.

Aguda of UnionBank, on another note, agreed with the other gentlemen that people are the driving force for these transformations. “People is where we start the transformation, and people is the one going to scale it,” he affirms. He believes that culture beats strategy at all times, so it’s vital to change the perspective of people when it comes to these changes. He coins the term “mission-driven” – referring to the idea of purpose and marrying it with collaboration – while highlighting how important it is to achieve any goal that a company sets its focus to.

To wrap up, Issa welcomed Anna Mae Lamentillo of DICT to share the implications of these in the public sector as well as the bigger picture when the public sector involves itself with the private sector. Issa also mentioned that currently, there is a big clamour for better public-private partnerships vis-a-vis national development. “We want to engage with Singapore. We did a memorandum of agreement with the Ministry of Information, specific on digital cooperation. We also have another memorandum of agreement on data protection. There’s a lot of work to be done. … With the help of the private sector, we’ll be able to push it further” Lamentillo discusses the matter with the new administration in mind.

Conversations among the guests have led to one major realization: technological innovations serve as drivers and catalysts of positive changes in the services and operations of big businesses. The Aboitiz Group has already paved the way when it comes to digital transformation. Having surpassed the trials and challenges brought by turbulent national events and economic instability, they are not only an example of the success of a “techglomerate”, but its testament.

There is a future waiting for businesses as they switch to digital, especially with the efforts of companies such as Aboitiz Group and the government’s projects and plans to push forward such technological development for the country.

Watch the special two-part episode of Kapihan sa MB:

Part 1 – https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin/videos/1089843245042589

Part 2 - https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin/videos/1663791400685295