With each bar exam, the Philippines graduates a good number of topnotchers—faces of hope, all aglow with the radiance of fresh minds. But glance around us: does this radiance find its way to our streets, our courts, our barangays, our fractured systems? It’s as if we are reaping diamonds and dumping them into the sea.

We’ve never been short of minds in this nation. From remote public schools in the mountains to UP Diliman’s echoing lecture halls, we’ve raised thinkers, inventors, writers, analysts, and dreamers—individuals whose brilliance would have bloomed anywhere else in the world. But here, their ideas too often wilt, choked by the dry air of red tape, corruption, and a maddening obsession with hierarchy over substance. The sorry irony is that all our brightest and best end up queuing up at the POEA, diploma conveniently wedged between bags, bound for a country that will happily pay them what they are worth. It’s an unspoken brain drain, a gradual draining away of the nation’s intellectual blood.

What is genius when it cannot shatter walls? What is genius and vision, bounded by a system that stifles initiative except when it promotes individual interests of the mighty? Intelligence cannot displace a culture drenched in pakikisama, utang na loob, and tokenism. Such cultural anchors are fine within close, small community settings, but as a national culture, they devour systems, promote mediocrity to the highest level, and stifle reform. Our wisest tend to be backed into a corner, their thoughts diluted to appease bosses, elders, or the establishment. Blind loyalty usually triumphs in the fight between critical thinking and blind loyalty.

And so, our technologists labor overseas creating intelligent cities for the outside world, while on our ground, traffic weaves around potholes and half-constructed bridges. Our researchers spend their days studying global climate trends for Swedish schools, while our roads flood at the prospect of a raindrop. Our economists consult for foreign banks while our nation’s inflation nibbles dinner plates off regular families’ tables. The message rings clear but soft-whispered: it’s brilliance that’s being invited here, but as ornament, not leadership.

And finally, there is the dark truth of how we choose our leaders. Ivy League degrees, global recognition, and policy expertise come in a distant second to celebrity, name recognition, and slick campaign slogans. Is it worth having a country full of intelligent people if they are led by those who do not like it, or worse, are intimidated by it? We possess technocrats. intellectuals and experts aplenty, yet they are sitting on the sidelines politely and quietly applauding second-rate leaders who can only qualify based on birth or charm. It is not just disappointing—it is a violation of the promise of education itself.

Even in day-to-day life, the Filipino genius is helpless against institutional neglect. Those with Master’s degrees barely manage to eke out their livelihood on wages that cannot even feed a family. Rural health workers understand the science of dengue and malnutrition, but have no means or budgets to implement it. We salute brains but fail to give forums and frameworks for them to be really working in the interest of the greater good. The breakdown of trust in institutions is not because people are dumb—it is because people are intelligent enough to notice the rot and the pointlessness of fighting against it.

But maybe the more profound tragedy is how such genius becomes resigned. Filipinos are not stupid; we know what is occurring. And yet, so many brilliant minds opt out to achieve personal victory rather than repair public defeat. It’s survival. And who can blame them? But when the brightest minds no longer dream for the nation, the soul of the nation loses its shine, and we are left with brilliance for itself alone. A country without a shared purpose is a lost country, no matter how many diplomas it possesses.

Yet I think there is a way out—and not in producing more brilliant minds but in creating systems where brilliance can breathe, move, and lead. We must unshackle intelligence from the ivory tower and let it flow into city halls, classrooms, rural farms, and barangay health centers. Brilliance is not quantifiable in board examination marks and Latin honors but in its ability to agitate the stagnant, deconstruct the corrupt, and elevate the masses. That, in my opinion, is the only brilliance worth celebrating.

Determining the appropriate percentage of business income an entrepreneur should receive is a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all answer. The ideal percentage depends on several factors, including the business structure, stage of development, investment levels, risk tolerance, and the entrepreneur’s role and responsibilities. This article explores the key considerations in determining a fair and sustainable compensation strategy for entrepreneurs.

1. Business Structure and Legal Considerations: Setting the Foundation for Compensation
The legal structure of the business significantly impacts how income is distributed. Different structures have different implications for taxation, liability, and ownership:

– Sole Proprietorship: In a sole proprietorship, the entrepreneur receives all the profits but also bears all the liabilities. The entire income is considered personal income and taxed accordingly. The entrepreneur’s share is 100%, but this also means they bear 100% of the risk.

– Partnership: Partnership profits are distributed as stipulated in the partnership agreement. This agreement should clearly define each partner’s contribution, responsibilities, and share of profits. The percentage can vary widely depending on the agreement.

– Limited Liability Company (LLC): LLCs offer some liability protection while allowing flexibility in profit distribution. The operating agreement should specify how profits are allocated among members.

– Corporation (S Corp or C Corp): Corporations have a more complex structure, with profits distributed as salaries, dividends, or retained earnings. The entrepreneur’s share depends on their salary, ownership stake, and the corporation’s profitability. Tax implications are significant and require professional advice.

Legal Counsel: Seeking legal counsel is crucial to ensure the chosen business structure aligns with the entrepreneur’s goals and complies with all relevant regulations. The legal structure directly impacts how income is taxed and distributed.

2. Stage of Business Development: Balancing Risk and Reward

The stage of business development significantly influences the entrepreneur’s appropriate income percentage. Early-stage ventures often require significant investment with uncertain returns. As the business matures and becomes more profitable, the entrepreneur’s share might adjust:

– Seed Stage: In the seed stage, the entrepreneur might take a minimal salary, reinvesting most profits back into the business for growth. Their focus is on building the foundation and proving the business model. A small percentage of income, or even no salary, might be common.

– Startup Stage: During the startup phase, the entrepreneur might take a modest salary, prioritizing reinvestment while gradually increasing their share as revenue grows. The balance shifts towards a higher percentage as the business becomes more stable.

– Growth Stage: In the growth stage, the business is generating consistent revenue, and the entrepreneur’s compensation can increase significantly, reflecting their contribution and the reduced risk. A higher percentage of income becomes more feasible.

– Mature Stage: In a mature business, the entrepreneur’s compensation might be a combination of salary, bonuses, and a share of profits, reflecting their ongoing role and the business’s profitability. The percentage might stabilize or even decrease if the business is highly profitable and the entrepreneur’s role is less hands-on.

Financial Projections: Developing realistic financial projections is crucial for determining a sustainable compensation strategy. This helps balance the entrepreneur’s needs with the business’s financial health.

3. Investment Levels and Risk Tolerance: Considering External Funding and Equity
The level of investment, both personal and external, influences the entrepreneur’s share of income. Investors typically expect a return on their investment, which affects the entrepreneur’s ultimate share:

– Bootstrapped Businesses: In bootstrapped businesses (funded solely by the entrepreneur), the entrepreneur retains a larger share of profits. However, this also means bearing all the financial risk.

– Venture Capital-Backed Businesses: Venture capitalists typically receive equity in exchange for their investment. This reduces the entrepreneur’s ownership stake and consequently, their share of profits. Investment terms are subject to negotiation and differ greatly depending on the investment amount and the company’s development stage.

– Angel Investors: Similar to venture capitalists, angel investors receive equity in exchange for their investment, impacting the entrepreneur’s share of profits.

Equity vs. Debt: Understanding the difference between equity and debt financing is crucial. Equity financing dilutes ownership, while debt financing requires repayment. The entrepreneur’s share is directly affected by the type of financing secured.

4. Role and Responsibilities: Fair Compensation for Contribution

The entrepreneur’s role and responsibilities within the business should be considered when determining their share of income. A founder who is actively involved in daily operations might receive a larger share than a passive investor.

– Active vs. Passive Role: Entrepreneurs with active roles, managing day-to-day operations and strategic decisions, typically receive a larger share of income. Passive investors, who provide capital but are not actively involved in management, might receive a smaller share.

– Specialized Skills: Entrepreneurs with specialized skills or expertise that are crucial to the business’s success might negotiate a larger share of income.

– Market Value: The entrepreneur’s market value, based on their experience and skills, can also influence their compensation.

5. Regular Review and Adjustment: Adapting to Changing Circumstances

The entrepreneur’s share of income should not be static. It should be reviewed and adjusted periodically to reflect the business’s performance, the entrepreneur’s contributions, and changes in the market.

– Performance-Based Compensation: Incorporating performance-based bonuses or incentives can align the entrepreneur’s interests with the business’s success.

– Market Benchmarking: Comparing the entrepreneur’s compensation to industry benchmarks can help ensure fairness and competitiveness.

In conclusion, determining the appropriate percentage of business income for an entrepreneur is a multifaceted decision requiring careful consideration of various factors. A well-defined compensation strategy should be fair, sustainable, and aligned with the business’s goals and the entrepreneur’s contributions. Seeking professional advice from legal and financial experts is highly recommended to ensure a sound and legally compliant approach.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!

THIS is the clear lesson we can draw from the Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity. If we are God’s image and likeness, meant to share in his life and nature, then we have to realize that just like the Blessed Trinity where the three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in eternal relation with each other, we too need to be always in relation with God and with everybody and everything else. Only then can we fully attain the life that is meant for us.

As a direct corollary of what we have just said, to be by oneself is actually an anomaly that will always lead us to some dangers. We are never meant to be a loner. We need to be with God and with everybody else all the time.

That is the main reason why we are endowed with the spiritual gifts of intelligence and will which would enable us precisely, by knowing and willing, to enter into relation with others, first with God.

That is the main purpose of our intelligence and will. It’s God who is their main object, and everything else only plays a subordinate, instrumental but also indispensable role. The moment we would just use our intelligence and will for our own self-interest, we would be stepping away from the proper path meant for us.

We need to be clear about this basic truth about ourselves because by not living according to it, we now are having all sorts of problems and disorders. This truth has to be spread out as widely as possible, taught and explained as thoroughly as possible to everyone. More than that, everyone has to know how precisely to enter and maintain that relationship in a consistent and abiding way.

We have to acknowledge our strong tendency to simply be by ourselves, relying only on our human powers and faculties, and on our natural and human means. We have to learn how to be guarded against that tendency and how to deal with it properly.

Obviously, this will require, first of all, God’s grace that will always be made available and abundantly at that. But we have to correspond to that grace as best that we can. Given our human condition, where we learn things step by step or in stages, we should come up with an effective plan where little by little we can approach that ideal of knowing and loving the way God knows and loves his own self and all of us.

It’s clear that we really would need to know how to pray, since prayer is our basic way to connect and relate ourselves with God. We have to learn how to live always in the presence of God, which should not be difficult since in the first place, God is everywhere, and his presence is not simply something passive but is always active and attentive, ever solicitous of our needs. He is never indifferent to us even if we are indifferent to him.

We have to be guarded against the many things that can take us away from God. Distractions are all over the place, and, of course, without God, we are vulnerable to be affected easily by our erratic emotions.

We need to help one another to learn how to be with God always. We have to break whatever barrier there is that would prevent us from being with him all the time.

In the narrative of lawyer Ruben C. Carranza, the San Juanico Bridge inauguration took place on the birthday of the conjugal dictator’s half Imelda Romualdez Marcos on July 2, 1973. Among the guests whom she loved to invite to give the world a false veneer of a “jetset” lifestyle were socialite Cristina Ford and the concert pianist Van Cliburn. Also, Arthur Lopez, the banquet manager of the Manila Hilton Hotel was tasked to manage the huge catering for a cover of 5,000 breakfast, lunch and dinner.

All the kitchen equipment, machines and ingredients including 200 hotel staff to set up the kitchen and service facilities including ice carvings and flowing fountains on-site. The kitchen staff were flown from Manila to the reception site in Tolosa, Leyte be ready a least a week prior to the big event. The food and service was first class and the total tab for the event was reportedly P1million and was reportedly the first time in history for such a gargantuan amount of a catering contract.

Recently, the Samar provincial government proposed a project to install LED lights in the bridge, with timed lighting effects for select occasions as an effort to boost tourism between Leyte and Samar islands. The P80 million project dubbed as the San Juanico Bridge Lighting Project was approved by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority in January 2018.

It became the light and sound display at the San Juanico Bridge with the cost is pegged at P80 million. This, while the poverty incidence in Samar today is 37% and Leyte is at 39.10% among the poorest provinces in the country. The 2021 agriculture budget for Samar was P66.03 million.

The implementation of the lighting project under the term of the magical president has experienced delays. The groundbreaking for the project took place on 26 July 2019, with completion projected for December 2019 or January 2020. The completion of the project however has been delayed. The bridge was successfully lit up for the first time on 20 October 2022.

It would be recalled that the bridge was slightly damaged by Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Super Typhoon Yolanda, in November 2013 but was quickly repaired and reopened within the month.

It would be recalled that the San Juanico Bridge underwent rehabilitation sometime in the year 2022 by Japanese firm Sumitumo, the principal contractor. It was closed to traffic sometime on 30 October 2002 when a barge rammed one of its foundations or piers that caused the deck to slid by at least 10 centimeters. The damaged was attributed to material fatigue by Engr. Jimmy Chan, the Philippine-Japan Highway Loan project manager.

Over half a century since the erection of the iconic San Juanico Bridge, this generation ought to know the untold facts that may all be lasting reminders of bridge tears.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com

A passenger van crashed into a light post near Tacloban DZR Airport on San Jose National Highway this afternoon, June 10. The accident resulted in the death of a woman at the scene, while several passengers were rushed to hospitals for treatment.

The van, traveling from Ormoc City, was reportedly speeding when the driver lost control and hit a solar light pole on the center island at around a Authorities are investigating the incident, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-8) plans to issue a preventive suspension against the van operator.

The sight was gruesome, the van in malleable crumpled shape, the passenger flew out perhaps judging from the positions that they were in, windows broken, a person was dangling from the window at the back of the van, a person lay prostate, twisted on the wet concrete. It was more than the makangingirhat state that would haunt us on many nights to come.

These events remind us of road safety, signages, full implementation of the law and pure and simple paghirot.

As a driver for more than a decade and other vehicle owners, this is a real bullet we must bite, accidents can happen. We need to mitigate and be aware. Data shows that more than a million death is claimed by motor accidents, mishaps worldwide, proving that it is a death starter.

• 1.19 million deaths occur annually due to road traffic crashes.
• Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for individuals aged 5–29 years.
• 92% of road fatalities happen in low- and middle-income countries, despite these nations having only 60% of the world’s vehicles.
• The African region has the highest road traffic death rate at 26.6 per 100,000 population, while the European region has the lowest at 9.3 per 100,000.
• 77% of road deaths involve males, and adults aged 15–44 years account for 59% of global road traffic fatalities.

In all, we must be very careful, as like bullets, road accidents knows no politics nor does it respect rank or age. Please be careful on the road!