About MBV

Entrepreneurship – The Ultimate Expression of Personal Freedom

Clearly the Filipino, if given the chance and freedom, can develop and fulfill his fullest potential. We see snippets of this excellence in various historical and living Filipinos. We see this excellent LGUs who, despite of constraints, can provide basic services and protect its citizens and who, in turn, are able to pursue their personal and economic goals. On the other hand, we have seen how despite of having jobs, Filipinos are still living in conditions not worth of their personal dignity. The OFW phenomenon clearly shows an aberration because it shakes the very foundation of Philippine society – the family.

In these dire conditions, Filipinos cannot express their personal freedom and cannot fully develop their potentials. They will be bound to the interests of others and not theirs because they have not been freed from the shackles of what many call economic systems that are in many ways still feudalistic and in some cases, just short of slavery conditions.

The Philippines is in a situation where the very few control the largest share of capital thus making everyone virtually dependent on a handful for investments in enterprises that will create jobs for the many. Many are aiming to be just employees of these large enterprises. Clearly, this condition is not sustainable because as we have seen, anything that limits the personal freedom of an individual, anything that limits his choice, stunts his development. Clearly, business management cannot concern itself only with the interests of the proprietors, but must also assume responsibility for all the other stakeholders who contribute to the life of the business: the workers, the clients, the suppliers of various elements of production, the community of reference. This is applying the principle of solidarity.

It is in business, we believe, where the greatest potential for that personal freedom to be exercised can be achieved. Applying the principle of subsidiarity in business enterprises means owners should give their professionals a greater leeway to pursue the goals and vision of the company. Higher management must ensure that they provide the training required for their employees to grow with the company. They must give those who interact with clients and the external world much greater freedom so they can serve their clients better and relate to other stakeholders much more effectively.

In reality, there is only so much freedom that an employee can exercise within the confines of a business enterprise owned by someone else. The Filipino needs to explore other forms of business enterprise, other forms of creating capital to fully exercise his freedom. Cooperatives are one form of business enterprise that can fulfill this goal of personal economic freedom.

Consumer and credit cooperatives have been in existence for so long but their role in the overall development of the nation has not really been appreciated in this context. Especially in a country where the distribution of capital is not equitable, this disadvantage can be reversed through other forms of economic institutions like cooperatives.

Based on our doctrine, however, the greatest form of expression of personal freedom is when one becomes an entrepreneur — be your own boss. As an entrepreneur, the Filipino has the freedom to do what his conscience tells him as there will be no other economic institution that will prevent him from pursuing his vision and goals. As an entrepreneur, he is free to decide to live with his family rather than be forced to work abroad. As an entrepreneur he will be free to serve his clients in the best way he feels. As an entrepreneur, he can express his personal opinions and translate this votes in the political area without fear of losing his job because his boss has other preferences.

By working for himself, the Filipino can tap the full potentials of his intelligence and freedom. Freedom within the context of Charity and Justice means he will be free to pursue the common good. This pursuit of the common good is what will bring about full and integrated development in the Filipino. With his personal dignity in place, the Filipino entrepreneur, in solidarity with his family, the school, the barangay, the government and civil society will be the major force who can bring about the real change, the real development that the Philippines needs today.