Over the past several years, Amazing Show has been threatened by
elements both designed and incidental to compromise our existence both
as a family and as an institution. My institutional memory serves me
well in knowing when and when not to worry about these elements.
When we made this theater way back, the plan was so ambitious that even I
believed that there was only the slimmest of chances that we could pull
this off and yet we did. Internal bickering, wannabe competitors and
half-hearted stakeholders plagued our way in our path of sustainability.
Threats real and virtual made us fearsome but nevertheless allowed us
to be stronger as an entity.
Way back, I remember that I was
offered a position in a competitor organization that made me cringe
thinking of how it was too good to be true. And that was all it was… too
good to be true. I remember that my reply to the offer was simply
stating that if I sell myself, then I would just remain a commodity
forever… someone who is for sale, someone who is up for grabs, someone
waiting for the highest bid.
In hindsight, I am thankful of the
choices I have made for they have proven themselves “proper”. The one
who gave me the offer way back now lives in a heap of crap because he
offered most everyone more than what he could give.
Several years
ago, our most successful branch was challenged in a head on competition
that led to the demise of the wannabe producer of shows. Two years
later we are now once again being challenged by another and to that I
say… Bring It On!!!
Although I recognize that this will bring a
world of hurt to us, the challenge will allow us to better ourselves
even further. We are not in our prime shape as of the moment making us
vulnerable to such arrogant challenges and to this I say, neither are
they.
Last I heard they have terminated the services of 20% of
their workforce as did we last year on our 12th year. But come on…
they’ve only operated a month or so…
A business is a business is a
business… if you want to sink yourself into it then might as well sink
on something you love. Might as well commit yourself to something you’re
crazy about and for all intents and purposes might as well sink into
something you know about… because otherwise you are in it for the wrong
reasons.
To our Amazing Show Family… only WE can bring OURSELVES
down. Competition can only threaten us. Our actions will ultimately
decide our fate. Better ourselves and we shall once again taste the
glory of what was once AMAZING!
For now, I will just be content watching the competition die a slow death.
With Facebook, who needs to blog? I guess, I still do. I've got so many FB friends that I still feel it as inappropriate for me to gripe on my wall, despite, despite, despite. But maybe because I have been a lot happier and mentally stable lately since November when I posted last.
So many things have happened since those days. We've launched two more theaters since building a new theatre in Cebu, one in Boracay and one here in Manila where we made an annex theater at the back of the Manila Film Center.
We launched it a few weeks after a fire gutted my 2nd floor office at the main building... Just the other day, we were able to formally launch a new business intended to cater to the education sector where I am hoping that it would be enough to cover for the losses we've constantly had over the past five years of the Manila operation.
Last year, I was invited to join a gun club and I accepted their honorary membership. It was fun, although I knew for a fact that I was invited to provide legitimacy for the organization as it did not have the proper legal character, we ended up making another organization simply because the guy who ran it treated the organization as his personal cult.... so now I am with more headache than I deserve.
But with all these, I think that things are gonna turn out well eventually. I have learned a lot from the experiences and I came out a better person.
If you feel good about something... then just push forward and do it!
My last entry for this blog was June and that makes it almost 5 months or so ago...
I just woke up from a two hour nap after having slept in under 4 hours since yesterday because of work. We are currently in the process of ... 1) making a new show venue in Boracay Island, 2) making a new show venue here at the Manila Film Center to save on expenses and streamline our operational requirements and 3) the usual and annual beauty pageant which we've decided should be held in our new theatre in Lapu Lapu City in Cebu.
So I guess that we've been busy lately. But it does not mean that I wasn't able to document all of these activities. Facebook has been keeping me busy in the cyberspace world and it's quite difficult to maintain two sites at once.So most of everything that went on is there...
As for this blog site, I'm keeping it for the purpose of my rants, raves and commentaries about everything and anything about my sad sorry ass life.
In brief, I could probably describe my past six months as "chaotic" but calm... I am generally happy these days. Despite the challenges of everyday life, I have managed to stay afloat and at peace with the world. I retook on my pistol shooting hobby and currently with a group called "Civilian Defensive Shooters Alliance" or CDSA and I am quite frankly at home with them. They've managed to convince me to change pistol platforms from my obsessiveness in favoring the 1911 to the Gaston Glock platform. And I am now a proud owner of a G17 USA Gen4 9mm pistol.
We've had major accomplishments this year despite this economy and I am looking forward to a brighter year come 2013. The losses are not as much as last year's although we can't really be happy with that and it seems that with all the busy and hectic lives we live, payback will soon be with us.
If I were to gripe... but then again I won't, since there hasn't been anything that I've not come through before... I really think that it's just one real silly cycle and that I am enjoying the current lull of the angst and leave things be. I may have been disappointed at some points, but then again I could have disappointed others as well. And if I did, I am truly sorry. For those who disappointed me, I wouldn't really care if you know or not... I'd leave that be -- peace! :)
Center for Philippine Arts and Cultural Entertainment Assoc., Inc.
President's Inauguration
June 9, 2012, Manila Film Center
Magandang Hapon po sa inyong lahat!
Good afternoon to everyone…
Today I am privileged to stand in front of you, my family, my friends, my workmates and my chairman…
It has been more than a decade since a man with a vision, our very own and beloved Chairman Lee Jong Hyun brought forth the idea of putting up a theatre in this country that will cater to the growing tourist market.
Over the past decade we have so far offered employment and opportunities for our people, provided entertainment and valuable service to tourists and most importantly placed our company in the map.
We have gone far, we have gone wide…
We have seen the skies, we have touched ground…
Like any other business, we have had our ups and downs and so far we have prevailed… or so we thought…
These days, we are plagued and haunted by the successes we have achieved because we are now on the verge of collapse as a company. Lately, I have had nightmares about our fate and the paths we will have to take to ensure that we remain afloat… not only afloat but seek the greatness we so deserve.
Yes, these are bad times to become President.
I would have welcomed this presidency four years ago when there were resources under our disposal. I so desired this presidency when I was on top of my game and when I knew most that I was invincible and unbeatable.
These days, I am more scared than anything else looking at the prospects as to why I am President.
But like anything else that life throws upon us, I welcome this challenge. I am proud that I am anointed President at this juncture of our company’s history because these are real bad times.
There was an instance when I was asked; would I rather go to heaven or hell? And without hesitation, I said, hell… simply because heaven would only bore me towards my 2nd death. Because what is life without challenge? What is life without pain and suffering? So much like anything deserved, this Presidency is sweeter for me.
Becoming president four years ago would have been too easy. Remember that great men are born from fire and greater men evolves from chaos.
Today, I will share with you why this company matters most to me and why like seemingly in a prophetic kind of way, I am here.
In 1989, right in this very theater, audience right, I held the hand of a co-teacher from the science department of St. Scholastica’s College as we watched Denzel Washington in Cry Freedom. She would later be my wife and mother to my children and one of my best supporters in life and love.
September 1, 2001… My mother’s birthday, I was convinced by then Amazing Philippine Theatre Vice President, Park KiSuk to take my rightful place in this organization as we met for the first time at Aloha Hotel. As the day ended, I rode to my mother’s grave and offered the opportunity to her.
Today, I offer this new opportunity, this presidency to my 2nd mother on her 85nd birthday. Tita Menie, Happy Birthday and thank you for making me feel as if I was your own; I was never an orphan because you are always by my side.
And finally, I offer this presidency to the people who make up this family, past and present… Our Amazing Show Family! A decade of toil and perseverance, a decade of happiness and grief, most important is the decade of entertainment that we have given our public, the prominence that we have given this country… and our initiatives to keep ourselves “world class”… despite, despite, despite…
You have always made me feel as if I was already president long time back. I have always been happy here because despite our trials and tribulations, we have remained together and steadfast in keeping ourselves tightly knit as a family. We have proven time and again that we are strong yet flexible and that we have the ability to bounce back in times of crisis.
In this presidency, now more than ever, I shall ask for your help like always and I know that you will offer the best that you have.
Allow me to summarize my immediate program of action…
For the first six months, we will immediately start renovation of our organizational structure to allow us to better facilitate our actions as an entity. This will entail changes that would mean democratizing decision-making capabilities to smaller units to allow each employee to participate and be accountable to matters pertinent in rebuilding this company.
Because we as a business entity is now in the red, it is quite obvious that sacrifices will have to be made on all levels of this organization. For that matter, do not worry too much. As per my experience, no sacrifice is without reward and no hardship is without redemption.
The six month set up period will hopefully allow us to reap what we have sowed for us to be allowed to benefit more. Rhetorically, let us take care of the chicken so that we may harvest the eggs.
I am thanking all of you in advance for your diligent cooperation and your understanding.
You know, unlike my predecessors, this is the first time in my institutional memory that such an event occurred… an inauguration for an incoming president. I am deeply flattered and at the same time worried since this is also the first time that the presidency of this company will carry with it a term of office. Therefore, I will only have a short period of time to accomplish what must be accomplished and perform long term miracles before I am crucified.
With the challenges ahead, I shall always seek guidance from you, our stakeholders, my loved ones and the man who has been father, brother and friend for a decade, our Chairman. Thank you, sir.
Thank you everyone for the trust, confidence and support…
Amazing!
