A fair fight for our entrepreneurs

GO NEGOSYO PILIPINAS

- ANGAT LAHAT! JOEY CONCEPCION

I often hear during our public entrepreneurship mentoring sessions how the ordinary folk we mentor in entrepreneurship express their pride in fighting a fair fight. "Lumalaban ng patas," as they say in the vernacular. This sentiment resonates deeply within the working class and especially among MSMEs.

Indeed, there is honor in success earned through honest toil. Few things can dispirit an honest man more than witnessing a lopsided fight, where the victor is less than worthy of the prize. It offends our collective sense of fairness and justice. Inequality can wear down even the most courageous among us. What use is following the rules if, in the end, these rules serve no purpose at all?

These thoughts come to mind as national attention turns to the President's crusade against corruption in government. I do not doubt that even our neighbors in ASEAN—and beyond—are watching with great interest how this will all pan out. The outcome of this battle will shape not only our national narrative but also the future of entrepreneurship in our country.

Institutional corruption is detrimental to business because it raises costs and creates an environment rife with uncertainty. A 2022 study commissioned by the ADB found that control of corruption is positively associated with entrepreneurship and that countries that are better able to control corruption enjoy higher levels of entrepreneurship.