A recent HAVAS Prosumer report caught my attention with a fascinating finding. It revealed that 50% of Prosumers globally would like to be 20 to 29 year olds forever, while another 35% want to be 30 to 39 year olds forever. This made me pause and reflect. Do we really want to be young forever? What is it about youth that appeals to us so much? Is it the seemingly unbounded energy? Is it the overflowing optimism and drive to succeed where the sky is the limit? Or is it simply the absence of physical challenges, the freedom from aching knees and backs, and the relief from regular medical checkups and laboratory tests?

I am afraid of getting old. There. I have said it out loud. It is not something I bring up at dinner parties or casual conversations, but it sits with me like a quiet fear I cannot shake. As someone who has chosen to walk through life single and without children, the prospect of being seventy-five or eighty with no immediate family circle feels particularly daunting. I imagine myself in an empty apartment, wondering who would notice if I did not answer my phone for a few days. Society does not make this fear any easier to bear.

I have been doing a lot of speaking lately about artificial intelligence and its impact on businesses and society. The usual topics come up -- how AI can streamline operations, boost productivity and efficiency, and create new opportunities for businesses, for brands, and for teams. I walk through the benefits of both generative AI and traditional analytical systems, showing audiences how these tools can transform the way we work and live. It has become a comfortable rhythm for me, discussing the practical advantages and addressing the typical concerns about implementation and adoption.

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I have always considered myself pretty level-headed when it comes to technology. As someone who made the journey from analog to digital -- a "digital migrant", as I like to think of it -- I believed I had successfully adapted to our connected world. I use apps for everything, trust cloud storage with my files, and have embraced the convenience of digital banking; I do not even drive my own car because why drive when I can easily get a car via an app? But a couple of nights ago, something happened that made me question just how ready I really am to hand over my life to the digital realm.

A few weeks ago, I found myself in one of those conversations that stick with you long after the words have been spoken. I was talking with a startup founder about his company, his vision, and the relentless drive that keeps entrepreneurs going through the inevitable ups and downs. But then out of the blue, he asked me something that caught me completely off guard: "What do you want to be remembered for?" He paused, then restated it more directly: "What would your legacy be?" I'll be honest -- I stumbled over my response.

Last week, I found myself in conversation with someone who gave me a realization about a world that I have been watching from the sidelines. They are a tech startup founder, and while we talked about their business, what struck me was not the technology or the market strategy. It was something deeper -- something that reminded me why stories matter so much more than we often realize. At first glance, you might see another entrepreneur chasing success. But as they spoke about their work, I began to see something else entirely: …

I have been wrestling with something lately that keeps me up at night. As someone who believes deeply in the power of stories, I find myself caught in an uncomfortable tension. On one hand, I know that stories work -- they stick in our minds, they move us to action, they help us make sense of complex information, they empower us to make decisions. But on the other hand, I cannot shake the feeling that somewhere along the way, we might be crossing a line between illuminating truth and obscuring it through the way we tell stories.

Leadership is a rewarding yet often thankless role, involving unseen efforts to support a team's success. Leaders work tirelessly on strategic planning, striving for team growth and visibility, even if their contributions go unrecognized. A simple acknowledgment can be meaningful, reminding leaders that their hard work is valued and appreciated.

Many capable teams struggle due to leadership that hinders decision-making. Empowering teams to act independently fosters innovation and agility. Trust is essential for effective leadership, allowing team members to make informed decisions, even if mistakes occur. Organizations that embrace decentralization thrive while those with bureaucratic processes lag behind. Unlocking team potential is crucial.

In a VUCA world marked by volatility and uncertainty, businesses must balance defense with strategic growth. While it's essential to preserve profitability and streamline operations, innovation should not be paused. Organizations that face challenges boldly and embrace calculated risks will emerge stronger, learning from failures while seizing opportunities during crises.

Thirty years. That’s how long I’ve been in the arena -- since walking out of university and straight into the corporate world, wide-eyed and eager to make my mark. Three decades of watching, learning, stumbling, and rising. Three decades of witnessing triumph and heartbreak, of celebrating wins and learning from losses, of building teams and saying goodbye to colleagues who became friends. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve walked a similar path. You have most likely felt the weight of leadership and management decisions, experienced the satisfaction of developing talent and seeing them fly, and navigated the inevitable storms and challenges that come with steering organizations through change.

65% of Filipino Prosumers believe democracy is struggling because citizens are poorly informed. This is the result of the continued proliferation of manipulated narratives, fake news, misinformation, and disinformation on digital media -- specifically in the social media that we use. These vociferous voices are sowing seeds of division and doubt in society -- with the malicious intent to destabilize the foundations on which our society is built upon. How do we combat these? I believe that we will have to build a citizenry that is trained to think critically -- empowered and able to discern truth from lies and manipulations, fact from fiction and made-up narratives.

We have all been there -- that interview where you felt you aced every question, crafted a solution to a case study, and left with a feeling of genuine optimism. The handshakes were firm, the smiles warm, and the future, seemingly bright. Then, the email arrives. Polite, professional, and utterly deflating: "We've decided to pursue another candidate". For me, one particular rejection from my younger days still occasionally surfaces, a ghost my professional memory of the past. The company was in communications planning and data analytics, a field I was -- and still am -- deeply passionate about.

Generative AI has arrived in the Philippines with a loud bang. It has swept into our schools, infiltrated our workplaces, and redefined how creativity, productivity, and intelligence can be augmented by machines. According to a 2024 study by HAVAS Ortega, a staggering 89% of Filipinos surveyed have already used generative AI at work or school. Among Gen Zs, the adoption is even more pronounced at 92%. These suggest that usage of GenAI no longer fringe experiments; they are mainstream behaviors. Filipinos are not just using generative AI; they are embracing it with wide-eyed curiosity and interest.

Scroll through your family group chat on Viber or Facebook Messenger, and chances are, you have seen it: A forwarded post about a miracle cure from a supposed doctor, a political claim with no source, or a blurry screenshot of "breaking news" about a certain socio-political issue. More often than not, these are shared not by Gen Zs or Millennials, but by our titos, titas, and even our lolos and lolas -- people aged 55 and up who mean well, but may not always be equipped to tell fact from fiction in the digital age.

In today's world, sharing content transcends mere social connection; it is a civic responsibility, especially in the Philippines where social media shapes public opinion. Every share can inform or mislead. Thus, individuals must reflect on the truth and intent behind content before sharing, recognizing their role in fostering societal conversations.

In today’s hyper-connected Philippines, Gen Zs and young millennials are not just digital natives; they are the frontline users of a digital media landscape where content is endless, but truth is often elusive. From TikTok explainers to viral tweets, information comes in waves and torrents, often without context or clarity. And while Gen Zs and Millennials pride themselves on being socially aware and "woke", even the smartest among us can fall prey to cleverly manipulated narratives, fake news, or emotionally-charged disinformation. So how do we stay sharp without getting overwhelmed? …

We live in a time when information travels faster than reflection. In the Philippines, where social media is the primary source of news, information, and entertainment for most people, falsehoods can spread like wildfire before they can be verified and countered. The threats of misinformation, disinformation, manipulated narratives, and outright fake news are not abstract dangers; they are shaping elections, distorting public health debates, and undermining trust in institutions. To navigate this environment, we must equip Filipino consumers with not just access to information -- but the ability to question it and hold it against the light.

Trust among Filipinos is undergoing a significant shift, moving away from purely emotional connections toward a new paradigm grounded on facts, evidence, and rational thinking, according to HAVAS Ortega’s latest Prosumer Report. The white paper, titled “Rebuilding Trust in a World of Misinformation and Disinformation”, highlights findings from its study of Filipino Prosumers – the 15-20% of the Filipino population who are early adopters of new media, trends, attitudes and beliefs, and technologies and who significantly influence mainstream trends. Alarmingly, trust is rapidly eroding, with 74% of Filipino Prosumers expressing growing skepticism towards traditional institutions, including government and religious organizations.

In a world overflowing with information from countless sources, the ability to think critically is an essential skill that everyone should have. Whether we are browsing social media, watching television, reading the news, or simply talking with friends and family face-to-face or on digital messaging platforms, we are constantly receiving messages that can influence our understanding of the world and the decisions you make. Developing strong critical thinking skills empowers us to navigate this complex information landscape, discern truth from falsehood, and make informed choices that benefit us and our community.

In this era often described as the age of information, the ability to navigate and manage facts, figures, and digital content has become just as vital as reading, writing, and mathematics. Data literacy -- the capacity to read, interpret, question, and verify data -- is now a core skill not only in business but, I believe, in everyday life. While many organizations have begun integrating data literacy into their operations to support decision-making, the promise of data literacy goes far beyond business and corporate settings. I think data literacy is now a foundational skill for effective citizenship.