Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza: A Franchising Success Story Doctors & Business My Patient’s Near Death Experience My Patient’s Near Death Experience Sorry Tales of Unwary Bank Depositors Sorry Tales of Unwary Bank Depositors How to spot a franchise scam How to spot a franchise scam June 2009 Plus 143 Franchise Ideas to invest in !
This is the last publishing material Ms. Margie Gray had given us for printing. Her contributions will never be equaled. I want to share that in all of our clients who had approached us for lay-outing. Only Ms. Margie Gray had given us compliments and food,^^ and the most benevolent i should say. I will never forget you Mam! May you rest in peace...
Margie Gray is a freelance writer as well as an editor in business mirror philippines.
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Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza:A Franchising Success Story
Doctors & Business
My Patient’s Near
Death ExperienceMy Patient’s Near
Death ExperienceSorry Tales of Unwary
Bank Depositors Sorry Tales of Unwary
Bank Depositors How to spot a
franchise scamHow to spot a
franchise scam
June 2009
Plus 143 Franchise
Ideas to invest in !
CO
NTEN
TS
[ DocNews
Makati Med opens P1.2B annex
Operation Smile(s) in Cebu & Davao
[ Doctors
Cover Story: Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza:
A franchising success story
My Patient’s Near Death Experience
My Hometown: Memories of Vigan
[ MedDigest
A silent killer of women / TB: Still a health threat
Live longer! / Health benefits of swimming
[ Wellness
Bust stress out of your life
A no pain way to get rid of gallstones
[ Business
Sorry tales of unwary bank depositors
How to spot a franchise scam
[ Franchise Ideas
Below P500,000 Franchises
P500,000 to P1 million Franchises
P1 million to P5 million Franchises
More than P5 million Franchises
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Cover Story: Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza: A franchising success story 6
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Survival was the main reason why we got into business. Being doctors, we would not have been able to earn enough to support our family. Having a business gave us an option for survival. In addition, my love for numbers urged me to continue with the business. A part of me always wanted to be an accountant as well as a doctor.
One of many old churches in Vigan
“Doctors & Business” is published by BRED Well Media Services with postal address at 776-A East St.,
Mandaluyong.
Philippine Copyright 2009 byBRED Well Media Services
ISSN 2094-067X
Doctors & Business
DocNews
�
Makati Med opensnew P1.2B annex
Rosalie Montenegro, president of Makati Medical Center; and Dada Trillo, senior vice-president and preferred banking head of Bank of the Philippine Islands
Dr. Filomena Montinola, co-chief of the dermat-opathology Section of Makati Medical Center
Dr. Cristina Antonio, member of the board of directors of Makati Medical Center
Dr. Imelda Cabral-Villar, head of MCF Dermlaser and Phototherapy Center; and Dr. Rita Espiritu-Dollendo, administrative officer-in-charge of Interns Education and Research Division of Makati Medical City
As part of its 40th anniversary celebration, Makati Medical
Center recently opened its P1.2-billion annex building to the public. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay was, of course, the guest of honor but there were a lot of recognizable names as well. There were PLDT Group and concurrent Makati Med chairman Manuel Pangilinan, the Ayala Group’s Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and Araneta Group vice-chairman Judy Araneta-Roxas.
Needless to say, there were a lot
of doctors around.
4 Doctors & Business
DocNews
Judy Araneta-Roxas, member of the board of directors of Makati Medical Center
Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of Makati Medical Center
Dr. Manuel Fernandez, executive vice-president and director for Professional Services of Makati Medical Center Dr. Dennis Damaso, director for Medical Education and
Research; and Dr. Jose Eduardo Rondain, head of the Nuclear Medicine Department, both with the Makati Medical Center
Doctors & Business
DocNews
�
Operation Smile(s) in Cebu & Davao
This time around, Operation Smile went to Cebu and
Davao to help children with cleft palates.
In Cebu, �1 volunteers, including 1� non-Filipinos, practically took over the operating rooms of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Center. In Davao, there were �7 volunteers gathered at the Brokenshire Hospital.
Interestingly, there were more plastic surgeons and anesthesiologists in the Cebu leg while there were more dentists in the Davao mission.
Of the 298 children screened in Cebu, 210 were treated. In Davao, 1�� of the �80 children were treated.
� Doctors & Business
Doctors
BY CHOICE, Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza likes to be called
“Doctora” by employees of the HBC retail chain of beauty care product and its mother company, the multi-billion-peso Splash Corp. That’s because she has fond memories of the career she gave up when she married another doctor, Rolando Hortaleza, while still a resident .
“The first time I was called a doctor, it felt good. I was then an intern at the Lungsod ng Kabataan Hospital. And I can still remember the happiness I felt the first time I helped deliver a baby without any assistance,” she said. “I learned patience from listening to the different health problems and personal stories of patients, particularly those who had very little money. With ��-hour work shifts, I learned to be hardworking and to manage my time well.”
Marriage changed all that.
The couple used the money they received as wedding gifts to put up a business called RBH Cosmetics. They spent P�,000 to buy a cuticle remover formula from a Hortaleza cousin and the balance P7,000 to buy the initial inventory of acetone, cold wave lotions, amber bottles, and packaging materials to start a repacking business. To save on expenses, the couple stayed with the older Hortalezas in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The couple’s business was strictly a mom-and-pop operation plus one assistant. When not busy as a doctor in a Tondo-based government hospital where he earned P7,000 a month, Hortaleza and the assistant handled the production side of the backyard business. Ang-Hortaleza gave up her own medical career to manage full time the business’s accounting and marketing. In fact, Ang-Hortaleza continued to sell her products even when she was heavy with her first child, a daughter named Allue.
She recalled sometimes waiting in front of a store until the store’s owner would either take pity on her or was no longer too busy to talk to her.
Then she would make her sales pitch and, hopefully, close the deal.
In 198�, its first year of operation, the business generated sales of P100,000, enough reason for Hortaleza to quit his hospital job and to join his wife full time in the business.
Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza: A franchising success story
By Margaret Jao-Grey
Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza, chief executive officer of HBC
Inc.
Survival was the main reason why we got into business. Being doctors, we would not have been able to earn enough to support our family. Having a business gave us an option for survival. In addition, my love for numbers urged me to continue with the business. A part of me always wanted to be an accountant as well as a doctor.
Doctors & Business
Doctors
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“Survival was the main reason why we got into business. Being doctors, we would not have been able to earn enough to support our family. Having a business gave us an option for survival. In addition, my love for numbers urged me to continue with the business. A part of me always wanted to be an accountant as well as a doctor,” she said.
It certainly also helped that the couple received encouragement from their entrepreneurial families. Hortaleza’s family is associated with the knife sharpening chain while Ang-Hortaleza’s father owned the Victoria Manufacturing Corp. in Valenzuela. In fact, it was Ang-Hortaleza’s father who served as the couple’s guarantor when they took out their first bank loan.
Retail arm
Four years into the business, the couple put up Hortaleza Beauty Center or HBC for short as a direct and immediate response to Hortaleza’s inheriting six stores of the Hortaleza Vaciador chain from his family. Located in areas with high pedestrian traffic such as in Realistic St., Quiapo, the first stores set the tone for future HBC stores, which now number in the hundreds.
From the start, it was Ang-Hortaleza’s project.
“Accepting the six inherited branches was a welcome challenge for me because it has made my dream of having one million employees more realizable. Also, it was a perfect vehicle to showcase Splash products,” she said.
HBC sees itself as the first Filipino-owned one-stop shop for beauty,
carrying products from hair to foot exclusively sourced from manufacturers here and abroad as well as free beauty consultation on skin and general body care.
Although the earlier stores are company-owned, HBC is now actively expanding through a franchise program ranging in franchise fees from P100,000 for a cart to P1�0,000 for a kiosk. Abroad, the company is looking for master franchisees for territories or countries. Right now, HBC is already present in Singapore and Bahrain. In the United States, it has 11 “store within a store” outlets inside Seafood City Supermarkets in California and Nevada and two other stores in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
“Our strategy is to further penetrate
the market through our business partners while we maintain operational efficiency for our existing stores. Our focus now is on our loyal customers. We need to make them happy as they will be our brand ambassadors to more customers. We are not afraid of the economic recession because we feel that any time is a good time for the business of beauty. There is what we call the lipstick theory where, during these tough times, more people tend to indulge in small luxuries like personal care and cosmetics because looking physically good will help them cope during a crisis,” she said.
Despite her many successes, Ang-Hortaleza has a soft spot for her fellow doctors, suggesting that a business subject or two in the curriculum of medical schools would be helpful even for those who choose to stay on in their profession.
“ As a doctor, there will be instances when you feel you would like to do things for free. Learning business can help in managing what you have and in finding ways to attain funds to sustain your practice,” she said. Spoken like an entrepreneur who just happens to be a doctor.
( Ms. Margaret Jao-Grey writes a regular business column for Business Mirror)
Any time is a good time for the
business of beauty. There is what we call the lipstick theory where,
during these tough times, more people tend to indulge in small luxuries like personal care and cosmetics because looking physically
good will help them cope during a
crisis.
Another HBC outlet is opened
8 Doctors & Business
AS A DOCTOR, you never know who will come next to your clinic.
Each patient has a unique story and I take the time to get to know the person well. And so, when Joaquin came to my office, I wasn’t quite ready for what I was about to hear. Joaquin came to me for a check-up because his heart had stopped for a few minutes.
“What do you mean ‘stopped’?”, I inquired.
He explained, “I underwent a routine gallbladder operation and my doctors said that my blood pressure suddenly dropped for unknown reasons. I died and was clinically dead for a few minutes before my doctors revived me.”
“Oh, another near death experience,” I thought to myself as I recalled other patients I’ve seen with near death experiences or so-called NDRs. Before I became a doctor, I had read voraciously on the subject, starting with the seminal book by Dr. Raymond Moody in the 1970s to several New Age book in the 1980s, up to the definitive near death experience by author Betty J. Eadie in the 1990s.
As the first one to popularize NDE to the public, Dr. Moody had interviewed hundreds of patients who died but were revived. Curiously almost all of them experienced similar events with slight variations. First, it’s dying
and leaving the physical body. Then, you may spend some time hovering over your body, watching the doctors frantically work on you. Next, you find yourself being drawn into a long dark tunnel, moving at high speed. You hear a rushing sound and, after some time, you see a glimmering light at the end of the tunnel. You move closer to the light as it becomes brighter and brighter. It warms you, soothes, and comforts you unlike anything you‘ve ever experienced. And suddenly, you are in front of a great Being of light, so bright you can barely look. You are overwhelmed beyond words. And then, you know you are in the presence of…
“You know, doc, it’s very confusing to me,” Joaquin interrupted my thoughts. “I still don’t know what to make of it. You see, during the operation, I knew something was wrong. Before i knew
it, I had left my body and went through a dark place, like a tunnel. And then, I met this being…He was shining…”, he paused.
“So who was he?”, I edged on my seat.
“I don’t know who he was. I’m not a religious person but he was a being of light and he was very kind and loving.
“What I know is that this ‘person’ told me that my death was premature. That it was not my time yet to die. He said I had a mission to fulfill in this life.”
Joaquin became more excited as he continued. “So I asked this Being what kind of mission I could possibly have. I had been an ordinary hotel waiter for 20 years. I could barely support my wife and kids. At 4� years of age, just a high school graduate, there was no hope I could ever find a better job. My work does not exactly qualify as the ‘world-saving’ type.”
From his words, I gathered that Joaquin, like so many others with NDE, had wanted to be with this Being of light in that heavenly place. He could not see the meaning of his apparently meaningless existence.
Then, the Being of light revealed to Joaquin his purpose on earth: his mission is to take care of his two children, to raise them, and be a good
Joaquin’s words struck me like a bolt of lightning. And suddenly, I was aware
of my own guilt of not giving enough time to
the most important part of my life, my wife and
two daughters. Here was the Supreme Being not
asking for earth-shattering discoveries or sacrifices; but to simply care for my children, like the loving
father that He is
My Patient’s Near Death Experience
By Dr. Willie T. Ong
Doctors
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9
father to them.
Joaquin’s words struck me like a bolt of lightning. And suddenly, I was aware of my own guilt of not giving enough time to the most important part of my life, my wife and two daughters. Here was the Supreme Being not asking for earth-shattering discoveries or sacrifices; but to simply care for my children, like the loving father that He is.
It was then that I knew God had sent Joaquin to me on an errand to wake me up and to jolt me. Consider this: Out of the thousands of doctors in Manila, why in heaven’s name did he come to me?
An hour had passed and my other
patients were in a heated frenzy, but they had to wait. God’s message does not come too often. I told Joaquin that I would like to help him and to contribute to his mission. Joaquin smiled but his mind was miles away. He wasn’t listening to me because he asked how much my fee was.
“No, no, nothing,” I stammered. “You have paid me more than enough. You have paid me more than you can imagine.”
Joaquin’s experience echoes the messages of many inspirational books, both old and new.
1. No matter how ordinary your job is, there is a God-given purpose for your work and you must do it well.
2. Spend time to improve family relationships, especially with your parents, children, and relatives. Loving the family and healing broken relationships are part of our purpose in this life.
�. Have faith. A big kind of faith. No matter how bad our situation may look like, there is always reason for hope.
As Joaquin found out, God is constantly working in ways we can’t see. He’s in control and His immense love and compassion will see us through.
(Dr. Willie Ong writes a weekly column on health and wellness for the Philippine Star)
10 Doctors & Business
Doctors
VERY FEW PEOPLE know that Vigan was the first city in Ilocos
to be occupied and colonized by the Spaniards. It was first named Ciudad Fernandina and later called Vigan, from the word bigaa, an herb that grows abundantly in Vigan. To this day, there is still a Ciudad Fernandina Hotel, a bed-and-breakfast facility for local and foreign tourists who delight in old Spanish houses situated in streets of cobblestone.
I grew up in a sleepy and serene town called Pantay Laud, a barrio in the western part of Vigan City that is literally sandwiched between two rivers that empty to the South China Sea. The rivers have brackish water (a mix of salty and freshwater) ideal for breeding fishery products like crabs, tiger prawns, and bangus. I love to eat arorosep, a kind of seaweed eaten raw after being “disinfected” with vinegar.
I was born and raised by my parents in the simple life—breathing fresh air, eating fresh food, and sleeping early as there was yet not so much electronic entertainment in those days. To me, these are all blessings since I had an early appreciation of the simple and uncomplicated living that prepared me for the more hectic adult life in Manila. I finished at the Ilocos Sur National High School and my parents sent me to Manila for university. Little did I know that my life in Manila
would take me away from my beloved hometown most of my adult life.
When I was still a student of medical technology at the Far Eastern University, I would go home to Vigan taking the Times Transit (now named Dominion Transit). My travel took eight to 14 tiring hours because of the heavy traffic created by the monstrous herd of Ilocanos heading for home and the long processions we encountered in the many towns along the highway during Semana Santa or Holy Week. The bus would traverse the entire stretch of the Sierra Madre Mountains on the right side (from Pangasinan to Cagayan) and the South China Sea on the left side. I had the option to take an ordinary bus (where I got to appreciate the changing breeze of the route) or the air-conditioned bus (which shielded me from the abrupt change of weather from sunny to windy and where I breathed canned air). We had very good roads in Ilocos, a legacy of the late Apo, former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, another true blue Ilocano.
But ever since 198�, when I became a doctor and finished my specialization in internal medicine—and married another doctor, a classmate from MCU (she took up pediatrics and her neurology at the Lungsod ng Kabataan, now known as the Philippine Children’s Medical Center)—I had been driving home less
and less frequently to Ilocos because we have no time.
When we did go with our three boys—the eldest is now 21 years old and a fourth year pre-med at Ateneo; the second, 19 years old and a sophomore BS Psychology at the University of the Philippines; and the third, 17, a first year business management student at Ateneo—we made it a point to park in one of the twin Suso beaches (they look somewhat like woman’s breasts) for �0 minutes to breathe the fresh air, soak our feet in the water and even run around on rubber shoes along the stretches of coral reefs. Or we would just stare yonder and watch the fishermen from a distance or watch the crabs swimming near us as if calling us to join them. It was always fun.
Vigan has an abundance of old Spanish architecture in its churches, ancestral homes, and historical edifices. If you really love old structures, Vigan is the place to go. I never fail to take delight in these structures and, even now, I reminisce about them whenever I find myself feeling nostalgic and homesick about Vigan.
We have beaches and mountains galore. We have been pampered by these natural endowments in our youth, having grown used to being brushed by the hot breeze from the
My hometown: Memories of Vigan
By Dr. Rudy Rabanal
Doctors & Business
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South China Sea atmospherically blended with the cool winds from the Sierra Madres. We have been used to an abundance of fresh sea and mountain breezes despite the summer heat. But when storms come, the breezes are even cooler than usual.
Eating delights
We would stop by small specialty restaurants (although not named fancifully as those in Makati or Ortigas) in Agoo, which serve the fresh green-colored small circular seaweeds called ararosep but, in Manila, it is called arorosep. I ask them to disinfect the seaweeds in vinegar (particularly those with high acetic acid content to ensure against salmonella and E.coli or viruses) and, with fresh tomatoes and salt to taste, I would munch their juiciness.
The best dishes for me are the simple paksiw (cooked in vinegar or calamansi, tomatoes); the inihaw na isda (whatever fish is freshly caught), the pugita (baby octopus) and talaba (again, I ask them to disinfect the oysters in vinegar). This meal, good for five persons, would cost around P1,000 to P1,�00.
Ilocos is known for its sukang Iloko, the brownish-colored vinegar which is normally a by-product of fermenting sugarcane juice. The juice is extracted the old-fashioned way with a carabao turning the wheels of the extractor.
Our sukang Iloko is really something worth buying and bringing to Manila because you cannot find the real thing anywhere else except in Vigan. The real ones are those cultured in big jars or burnay. The jars are made in Barangay Pagburnayan. Do not miss watching how these jars are expertly
made by workers whose skills were handed down from the first Chinese immigrants centuries back.
The authentic Ilocano wine, basi, once the cause of a revolt during the Spanish era, is made by fermenting sugarcane juice, which is cooked first in a big kawa. Then, it is poured into a big burnay where secret ingredients are added to produce the much desired taste and aroma. After all the ingredients are added, the jar is closed with banana leaves tied tightly to the lid of the jar and finally sealed with freshly prepared clay on top.
My lolo used to make basi for our use and he would keep it sealed for one to three years. But sometimes, we accidentally opened it prematurely and it would turn sour so we just used it as vinegar. I can still vividly remember how he prepared basi. He would buy dried tree bark (I can’t recall now what the tree is called but it is sliced finely) and my lolo would ground some of it until powdery, using the big manual grinder called bayuhan, then put them all inside the burnay together with few bundles of milagrosa rice grains to improve the taste and aroma before sealing it.
I enjoy most harvesting bangus, sugpo (the tiger prawns variety) or alimango (crabs) from our fishponds. Likewise, I will never forget the pleasure and contentment of just watching fishermen do their chores while seated on the ground under a log (talisay tree) on the river bank. Once in a while, I would buy their fresh catch. The taste of the fish caught in our river is always better than those caught in other rivers of Ilocos Sur or even from the South China Sea, which includes: pompano, bacalao, baraongan and pasga ( resembles
A horse-driven calesa on a cobblestoned street
Big jars or burnay are worth buying and bringing to Manila
Shopping for food
12 Doctors & Business
Doctorsa big milkfish). We just cooked them simply, either grilled, fried, boiled, pangat or paksiw but the tasty freshness lingers in my mind and it makes me crave for it. My aunties and my parents make sure that we feast on these delicacies every time we visit them.
When you are in Vigan, look for a restaurant that serves sinanglaw, a delicacy—the Ilocano counterpart of bulalo, which is the slow-cooked beef skin and litid. Eat it hot and savor the taste as it melts in your mouth.
Of course, never forget the Vigan pinakbet (those residing in Vigan town proper or the mestizas pronounce it pinakbheet while those from other towns and the farming class pronounce it pinakboet) made of small round young eggplant; kardis seeds or patani (kidney-shaped beans) and bagnet with bagoong added. We recommend the use of the rounded variety of eggplant rather than the long violet eggplants, which has a bitter aftertaste. The pinakbet is cooked with low fire for several hours and served either hot or cold without losing its wonderful taste.
Famous among Ilocano gastronomic specialties is the kinilaw na kambing (especially the freshly-culled goat) or the pinapaitan (using the gallbladder
bile or apdo squeezed and cooked with the goat skin). Like most Ilocano dishes, this has to be cooked very slowly for several hours with salt, pepper, ginger and other seasonings or herbs and vinegar until very tender and mouth-watering.
Be sure to put the twalya (goat’s gut) last when you are about to serve; otherwise, it will be very gummy and difficult to chew. In kinilaw na
kambing, the main ingredient is the grilled goat skin mixed with the innards that were previously boiled or grilled, sliced thinly then finished with the apdo and the seasonings of your choice that includes siling labuyo, vinegar, salt, ginger and onion.
Then, there is the famous bagnet or the equivalent of chicharon but this one is cooked/fried slowly. The best bagnet are the freshly-butchered pork chunks cooked and fried slowly and sold in the public market, which is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last
December, I bought several kilos of bagnet worth P�20 to P��0 a kilo and I gave them away to my good friends, patients, and relatives. Price varies depending on the season, Christmas being the most expensive.
Our Vigan longganiza, the small sausages, can be bought in the public market at P�0 per dozen. Make sure that you buy longganiza locally produced from our market and that are
kept hanging by stallholders so the longganiza is aired to perfection. Our longganiza is truly something worth relishing as it has a lot of garlic and meat that, when you burp, the taste stays on in the mouth.
Of course there are other Ilocano longganiza but the one made in Vigan stands
above them all.
If you are the adventurous type, try our jumping salad kinilaw style, which is a freshly-harvested baby shrimp (almost an inch or less in size) which are placed in bowls and still jumping even after putting in the vinegar. The sourness of the vinegar plus the sweetness of fresh baby shrimps give a delightful aftertaste to the diner.
I grew up with lot of fresh vegetables and seafoods because my relatives had lots of fishponds and we could get
Part of Vigan’s charm
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our fresh supplies from the rivers and seas. I miss those days when I could just eat them almost raw.
Feasts to observe
From my youth, I always remember special feast days that we really celebrated.
Of course, the Semana santa tops all celebrations as it is really the time when long solemn processions are held in the entire province complete with uniformed guards; the Passion is sang in every church; and people make time to contemplate the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Each and every barrio has its own barrio fiesta and ours is celebrated every December 28. The highlight of our fiesta is the zarzuela (opera). The night before that, there is the grand ball, which is a fundraising activity of the barrio. In the mornings, our churches are busy with masses, baptisms and even weddings.
We have the regular retail events and the bigger commercial sale events (annual fair and expos) where all products from Ilocos are sold. Displayed/advertised from baskets are food products, bedsheets and linens, towels and others.
These are sold in the town plaza, or
the space between the church and the capitol
Much has changed
Much has changed in the culture, practices and sights of Vigan. Now, the landscape is dominated by commercial billboards; there is too much noise and the air is not as pristine as before because of the thousands of undisciplined drivers that dominate the
highways; and diets or eating habits have drastically changed. Lifestyles have also changed among the youth. They now go to fastfood outlets and eat less fresh vegetables and seafoods; they love going to internet cafes and movies or even malling; there is little trace of the days at the park or beaches and maybe, none of my younger relatives even recognize me because I have been returning home much less often these days (just once a year).
In the old days, we knew families and friends from remote barangays as though we always dealt with or saw them regularly.
I used to get a thrill from the thomping of horse-driven calesas on the cobblestoned streets of Vigan.
But the last time I went home, I was very disappointed to note the noise from hundreds of tricycles, which also
pollute the air of my city.
But what can I do? The drivers also have to earn a living for their families.
Still, Vigan is a very worthwhile place to go to. The old houses and churches give history and richness to the landscape. Cobblestoned streets
continue to be used by calesas, although not as predominantly as before.
Thankfully, the old people still cook the favorite dishes and recipes that Vigan is well remembered for.
(Dr. Rudy Rabanal is a diabetologist-internist and a member of the faculty and the corporate secretary of the UERMMC- Institute for Studies on Diabetes Foundation Inc.)
One of many old churches in Vigan
14 Doctors & Business
MedDigest
In the Philippines, there are about �,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year.
Even more alarming is the fact that there are between 10,000 to 2�,000 women walking around who never know they have the deadly disease.
Cervical cancer results from the abnormal growth and division of cells at the opening of the uterus or womb—the area known as the cervix. Usually, it takes about 10 years before cancer develops.
Unlike some cancers, cervical cancer presents early signs. “In the early stages, cervical cancer usually causes
no symptoms. It may cause spotting or heavier bleeding between periods, bleeding after intercourse, or unusually heavy periods. In later stages, such abnormal bleeding is common,” says the second home edition of ‘The Merck Manual of Medical Information.’
Other symptoms may include a four-smelling discharge from the vagina, pain in the lower abdomen, and swelling of the legs. The urinary tract may be blocked, without treatment, kidney failure and death can result.
About 99.7% of cervical cases is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that is often without symptoms.
In other words, the younger a woman was the first time she had sexual intercourse and the more sex partners she has had, the higher her risk of cervical cancer.
While women may contract HPV when they are young, cervical cancer is most likely to develop in women �� years or older.
Other factors that may trigger cervical cancer among women are early age at first birth, having many births, tobacco use, prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives, and an impaired immune system, particularly related to HIV infection.
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Unknown to many, the tuberculosis bacteria can live only in people. But there is an exception.
In most developing countries, including the Philippines, a child may contract TB if he drinks unpasteurized milk from cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium that can live in animals.
Most people who get TB suffer from fevers, sweats and weight loss. Otherwise it depends on what part of the body it has affected. If it’s affected the lungs, you’ll have a cough, produce phlegm and sometimes cough up blood; if it’s affected the lymph glands, they enlarge; if it affects
other parts of the body like the brain, you may slowly become unconscious or have fits.
The health department’s data showed that there are 1�1 new TB cases for every 100,000 population in the Philippines. It is also the sixth cause of illness and death in the country. Everyday, almost 7� Filipinos die because of TB.Thanks to medical science, there are now a number of antibiotics available which are proven effective against TB. The most commonly used drugs are isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, and ethambutol.
Some of these antibiotics have side
effects like live injury, gout, and blurred vision. Usually, two or more antibiotics are taken.
Because TB bacteria are very slow-growing, the antibiotics must be taken for a long time – usually for six months or longer. Those who fail to do so may develop a multi-drug resistant TB.
With 7,000 cases, the Philippines has the second highest number of multi-drug resistant patients in the Western Pacific, after China.
The number of drug-resistant TB patients will rise to 14,000 in 2014, according to Dr. Thelma Tupasi, of the Tropical Diseases Foundation, Inc.
A silent killer of women
TB: Still a health threat
Doctors & Business
MedDigest
1�
Through the years, people are trying to figure out how to live longer, just like Methuselah.
But, on second thought, merely living longer isn’t good enough. What people want these days is not just living longer, but also living healthier lives.
Dr. Steven G. Aldana, of Brigham Young University, recently revealed that a person may be able to add 20 years or more to his or her life by making several health changes.
• Exercise regularly. Exercising for �0 minutes six times a week can add 2.4 years to your life, even if you don’t adequately control your blood pressure.
• Don’t smoke. “Men who smoke a pack a day lose an average of 1�
years of life, while women lose 14 years,” said Aldana. Every year, there are about 20,000 smoking-related deaths in the Philippines, where about �0% of men smoke.
• Lose weight. A person who is 20 pounds over his/her ideal weight is �0% more likely to develop heart disease and the risk increases as weight increases.
• Implement good eating habits. Eat most meals at home (restaurant food tends to be higher in calories). Drink water instead of soda (the sugar in soft drinks is a main contributor to weight gain and artificial sweeteners have not been proven safe). Don’t eat in front of the television (studies show that people who engage in “mindless” eating take in far more calories).
• Watch what you put into your
mouth. Studies show that eating one-quarter cup of nuts five times a week can add 2.� years to your life. Fruits and vegetables lengthen your life by 2-4 years. People who increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables from two to five servings a day can reduce by half their risk of many cancers, including pancreatic, colorectal and endometrial cancers.
• Sleep well. The editors of Super Life, Super Health write: “The secret to staying young could simply be a good night’s sleep. Sleep rejuvenates and revitalizes your body. Human growth hormone (HGH) is produced only during deep sleep. The amount of deep sleep you get, and the amount of growth hormone you make, decreases with age. If you could get more deep sleep and, therefore, produce more HGH, you might be able to slow down the aging process.”
Swimming is a great recreational activity for people of all ages.
Recreational swimming is a good way to relax and feel good and it has its share of health benefits.
• Swimming is an excellent form of exercise because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. Without overworking the heart, swimming improves the body’s use of oxygen and increases lung function.
It is also recognized as a terrific low impact exercise for those who don’t like the effects of jogging on their knees because, while in water, you are non-weight bearing.
• Swimming alleviates stress. It is an ideal exercise for pregnant women, individuals with musculoskeletal problems, and those who suffer exercise-induced asthma.
• Swimming can considerably reduce high blood pressure. An Exercise Science Department study of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville conducted a study on 18 participants with stage 1 and 2 hypertensive men and women for 10 weeks. The groups were selected from people with previous sedentary lifestyles, 10 being engaged in a monitored swimming exercise, while the other group of six were just present for comparison. It was noted that the swimmers` systolic pressure had dropped significantly
from 1�0-144 mmHg, about �% drop when they were seated and also about the same when they were lying down. When seated, their diastolic pressure also changed but to a lesser degree.
• Swimming is great for women after a breast surgery. TheBreastcancersite.com shares this information:
“Swimming after breast surgery is an excellent means of exercising all the major muscle groups, and avoiding muscular atrophy often seen in post-surgical patients who remain sedentary for prolonged periods.”
( Mr. Henrylito Tacio is a contributor of Reader’s Digest Asia )
Live longer!
Health benefits of swimming
1� Doctors & Business
YOU GET TIRED just by looking at your to-do list. You drag your
feet to the office. You can’t have a good night’s sleep thinking of all your monthly expenses. Deadlines start to make you feel edgy. Simply thinking of tomorrow raises your blood pressure a bit.
Sounds familiar?
Everyone has been weighed down by stress at some point in their lives. According to Cecilia Batalla of Positive Psychology, stress is normal as it is the body’s response to demands of life. Your body’s reaction to stress is actually meant to protect you. However, when all your stress indicators are constantly on alert, then it takes a toll on your health.
To check if you are being stressed out, watch out for these signs:
• Physically, you experience dizziness, general body ache, sweat, headache, indigestion, and grinding teeth while sleeping;
• Mentally, you constantly worry, are forgetful, and struggle in making decisions.
• Emotionally, you undergo anger, anxiety, depression, and may even resort to crying;
• Behaviorally, you go on compulsive
eating binges and become critical of others.
There are many things that cause stress in people. Drinking habits as well as eating and sleeping routines could bring about stress. The level of activity/inactivity—if we have so many tons of work to do or we don’t have anything to do—can stress us out. Physical conditions and the environment could also set off stress.
On the psychological level, we get stressed out thinking of and feeling for others. Our emotional and mental state could also lead to stress. On the social realm, we get stressed by relationships, responsibilities (too many hats to wear—at home, in the office, outside, with friends, with clients, etc), socio-political events, life and lifestyle changes, and others.
How people respond to stress
A person responds to stress in four different ways, says Batalla. He/she could either run away from what’s causing the stress, wage a war, get scared, or manage it positively.
Flight. This means getting away from it all and diverting one’s attention. The main behavior here is denial, demonstrated through grumbling, overeating, and even overspending. A person may even get into drugs, alcohol, and smoking.
Fight. Because of stress, a person may show angry outbursts, self destructive behavior, and offensive behavior.
Fright. Because of fear and anxiety of real or imagined events, a person becomes withdrawn and socially isolated. He also finds it hard to make decisions and tends to procrastinate.
Foresight. This response means that the person has accepted the events and consequences, seeks help when needed, and communicates his feelings and thoughts with others. “It is really a matter of making a choice in perspective,” says Batalla.
How to reduce stress
You can actually reduce all the stresses and tensions you are feeling. You can choose to be happy! Perhaps you can try a couple or more of these suggestions.
1. Slow down. Living on the fast lane will make you want to drive even faster. Try to get on the outer lane, slow down, enjoy the view, and even smell the flowers. Cross country runners value pacing because it maximizes their effectiveness. It’s the same with life. Linger a bit and make time to determine your true priorities. You don’t have to place all of them as number one on your to-do list!
Bust stress out of your life By Framelia V. Anonas
Wellness
Doctors & Business 17
2. Learn to say “no.” When you have properly set your priorities after slowing down, start learning to say “no” to requests that may set you off-track. Many people don’t know how to properly refuse, so they end up with tasks that interfere with their set timetables. In the end, they simply feel resentful. Don’t feel guilty when you refuse someone’s request. Simply say that you thank the person for considering you for the task but that you can’t take it at the moment because you can’t give the attention it deserves. Try to recommend someone else equally qualified to do the task.
3. Prioritize your health and well-being. Sometimes we live such busy lives at the expense of our own personal health. Fast foods save you waiting time but, in the end, will lead
to weight and health problems. Find ways how to do your work faster so you can free up some time to have a real healthy meal. During your work week, find time to do some aerobics, ballroom dancing, or just go to the gym. You will find that these activities are actually welcome breaks that will energize you in between weekly tasks. Moreover, set regular check ups with your physician to ensure that your body is functioning well. And if it doesn’t, you can at once see what’s wrong and have it treated.
4. Stop being a workaholic. Many people spend more time at work, perhaps uncomfortable with the thought of leaving an unfinished task come dismissal time. But think: can the task wait till tomorrow? If it’s not really urgent, then maybe
your boss would be happier looking at it tomorrow than at the close of the working day. Get out from your job’s addictive pattern and start rediscovering the joys of being at home. Playing with the kids, gardening, even sorting your cabinet, will prove therapeutic.
5. Have time with your family and loved ones. Kids grow up fast; soon, you’re left wondering where the little ones are. When they get into their teens and find lives of their own, you’ll miss the times when they kiss you all over. When you already have your own schedules, make sure to eat at least one meal a day together. Make your mealtime together work by allowing each one to share what has been keeping him busy lately. Kids will appreciate the interest you show in
Wellness
18 Doctors & Business
Wellnesstheir activities. It will also encourage them to be open. For singles, learn to value time together with your family and significant other.
Many relationships have been ruined because partners just don’t have time for each other.
6. Simplify. Life tends to become more complicated by the day that it becomes pretty hard to balance the many demands of our various roles.
Sometimes, we depend on equipment
to help us multi-task to meet all those demands. But do you really need all those gadgets? When all you actually need is to text and call, you don’t have to stress out thinking of buying that buffed up mobile phone on display with all those dazzling built in features.
You don’t really need 9�% of them, anyway.
7. Pursue your passion. What do you love doing? To some, it may be videoke singing, dancing, cooking, making scrapbooks, or watching
movies. To the more adventurous, it may be mountain climbing, cross country running, or maybe bungee jumping.
Others love to collect souvenir items. Whatever it is that makes you feel cool, include it in your regular activities. You’ll find that when you do the activity often, you feel recharged.
(Ms. Framelia V. Anonas is a member of the S&T Media Core of the Department of Science and Technology)
Life Events Pts
Death of a spouse 100Divorce 73Separation 65Imprisonment 63Death of close family member 63Personal injury/illness 53Marriage 50Dismissal from work 47Marital reconciliation 45Retirement 45Change in health condition of family members
44
Pregnancy 40Sexual difficulties 39Gain of new family member 39Business readjustment 39Change in financial state 38Death of close friend 37Change to different line of work 36Change in number of arguments with spouse
35
Mortgage of over P4 million 31
Life Events Pts
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan 30Change in responsibilities at work 29Son or daughter leaving home 29Trouble with in-laws 29Outstanding personal achievement 26Begin or end school 26Change in living conditions 25Revision in personal habits 24Trouble with boss 23Change in work hours or conditions 20Change in residence 20Change in schools 20Change in recreation 19Change in church activities 19Change in social activities 18Change in sleeping habits 16Change in number of family get-togethers
15
Change in eating habits 15Vacation 13Christmas alone 12Minor violations of the law 11
A score of �00+ means you are at high risk for illness, while 1�0-299+ means your risk for illness is moderate. If your total points are less than 1�0, you have a slight risk for illness.
The Holmes and Rahe Life Stress Inventory rates some life events that trigger stress. Check some life events that happened to you during the last two years and add the points to obtain your final score.
HOW STRESSED ARE YOU?
Doctors & Business
Wellness
19
2007 WAS A WATERSHED year for then Henkel Phils. president Cris
Aquino.
From being an employee, albeit a highly-paid one in a multinational company, she became an employer, putting up two companies, both of which catered to her strength as a chemist. She also found out in the course of her regular executive check-up that she had three big gallstones and several small ones to boot. Her doctor recommended immediate surgery. She opted for a non-invasive procedure instead.
“A friend recommended that I try flushing. After my first session in April 2007, I flew to Germany on business and had another ultrasound. The doctor was amazed because he saw only one gallstone. I took care of that with another session in July of the same year,” she said.
Aquino is several of hundreds Filipinos who have participated in the monthly wellness workshops held by The Global Vital Sources Co since January 2007.
Although the workshop covers lectures on how to eat well but healthily and how to create a life balance that makes you more happy and, therefore, less stressed, its core is the flushing or detoxification of toxins from the liver and gallbladder, which are sometimes described as the body’s janitor and his Axion and the body’s first line of defense.
“When you flush, your body’s performance improves because you remove the clogs. Toxin build-up caused by improper diet, pollutants, and an unhealthy lifestyle lowers the immune system and increases the chances of disease to set in,” said Global Vital Source chairman and chief executive officer Jean Goulbourn.
The procedure starts with a controlled diet of soups, juices, and all the fruits you can eat for five to six hours to hydrate the body. This is followed by a four-hour fast that includes water.
Between six in the evening and eight in the morning of the next day, each participant is given five glasses of liquids containing natural and organic elements such as Epsom salt that
prompt the body to expel gallstones of different colors and different sizes.
“There’s no pain involved but expect to take numerous trips to the bathroom between seven and
10 the next morning,” said Goulbourn. “About 80% of gallstones are caused by bad cholesterol, the accumulation of all those years of eating
fried and greasy food that Filipinos, Chinese, and
Americans like.”
One happy side effect of flushing is the loss of weight as the body rids itself of excess water. The usual weight loss is between one and two pounds, although there are cases such as Carmelite nun Sr. Mary Niere who lost eight pounds overnight.
A no-pain way to get rid of gallstones
By Margaret Jao-Grey
20 Doctors & Business
Wellness“When I joined the workshop, I was �� pounds overweight and in need of knee surgery because of my weight. After the initial loss of eight pounds, I lost another 28 pounds in the span of one year by eating right. Health is indeed a precious gift,” said the 78-year-nun who no longer needs surgery. In fact, the Zamboanga-based nun is more active than ever, frequently traveling all around the country and abroad to lecture on contemplative praying.
Diet and lifestyle
“You can still eat what you like and be healthy. Just prepare the food differently by steaming rather than frying. Also avoid sweets and red meat because cancer cells thrive in sweet and acidic environments,” said holistic nutritionist Dale Flores. Health trends worldwide show that lung cancer is the biggest killer for both men and women.
In Asia, the Philippines has the highest incidence of breast cancer largely due to a diet of high fat, high salt, and high sugar. Interestingly, Bicol has the longest life expectancy in the country because coconut is a widely used ingredient in cooking.
There are three underlying causes of cancer. An unhealthy diet is one. Stress is another. Chemical intake is a third. Smoking can hurt the lungs; alcohol, the liver; and too much salt, the kidney.
“Research shows that cancer patients hate vegetables and eat a lot of red meat. They also have problems with emotions because they have a tough time letting go and forgetting,” said Flores.
Contrary to public perception, eating
healthy is not expensive. For example, the lowly malunggay packs more calcium than milk and more Vitamin C than any citrus fruit. In contrast, vitamins in tablet form are only �0% absorbed by the body.
“At the end of the day, it’s important for everyone to increase their health awareness by dealing with their own ‘doctor within’. Learn to listen to your body. Take care of it. Stress that you can take at 2�, your body might not be able to take at ��,” said Flores.
A case in point is Goulbourn, who had off-and-on-again fever and coughing over a period of �0 days two years ago. Prescribed antibiotics and steroids, she also experienced cramps and depression. It was when she consulted a naturopath doctor that her road to wellness began. She was given a therapeutic wrap and lots of soups and juices. Four-and-a-half hours later, her temperature returned to normal. She hasn’t had even a cold since.“It took me 10 months to change my lifestyle, to redesign my life. It took that much time to look into my inner body so that I could move out of the box.
“Food is the best medicine. It is also important to prioritize what is important to you. When you are in your �0s, you want to achieve a lot even at the
cost of health,” said Goulbourn, who no longer reads newspapers at night nor listens to TV news nor makes business decisions after � p.m. to reduce stress. She also takes her dinner no later than 7 p.m. for better digestion.
Advocacy
Goulbourn describes herself as a natural wellness and natural medicines advocate. She is, of course, better known as the first local fashion designer to put up her own ready-to-wear collection and as a producer of locally-made silk mixed with other indigenous fabrics like piña that are exported to European fashion houses such as Balenciaga.
”When I entered the wellness business, I thought that I would just bridge people to the right doctors and the right nutritionists. But after having personally experienced poor health, it boiled down to helping those who are not already ‘sick-sick’ but just suffering physical discomfort. These are the ones who easily bounce back after body cleansing,” said Goulbourn.
Global Vital Source focuses on digestive clean up or DCU modules, which cover the upper digestive tract or the stomach, small intestine, liver, and gallbladder.It piloted the liver and gallbladder module sometime in the fourth quarter of 200�. “We chose Bacolod for several reasons. The people there are more conscious of eating healthy. In fact, Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon has a ‘Go Organic’ program that encourages healthy eating. We also got a lot of help from Liz Querubin-Ascalon in getting together 10 volunteers at the Punta Hulata Beach and Spa,” said Goulbourn.
One happy side effect of flushing is the loss of weight
as the body rids itself of excess water. The usual weight loss is between one and two pounds, although there are cases such
as Carmelite nun Sr. Mary Niere who lost eight pounds
overnight.
Doctors & Business
Wellness
21
The first official wellness workshop in January 2007 had 28 people. “It was a memorable group. We had seven people who each lost eight pounds. Of the seven, five have retained their new weight,” said Goulbourn.
In its marketing effort, which is entirely by word of mouth, Global Vital is careful not to promise that the workshop will take away gallstones although its experience so far shows that eight out of ten participants claim some level of pain relief after flushing. Instead, the company describes the workshop as a non-medical, non-surgical healthcare prevention that follows the protocols of a naturopath doctor. There are nurses on stand by during the entire workshop and the venue itself is close to a tertiary hospital, The Medical City.
Bright plans
More than a year into the venture, the company has already received buyers’ interest, all of which have been turned down.
“Acceptance has increased. It’s easier to talk to the younger ones up to 40 because they’re open to new ideas. Men find it harder to join but they need to because prostate cancer is food-related,” said Goulbourn.
There is also corporate interest. A Binondo-based company with 400 employees and the Rustan’s Group have signed up and will be sending employees in batches of �0 to a bigger venue in Fray Clemente Center behind the San Juan de Dios Hospital. The rate per person is half that at
Discovery Suites.
The company has also opened an information center at the fifth floor of Rustan’s Makati where enrollment is accepted and where wellness lectures are held every six weeks.The major source of future income for Global Vital Source, however, is expected to come from the production of organic food.
“This is a difficult project because the food we will produce has no preservatives and, therefore, has a short shelf life,” said Goulbourn.
Right now, though, Goulbourn and her partners at Global Vital Source are more interested in advocating good health rather than making money out of it.
22 Doctors & Business
Illustration by: Emmanuel Garcia
The case of the unrecorded deposit
A RETIREE has been regularly doing business with the savings and loans association for policemen because it offered an interest rate that is at least three times that of any commercial bank. His problem began when the SLA set a lower time deposit ceiling, which meant that the SLA quarterly released P�00,000 to him until his balance reached the lower deposit ceiling.
With that much cash in hand, the retiree shopped around for a bank where he could put his excess cash. Resigned that he wouldn’t get the same high interest rate as his SLA, the retiree decided he wanted to do business with a small but senior citizen-friendly bank.
He finally decided on one where the bank manager gave him the personal touch. He never had to line up like everybody else inside the bank; he sat inside the bank manager’s office and was served coffee while the manager did the paperwork for him. When he couldn’t go to the bank, the manager personally went to his home and picked up his cash deposit. Needless to say, the retiree was very happy with the bank manager. In fact, he remembered the bank manager during his last trip abroad and bought her a souvenir.
One day, the retiree went to the bank for some much-needed cash. The
manager was, however, absent that day so the retiree asked the help of the assistant manager. That was when the retiree learned that his deposits were never registered.
The case of the converted time deposits
THE SECURITY GUARDS know him by sight. He goes to the bank, always wearing a not-too-clean white shirt and slippers and a canvas shopping bag that has seen better days. Bank personnel also know him by sight as well as by his big time deposit, which he continued to augment with more money coming from inside his shopping bag. Since he kept his first certificate of time deposit safely at home, the depositor did not ask for similar certificates every time he rolled over his time deposits and added more money to it. One time, the bank manager approached him and asked him if he wanted to convert his time deposit into shares of stock.
The manager said he talked to the owners about how good a bank client he was and the owners wanted him as a minor partner. The depositor, however, wasn’t interested, saying he was a low-profile businessman and he wanted to stay that way.
Another time, the bank manager told the depositor that he could earn a “guaranteed” higher interest rate with an investment management account or IMA. Attracted by the higher interest rate, he agreed, accepting an unsigned note as “guarantee”, which he, of course, kept in the same place as his original certificate of time deposit.
Later on, the bank was sold to another group, which declined to accept its liability on the IMAs. It seems the IMAs were invested in a sister company of the old bank or in non-performing assets. The depositor was left holding an empty bag.
Sorry tales of unwary bank depositors
Business
Bangko Sentral red flags that indicate bank fraud
• Off-site transactions (inside the office of the manager and at home)
• Dealing with only a single individual
• No validation mode
Bangko Sentral red flags that indicate bank fraud:
• Unusual interest in his deposit
• The offer of high interest rates
• Bank is in dire need of capital from depositors
• Similarity in corporate names and logos of the bank and its related company
• Unsigned guarantee
Doctors & Business
Business
2�
24 Doctors & Business
Business
FRANCHISING has made great inroads in the Philippines because
of the increasing number of people succeeding in business through this route.
But franchising has a downside: it has given rise to scams.
Franchise scams have indeed, been on the upswing but it hasn’t reached crisis proportions as it had in the United States in the 1970s (considered franchising’s “dark ages”) when countless individuals were duped into investing in non-existent franchises. The situation became so bad that the US government had to step in to regulate the franchising sector.
We haven’t reached the boiling point yet but we may well be on our way if we do not take steps to stop franchise scams in their tracks. Unfortunately, we are on our own in this, as no government agency exists to regulate franchise operations in the Philippines.
But we can start by advocating responsible franchising. It doesn’t mean we’re promoting “perfect franchising,” because nowhere in the world would one find a foolproof system. Each franchise system is fraught with problems and challenges and it is vital for one to know how to distinguish between a responsible franchiser and a con artist.
The first will readily admit that his
system is imperfect but he’s committed to helping the franchisees achieve the same level of success he did with company-owned branches. The latter will rave about his franchise but will gloss over its imperfections. He’s out only to collect the fees and is not the least interested in helping the franchisees. Despite the obvious difference, many people can’t tell one from the other. Being able to spot a franchise scam is the best way to avoid losing one’s shirt. The following are the red flags to look for to keep from falling prey to swindlers:
Promise of good returns. Like a suitor who would vow to give heaven and earth, you will know the franchiser is pulling your leg if he promises too-good-to-be true profits even with little or no effort from you. Responsible franchisers do not guarantee specific rate of returns.
All they will offer is a business system that has worked for them and, if followed to the letter, would also work for you if you were hands-on with the business. Good franchisers lay their cards on the table and know how to manage your expectations. They are successful because they’ve worked hard to build their system and are committed to growing it through franchising.
High-pressure tactics. Be wary of people who pressure you into parting with your money now because the
franchise fees will go up tomorrow or lure you into getting their buy-one, get-one franchise-free offer. This tactic not only trivializes a franchise but also deprives you of your right to do due diligence. A franchise often entails a major investment and those not wanting you to do some background checks are those with skeletons to hide.
Evasive answers to questions about the franchise. Franchisers or their representatives should know their franchise like the back of their hand. They should be able to answer whatever questions you may have. And if they cannot answer right away, at least they’re eager to get back to you as soon as they have it. Your alarm bells should sound once you ask how long the franchise has been around or how well the franchised outlets have been doing and they answer by hyping their profits instead, A con artists is one who paints a rosy picture of his franchise: how profitable all the franchise outlets have been and the short time before you can get your investments back.
Franchiser doesn’t have a track record. A business concept that has not been tested in the market or a franchise with no company-owned branches is one indication of a franchise scam. For a franchiser to be considered legitimate, he should have been in business at least a year and is overseeing at least a couple of
How to spot a franchise scamBy Erlinda S. Bartolome
Doctors & Business
Business
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successful company-owned outlets.
Responsible franchising means the franchiser is making available a business system that he has operated successfully. What model can he hold up if the franchiser has not proven that his system is actually working? How can the franchiser share a successful experience if he has none?
Steep start-up fees. Any franchise investment can be broken down and each fee justified. There is a formula for computing the fees that franchisers follow when franchising their business. Responsible franchisers are wise to set a reasonable franchise investment because the sooner the franchisee recovers the investment, the better for the business and the franchiser’s reputation. A swindler will tend to charge exorbitant fees because he is more interested in raking in money than in the franchisee recouping his investment. A true franchiser cares about how you will recover your investment and is upfront with how your payment will be used in the franchise.
Talking to the franchise broker instead of with the franchiser. While franchise brokers may be of help, their involvement ends at some point in the application process. You
should have the chance to meet with the franchiser and the broker should be willing to schedule a meeting. If the broker turns down your request for an
appointment, it is time to look for other franchise offerings. A franchise is fraudulent if the only people willing to sit down with you are the brokers or the marketing
staff. You should be able to meet the franchiser in person.
Lack of a franchise organization. Check if the franchiser has put an organization in place that will guide you when you operate your franchise. If there is none, it means you will be
on your own when you operate your franchise. Bona fide franchisers design an effective system that will help you make your franchised branch a success.
These are but a few of the warning signs to watch when buying a franchise, although the best way to protect us from falling victims is still to do our homework. We should neither allow ourselves to be stampeded into buying a franchise nor be lured by attractive sales pitches. Invest time
instead in verifying franchise offering that catch our interest
and in making sure these franchises have solid track records in the industry. Talk with as many people as possible: with the franchisers, with the
middle management of the franchise organization, and most important, with the franchisees
themselves. You will then be contributing
towards stemming the tide of franchise scams in the
country.
Unscrupulous franchisers erode the credibility of franchising and discourage others from using this expansion route that has changed the world of business.
(Ms.Erlinda S. Bartolome is a certified franchise executive)