First Scene
Karimarimarim Residence.

Toni: Good Morning, Daddy!
(Freeze)

Narrator: She is Antonina Karimarimarim. Toni for short. The only daughter of Don Enrico Karimarimarim, the owner of McJabeechow chain of restaurants. She is a spoiled-brat and don’t know anything about business, and about almost everything.

Don Enrico: Good morning, sweetie. Sit down. We have something important to talk about.
Toni: More important than my manicure schedule today?
Don Enrico: Yes. It’s about business. Our business.
Toni: I hate that word. (sits down).
Don Enrico: Sweetie, you are not getting any younger. You’re already 25. You should start learning about our business. So that I’ll have a peace of mind that when I die, you’ll be the one managing McBee.
Toni: Oh come on, daddy. You won’t die yet. As they say, you’re stronger than a carabao. Hahaha.
Don Enrico: Antonina, I’m serious. I’m getting older. You’ll start managing our business whether you like it or not. You’re my only daughter so you’ll be my only beneficiary with all my assets including the restaurant.
Toni: Okay. But can I have an assistant? You know, someone who knows the background of our business. Someone who will guide me.
Don Enrico: Don’t worry. I’ve already thought about that. Betty!

(Betty comes in)

Betty: Yes, sir.
(Freeze)

Narrator: Betty LaBamba. The Assistant. She is like a walking dictionary. She knows everything about the nature of the business.

Don Enrico: (to Toni) Hija, this is Betty LaBamba. She will be your personal assistant. She will teach you everything you need to know about our business.
Betty: Hi Ms. Toni. Pleasure to meet you.
Toni: Oh my God! You look so…nerd. But, anyway, let’s start some other day, okay? (turns to Don Enrico) I really need to go, Dad. I’m so late with my manicure appointment. So, see yah! Toodles!

Narrator: Three months had passed and Betty had guided and taught Erica everything about the nature of their business. She had been managing the business for three months now, but it seems that she still hadn’t learned anything.

Second Scene
On a Restaurant

Ms. Danica: Ms. Karimarimarim, thank you for meeting me today. I really want to have a franchise of McJabeechow. I’ve heard about your father’s good reputation and we’ve already talked about it before but now that you’re –
Toni: Stop right there. Before you proceed, let’s wait for my assistant, okay?
Ms. Danica: Okay?
Toni: Oh! There she is. Betty! Over here.
Betty: Good afternoon, Ms. Toni, Maam.
Ms. Danica: Good afternoon.
Toni: What happen to you? You’re late. Our client had been waiting for you. Sit down. (turns to Danica) You can proceed now.
Ms. Danica: So as I was saying, I want to have a franchise of McJabeechow. It’s a good investment. And I’m willing to put a big capital in this franchise.
Toni: (to Betty) What does she mean franchise?
Betty: A franchise is an authority that is given by an organization to someone, allowing them to sell its goods or services or to take part in an activity which the organization controls.
Toni: Ah. What does that mean?
Betty: She wants you to approve her proposal and give her an authority to sell McJabeechow’s commodities.
Ms. Danica: Right!
Toni: Commodities?
Betty: Commodities are the goods or services that are sold for money. Like in McJabeechow’s case, food.
Toni: Okay. (to Danica) Let me think about it. Hmm… Okay!
Ms. Danica: Okay. Good. Now let’s talk about capital. How much capital do I need to have a franchise? How many crews do I need to hire. And can I have a feedback about the other branches. Maybe it’s financial statements. Balance sheet!
Toni: What? Did you just say ‘shit’?
Ms. Danica: What?
Betty: No. Ms. Toni, what she said is Balance Sheet. Sheet. As in S-H-E-E-T.
Toni: Okay? And what is that?
Betty: Balance Sheet, Ms. Toni, is a financial statement that summarizes a company’s assets, liabilities and shareholder’s equity at a specific point in time.
Ms. Danica: Correct!
Toni: Okay. I think I’m suffering from an internal bleeding here. I already agree with it so you might as well just talk to her (points at Betty). Okay? I just can’t take this conversation anymore. I need to refresh. So I gotta go shopping. Okay? Toodles!

Third Scene
At the shopping mall

Christine: What’s up, girl?
Toni: I’m so stressed. I don’t know what to do with our business. My father said that I should start being serious with life. That I should start taking over our business. But they’re talking about a lot of stupid words that I’ve not have a single idea. (saw a poster that says ‘stop fraud and forgery) Like that one. What the hell is ‘forgery’? I mean, it sounds like an out-of-this-world word.
Guirly: Forgery? I think I’ve heard it somewhere. It’s like a farm where there are a lot of pigs.
Christine: Stupid! That’s piggery. Forgery is a crime about making or altering any written or printed instrument.
Guirly: Whatever! It’s sounds like piggery. Forgery. Piggery. See?
Christine: Enough about that. You know what, Toni? Your father is right. You should start being serious. Love the business. That’s where your shopping money is coming from. I mean, without your business, you would be nothing like you are right now. Look at me, I am managing our family’s salon. At first, I also don’t like having that responsibility. But as I learned everything about it, I began to love it. And I’m enjoying the responsibility now.
Toni: Really? How come you sound so great? What do you think, Guirly?
Guirly: I think …there’s a SALE!
Christine and Toni: Where?!?
Toni: Oh my God! Let’s go! (saw a pair of shoes) Oh! It’s beautiful.
Saleslady: Good afternoon, ma’am. We have a 50% discount on that item. You can try it if you want. And we also have a lot of discounts up to 60% on selected items.
Christine: Really? Does that include excise tax?
Saleslady: No ma’am. It doesn’t have an excise tax. That kind of tax is for specific goods only like cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.
Guirly: Haha. How could you not know that Christine? I always thought you’re smart.
Christine: Do you know that?
Guirly: Of course…I don’t.
Toni: (to saleslady) Okay. I’ll take that, that, that, that one, too, and… that.
Saleslady: Okay, ma’am. Just please proceed to the cashier.
Cashier: P345,463.73 ma’am.
Toni: Okay. Here’s my card.
Cashier: I’m sorry ma’am. Our swiper is not working today. We only accept cash.
Toni: Oh! Okay, I’ll just go to the nearest bank. Can you keep those for a while. We’ll be right back. Let’s go, girls!

Fourth Scene
At the bank

Guard: Good morning, ma’am!
Guirly: Good morning!
(Toni and Christine went straight inside the bank, Toni fills out a withdrawal slip)
Teller: Hello, good morning, ma’am. How may I help you?
Toni: (handed the withdrawal slip) Make it faster.
Teller: I’m sorry, ma’am but this account has deficit balance.
Toni: What? What is deficit?
Christine: It’s a bank overdraft. It’s a shortage of accounts.
Toni: Meaning?
Christine: You over withdrawn your account. Wait, but how did that happen? Bank overdraft is prohibited in the Philippines?
Toni: Well, my father is rich. Y’know, goodwill. I supposed you know that.
Christine: You’re using the company’s account for your personal use?
Toni: Uh. Yeah?
Christine: So how did you know about goodwill?
Toni: I just heard. Let’s go! (to the teller) Thank you. (to Christine) Where’s Guirly?
Toni and Christine: (saw Guirly flirting with the security guard. They pull Guirly.) Let’s Go!
Guirly: (to the security guard) Bye. Call me.
Christine: What are you doing?
Guirly: I’m being friendly.
Toni: Anyway, guys, I gotta go somewhere. Let’s just hang out some other time, okay? Bye.
Christine and Guirly: Bye!

Fifth Scene
At the office

As Toni approached the door, she heard there’s a meeting going on inside so she decided to eavesdrop.

Don Enrico: I called this very urgent meeting because I just received a report that 10 of our branches has declared bankruptcy. Seventy percent our outstanding account receivables are considered bad debts. And our account payables are not being paid. I don’t know how did that happen but we have to make an action about this. Ms. Kuriputan.
Ms. Kuriputan: Yes, sir.
Don Enrico: Assess our company’s obligation to the BIR.
Ms. Dimalanta: Okay, sir.
Don Enrico: Ms. Dimalanta.
Ms. Dimalanta: Yes, sir.
Don Enrico: Talk to the banker. Tell them to give us a bank statement.
Ms. Dimalanta: Okay, sir.
Don Enrico: Ms. Campupot.
Ms. Campupot: Sir?
Don Enrico: The properties from our bankrupt branches will be sold in an auction. I want you to contact possible bidders.
Ms. Campupot: But, sir, we have frozen assets. We can’t use or even sell them.
Don Enrico: Why?
Ms. Campupot: Because our distributors had filed a legal action against us, sir. We have obligations to them that had not been paid. These frozen assets, sir, will be the pledged collateral on the debts. I’m sorry to say this, but they will remain frozen until the debts are settled or until our distributors are satisfied.
Don Enrico: Well, then, prepare an Affidavit of Debt and assure them that we will pay them once the company recovers.
Ms. Kulang-kulang: Also, sir, the brokers you hired last week are already asking for their commission.
Ms. Barumbada: And Bluewhich Enterprise had been contacting us, too, because we are not paying our obligations to them in accordance to the payment terms stated in the invoice they sent us.
Ms. Bulanglang: Also, the bond we issue to Orocan Bank is already due next week, sir. (handed a paper) And this is the account sales we received from our consignee Marugi Fastfood for the sales made on consignment for the last 5 months. And it’s also not good news, sir.
Don Enrico: (looks at the paper) Good Lord! Why is this happening? Ms. Kinchay.
Ms. Kinchay: Sir?
Don Enrico: Prepare a memo stating that our company will not give Christmas bonus for this year. But don’t worry, the 13th month pay will still be given.
Ms. Kinchay: Okay, sir.
Don Enrico: Ms. Katingahan.
Ms. Katingahan: Prepare a financial statement for the last three months and have them audited by Marimar Auditing Firm. I need to review the financial statements. I don’t know why this is happening.
Betty: I’m sorry to say this, sir, but it’s your daughter’s fault.
Don Enrico: What?
Betty: She’s been using the company’s money for her personal purchases, sir. And our account has been overdraft.
Ms. Katingahan: Yes, sir. I agree with Ms. LaBamba. Your daughter is not efficient with her job. She seldom comes here.
Ms. Kinchay: Yes, she’s always out. She’s not taking the responsibility, seriously.
Ms. Campupot: And now the whole company is suffering because of her.
(Everybody agreed. Don Enrico was not able to take all the things that had happened and started having trouble breathing, and seconds later, he passed out from heart attack.)
(Toni heard everything and entered the room when he saw her father lying down the floor.)
Toni: Daddy! Daddy! Call an ambulance! Daddy! Wake up!

NEWS FLASH
Reporter: In the business world, Don Enrico Karimarimarim, capitalist of McJabeechow chain of restaurants, suffered a heart attack during a meeting last December 1, Thursday.
According to the report, 10 out of 18 branches of the said restaurant had declared bankruptcy and it had been the reason why Don Karimarimarim suffered a heart attack.
Moreover, it had been said that her daughter Antonina Karimarimarim was the one to blame for she did not manage the company well and used the company’s money for her personal purchases.
Don Karimarimarim is now confined at St. Pearry’s Hospital and in a comatose.
Ms. Karimarimarim refuses to give a statement.

And our business term for the day is HONOR. It means to accept a bill of exchange, or to pay a note, check, or accepted bill, at maturity.
And I’m sure McJabeechow’s creditors are expecting McJabeechow to honor the notes due to them.
This is Pamela One Galawgaw, reporting.

Toni: What have I done, Betty? I feel so guilty.
Betty: Listen. It’s not about what mistakes you have done. It’s about the lessons you have learned in the process. And I do believe that you still have time to correct your mistakes. Everybody deserves a second chance. You still have time.
Toni: But I don’t know where to start.
Betty: Start from yourself and everything will follow. Think about your father. Think about the company that he put up for years. And think about all the people who rely on it, the employees, their families. And start from there.
Toni: What do you suggest?
Betty: Well-
(Knock. Knock. Knock.)
Betty opens the door.
Feliz: Hey, darling!
(Freeze)

Narrator: Feliz Natividad Karimarimarim. The only sister of Don Enrico Karimarimarim. Why is she here? Just watch.

Toni: Auntie!
Feliz: Ive heard about what happened. Are you okay? I’m so sorry, darling. Everything will be okay. If there’s anything I can do, let me know. Okay?
Toni: Yeah. Betty and I were just talking about what to do for me to help my father with everything. To correct the mistakes I’ve done. I want to change for the better, Auntie. For Dad.
Feliz: I’ll help you change, Hija. So what do we need to do?
Betty: I have an idea. Madam, you can guaranty Toni for her to get a loan. You as a guarantor, the bank will approve her loan and we can use the money to finance the business.
Toni: I will sell the things that I bought with the company’s money, too. It’s a lot of money. We can use those to settle obligations to distributors and creditors.
Feliz: And I’ll be the one who will pay your dad’s hospital expenses so don’t worry about it anymore.
Toni: Oh, Auntie! Thank you so much.
Feliz: Don’t mention it. We’re family. Come on. Let’s visit you father. I’m sure he’ll be happy to know that you’re changing for the better once he wakes up from coma.

The End.