December 26, 7pm. In the BGC High Street, Fridays Restaurant.

The restaurant buzzed with the usual evening crowd, families gathered around platters of sizzling fajitas, office workers unwinding over pitchers of beer, and couples sharing desserts by the windows that overlooked the lively street outside.

Timothy sat with Hana in a booth by the glass wall, menus spread open in front of them. He ran a finger down the list of dishes, eyes lingering on the steaks before shifting toward the seafood section.

"Too many choices," Timothy muttered, leaning back slightly. "Burgers, pasta, ribs… everything looks good."

Hana sat close beside him, her posture neat and composed even in the casual setting. She was scrolling through her tablet when suddenly, her phone vibrated on the table. The sharp sound of the ringtone cut through the background chatter.

She picked it up quickly, glancing at the screen. "It's him," she said, looking at Timothy before answering.

"Hello, Mr. Mendoza? … Yes, we're here already. At the booth by the glass wall. You'll see us when you enter," Hana said politely.

"It's good that he was available for today," Timothy said.

"It's good that he was available for today," Timothy said, closing the menu and resting it against the table.

Before Hana could respond, the glass doors at the entrance swung open. A man stepped in, scanning the room with practiced ease.

Carlos Mendoza was in his late forties, his presence immediately commanding attention without effort. His hair, neatly combed back, carried streaks of gray that gave him a distinguished look rather than age. He wore a dark navy blazer over a crisp white shirt, the collar open with no tie, paired with tailored slacks and polished leather shoes. His build was steady and strong, the kind that spoke of long days in factories as much as boardrooms.

His gaze swept across the restaurant until it landed on Hana and Timothy by the window. With a subtle nod, he made his way toward them, weaving through the crowd with deliberate, unhurried steps.

Hana straightened, slipping her phone back into her bag. Timothy leaned back slightly in the booth, watching the man approach.

When Carlos reached them, he extended his hand first to Timothy. "Mr. Guerrero, I presume?"

Timothy rose from his seat, shaking his hand firmly. "Yes. And this is Ms. Seo Hana, my secretary."

Carlos turned to Hana, offering the same polite handshake. "A Korean? A pleasure."

"Likewise, Mr. Mendoza," Hana replied with a respectful nod.

Carlos slid into the booth opposite them, his blazer settling neatly against the seat. He adjusted his cuffs once before resting his hands on the table.

"Thank you for coming in such short notice. I hope I didn't interrupt any plans you have for tonight," Timothy said.

"No, don't worry about it," Carlos said, waving his hand dismissively. "So you are the man Reyes told me about. A young CEO of an automotive company. I can't believe it…do you already have a lineup of cars I can see?"

"I have the designs but no picture yet," Timothy said. "Now, the reason why you are here is because we are offering you a CEO position for our subsidiary, TG Motors Philippines, who will then produce hi-tech, premium electric vehicles that will put us into a ring against giant automotive companies."

"Yes, I was told about it. But before that, how are you going to do that?"

"We have plans on constructing a 20 gigawatt factory in Subic. It will produce 300,000 EV cars annually."

"A gigawatt factory…in the Philippines? Like Tesla?"

Timothy nodded his head. "Like the Tesla indeed. But first we need your insight about this. I read in your file that you were deeply involved in Ford's exit from the Philippines," Timothy said. "Tell me, what exactly forced them to shut down? Was it purely economics, or were there deeper issues?"

Carlos leaned back against the booth, his expression thoughtful. "It wasn't one factor, Mr. Guerrero. It was many, all building up over time. Politically, the government failed to create a competitive environment for manufacturers. Unlike Thailand or Indonesia, the Philippines didn't offer enough incentives or infrastructure support. Economically, production costs were simply too high—electricity, logistics, labor inefficiencies. And then you had the weak local demand. Filipinos wanted cheaper, smaller cars, but the import tariffs and tax structures made it difficult to compete with countries already mass-producing at scale."

He took a sip of water from the glass the waiter had just set down, his gaze steady on Timothy. "To put it simply, the Philippines became an expensive place to build cars while neighbors like Thailand were cheaper and more business-friendly. Ford wasn't losing money everywhere—it was losing money here."

Timothy absorbed the words carefully. "And do you think those same pitfalls apply today? If we build a gigafactory here, will history just repeat itself? Or can it be avoided?"

"It can be avoided. The difference lies in what you're building. Ford was manufacturing traditional vehicles in a crowded market with thin margins. You're proposing something disruptive: a gigafactory for electric vehicles. The government today is desperate to attract future-facing industries, green energy, EVs, batteries. That means stronger incentives, tax breaks, and less resistance. On top of that, Subic has the infrastructure Ford never had. A deep-water port, highways, power facilities, even special economic zone benefits."

He leaned forward now, voice firmer. "So yes, the investment is worth it. But Filipinos still have this colonial mentality that you have to watch out for. Everything made in the Philippines would be seen as low quality."

"Ah don't mind that. I can guarantee that the lineup of TG Motors will be more advanced than what is on the current market. We have the technology and the money. What we only need right now is the one who knows is the one who will look over the operations. If you accept the offer, you will receive shares of the company, about three percent and an annual salary of 250,000 US dollars."

Carlos raised his brows slightly, clearly surprised by the package. "That's… generous. More than generous, actually."

Hana added, "It reflects the level of responsibility you'll be handling. This isn't just another local car company. TG Motors Philippines will be the foundation of an industry that died."

Carlos exhaled slowly, tapping a finger against the table as if weighing the offer in his head. For a man who had seen the rise and fall of the automotive industry in the country, it was no small decision.

Finally, he leaned forward, resting his hands flat on the table. "Mr. Guerrero, Ms. Seo… I'll be honest. After Ford closed, I promised myself I wouldn't go back into this industry. Too much blood, sweat, and in the end, it still failed. But hearing your vision, seeing how bold it is… maybe this is the chance to do it right this time."

He straightened his blazer, his voice carrying more conviction now. "Alright. I'll accept your offer. I'll take the position of CEO of TG Motors Philippines."

Timothy's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Good. Then from this day on, you're with us."

Hana gave a small approving nod, already opening her tablet to log the agreement.

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