Donato Manuel Busa: Born to be a printer

CEBU, Philippines — Even in the twilight years of offset printing and other traditional printing methods, Donato Manuel “Don” C. Busa refuses to give away his success in printing.

Don, the founder of the 37 year-old DMC Busa Printers, knew from the very start that he was “born as a printer.” But, fate had him wander off first to different corporate facets, before he could start his own printing venture, apart from his family’s already established printing business started by his father.

Today, he comes out as one of the strongest survivors of the Cebu’s printing press industry, which is believed to rebound anytime soon.

Trinity in business

Don believes in the “trinity of business.” This is something he learned from his father’s philosophy, that a business should be evaluated every three years.

For a neophyte like him, his father told him that “if you reach six years, you’re good to go.”

Don knew that he could reach more “tri-years” in the business he considered he was born to do. In fact, by doing the “trinity in business” concept, DMC Busa Printers endured the test of times, even with the industry’s greatest catastrophe brought about by digital evolution in the recent years.

Up until now, his business had gone through many tri-years, and it always works in discerning the health and future of the business. Three-years-at-a-time.

Learning curb

A graduate of Industrial Engineering at the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R), Don immersed himself in the corporate world after college, just to get a glimpse and experience how successful companies do business.

He could have joined the family’s business right away, but Don was clever enough to go through the natural process, a learning curb outside of his family business culture.

Don joined Procter & Gamble Philippines after college.

“They (P&G) are the people who rewrote the rules of marketing,” he was impressed by the company’s powerful influence in marketing and business in general.

While he found himself enjoying the perks and glam in the corporate sphere, he was also constantly reminded of his first love—printing.

“When working at P&G, the smell of ink and machines haunt me wherever I go,” that was when he decided to leave P&G and followed the signs that directed him to where be truly belongs.

Born a printer

In 1983, Don rented a printing machine from his father and started to carve his name in the industry he is familiar with, not to compete with his father’s Balintawak Printing business, but to prove to himself that he is already man enough to stand by his own feet.

That time, the one-thousand-pesos monthly renting fee was not easy especially for a starter like him, Don shared.

Trying not to compete with his father was already a challenge. But Don was able to get away from business rivalry and in turn gained the respect of his father.

Eventually, Don took over the family’s business and incorporated his little similar venture after his father retired.

“I know printing just like knowing the details of my palms,” that’s how confident he is to know that he was not born to do something else, but to follow the footsteps of his father.

The true success

For 37 years DMC Busa Printers served as the pillar of Cebu’s printing press industry, which is already a success by itself.

But Don’s success goes beyond how the company fed his family and his employees’ children, but in being able to come out strong in waging war against digitalization.

In the heyday of printing press business, there were over a thousand printing companies in the then lucrative industry.

Don used to lead the now inactive Cebu Association of Printers. Today, there are only about 10 printing press firms actively doing the business.

Certainly, Don refuses to give away the success to a mere “test of times”. Instead of fighting the arrival of digitalization, he joined the pack and now he is seeing a new dimension of success in the age of digital era.

Don is an honorary member of the Global Network of Printing Press Colleague, an organization based in Germany. Because of this connection, among others, he is able to see the re-birth of printing.

DMC Busa Printers and its subsidiaries (now managed separately by his children) is a perfect blend of traditional and digital printing. The business stays relevant in this “all-instant” times. In fact, technology is the one helping the business alive.

Serving the world

Contrary to the impression that the printing industry is dying, Don’s business is now serving foreign clients—the world in general.

The very threat that intimidates the industry and brought some businesses down, is the one pushing the survivors forward.

“Thirty percent of my clients are foreigners,” Don said attributing the digital capabilities and online channels as the saviors of otherwise dying industry.

He said foreign clients prefer to have their printing needs done offshore because of cost efficiency, among other considerations.

Besides, those multinational companies that have offices in the Philippines, or do their regular events here opt to do the printing of collaterals and other similar needs onsite to avoid expensive freight cost and shipping hassles.

The rise of MICE (meetings, incentives, conference and exhibits) events in Cebu has likewise helped the re-birth of printing business, he added.

Leadership and adversity

Don was elected as Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president during the times when his industry was reeling from the difficult transition in 2015. He led the business community of Mandaue City, while he was also facing difficult times on his own business.

“Sometimes, adversity is the mother of all creativity and invention,” Don understood that one should experience the pains and even taste the blood of adversity before he could savor the luxury of success.

His strength in surviving the greatest calamity in his industry inspired others not to give away their success too easily.

Don’s journey in business is a tale worth re-telling over and over.

This is a constant reminder that success is a birthright and only those who do not quit get to enjoy its perks. (FREEMAN)