On 24 January 2024, the DTI held the year's first National Price Coordinating Council Meeting chaired by Sec. Alfredo Pascual. PAGASA is invited as an observer since the current Administration (under the Office of the President) has not formally chosen Members to this Council. Just the same at this Meeting, Sec. Pascual allowed STC to state PAGASA's position with regards to DTI's practice of applying an SRP on BNPCs. He even reveals that a study by the DOJ made in 2015 & one by the World Bank in 2019 cited that the use of SRP is detrimental to the growth of economies. Seated beside Sec. Alfredo Pascual is the very capable DOJ Usec. Geronimo Sy. DTI says it will review the continuous use of SRP as the Secretary prefers to allow market forces to flow freely instead of having government intervention/over-regulation concerning the matter.

During the first two weeks of 2024, PAGASA's STC was hounded by media eager to find out if DTI had allowed manufacturers of basic necessities and prime commodities to increase prices on selected items as requested since late the previous year.

PAGASA Pres. Steven T. Cua guested online on Alvin Elchico's program handled by Jonathan Magistrado with PCCTA Pres. Carling Cabochan on 6 January 2024.

In the morning of 15 December 2023, PAGASA Pres. Steven T. Cua was invited as Resource Person at The Media Forum organized by Capstone Intel Corp.> a research company on commuter & consumer trends. It was held at Daburu Ramen in Malate, Manila. Guest for commuter update was Elvira Medina, a former DOTC Asec & an advocate for commuters' rights. (L-R) Also at head table is OCTA Research Fellow Dr. Guido David, Capstone's Liaison Officer Atty. Nick Conti & Capstone's Dir. for Research & Publication Ella Kristina "K" Coronel. Topics were Food Security & Jeepney Modernization Program.

MEDIA BLITZ ON CHRISTMAS RETAIL SITUATIONER

From 12-14 December 2023, STC was interviewed via phone patch, Zoom or live by ANC's Michelle Ong on her News Program, by the Presidential Broadcast Service (PBS) as hosted by Program Anchor Ms. Janet Bayan on her Show entitled "Agenda ng Bayan" and by GMA 7's Sandra Aguinaldo among others. Below you will find portion of STC's interview with the PBS which starts at the 30.35 min. mark & ends at 45.20.

On 8 December 2023, PAGASA's very own Prince Retail Group of Companies was awarded by The Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) as "Captain of Industry for Retail Mass."

In the afternoon of 6 December 2023, STC attended the final meeting of a series organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines (both f2f & via Zoom) regarding regulations & over-regulation. DAP focused on DTI's practice of enforcing SRPs as detrimental to growth of the food retail industry.

PAGASA's Steven Cua was invited on 3 December 2023 as guest of the recently-formed "Kapihan sa QC." It was held at Mangan-tila Restaurant along Scout Torillo, QC. Major tv stations & news networks gathered to the get the freshest news in the country over a weekend. To complete the picture on the state of the economy is Chairman Rodolfo "Ka RJ" Javellana of UFCC (United Filipino Consumers & Commuters). Angelo Almonte hosted the affair with Cecille Lardizabal.

PAGASA's STC met with visitors from Brunei on 29 November 2023 at the lobby of The Manila Peninsula. They were interested in the Philippine halal market. Introduced to PAGASA by his friend Gil Gonzales/Exec. Dir. of ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) were Ms. Norlela Suhailee/Enterprise Dev't. Dir. of Darussalam Enterprise & her colleague, Ms. Siti Normardinah bte Pg Hj Omarali. They were in town to study the consumer habits of Filipinos to find a good match for their products.

In the morning of 21 November 2023, DTI finally releases to media the long-awaited List of SRPs for 240 Noche Buena Items now renamed as Price Guide (and not List of SRPs anymore). Media immediately went to work by interviewing Pres. Steven T. Cua about PAGASA's take on this new development. DTI allowed more than 50% of those on the list to reflect increase in prices. Mr. Cua said the government should allow the natural market forces to dictate prices of BNPCs. After all, he says, items priced beyond the reach of targetted market will soon find themselves out-of-the- market. Media online, offline & via SMS or phone patch went busy that day.