PAGASA was invited to the hybrid TWG Meeting on amendments to the Magna Carta on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises on 30 May 2023 under the auspices of TWG Chairman Bukidnon Rep. Jose Manuel Alba. This TWG falls under the wings of House Committee on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise Development chaired by Rep. Christian S. Unabia of the 1st District of Misamis Oriental. Rep. Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong acts as Vice Chairperson.

On 29 May 2023, PAGASA was very privileged to have been requested to physically attend the final meeting by the TWG of the Lower House on the amendments to the Consumer Act of the Philippines. Only two other entities were invited face-to-face as resource people to this Meeting: DTI led by Usec. Ruth Castelo representing the enforcer and the Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc. (PCFMI) led by Atty. Olive Misa of Monde Nissin for the side of the suppliers. All other 302 attendees participated online for this hybrid meeting.

On 21 May 2023, CNN 9's Eireene Jairee Gomez interviewed Mr. Cua online regarding the possibility of a cartel controlling the price of white sugar since it broke the century mark per kilo close to a year ago. On 23 May 2023, cable news program One News' Diego Castro asked Mr. Cua live online what he thinks of DTI's disallowing manufacturers of items on its SRP List the right to increase prices for the next two months. Finally, UNTV's Harry Ilagan solicits the opinion of PAGASA on 25 May 2023 regarding food manufacturers' practice of using trans fat as an ingredient in view of DOH's banning the use of this item on food products effective 19 June 2023.

Some 7 years ago, a bill was passed to prevent the undeterred smuggling of agri products. Seven years later on 18 May 2023, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food & Agrarian Reform chaired by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and attended by Senators Robinhood Padilla,  Joseph Victor E. Ejercito & Risa Hontiveros called a hearing to review why no one has ever been indicted or jailed for smuggling, a non-bailable offense. Sen. Hontiveros placed PAGASA in the limelight by having the latter describe the ill-effects of illicit trade proliferating in our economy.

STC was interviewed in the morning of 16 May 2023 via phone patch by veteran talk show host Ted Failon & DJ Chacha. Later in the day, he was interviewed via Zoom by TV 5's Shyla Francisco. All on the issue of the price of sugar hovering beyond P100/kg for close to a year now despite all the hype on raiding of smuggled sugar & tons of importation.

Host for the early evening of 28 April 2023 General Meeting at Room 2 of SMX, Pasay was the trade show Philippine Food Expo organized by Philfoodex. PAGASA Members were encouraged to visit the Expo after four years of absence. Advocacy experts from PMFTC were invited to brief Members about the Vape Law that was currently passed and the nature of regular cigarettes compared to non-combustible alternative smokes. Members later held the Meeting Proper and dinner at XO Heritage Bistro inside S' Maison within Conrad Hotel.

PAGASA's Steven T. Cua was amongst diplomats at the Formal Opening Ceremonies of the Philippine Food Expo at the SMX, Pasay in the morning of 28 April 2023. (L-R) Madame Ambassadress of Papua New Guinea, Agrilink's Antonio Roces, PAGASA's STC, Ambassadress of South Africa & Ambassador of Russia to Manila. There was an overflow of VIPs gracing the occassion including DTI Sec. Federico Pascual, Senator Mark Villar, Philfoodex Pres. Ruben See, ECOP's Sergio Ortiz-Luis, ambassadors of Brazil, Srilanka, Spain, etc. People were hungry for business opportunities after the lockdowns. This particular trade show experienced four years of absence.

On 27 April 2023, PAGASA's STC was invited to speak at the DTI-initiated Processed Fruits & Nuts (Industry Cluster) Conference held at Miriam College. This is PAGASA's advocacy in helping MSMEs get their products into the mainstream of mass retailing. After the talks, business mentoring took place among participants who chose among the speakers whom they want to get advice from.

On 25 April 2023, CNN9 News' Lois Calderon interviewed PAGASA's Steven T. Cua regarding the Executive Branch's initiative to tax the public for the consumption of single-use plastic bags in supermarkets and other retail outlets. It seems there "may" exist a case of double taxation here as plastic bag manufacturers are recently taxed P20 per kilo of plastic bags produced. This is passed on to retailers and is most damagingly passed on to consumers in areas where single-use plastic bags are allowed by LGUs. Now these same set of consumers will be taxed again for the same item?

In the morning of 25 April 2023, DTI's CPAB conducted a Webinar on how Plastics Credit Exchange (PCX) fits into the scheme of EPR. PCX acts as a PRO (Producer's Responsibility Organization) that provides compliance services/consultancy to the OE's (Obliged Enterprises) which are required to register with the National Ecology Center for plastic packaging waste management compliance. OE's are manufacturers/enterprise with P100M in assets (excluding real estate). OE's may engage with PRO's such as PCX to assist them in their sustainability programs. Meg Santos of PCX gave a very comprehensive presentation on how they can assist OE's in their compliance with the EPR Law.