On 15 Feb. 2017, the Congressional Committee on Ways and Means headed by Rep. Dakila Carlo “Dax” E. Cua of Quirino held a public hearing at the Rolando Andaya Hall, South Wing Annex of the House of Representatives to address stakeholders regarding the tax proposals of the Department of Finance through its collection arms> the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs.  BIR Commissioner Dulay and the representative from the BOC backed up DOF Usec. Karl Kendrick Chua.  All seemed calm until Cong. Joey Sarte Salceda/Albay entered the room and questioned the power point presentation of BIR Dep. Comm. Nestor Valerioso regarding the BIR’s efficiency in collections for the last year. STC informed this august body the history of retail competition in the country and how support from suppliers have dwindled through the years as the big players dominated the scene.  Also, he intimated the fact that one of the reasons smaller stores sell out to the giants is because of challenges brought about by the BIR; aside from the squeeze in margins and from neighboring stores.

 

 

PAGASA’s STC was invited to help in the screening of exhibitors to this year’s National Food Fair in March by the DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade.  The activity took all of two days from 9-10 Feb. 2017 to check on the proposed items of some 200 applicant- companies, both new and veteran.  The process was tedious and the standards stringent to make sure that it will be worth the visitors’ time when they go to this Tradeshow and that the applicants are serious in trying to grow their companies and excel in what they do in promoting the plight of MSME’s.

 

On 9 February 2017, the Phil. Retailers Association called a Meeting at the EDSA Shangrila’s Heat Coffee Shop to pick the brains of a few invited attendees for this year’s NRCE.  Headed by PRA Chairman and FAPRA (Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Association) Pres. Lorenzo “Enchong” Formoso, Ayala VP and Head of Ayala Malls’ Rowena Tomeldan and PRA Sec. Gen. Evelyn B. Salire, the group brought out their marketing ammunition to try to make this year’s NRCE as unique and appealing to retailers from all over the country.  Date of NRCE is still to be finalized but tentatively dated for August or September 2017.

 

PAGASA’s STC was invited as a resource person to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means’ public hearing on tax reform and to listen to the Dept. of Finance’s proposals in lowering the personal income tax and consumption tax with offsetting measures.  Attending the hearing were Committee Chairman Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Miguel Zubiri, J.V. Ejercito and Nancy Binay.  Representing the DOF were Usec. Karl Kendrick T. Chua defending the department’s proposals with BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay and Dep. Comm. Nestor Valeriano and BOC Officials. Discussions will ensue after this initial hearing. The Senate Hall was filled to the rim for this hearing on 31 January 2017.

 

On the 27th of January 2017, PAGASA was invited to speak to all stakeholders at a Full Waste Recovery and Recyclin  Symposium held at the Mini Theatre of the QCX Museum inside Quezon Circle. Organized by the National Solid Waste Management Commission, STC gave an account of what PAGASA Members have done and gone through in addressing the issue of improper disposal of plastic bags and how this is adversely affecting our environment.  He expounded on PAGASA’s position of volunteering as a collection agent for used plastic bags so recyclers can get hold of these bags for the purpose of recycling; that the QC Local Government has adopted PAGASA’s Position Paper in addressing this issue which is to engage the whole citizenry in returning these used plastic bags to retailers or else face a minimum penalty for not practicing their role as a responsible member of Planet Earth.  STC ended his stay by signing a Manifesto at this Symposium stating PAGASA’s full support to the shareholders’/Alliance’s cause.

 

PAGASA held its 1Q 2017 General Membership Meeting at the freshly opened Chinese Restaurant called Red Spice inside Okada Manila.  Barely a month old, the posh casino played host to the Association on 25 Jan. 2017, just a few days before it did this year’s Ms. Universe contestants and organizers after the pageant proper. Discussed were the latest trends and consumer behavior as well as moves by the major players in getting a foothold of the industry. Invited that evening were the former PAGASA Members who have sold their operations to the bigger players to give their retrospective opinion of the how’s and why’s of things when they sold their businesses.  Present for this were: Jaynith’s Supermarket, the SuperBudgetlane Group, Susana Mart and Purity Supermarket. Absent were Sioland (now Southern Emerald), New Life Supermarket and the Parco Chain of Stores.

 

On 25 Jan. 2017, the Special Committee on Food Security at the House of Representatives held a Meeting on “Banning Supermarkets…from Throwing Away and Spoiling Unsold Food” at the Speaker Zulueta Hall, South Wing Annex.  PAGASA was represented by its President STC who informed the well-attended Committee that in general, food retailers return goods which are about to expire to suppliers.  As to what they do with these items, it is the suppliers’ prerogative.  House Bill No. 4263 was filed by Rep. Evelina G. Escudero of the 1st District of Sorsogon. STC poses for a picture with Committee Chairman Rep. Leo Rafael M. Cueva of the 2nd District of Negros Occidental and Member Rep. Peter Unabia of the 1st District of Misamis Oriental.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas held a public consultation with all stakeholders at their Exec. Bus. Ctr./Main Meeting Room at 5/F of their 5-storey Bldg. inside the Main Office Compound in Manila on 25 Jan. 2017 to figure out which way of rounding- off prices is most convenient and practical for business to avoid violating the “No Shortchange Act” which was just passed into law.  Heading the Meeting were (L-R) Director Ernando S. de Leon of the Currency Issue and Integrity Ofc., Dep. Gen. Counsel Teofilo R. Ragadio, Dep. Gov. Diwa C. Gunigundo, Managing Dir. Carlyn A. Pangilinan and Ms. Iluminada T. Sicat/Managing Dir.-Currency Management Sub-Sector.  PAGASA VP Liansel Sy was able to use his charms in enjoining these BSP officers to take selfies with him all with wide grinning smiles. Everyone must have been very amenable to the proposal of the BSP.

 

PAGASA was invited to the Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) Phils. Int’l. Symposium on 24 Jan. 2017 held at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.  Speakers at the Symposium included A-PAD Chairman Mr. Faisal Djalal, Senator Francis Pangilinan, DSWD Sec. Judy M. Taguiwalo and Mr. Guillermo “Bill” M. Luz/Senior Adviser to the Phil. Disaster Reliance Foundation (PDRF).  In the pic is STC surrounded by the organizers of the Symposium.

On 16 Jan. 2017, the Committee on Ecology under the Chairmanship of Cong. Estrellita Suansing called a Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting at the Villar Hall, South Wing Annex of the House of Rep. to discuss the proposed PLASTIC PRODUCTS REGULATION ACT. Among those present were former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was very insistent in passing the said Act within this 17th Congress together with Rep. Suansing.  They proposed to have Supermarket Operators act as collectors (with segregated collection bins) for all types of plastic products (i.e., old wash basins and drums included) as brought to them by the buying public to which STC objected and retorted that limit these to plastic bags and we have a deal.  After all, that is PAGASA’s Position on the collection of used plastic bags to aid recyclers by providing them the correct plastics to recycle (into plastic bags again).  This scheme has already been adopted by the QC Government and has been put in place the last few years with good results.