In the afternoon of 8 February 2023, STC joined the Conference Organizing Committee online Meeting of PRA for 2023's edition of the National Retail Conference and Exhibition. NRCE is scheduled again for August this year. NRCE Chair is still Donnie Tantoco of Rustans while Conference Chair is Gregory Lim of BLIMS (atop). Ten members of this Committee included owners & officers of Bayo, Ayala Malls, Alfamart, etc. Brainstorming on the theme, topics and potential speakers took place.

PAGASA was represented by William Villanueva and STC on 8 February 2023 to the online presentation by the National Ecology Center on the Internal Rules and Regulations of the Extended Producers Responsibilty. A series of meetings attended by PAGASA led to this output.

This Law was passed on 12 Aug. 2022. Obliged Enterprises (entities with at least P100M in sales per year & voluntarily for those smaller than these which have plastic parts/packaging of their manufactured goods to recover after use by consumers) are required to submit their EPR Programs by 12 Feb. 2023 to the National Ecological Center (i.e., 6 mos. after the bill was enacted into law). They also have to submit EPR Compliance & Audit Reports (ECAR) regularly to the National Ecology Center after registration. Close to 1,000 members joined this Zoom Meet.

The Packaging Institute of the Phils. (PiP) initiated a Luncheon Meeting on 2 February 2023 for stakeholders to hold an FGD on the recently passed bill on Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) regarding relegation of the collection of used plastic containers/packaging/sachet packs to brand owners. At this Meeting held in Richmonde Hotel Ortigas Center were the officers-elect of PiP, Philippine Plastic Industries Assn. (PPIA), Philippine Association of Food Technologists (PAFT), Global Systems 1 (GS1), Chamber of Cosmetics Industries of the Philippines (CCIP) & PAGASA.

PAGASA held its 1st quarter General Meeting on 1 February 2023 at Magdamag Cafè along Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Quezon City. Discussed were the trends and new developments in the food retail industry. The newly-passed Expanded Producers Responsibility (EPR) Law where manufacturers are supposed to collect their used packaging (especially for sachets and plastics) was also heavily discussed. Amendments to the Consumer Act of the Philippines was another current concern of the Association. PAGASA is part of the two Technical Working Groups (TWGs) as set up by the House of Representatives currently working on the Internal Rules and Regulations (IRR) on the last two issues. Special thanks go to Diana Ang/AllDay who brought with her their COO Ms. Jacqueline B. Cano. The same goes to Maricel F./Raymond Escuadro & Melanie Fadul-Lucido of M&W Town Stores who attended and whom members have  missed all these years!

PAGASA was invited late afternoon of 27 January 2023 to the Studio Center of TV5 in Mandaluyong to tape for an episode of "The Chiefs" with former TV5 VP, Editor-in-Chief of Businessworld & anchor of the Program Roby Alampay and Philstar's Ana Marie "Amy" Pamintuan.

In the early afternoon of 27 January 2023, at the hip Collab. Area of Sheraton Hotel, Newport City in Pasay, PAGASA was invited to the induction of the new set of Board Members for the Phil. Mktg. Assn. (PMA). Inducted was President-elect Sy Brian Lato (in a duet with STC). The PMA was looking forward to collaborate with PAGASA in some future project.

PAGASA joined Part Four (PAGASA's third) of the Zoom TWG Meeting in the morning of 27 January 2023 regarding amendments for the Consumer Act of the Phils. by Congress' Committee on Trade & Industry.

Long discussion regarding Selling on Cash, Credit/Debit & Installment; on Individual vs. Shelf-tagging of Prices ; on proper labelling of goods in the market; on health information on labels. There is talk on reviving the National Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC).

Participants included DTI Usec. Ruth Castelo, FDA's Atty. Vanessa G. Legasto, NACI's Jose Pepito, BCACI's Jose Sosa, PRA's Atty. Paul Angelo Santos & PAIA's John Paulo Barbosa aside from many other stakeholders.

Out of the six TWG Meetings to amend the Consumer Act of the Phils., PAGASA is invited to three which concerns retailers> first one on 16 January (last week) and the second one on 23 January 2023 (today). Four & half hours of discussion ranging from definition of a direct seller vs. an online seller, strengthening of consumer rights groups and revival of the National Consumers Affair Council (NCAC) to consumer's rights on new professional services like laundromats. Meeting was very capably handled by Mr. Jonatan Lopez (in photo) as this TWG's Chairman.

On 19 January 2023, PAGASA's STC was hounded by different media outfits for the third straight day in view of the many suppliers notifying retailers of price increases at the start of the year.

STC was invited as a resource person for TV5's One News Now in the afternoon of 18 January 2023 with Shawn Yao.