Visayan media Sunstar Interviewed PAGASA’s Robert Go of the Prince Retail Group on 31 March 2020 regarding supplies and prices of commodities in the region as a result of the unexpected epidemic brought about by COVID-19.

And then it happened! The first case of COVID-19 was discovered in the Philippines and the President called for a lockdown. Just before this unexpected global pandemic, manufacturers and retailers were both caught unaware of this global phenomena and supply of supermarket items were snapped up immediately a panicky market.  The President had declared the whole of Luzon to be under an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), a total lockdown of all establishments beginning 16 March 2020. Exempted were hospitals, drugstores/pharmacies and food retailers specifically supermarkets. Smaller forms of food retail shops had to close too for lack of supply as employees of manufacturing concerns could not enter for work (no public transport) and no deliveries could be made to these smaller stores. Supermarkets on the other hand had to be resourceful in sourcing its goods during this perios. The good Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, Ramon Lopez went to Malacañang on 23 March 2020 but found few staff present and he eventually found his way to Welcome Supermart run by PAGASA President STC in Quezon City. Photo shows DTI Sec. together with STC and PAGASA Secretariat Jenny Lopez and a second one when they remembered social distancing! The Secretary took the opportunity to make his rounds and check on supplies of supermarkets as these were running low a week after lockdown was declared.

Following the TWG Meeting last 26 February, the House Committee on Ecology quickly called a follow-up Meeting on 5 March 2020.  (This was to be PAGASA’s last physical meeting for a long time in view of the upcoming but unexpected lockdown due to COVID-19.  The next TWG Meet for this purpose was held on 30 June 2020 but was virtual in nature.  PAGASA failed to attend that one.)

On 28 February 2020, the Chairman for PRA’s National Retail Conference and Exhibition (NRCE) 2020> Rustan’s Bienvenido “Donnie” Tantoco III called for a Meeting at his Makati Office to set the tone for this year’s NRCE. This initial meeting on themes and names for the Conference were deliberated on by the Core Organizers which included PAGASA’s STC.  Speakers were selected to match the relevant topics intended for the Summit come August.

 

PAGASA attended a Technical Working Group Meeting on 26 February 2020 at the Lower House for the Committee on Ecology chaired by House Speaker-elect Rep. Lord Allan Jay Quinto Velasco of the lone district of Marinduque who sponsored the latest bill on plastic bags.  This Meeting was supposed to consolidate all bills related to Single-Use Plastic Products/Materials.  It was going to be a quick succession of TWG Meetings to swiftly solve the issue on plastics.

PAGASA was invited to be an Exhibitor at the Food & Hotel Asia, a trade show held at the SMX on 21-23 February 2020.  Visitors entered the booth of PAGASA to acquaint themselves with the Association and offer products and services to its members.

 

 

PAGASA Pres. Steven T. Cua paid "Ang Probinsiyano" Partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong a visit at his office in Congress on the same afternoon of 19 Feb. 2020 upon the latter’s invitation to discuss his proposed bills re. Fraudulent Senior Citizens/ PWD Cards & the possibility of retailers employing productive senior citizens in their stores.

On the same afternoon of 19 February 2020, Congress held a Hearing on relaxing the conditions for foreign retailers to invest in our country. The American Chamber of Commerce as well as a few other foreign Chambers in the country cited their reasons why conditions must be relaxed. These were opposed by local retailers headed by PAGASA and the PRA.

A well-attended Hearing in Congress on the 19th of February 2020 delved on the proposed increase in wages as chaired by Partylist Representative Enrico A. Piñeda.  Much discussion on the timeliness and affordability of employers to absorb another round of wage increase came to fore.