On 28 June 2019 at the Garden Ballroom of EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City, the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) held its 2Q Meeting- cum-Annual Elections of its Board. Keynote speaker was DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez who spoke on the latest DTI laws and policies that affect the retail industry. The elections resulted in Wilcon Builder’s Rose Bosch Ong becoming PRA’s president-elect and as its Chairman, Atty. Paul Santos.

 

 

In the morning of June 21, 2019, upon the request of the Bureau of Investments under the DTI, PAGASA welcomed Mr. Robin Yao, Head of Overseas Investment and Development of New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd. (established in 1998) to their office.  The Company offers meat products such as smoked duck breast and roasted duck legs, ham sausages under the Meihao brand, livestock feeds under the Liuhe brand and chilled fresh pork under the Qianxihe brand.  In the Philippines, they have existing products facilities for animal and aqua feeds in Tarlac, Bulacan and Isabela.  For this reason, STC invited to the Meeting Jesse Cham, President of the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA). Also present were Liuhe’s interpreter and Ms. Marie Joy I. Lucas, BOI’s international Investments Promotions Service staff.

PAGASA’s STC was invited to grace the annual Retailer & Shopping Center of the Year Awards on 20 June 2019 at Solaire Casino and Resort.  As usual, STC was a presenter for one of the Awards. This year’s Supermarket of the Year Award went to Robinsons Supermarket. The President’s Award for Retailer of the Year went to Mr. Tony Tan Caktiong of the Jollibee Group of Fastfood Restaurants. Host for the evening was crowd favorite RJ Ledesma.

 

On June 3, 2019, the Chairman for the Conference side of the PRA’s National Retail Conference and Exhibition (NRCE ’19), Golden ABC Inc.’s Bryan T. Liu (son of former PRA Pres. Bernie Liu) called for a meeting at his Head Office with the core organizers of the Conference: PAGASA’s STC, LVC-Asia, Inc.’s Bryan Joe M. Valencia and the Secretary- General of the Phil. Retailers Assn. Evelyn Balmeo-Salire and PRA Senior Project Officer Archelle Aira Villanueva. Golden ABC, Inc. runs the popular clothes chain Penshoppe, Oxygen, Forme, Memo, Regatta, Tyler and the direct selling outfit Red Logo.

On the very rainy evening of 8 May 2019, PAGASA held its 2/Q GenMeet inside Trinoma’s UCC Café.  The Meeting Itself was hosted by the Ueshima Coffee Corp. which runs four distinct companies that all have to do with the coffee they brew.  UCC is launching its coffee line meant for supermarket shelves and introducing said products to PAGASA members.

 

PAGASA’s STC guested once more at the studios of ABS CBN along Bohol Avenue for the consumer program called “Konsumer, atbp.” on 4 May 2019. Hosted by veteran newscaster Alvin Elchico and DTI Usec. Ruth Castelo, STC guested with DTI Asst. Dir. Lilia Salonga regarding complaints and resolutions handled by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The Department of Trade & Industry held a Forum on April 29, 2019 at the Marble Hall of the  offices of the Bureau of National Treasury, Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros.  Discussed were the guidelines meant for potential importers and traders of rice given Rep. Act 11203 and its IRR.  At the meeting aside from Sec. Lopez were NEDA Sec. Ernesto M. Pernia, DA Sec. Emmanuel F. Piñol, PITC Pres. Dave M. Almarinez as well as others from IRRI, DA-BPI, PCC and BOC.

 

On April 10, 2019, STC was joined by PAGASA Dir. and former Vice President Fred Gravador at the National Price Coordinating Council Meeting chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Trade & Industry Ramon Lopez at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the DTI.