PAGASA President Steven T. Cua was honored to have been invited to give the Welcome Remarks at the Formal Dinner held for associate members of the New Supermarkets Association of Japan (NSAJ) on the eve of 15 Feb. 2018 at the New Otani Hotel Makuhari in Chiba City, Japan.

 

On the eve of 15 February 2018, STC was requested to do the Welcome Remarks at the Formal Dinner of Japan’s Supermarket Association (NSAJ) at the Tsuru Room of the Hotel New Otani Makuhari.  PAGASA was honored to welcome participants from people in the retail industry, mainly associate members of NSAJ and Exhibitors of the Supermarket Trade Show (SMTS) and the DTS.  STC was congratulated upon finishing his speech by NSAJ Chairman of the Board Kiyoshi Yokoyama-san (with white lapel flower) and many other guests at the Event.  Prominent among them would be Masaro Ueshima-san, President of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. (with glasses in grey tie) and the two gentlemen who caught up with STC at the hotel lobby (doing the fist and thumbs-up sign) Hiroaki Miyamoto-san, President of the exquisite Ginza Bakery and Shuji Miyamoto-san/Pres.-Ginza Biscuit Co., Ltd. Standing out amongst the evening’s crowd was this group of young technopreneurs planning to operate unmanned supermarkets all over asia.  (L-R) Akio Sato-san/Pres.-Team Japan, Inc., Chilam/CEO- Beijing Bingobox Technology Co., Ltd., STC, Tom Lin/CEO-Play, Evatar Korea and Iris/Exec. Dir.-Seven Go Technology Co., Ltd of Taiwan.

 

PAGASA Vice President Liansel H. Sy represented the Association in giving the Welcome Remarks at this Initial Exhibition of Food & Hotel Expo Manila (FHEM) on its Opening Day on 14 Feb. 2018 at the SMX in Pasay. He was accompanied by wife Mia Vito Sy and PAGASA P.R.O. Desmond C. Chua.  PAGASA’s booth was manned by PAGASA Secretariat Jenny M. Lopez and Eva B. Bayola. STC was unavailable on Opening Day so he dropped by on Day 3 and visited the booths there including one selling Mabuti and Tome Sardines and run by a family friend of Ms. Janice de Belen.

 

On 14-16 February 2018, STC was invited to the annual Supermarket Trade Show at the huge Makuhari Messe Trade Halls in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture some forty kilometers away from Tokyo.  This well-attended event spans some 10 trade halls carrying various food products and delicacies of the different regions of Japan.  There were lots of sampling and foreign VIPs were even provided private interpreters (in my case, Ms. Yukimi Aoki).  We were also treated to the UCC Special Coffee Center and a gourmet Italian meal by Michelin Chef Tsutomu Ochiai. Of course, in return, we were asked many questions regarding our country’s market profile and promising products at the Exhibit which may make it to our local supermarket shelves.

 

As a consequence of agreements made at the recent ASEAN Conference held in Manila, this Forum is an offshoot of that Regional Meet.  Held at the Makati Shangri-La on 1-2 Feb. 2018, this Forum attracted top lawyers in Competition Law to discuss cultural and legal understanding of what constitutes unfair competition in regulating business dominance in an industry. Host at this Meet is National Competition Commision’s Chairman Arsenio Balisacan and Presidential Consultant on SMEs Jose “Joey” Concepcion III. STC was fortunate to renew ties with the former Energy Sec. & former NEDA Asst. Sec. General Atty. Raphael Lotilla who is  now based in Asean countries working on various laws affecting these nations like laws on trade integration and facilitation.  STC was also fortunate to spot some youngsters who arrived individually and whom at first he did not recognize but upon deduction and intuition, made them out to be all part of the team El Gamma Penumbra> performers for the international audience at the Special Dinner.

 

STC was invited by the DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade & Promotion on 1 Feb. 2018 at the BDTP Conference Room to screen the food products that should be exhibited at the Sikat Pinoy National Food Fair in March at the Mega Trade Halls inside SM Megamall.  To save on time for this 2-day screening activity, STC selected ahead of the team from all the products lying around the BDTP Offices and explained the good and the bad in packaging and labeling when catering to the mainstream market via supermarkets.

 

On 26 Jan. 2018, PAGASA held its 1/Q General Meeting at the Nostalg Hotel and Suites housed inside the Oakwood Joy Nostalg Bldg. at Ortigas Center.  Hosted by Creamline Ice Cream, a division of Rebisco.  Discussed was the impending opening of the retail industry to foreign players by Congress. Also, PAGASA joining the 1st Food & Hotel Manila Trade Show to be held in Feb. at the SMX, Pasay.

The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, inc. (PCAFI) is an organization registered in 1999 but lost steam somewhere along the way.  Championed some eighteen years ago by Col. Alejandro Teves Escaño who sits as Chairman/Excom/Director, PCAFI existed alongside Agrilink and FRLD.  A reinvigorated PCAFI is now headed by Pres. Phillip L. Ong.  It has enjoined PAGASA and made STC its Committee Head for Agri-Supermarkets the last few years.  On 25 Jan. 2018, PCAFI called on all its existing members to a meeting at Luxent Hotel to determine if there is interest in reviving the organization. The body was addressed at that Meeting by D.A. Usec. Ariel Cayanan regarding problems that plague the agricultural sector. An election of sorts was held to get the ball rolling and PAGASA was elected into this interim Board. Immediately after the general meeting, a Board Meeting was called to order and projects were proposed to get the Association going.  A formal election of Board Members will be held later in the year.

 

Events Organizer UBM SES’ Ms. Teo Hui Hui/ Asst. Mgr. for Marketing Services  from Singapore paid PAGASA a visit at the latter’s office on 1/22/18 to invite PAGASA members to FHA ’18 to be held both at the Singapore Expo (Hall 1-10) and the Suntec Singapore (Levels 3-6) in view of its many exhibitors and products on exhibit.  The Show will be held from 24 to 27 April 2018.  A few PAGASA Members have signified interest to attend. However, the few participants can be hardly called a delegation.

On  6 Dec. 2017, the officers of LNA Management Group Corp., organizers of the annual trade shows Food & Drinks Asia and Asiafood invited STC to discuss how PAGASA can form some synergy with their group by holding a special project during Food & Drinks Asia for the following year.  Led by Josephine Miranda (2L), Marivic Gacer and Geraldine Amores (R), the group met at Shiok Shiok Singaporean Foods, the themed restaurant simulating street hawkers scene in Singapore.