Chaired by House Rep. Estrellita Suansing, the Committee on Ecology, in the presence of Rep. Benhur Lopez, Rep. Enrico Piñeda and Rep. Baby Arenas, listened in on the opinion of stakeholders as to what they think if the law charges the public P10/bottle (be it glass or PET) so citizens would get to return these empty containers instead of seeing them end up in the middle of the sea.  Held on 16 May 2018, (in picture, L-R) Comm. Sec. Atty. Dilbert Quetulio, STC, popular environmentalist of Zero Waste Sonia Mendoza and Phil. Plastics Ind. Assn. (PPIA) Vice Pres. Danny Ngo were among those who gave their 2-cents’ worth.  STC initially cited that the cheapest bottled water only costs P5.50 thus adding P10 on top of its price sounds a bit ridiculous.  He also said why not bring empty bottles in cars and give these to beggars instead of coins/cash.  These bottles will surely find their way to recyclers when sold by these mendicants. Instead of bringing empty bottles back to supermarkets to get their deposits he said, it may augur well for church-goers to bring their empty bottles there and have their children place these in prepared bins by the parish ready for collection by recyclers.  This way, doing good for the ecology may be correlated to doing good in the eyes of our creator. STC says they may even add a sign at church which says: “Environmentalists go to Heaven!”

In the late morning of 7 May 2018, Double Dragon Plaza makes its Grand Opening inside the Double Dragon Meridian Park at the corner of Macapagal Avenue and EDSA Extension, Pasay City. PAGASA’s STC was formally invited to grace the affair. In the group picture, you find (L-R) Anvil Business Club’s Chairman Emeritus George Siy, FFCCCII External Affairs Committee Chairman Nelson Guevarra, Rex Daryanani/Past Pres. of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Phils.), Inc., Federation of the Fil-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industy, Inc. (FFCCCII) Pres. Domingo Yap, Peter Mangasing/ Former Pres.-Federation of Electrical & Electronics Suppliers & Manufacturing of the Phils. and PAGASA’s STC. The latter also had his picture taken with the creative and young business taipan, Edgardo “Injap” Sia>founder of Mang Inasal, Double Dragon, City Malls, Hotel 101, Jinjiang Inn, J. Co Donuts, etc. The food hall of this Mall makes the full circle in the cycle of Commercial Centers and offers a wide assortment of delicacies from the different regions of our country versus international cuisine one finds in most modern food courts.  Islas Pinas brings back the local cultural dances which were first presented during the 60’s  and 70’s at Taal Vista Hotel and Plaza Restaurant in Makati.

 

Every year, The Foundation for Resource Linkage & Development, Inc. (FRLD)> organizer of the biggest Agribusiness Trade Show called “Agrilink, Foodlink, Aqualink” holds four meetings with their co-organizers to assure the public of a trade show worthy of visit. PAGASA has been a co-organizer for the last 20 years! It was even given the honor of being the Chair of the Show for the year 2007. To be held this year on 4-6 Oct. 2018, this pre-Show Meeting was held on 3 May 2018 at the usual breakfast venue>Annabel’s along T. Morato.  Chairman for this year’s Show is Edwin Chen/ Pres.-Pork Producers Federation of the Phils. and Managing Director/Bounty Fresh Farms which is the official sponsor of the Pilipinas Gilas Basketball Team.  This year’s theme: “Efficient Value Chain in the Hog Industry: A Must for Continued Growth.”

 

PAGASA is a partner of show organizer Philfoodex in the set-up of the Philippine Food Expo from 20-22 April 2018 at the SMX in Pasay City.  The Show has gone a long way from its early years at the SM Megamall’s Mega Trade Hall. STC bumped into Bicol’s retail magnate Romeo Tan of the LCC Group checking out new products with interest. One exhibitor brewed beer called Pinatubo from Angeles and the different ales come in very creative labels. 

 

The Phil.-Japan Training Inst. of Cultural Technology, Inc. invites PAGASA to a Business Briefing Session Forum regarding the upcoming Supermarket Trade Show to be organized by the New Supermarket Association of Japan (NSAJ) in Feb. 2018.  The forum was held at the Tosca Room of the Dusit Thani Hotel on the 15th of Nov. 2017.  Attending the Forum for PAGASA were former VP Fred Gravador with son Paolo and STC.  Also with them were PRA Pres. Atty. Paul Santos and a few supermarket suppliers.

On 18 April 2018, DTI Head Office called a Meeting for food manufacturers, food retailers and concerned Regional Heads of DTI to discuss preparations regarding food supply in the event that “The Big One” strikes.  Key resource person is DOST Usec. and Phivolcs Chief Renato Solidum, Jr. who has been “preaching” about the coming of “The Big One” for the last 2 decades.  Map with the red spot will be most hard hit> this is Metro Manila. The fault line has extended out to Bulacan/ Pampanga and the Laguna/Rizal areas; thus, the need to prepare for its unpredictable coming. For this purpose, Metro Manila is subdivided into 4 quadrants separated by entry/exit points to unaffected areas which may provide food/shelter to affected MM residents.  This is the second of a series of meetings on this controversial but critical topic.

 

PRA called a meeting with PAGASA and A.C. Nielsen to discuss the topics and speakers for the Supermarket Break-out Session at this year’s National Retail Conf. & Exhibition to be held in August at the SMX in Pasay City. The lunch meeting was held at the Golden Cowrie Resto inside the new Podium at Ortigas Center.  Meeting was held on 5 April 2018 with (clockwise) STC, PRA Asst. Sec.- Gen. Bing Miranda, PRA Sec.-Gen. Evelyn Balmeo-Salire, Supermarket Track Leader Aira V., A.C. Nielsen’s Maria Angelica Carolina and its Managing Director Patrick Cua. STC broached the idea of bringing in Mr. Chilam from Beijing (whom he just met in Chiba, Japan recently) as this young guy was operating unmanned supermarkets relatively successfully. He is spreading his idea now to his partners in Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

 

PAGASA was invited to the Technical Working Group Meeting in Congress on 23 March 2018 chaired by Committee on Health Rep. Helen Tan, M.D. as it presses on more restrictions on the sale of cigarettes. A very popular bill attended by a host of Congressmen, the bill intends to raise the age for legal smokers to 21 and above instead of the current 18. It proposes that retailers keep cigarettes completely out of sight of customers (only a standard sign in the store would inform smokers that a store sells smokes). Supermarkets will be banned from selling anything less than a full pack of cigarettes, etc., etc.  Japan Tobacco International’s CEO was there to calmly remind the good congressmen that their company was politely invited to invest in the Philippines and JTI even invested some more when it bought Mighty Cigarettes. JTI has not made a single centavo in profits since it invested in our country the last few years.

 

 

 

In the morning of 23 March 2018, STC attended the Congressional Hearing by the Committee on Trade & Industry headed by Rep. Ferjenel G.Biron, M.D. Bohol Rep. Arthur C. Yap had sponsored a bill to open the Retail Trade Liberalization Law to review as he suggests that there is a need to amend/decrease the minimum investment needed for foreign retailers to come in and set up shop here in the Philippines.  This is to draw in additional foreign investment and improve FDA into the country.   Of course,  PAGASA supported PRA’s position that lowering of minimum investment in this category may open the floodgates for smuggled illicit/goods to proliferate the market as every mom- and-pop’s operator at nearby China may want a slice of our market.  PRA’s Roberto Claudio insisted that we see the money to be brought in by these foreign retailers first before acting on any application as they may unscrupulously end up borrowing money from our system to compete against us!