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.

On the eve of 6 Dec. 2017,  six gallant gentlemen and an iron lady walked into a reserved room at the Coffee Shop of Shangri-la at the Fort.  Inside this conclave they exchanged classified retail information and general pleasantries. (L-R) Steven Cua/Welcome Supermart, Edna Ontiveros/ Candice Megamart (Tuguegarao), Fred Gravador/ Simplicity Minimart (Muzon, Bulacan), Alfie Gatmaytan/Kiko Mart, Myke Teodoro/Velamart, Liansel Sy/Liana’s and Arjie Lim/Andrew’s (Puerto Princesa).  Sorely missing that evening were Robert Go/Prince Group of Supermarkets (Vis-Min) and Desmond Chua/Daily Supermarket.

 

The elected Officers for the term 2017-2019 were:

 

Steven Cua – President
Liansel Sy    -  Vice President
Myke Teodoro   -   Treasurer
Desmond Chua  -   Corp. Secretary
Edna Ontiveros    -  P.R.O.

In the morning of 28 Nov. 2017, PAGASA was invited by the Singapore Office of the HK Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to a seminar to choose HK in making it a partner in doing business at the Bonifacio Hall of Shangri-la at the Fort.  This was to be followed by the invite of the Vietnamese Embassy for STC to give a talk on the state of the food retail industry at the Le Salon of the New World Manila Bay Hotel in Ermita, Manila.  Ms. Vu Viet Nga/Commercial Attache of the Viet Embassy had invited 15 companies from her country who were interested in looking for good business matches in Manila. Up front at the affair was the former Mayor of Marikina Ms. Marides Fernando and Mr. William Bello/most recent awardee for the Retailer of the Year Awards for Wilcon Builders, Inc.

 

DTI Usecs. Teodoro Pascua (Consumer Protection Grp.) and Zenaida Maglaya (Regional Opn’s Grp.) called an urgent meeting to discuss the ill-effects of an earthquake the magnitude of which Metro Manila may find itself in a dilemma for months-to-come if not properly prepared and handled.  Meeting was held on 23 November 2017 at the Office of Usec. Pascua at 2/F UPRC Bldg. along Gil Puyat Ave.  Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) together with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) convened the Inter-Agency Resiliency Team. DTI is a member of the TWG on Food.   PAGASA suggested that learning from past lessons:

1.) The military (not the PNP) must secure all food retail establishments to maintain order when the Big One strikes (and avoid looting);

2.) Road Plans have to be revealed, same with the 4 quadrants of MMDA and evacuation areas of these 4 areas to avoid over-congestion in one area and for the public to be traveling in the areas which are decongested;

3.) to continuously decongest MM as food will only last for a few days if everyone stays within this metropolis (since the number of people in the day time is very much different from that in the night timeas workers travel back to residences in the adjacent provinces in Calabarzon and Central Luzon areas; and
4.) to inform the public before-hand which radio stations  to listen to (with battery-operated radios) since commu- nication systems may be down when cell towers,phone and electric lines are down.