Director-Elect Jon Mykel “Mike” Teodoro/ Velamart in Rosario and Naic, Cavite (white shirt/sporting watch with black strap) represented PAGASA at the DTI Meeting held on the afternoon of 23 Oct. 2013 to include Bottled Water on the list of Basic Necessities it being that water is essential especially during times of calamity and emergency.  As such, rules on said proposal were drawn up at said Meeting attended by Pepsi (Phils.), Asia Brewery, Hidden Springs and other major bottled water suppliers. A similar Meeting with Instant Noodle Manufacturers took place at the same office on the same day in the morning with Director-Elect Desmond Tan/Daily Supermarket taking the cudgels for PAGASA.

The 17th Congress Committee on Ecology under Rep. Bagatsing hears the Bills on Plastic Bags for the first time on the afternoon of 10/23/13. Stakeholders had to reorient the new Congress on past developments.  President Steve Cua was there to reiterate PAGASA’s position on the regulation of plastic bags by volunteering PAGASA Member Stores to act as agents of Collection for used plastic bags so that recyclers may retrieve these for the purpose of recycling; thereby, limiting improper disposal of used plastic bags. This also provides owners of plastic manufacturers enough time to shift to recycling, the manufacture of Reusable Bags or to some other industry and cushion the impact of job dislocation created by the decrease in demand for plastic bags. PAGASA believes that Reusable Bags (versus Disposable Bags) is the lasting solution to the ecological problem created by the improper disposal of disposable plastic bags.

PAGASA holds its Elections on the last quarter of every other year. At the 4/Q General Meeting hosted by Epson Phils. at the New Orleans Restaurant in Robinsons Magnolia on 16 Oct. 2013. This was after Industry Briefings during the Meeting Proper and Trend Updates by A.C. Nielsen. Former retailer/PAGASA Director Patrick Ong and Ciara Santos, assisted by Welcome Supermart’s Letty Badilla, performed their duties as the evening’s COMELEC to elect into office the new set of Board of Directors for PAGASA for 2013-2015.

PBEd hosted the “Industry- Academe Council Agenda Setting Workshop” again to align college curriculums in churning out graduates fitted to the recruitment requirements of companies dealing with Management, Engineering, IT and HRM. This was held at the Shangri-la Boracay on 4 October 2013. PAGASA’s Steve Cua represented Business Management as Industry Representative. Last photo shows (foreground in white) Lasalle Pres. Bro. Ricky Laguda, U.P. Pres. Fred Pascual (with microphone and in black jacket) and Ateneo Pres. Fr. Jett Villarin, S.J. (far center and in front of lighted screen) participating at Workshop.