On 25 March 2015, DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade opened its 2015 National Food Fair at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall. PAGASA was invited to the Affair to grace it as well as to check on the interesting products offered by the exhibitors (which PAGASA’s STC and Dir. Desmond Chua helped screen in an earlier meeting with Dir. Rhodora Leaño). The ribbon-cutting ceremony was headed by Usec. Cristino Panlilio/International Trade and Investments Promotions Group (center in white with no glasses) and joined by the Pres. of the Foreign Buyers Assn. of the Phils. (FOBAP), STC, Dir. Ferdinand Manfoste of DTI-NCR (to STC’s left in gray shirt and glasses) and the different heads of DTI’s various agencies and regional offices. Dir. Leaño played low key and acted as the event’s host. This year’s exhibition was very organized and exhibitors were well selected.

PAGASA is an Associate Member of the Phil. Retailers Assn. (PRA) since supermarkets retail only food (and dry goods) in general. A the 1st Quarter General Meeting of the PRA, they had a speaker from Singapore Post (or SingPost)>Singapore privatized their Post Office knowing well that snail mail may soon be a thing of the past and transformed the facilities of this entity into an e-Commerce operation servicing Asian companies from web design to deliveries. Now they are offering Phil. companies their services. CBRE presented the new commercial landscape of retailing including Upcoming Retail Developments. They also invited 37-year old Karl Kendrick Chua/Senior Country Economist of the World Bank in the Philippines who delved on how the retail industry can help alleviate poverty and improve equality in our economy.

On 13 March 2015, PAGASA was invited as a participant to a Forum entitled: “Sustaining Progress in the Retail Industry: Toward Decent Work and Competitiveness.” Organized by the ILS and held at the DOLE Executive Building, STC shared labor realities with the participants given the competitiveness of the retail industry. Invited from the private sector to shed light were PRA’s Atty. Paul Santos (at the podium giving his talk), Michael Angelo Reyes/HR & Training Head of Mrs. Fields Phils., Inc. and Alex Rutagines/Pres.-KILUSAN sa Jollibee.

STC was invited to the formal Phil. launch of SIAL Sha nghai by Comexposium, the world’s largest tradeshow organizing outfit. One picture shows (L-R) Joseph Ang, “Jill Aithnie Ang/Managing Dir. of Worldbex Services Int’l. , STC and Mr. Bjoern Kempe (Gen.Mgr. of Comexposium Manila). The other one shows STC with (L-R) Francisco Buencamino/ Exec. Dir. of Phil. Assn. of Meat Processors, Inc., David Chua/VP of FFCCCII and Col. Alejandro Escaño/Pres.-Meralco Foundation & Chair- Phil. Chamber of Agriculture & Food, Inc.