PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua is invited by the Phil. Retailer Association during the 2008 Retailer of the Year Awards Night to present the finalists for the Food Retailer of the Year. Vying for the Award are Goldilocks Bakeshop, Monterey Meatshop & Red Ribbon Bakeshop. It was a tie between the last two. With him is PRA Cebu Chapter President Melanie C. Ng of Ng Khai Development Corp.

PAGASA was recently invited to a Data Dissemination Seminar by the National Statistics Office on the 2006 Census of Philippine Business & Industry at the EDSA Shangrila Hotel. At the podium is NSO Administrator Carmelita N. Ericta and waiting to react to her presentation is former NEDA Sec.-Gen. Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., Ph.D (seated, 2nd-R)

In view of spiraling world prices of fuel, raw materials and prime commodities, DTI Director Atty. Victoriano A. Dimagiba (left) of the Bureau of Trade Regulations & Consumer Protection called a Special Meeting with PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua and PASI Sec.Gen. Atty. Federico I. Ples to discuss possible price rollbacks from supermarket suppliers. Taking notes is BTRCP staff Catherine Antonio.

In view of the coming Yuletide Season, Pres. Steve Cua has been frequently interviewed by tri-media on the effect of supply and demand on prices of prime commodities and basic necessities. With him in the radio program hosted by DZMM’s Alvin Elchico are (L-R) DA’s Jose Manto, SCua, Phil. Retailer Assn.’s Atty. Paul Santos, Market Vendors-NAMVESCO’s Rudy Dalangin and DTI Assec. Angel Pelayo-Ty. Hidden is DTI Usec. Zenaida Maglaya.

1994 > PAGASA holds its 2008 4th Qtr Meeting at the XtraOrdinary Philippines Restaurant which specializes in Filipino Fusion at the top floor of The Block within the SM North EDSA Complex (now holding the distinction of being the “3rd biggest mall in the world” and the country’s biggest after inauguration of 9-hectares of floor area at its new Annex). . Here, Pres. Steve Cua brings perspective to the members’ performance by providing benchmarks by top performers. 2000 > PAGASA X’mas Party ensued after the 2008 4th Qtr General Meeting at The Block at SM North EDSA. In foreground are (L-R) Susan Lim/JC Plaza, Liansel Sy/Liana’s, Abba Goson/ Isetann and Alfred/Heide Gatmaytan/Common- wealth Avenue Supermarket.

PAGASA attended a series of meetings at the Dept. of Agriculture on supply & demand and prices of pork/poultry for Yuletide Season 2008. In the middle of the picture is PAGASA Pres. Steven Cua

PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua is invited as Reactor to the speech of DTI’s Dir. Meynard Orbeta/Bureau of Domestic Trade (left) as Dir. Alicia O. Lustre of DA’s Food Development Center (2nd-L) and Ms. Sandra Bucao, Pres./ Intertek Testing Services Phils. join in during Open Forum at the 1st Processed Food Industry Forum hosted by the Food Entrepreneurs & Exporters of the Phils.

PAGASA Pres. Steven T. Cua attends a regular session of the National Price Coordinating Council discussing the factors affecting the prices of commodities such as food, fuel, flour, rice, cement, etc. With him in picture are (r-l) VP Noli de Castro, DTI Sec. Peter Favilla, DTI USec. Zenaida Maglaya, STC, Phil. Assn. of Meat Processors, Inc. Exec. Dir. Francisco Buencamino and PASI’s Atty. Federico Ples.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (leftmost) was Special Guest of Honor at the Opening Ceremonies of Agrilink, Foodlink, Aqualink 2008, the biggest annual Agri-business Trade Show, where PAGASA has always been an active co-organizer for the last twelve years.

Commotion and confusion caused by the Melamine scare resulted in daily interviews by tri-media for PAGASA President Steven T. Cua as he clarifies controversial and conflicting findings from various food safety agencies in different countries pending test results from the local Bureau of Food and Drugs.

The regional scare on Melamine-tainted Products was discussed at the radio program of Vice President Noli L. de Castro (with cap). Guests were PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua (left), Bureau of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales (clockwise), co-host Cheryl Cosim, Dept. of Health Sec. Franciso Duque III and PASI spokesperson Atty. Federico Ples. Dept. of Trade & Industry Sec. Peter Favila joined in later.

PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua smiles beside Dept. of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III as they both try to appease the fear spreading from the regional Melamine scare through public information.

PAGASA is invited to DZMM’s “Konsumer atbp.” to discuss price movements in the market as September ushers in the “-ber” months towards the Yuletide Season. With Pres. Steve Cua (checkered shirt) is (counter-clockwise) Raul Concepcion of Concepcion Industries as head of Consumer & Oil Price Watch, Rudy Dalangin of the National Market Vendors Cooperative and Atty. Federico Ples of PASI. Partly hidden is Francisco Buencamino of the Phil. Assn. of Meat Processors & Alliance of Canned Fish Manufacturers.

PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua offers a toast to AsiaFood Expo ‘08 with the officers of the Phil. Chamber of Food Manufacturers and Assn. of Filipino Franchisers Pres. Rommel T. Juan (barong) at the French Pavilion hosted by Le Club French Business Association of the Phils.

The 2008 WOFEX (World Food Expo) at the World Trade Center brings the lovely ladies of Peruvian Purple Corn to PAGASA’s Booth with Pres. Steven T. Cua (in coat) and Corp. Secretary Karl Marxist Tan entertaining them. PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua gives a talk on Current Trends in Consumer Goods Packaging at WOFEX 2008 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Philippines.

PAGASA joins MAFBEX 2008>Manila Foods and Beverages Expo at the World Trade Center on 18-22 June 2008 to showcase its member-stores and update the public regarding its various activities/projects

Office on Muslim Affairs Director Tahir Sinsuat Lidasan, Jr. and PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua (left) in a visit to the former’s office seals with a handshake their agreement to orient PAGASA members about Halal and its acceptance in Philippine supermarkets.

PAGASA Pres. Steve Cua meets with National Food Authority Asst. Reg. Dir. for NCR Piolito C. Santos to execute the directive from Malacañang for supermarkets to sell NFA Commercial Rice at the subsidized retail price of P35/kg. to soften the impact of soaring rice prices worldwide

PAGASA Members recently went on a Lecture-cum-Tour of Procter & Gamble's Showroom to learn the latest trends and studies on merchandising efficiencies.

PAGASA Pres. Steven Cua was invited to act as moderator at the 2008 2nd Qtr General Meeting of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), the umbrella organization of all retailers (supermarkets being a sub-sector of the retail industry). Guests for the day were Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Director-Gen. Adrian Cristobal Jr. who spoke on the registration and nature of trademarks, patents and related matters; and Miguel Suterio (left in picture), Managing Director of Trade Dynamics, Inc. a training outfit specializing in Retail Brand Management.

PAGASA Directors recently held its Board Meeting at the PLDT Offices along Boni Avenue to view the many digital solutions of SME Nation, a subsidiary of PLDT . Present were Liansel Sy (Director/Liana’s; leftmost), Roy Chua (VP/Daily Supermarket; 4 th from left), Steven Cua (Pres ident / Welcome Supermart; to the left of Roy in gray), Robert Ang (Dir./Top Line Supermart; to the left of Steve in blue), Johnny Lim (Dir./680 Supermarket; in front of Bobby in white), William Villanueva (Treas./Purity Supermarket; to the left of Bobby in white) and Karl Marxist Tan (Corp. Sec./ Budgetlane Chain; in front of William in violet).

PAGASA was summoned to join the NEDA Cluster-Cabinet Meeting with President Gloria Macapal-Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro in tackling the rice crisis in the country at Malacanang last April 16, 2008.  Media has also been closely monitoring the movement of prices in view of rising fuel costs as well as the rising world prices for wheat, corn and milk solids affecting manufacturing inputs and jacking up the prices of prime commodities.

Some members of PAGASA joined friends and competitors in the industry at the supermarket conference held at the Holiday Inn  inside Mimosa, Clark at Pampanga on the 3-4 of April, 2008.  The theme for this year is "The Era of Retail Giants."

PAGASA members had their first quarter general meeting for the year 2008 at the UCC coffee shop in Greenhill last March 28, 2008.  The evening was hosted by Virginia Foods Inc., makers of El Racho, VFI and Winner canned products.  Virginia Foods has been operating in Metro Manila for many years but had a set back due to internal problems.  During the evening, they re-introduced their company with an audio visual presentation of their plant in Cebu as well as to show off their products with its new dynamic packagings. Above picture shows (from left clockwise) Karl Tan, Edgar Robes, Johnny Lim, William Villanueva (partially hidden), Emerson Sio, Steve Cua and Robert Ang. Picture on right shows visiting guests from Nesabel Corporation, a supermarket in Pateros , Emerson Sio and members from Parco led by Patrick Ong.

Michigan State University Professor, Thomas Reardon spoke to members of PAGASA and other guests last February 27, 2008 at the Quezon City Sports Club.  Professor Reador spoke regarding the Supermarket Growth in Asia, focusing on produce strategies.  He told the history of the produce sections in the supermarket from different parts of the world.  He also gave insights into the current trends regarding the changing supply and demands for produce in the market.