PAGASA's STC was invited as a Resource Person at the third Senate Hearing on Sin Taxes on 30 August 2012. At the Session Hall were Ways & Means Committee Members Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Juan Ponce Enrile, Ralph Recto (Chairman of the Committee), Franklin Drilon and Pia Cayetano. Attentively attending the Sessions were top honchos from the DOF and DOH aside from BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, DTI Usec. Adrian Cristobal, Jr. and all the stakeholders for the said Bill. The Committee was hurrying up to decide on the increase of excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes before the year ends.

PAGASA was invited to the Senate's Session Hall to contest the proposed/controversial 706% increase in cigarette taxes and to present our position on said Sin Taxes. The Hearing took the whole of 23 Aug. 2012 but only accomplished hearing the side of the manufacturers both for alcohol, cigars and cigarettes. Sen. Ralph Recto is the Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee of the Upper House. Present on that day were Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Franklin Drilon and Pia Cayetano. Resource people included DOF Sec. Cesar Purisima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares and many other officers involved in this Issue. Hearing for the retailers resume on 30 Aug. 2012. Being in Senate and monitoring the presentations of the pro- and anti-bill proponents, PAGASA gets a better big picture of the situation.

DOLE commissioned De la Salle University's Lecturer Christopher Cabuay to come up with career guides for various occupations. On 22 Aug., he invited PAGASA and other retailers to La Salle Campus' Ramon del Rosario Sr. Bldg. in Manila to comment on their prepared Guide to confirm the accuracy of their paper.

DTI Meeting with MMDA on Exemptions on Truck Ban Delivering Relief Items to and from Supermarkets/Relief Centers. MMDA Usec. Corazon T. Jimenez (in red) met with members of the Phil. Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Philbaking and PAGASA to announce the lifting of the truck ban in certain affected cities/municipalities during calamities for a period of five (5) days from when disaster striked. Moderating the Meeting was Director of the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP) Atty. Victorio Dimagiba of the DTI at his office on 22 August 2012. All stakeholders agreed to cooperate and help out asap during periods of difficulty.

PAGASA attended the PASI Conference at Bacolod on 16-17 August 2012 at the L'Fisher Hotel.  There were seven from Cebu, two from Bataan/Zambales, one from Tuguegarao (despite the on-going typhoon in that area during that time!) and six from Metro Manila/Bulacan area. After the learning, the delegates decided to go on a nature-trip in the province of Negros Occidental on 18 August. Needless to say, it was a riotous and fun-filled activity. For more pictures, Facebook/Pagasa

For 2012, the National Retail Conference & Exhibition (NRCE) was attended by six delegates from PAGASA. It was held at the SMX on 9-10 August. Robert Go of the Visayas region's Prince Warehouse Club chain of supermarkets went with eldest daughter Rhea and other manager-relatives.  Frances J. Yu of the Rustan Super Centers, Inc. gave a very inspiring, holistic and dynamic perspective of people-centered and service-oriented supermarket management.  To add spice to the presentations at the Conference, the topic of "Retailtainment" was tackled by the SM Group, the Ayala Group and Megaworld's "Lifestyle Malls" which gave the delegates a taste of Broadway's "The King and I" about to be performed at the theatre of Resorts World Manila.

PAGASA's STC was invited once again to be an organizer for this year's National Retailers Conference & Exhibitions to be held at the SMX on 9-10 Aug. 2012. Attending this first session in a series of meetings before the event, Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) President Frederick Go of Robinson's Land Corp. joined in to discuss the theme for the Conference. PRA is the organizer of the annual event.

During the wee hours of August 7, 2012, heavy rainfall due to a LowPressure Area/Monsoon Rains resulted in flooding all over Metro  Manila.  Some stores were inundated and roads were inaccessible.  For those which opened, they experienced long queues at the counters. Being heavily undermanned because employees living in low-lying areas had no ride and access to work, supermarkets continued to service wary but calm customers all day through.

P AGASA attends the Inspirational Seminar called Voices of Leadership featuring (on pics) NutriAsia’s CEO Noel Lorenzana and Hapinoy Managing Director Mark Ruiz aside from Inspirational Guru Francis Kong, Hyundai’s Fe Perez-Agudo and former Presidential New Media Head Jay Jaboneta. (L-R) Johnny Lim, Roy Chua, Arvilene Añonuevo, STC, Mark Ruiz, Myke Teodoro, William Villanueva, Leticia Badilla and Agnes Jucom of PAGASA left the Seminar all inspired and fired-up to become great leaders!