The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam held a Year-end function at the Jen Hotel which presented a few Vietnamese companies wanting to do business in the Philippines on 17 Dec. 2015.  PAGASA’s (L-R) Fred Gravador, Steven Cua and Desmond Chua had a picture taken with his Excellency the Ambassador of Vietnam (2R) while Edna Ontiveros (3R) joined in when a picture was taken with Vietnamese Commercial Counselor Ms. Vu Viet Nga (3L) and Vietnamese Trade Delegation intending to do business in our shores.

On Dec. 4, 2015, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) organized a Business Matching Session at the Manila Hotel bringing in a Trade Mission featuring food and non-food products. PAGASA’s STC attended and tried a few of the food delicacies offered to the local market.

The Phil. Business for Education (PBEd) gives a Public Presentation of the Findings of its 3-year Project on Higher Education (HEPP) on 4 Dec. 2015 at the Tower Club in Makati. As it wraps up this USAID-funded Project, main contributors like PAGASA were invited to view the summary of findings as presented in one of the slides pictured.  It showed that industry and the academe must partner and communicate constantly to produce productive graduates relevant to the needs of industry on the national as well as local levels. One of the major accomplishments of this project was the ability to pull together the different associations representing the private schools, the state colleges/universities and its local counterpart. It was also able to show the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) the mismatch between courses of graduates and the qualifications needed by trade/industry and the lack of honing of life skills/communication skills in our school curriculum needed to churn out

PAGASA was formally invited to the Opening Ceremony of the Manufacturing Technology 2015 at the SMX on 5 Novermber 2015. Representing PAGASA is Board Director Myke Teodoro of Velamart (4 th from Left Top Row) standing amidst the industry leaders of the manufacturing sector. Included in this Trade Show is Pack Print Plas Phils. and Transport & Logistics Phils. Exhibitors included suppliers of all sorts for manufacturers and processors.

PAGASA President Steven T. Cua was honored to have been invited by the Execom of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) during a working lunch on 3 Nov. 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas Center. Discussions centered on cooperation between the two organizations and strengthening of ties between its members. PAGASA has been an Associate Member of the PRA since 1999, the supermarket business  or food retailing being a sub-sector of the retail industry.

On the afternoon of 3 November 2015, the Pres. of the Phil. Confectionery, Biscuits and Snack Foods Assn. (PCBSA)> Mr. William Lim paid PAGASA’s Mr. Cua a visit at PAGASA office to discuss how the two organizations can make the most of its members’ affiliation with their respective associations. In a generous move on the part of Mr. Lim who is established in his business>W.L. Food Products, he took time out of his busy schedule to brainstorm with Mr. Cua on ways the members of their two groups can maximize their participation/ involvement in the two Industry Assns. A project is a-brewing in the months to come.

Every 2 years, at its 4 th Quarter General Meeting, PAGASA holds its Elections for a new set of Board of Directors for a two-year mandate. On the eve of 29 October 2015 at the Potts Point Australian Restaurant at the Mall of Asia, PAGASA held its Elections at said General Meeting.  On this eve, A.C. Nielsen’s Patrick Cua, PMFTC’s Atty. Arnaldo Cariño and TradeChannel & Pitaca, Inc.’s Nelson Co and Martin Nery offered their services and insights to enthralled PAGASA Members.

PAGASA’s Pres. and VP Steve Cua and Liansel Sy, respectively, were invited to the prestigious Retail Asia Pacific Top 500 Awards Night held at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Casino & Resort Hotel on 29 October 2015.  They hobnobbed with the bosses of Robinsons, Rustan’s, WalterMart, Automatic Centre and Mr. Manny O. himself (man behind the famous wines; in grey suit). Mercury Drug was given the Special Award for the Phils. on this evening.

After 22 years, the country hosts once more the 17 th Asia-Pacific Retailers Conference and Exhibition from 28-30 October 2015 at the SMX by the bay.  At its Welcome Dinner for Delegates at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, the Board of the Phil. Retailers Assn. stepped on stage in style and greeted the guests in their native tongue. The theme was Filipiniana and PAGASA delegates were garbed for the occasion as they had a shot taken with the Chairman of the Federation  of Asia-Pacific Retailers Assns. (FAPRA)> Mr. Mehmet Nane (of Turkey; in coat).  The President of the Phils. gave the Official Welcome Remarks at the Conference as majority of PAGASA delegates took a shot at one of the many photo op areas within the Exhibition Area. PAGASA Pres. Steven Cua was invited to chair one of the Sessions on Country Retail Reports where the Heads of Delegations gave their country’s retail development reports to the whole body.

PAGASA was invited on 24 Sept. 2015 to a Meeting at the Toyota Convention Center inside the U.P. Campus to discuss ways to decongest EDSA. It was a Meeting chaired by the Secretary of the Cabinet, Sec. Rene Almendras who was assigned to take care of the growing traffic problem in view of simultaneous constructions like the Metro Manila Skyway to eventually decongest vehicular traffic in the Metropolis. All stakeholders from business to industry to transport and traffic operators, to government and media, to commuters and the consumer groups were invited to listen to the plans already in place and to give their two-cents’ worth in trying to come up with a solution to ease everyone’s plight every travelling day. Sec. Singson of the DPWH, the MMDA, Sec. Abaya of the DOTC and others presented their thoughts on how to solve this perennial problem. Opinion given that day were all noted to help come up with the best win-win situation given current circumstances.

PAGASA’s STC was asked for an interview by an Ateneo Graduate Student of Journalism on 23 Oct. 2015 who turned out to be GMA-7’s Athena Imperial (who was incidentally crowned Ms. Earth Philippines in 2011). She interviewed Mr. Cua for a paper in school regarding PAGASA’s role in the regulation of the use of plastic bags and what is PAGASA’s stand regarding the role of supermarkets in trying to curtail the improper disposal of plastic  bags which is hurting the environment.

With barely a week to go before the biennial Asia-Pacific Retailers Conference to be hosted by the Philippines at the SMX (after last hosting some 20 years ago), PAGASA’s STC attends the briefing for Chairmen of various Break-out Sessions to be held at said Conference on 29-30 Oct. 2015. The Phil. Retailers Association (PRA) comes all out in organizing this huge event participated by the biggest retailers of some 18 Asia-Pacific economies including Japan, China, Korea, etc. STC will be handling the Session featuring the Country Reports on Retailing by the Heads of Delegation of the members of the Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Associations (FAPRA). 10-23-2015

On the early morning of 19 Oct. 2015,PAGASA’s STC was invited as guest at the studios of Radio Veritas to discuss issues on consumerism with program host Angelique Lazo and Fr. Soy Hernando. Tackled were issues on consumers being short-changed by manufacturers and retailers wherein listeners phoned-in, texted or emailed most of their concerns.

PAGASA was elected as the Chairman Organization for Agrilink, Foodlink, Aqualink in 2007. PAGASA is a Co-operator of this biggest Agri-Business Tradeshow in the country since 1999.  Exhibited are live breeder animals to feeds to giant aerator equipment.  The supermarket is at the far end of the supply chain for agri-produce coming from farms all over the country.  In half-body picture is PAGASA’s president Steven Cua with Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. To their left is this year’s Show Chairman Isidro Acosta/Regional Fisheries and Agriculture Council (RFAC) Chairman for Region II and VP of Phil. Maize Federation (PhilMaize) and DA Asec. for Agribusiness Leandro “Dax” Gazmin. Other pic shows (L-R) FRLD’s Lino Perez, Col. Alejandro Teves Escaño of Meralco Foundation, STC, Arsenio “Toto” Barcelona of Harbest Agribusiness Corp., Organizer FRLD Chairman Antonio Roces (back), Sec. Alcala, Asec. Gazmin, Atty. Asis G. Perez/Dir.-Bureau of Fisheries & Aquat

The Board of PAGASA held a Special Board Meeting on 1 Oct. 2015 at the Legend Seafood Restaurant to discuss the upcoming bi-annual elections of PAGASA Directors on 29 Oct. 2015 as well as other issues affecting the industry like intense competition, corporate cannibalism and the tightening of inspections by the different government regulatory agencies.

Every October, the country observes the Consumer Welfare Month. On its very first day, the DTI which is the lead agency for this engagement, invites all concerned agencies/entities to join in the observance of this Event. PAGASA came out in full force with most of its Board Members in attendance and with Treasurer William Villanueva acting as Staff Bearer for the Association. PAGASA Officers marched on stage as did all other agencies invited to the affair to show solidarity between the public and private sector in seeing to it that the consumer is king in this country. DTI’s National Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC) spearheaded this year’s event.

PAGASA’s STC was invited by the Philippine Cultural College to speak at the Young Entrepreneurs Forum: Building Business Minds for Management and Tourism students. It was held on 30 Sept. 2015 at their newly-built campus in Quezon City. STC shared his experience as an entrepreneur in the retail trade industry while two other guest speakers shared theirs coming from the manufacturing and services sector. Sharing of this sort is part of PAGASA’s social responsibility and empowerment program for future business leaders/economic managers in this country.

The PRA launched the Philippine Shopping Festival on 29 Sept. 2015 at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Resort and Casino in Aseana City.  This is a project ahead of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Retailers Conference and to move the shopping capital of Asia from HK and Singapore to Manila. With much fanfare, the project hopes to lure the family members of APRCE delegates to fly in as tourists and shop in our beautiful country. To STC’s left in picture is PRA’s Secretary-General Evelyn Balmeo-Salire.

Phil. Retailers Association holds its 3/Q General Membership Meeting at a ballroom of the City of Dreams on 22 Sept. 2015. This is the last Meeting of Members (where PAGASA as an organization is an Associate Member in good standing) before the awaited Asia Pacific Retailers Conference and Exhibition to be held end of next month at the SMX Convention and Exhibition Center. Presenter on consumer trends Kantar World Panel illustrated dramatic shifts in consumer behavior as a result of growing incomes from the lower middle income group and faster pace of economic life in urban centers.