Nomura Research Institute Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.’s Manila Branch GM Makiko Takaoka (also, Coordinator for JETRO Mnaila; in white) invited PAGASA’s STC to lunch to discuss the cold storage needs of the Supermarket Sector in the Philippines. With her on 15 July 2015 is Soleil Corpuz whose project is to zero- in on the problems besetting the set-up of cold storage facilities in aiding food retailers to better carry fresh produce. Meeting was held at EDSA Shangrila’s Heat Café.

  Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas invited PAGASA, the Phil. Retailers Assn. (PRA) and the Phil. Vending Corporation to a meeting at their East Avenue Offices to discuss the viability of retailers carrying Coin Exchange Machines at their outlets as part of BSP’s Coin Recirculation Program (in response to the recently-passed Exact Change Law).  On 14 July 2015, BSP’s Managing Director for Currency Management Sub-Sector (beside STC), Ms. Iluminada T. Sicat chaired over the Meeting together with her capable Staff (Mr. Ernando S. de Leon/Director- Currency Issue and Integrity Office to her right), Phil. Vending Corp.’s CEO Herwin Henryck C. See (in dark glasses) and PRA’s Atty. Paul Santos (to his left). The lively discussion centered on how to get the citizenry to bring out the coins residing in their homes to assure the economy of an efficient recirculation of coins for use/change at businesses.

On 13 July 2015, PAGASA’s STC was invited by Ms. Vu Viet Nga, Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Philippines to discuss possible trade between the two countries for FMCG.  She asked for assistance in convincing Vietnamese manufacturers that the Philippines is a good place to invest and export their products to. She plans on staging Viet business trade missions to the Philippines in the near future.

PAGASA was invited to the Launch of the Dept. of Health’s “Saktong Iodine sa Asin” Seal of Quality Program on 10 July 2015 held at the Grand Ballroom of the Heritage Hotel. DOH, with the help of U.N.’s World Health Organization, wants to make sure that the correct measure of iodine is fortified in salt to help build a healthier population, especially for children and pregnant women.  

Every year, University of Asia & the Pacific holds a Mid-year and End-of-the-year Economic Briefing to benefit economic planners/decision-makers both of the private and public sector. PAGASA’s STC was invited once more to do the honors for the Food Retail Industry this year together with National Food Authority Administrator Renan Dalisay, Seafoods Business Expert Philip Ong and UBRA (Union of Broiler Raisers Association) President Atty. Jose Elias Inciong (to STC’s left at the table). UA&P’s well-respected Dean of the College of Food & Agri-Business’ Dr. Roland Dy moderated for the open forum held at the auditorium of UA&P on 9 July 2015.

PAGASA was invited to the Supplier Summit of 2015 on 6 July at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Hotel & Casino at Aseana City in Pasay.  This Summit brings to Philippine shores the major global suppliers of Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corporation to discuss illicit trade of cigarettes which affects up to one-third of the total income of this industry (in the Philippines alone).  STC was invited to sign the “Commitment Pledge” Board as one of the convenors of this Summit given the retailers’ commitment to carry only legitimate goods from legal manufacturers (PMFTC is the top payer of taxes in the Philippines).