The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) under the DOH invited supermarkets to its Alabang Head Office to orient them regarding market authorizations; existing rules and regulations; and matters that supermarkets may wish to clarify with the FDA.  At the Conf. Room of the Center for Cosmetics Regulation and Research building on 29 November 2016, Product Research Div. Chief Rhoda Manaloto (beside STC) and Licensing & Regulatory Div. Chief Ma. Theresa Gutierrez (beside Ms. Manaloto) took charge of the briefing together with Juan Paolo Toolete (briefing the group), Roda Pascua of the Device Division and others. Attendees included representatives from SM, Puregold, Robinsons, Waltermart, Super 8, PAGASA and others.

In the morning of 28 Nov. 2016, the Technical Working Group for the new “No Shortchange Act” met for the fourth time (and the first time after consultative public hearings were held in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao).  The TWG was honored by the presence of new DTI Usec. Ted Pascua as he chaired over the meeting to straighten out issues brought to fore from the regional public hearings.  PAGASA’s STC and PCCTA’s Carling Cabochan were the only two representatives from the private sector to attend this Meeting (the rest were all from DTI’s different divisions except for BSP’s Roy R. Hernandez). There appeared difficulty in the enforcement of this law as nearing the completion of the crafting of its Internal Rules and Regulations (IRR), gray areas (contradicting laws) make implementation both cumbersome and troublesome.

The City Government of Quezon City introduced at a hearing just some four days earlier a bill for an Ordinance increasing real estate tax on certain areas in the city of up to 500%!  Of course, attendees to this hearing were alarmed and decided to organize a Consultative Hearing with a wider audience for businesses which will be affected by this “preposterous” bill.  Held on the evening of 11/16/16 at the newly-opened Panay Kain, Tulog, ATBP.’s Mandarin Wok Restaurant and hosted by the Q.C. Association of Fil-Chinese Businessmen, Inc. (supported heavily by the Phil. Chamber of Commerce & Industry-QC Chapter), PAGASA was represented by William Villanueva, Fred Gravador, STC and Desmond Chua (who is also a VP for QCAFCBI).  Other Business Organizations were also represented that evening. Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte got hold of this meeting and sent her City Assessor and relevant Councilors/Sponsors of said Bill to the Meeting to defend their proposal for increase in Real Esta

For the fourth Congress in a row since the 14 th Congress, PAGASA presented its position with regards to the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and its impact on the country’s economy as well as the it’s ecology.  Of course, after various improvements on its position as a result of developments in sustainability worldwide, PAGASA was able to present and submit a more coherent Position Paper to a more receptive Committee on Ecology in Congress headed by its sharp and efficient Chair of the Committee, Congresswoman Estrellita Bito-Onon Suansing of Nueva Ecija.  Among one of the sponsors of this Bill is former pres. & now Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (seated beside Ms. Suansing). The decision Of the Committee at this Hearing set on 16 Nov. 2016 seems to lean more towards regulation rather than ban of plastic bags as a solution to the problem of improper disposal of said bags leading eventually towards gradual phase-out of disposable bags in lieu of reusabl

On 15 Nov. 2016, Señor Alberto Hurtado/Export Area Manager who is charge of business development (for Asia) for Adam Foods’ biscuit lines met with PAGASA’s STC as introduced by former Senior DTI Usec. Thomas Aquino at Annabel’s in Q.C.  Señor Hurtado was interested to understand market trends and consumer behavior in modern trade for his line of products.

The Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Phil. Platform (A-PADPh) held a 3-day workshop at the Hive Hotel in QC on a program that will capacitate MSMEs to ensure that they are able to continue providing much needed products and services to the community with the least disruption when hazards strike. Workshop was held on 3-5 Nov. 2016 by Ms. Elna Corazon Jazmines/Reg. Coordinator for Luzon and will be replicated for MSMEs in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to be drafted by participants themselves will provide scenarios and options to MSMEs when calamity strikes so that they themselves do not become victims instead of providers during times of emergency.