On 28 Feb. 2018, the Dept. of Agriculture held at its Manila Office of the Bureau of Plant Industry a 3-day Forum on Standardization of Produce across the country. This is an off-shoot of the ASEAN Meetings where the countries in this region want to eventually standardize produce to facilitate trade.  It was a serious gathering of farmers from the different parts of the country to try to improve production, marketing and distribution.  At the Forum, STC was seated beside the Administrator of the BPI.  He expounded on how coops can help farmers in production and distribution and the need for a clear certifying body for organics. He participated on the first afternoon of the Forum.

The Phil. Retailers Assn. launches a coffee table book carrying the personal success stories behind the country’s 12 Retail Gems.  In no particular order, the twelve includes  Henry Sy,Sr., Socorro Cancio-Ramos, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Amb. Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr., Jorge Araneta, John Gokongwei, Jr., Mariano Que, Tessie Sy-Coson, Andrew Tan, Lucio Co, Samie Lim and William Bello. Event was held at the Makati Shangri-La on the early eve of 27 February 2018. 

On 14-16 February 2018, STC was invited to the annual Supermarket Trade Show at the huge Makuhari Messe Trade Halls in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture some forty kilometers away from Tokyo.  This well-attended event spans some 10 trade halls carrying various food products and delicacies of the different regions of Japan.  There were lots of sampling and foreign VIPs were even provided private interpreters (in my case, Ms. Yukimi Aoki).  We were also treated to the UCC Special Coffee Center and a gourmet Italian meal by Michelin Chef Tsutomu Ochiai. Of course, in return, we were asked many questions regarding our country’s market profile and promising products at the Exhibit which may make it to our local supermarket shelves.

On the eve of 15 February 2018, STC was requested to do the Welcome Remarks at the Formal Dinner of Japan’s Supermarket Association (NSAJ) at the Tsuru Room of the Hotel New Otani Makuhari.  PAGASA was honored to welcome participants from people in the retail industry, mainly associate members of NSAJ and Exhibitors of the Supermarket Trade Show (SMTS) and the DTS.  STC was congratulated upon finishing his speech by NSAJ Chairman of the Board Kiyoshi Yokoyama-san (with white lapel flower) and many other guests at the Event.  Prominent among them would be Masaro Ueshima-san, President of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. (with glasses in grey tie) and the two gentlemen who caught up with STC at the hotel lobby (doing the fist and thumbs-up sign) Hiroaki Miyamoto-san, President of the exquisite Ginza Bakery and Shuji Miyamoto-san/Pres.-Ginza Biscuit Co., Ltd. Standing out amongst the evening’s crowd was this group of young technopreneurs planning to operate unmanned supermarkets all over as

PAGASA President Steven T. Cua was honored to have been invited to give the Welcome Remarks at the Formal Dinner held for associate members of the New Supermarkets Association of Japan (NSAJ) on the eve of 15 Feb. 2018 at the New Otani Hotel Makuhari in Chiba City, Japan.

PAGASA Vice President Liansel H. Sy represented the Association in giving the Welcome Remarks at this Initial Exhibition of Food & Hotel Expo Manila (FHEM) on its Opening Day on 14 Feb. 2018 at the SMX in Pasay. He was accompanied by wife Mia Vito Sy and PAGASA P.R.O. Desmond C. Chua.  PAGASA’s booth was manned by PAGASA Secretariat Jenny M. Lopez and Eva B. Bayola. STC was unavailable on Opening Day so he dropped by on Day 3 and visited the booths there including one selling Mabuti and Tome Sardines and run by a family friend of Ms. Janice de Belen.

STC was invited by the DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade & Promotion on 1 Feb. 2018 at the BDTP Conference Room to screen the food products that should be exhibited at the Sikat Pinoy National Food Fair in March at the Mega Trade Halls inside SM Megamall.  To save on time for this 2-day screening activity, STC selected ahead of the team from all the products lying around the BDTP Offices and explained the good and the bad in packaging and labeling when catering to the mainstream market via supermarkets.