PAGASA was invited on 20 February 2025 to screen potential items for exhibit at the Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair to be held at the SM Megatrade Halls this April. Group photo reveals (L-R) DTI's Director for the Bureau of Market Development, Promotions & OTOP (BMDPO) Ms. Marievic M. Bonoan, yours truly, Asec. Nylah Rizza D. Bautista of the Competitiveness & Innovation Group as well as guest evaluators from Duty-Free Phils., Gift Stores & key staff of DTI.

PAGASA was invited on 10 February 2025 to attend an Indian-Philippine function at Dusit Thani where a delegation from the Federation of Indian Exporters Organization (FIEO) exhibited their products meant for the Philippine market. In photo is Mr. Mojit Hans (L), Head of Delegation and Mr. Theo Ray L. Puljanan, the Embassy's new Counsellor for Economic & Cultural Wing. Also attended were (L) Ruben See - Pres./Phil. Food Processors & Exporters Org'n., Inc. (Philfoodex) & the Top Honchos of the Food Caterers Assn. of the Phils., Inc. (FCAP).

PAGASA founding member Mina Catungal of V&M Superette passed on 7 February 2025. To this day, her store in Baclaran is an inspiration in resilience. She is now represented at PAGASA by sons Hubert, Albert & Jun Caoile. Photo shows her with Hubert. Mina figured in a vehicular accident in the 90's that left her totally blind since. Their store was immediately closed down on 10 February 2025 following her demise as it had no surviving operator.

On 1 February 2025, PAGASA Pres. Godofredo "Fred" Gravador receives Executive Director Steven T. Cua at the current PAGASA Office inside Welcome Supermart located at 2 Nicanor A. Ramirez St. corner Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Welcome Rotonda, Quezon City. PAGASA will move to a new location by end of February 2025.

PAGASA held its 1Q GenMeet on 29 January 2025 at Taste & Tell Sushi Fusion inside the new wing of Greenhills Mall in San Juan. Discussed was the relatively sluggish sales during the past Yuletide Season with the rise of the number of outlets of DALI and O-Save Discount Shops and the seeming reluctance of consumers to let go of their limited disposal income given their fear of reeling effects of inflation. New government regulations, retail trends and invites by trade show organizers/ embassies/exhibitors both local and international were also in the topics for discussion.

On 28 January 2025, Congressional Ways & Means Committee Chairman Rep. Joey Salceda called another hearing to try to get to the bottom of high prices for rice, poultry, pork and other fresh produce. Just a few days earlier, the DA had met with select food retail operators like SM, Puregold, Robinsons, Waltermart, Landmark, Unimart and 7-11 to ask them to sell NFA Rice at P29/kg. and well-milled rice (100% broken) at P36/kg. and (25% broken) at P38/kg. If amenable, these retailers must sell the P29 variety at no profit while the other two varieties will be provided with some minimal margins. Not all the retailers seemed amenable to the proposal which is to take effect on 1 February 2025. These rice will also be carried by KADIWA outlets and the military's Commisaries. The Hearing took all of the day's regular office hours.

On 24 January 2025, Executive Director Steven. T. Cua was interviewed live via Zoom by the wacky Alvin Elchico & Doris Bigornia. They were wearing clothes mimicking trash cans to stress the importance of sorting garbage into biodegradable and non-biodegradable trash cans in promoting sustainable development. They were asking regarding a plan by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to offer cheap rice in Metro Manila through select national food retail chains and a convenience store chain by 1 February 2025.

The House of Representatives called for the fourth of a series of hearings at the new People's Center Building inside the Congressional Complex on 15 January 2025. This Quinta-Committee is also called the "Murang Pagkain Supercommittee" and is composed of the House Committee on Ways & Means (Lead Committee chaired by Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda), Trade & Industry (Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron), Agriculture & Food (Rep. Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga), Social Services (Rep. Rosanna "Ria" V. Vergara) and the Special Comm. on Food Security (Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma). They want to get to the root of the problem as to why the price of imported rice has not gone down inspite of the lowering of rice tariffs for the last six months? They asked PAGASA's Mr. Cua to explain how rice is priced in supermarkets. STC mentioned that there are just too many varieties of rice and too many types of rice retailers to contain prices at one uniform maximum price. PAGASA feels that the Maximum SRP that the DA is planning to set for imported premium rice at P58.00 per kilo for Metro Manila supermarkets is realistic and doable as prices for the rest of the varieties will follow suit from this price ceiling. These prices will continue to move down as rice at these prices becomes available in the market.

PAGASA's STC attended the first quarter National Price Coordinating Council Meeting on the morning of 14 January 2025 at the new Head Ofc of the Department of Trade & Industry inside the 14-storey Filinvest Building along Gil Puyat Ave. DTI Sec. Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque chaired that Meeting together with Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec. Francisco Tiu-Laurel who had to attend to work on the justification for declaring a state of emergency on the supply of "affordable" rice. Issue was the high price of rice in the market despite the decrease in tariff on imported rice. DA could only instruct the National Food Authority (NFA) to release rice in its regional warehouses if the NPCC deems the situation as urgent in nature and the market needs government intervention. PAGASA's inclusion in the NPCC requires an appointment by the Philippine President himself.

https://www.youtube.com/live/8NKog9jcjA4

In the morning of 13 January 2025, former ANC Newscaster Maiki Oreta acts as anchor for BNC's program "Industry Beacon." She asks tough questions regarding the industry featured for her Program. PAGASA's Executive Director Steven T. Cua laid out the evolving food retail landscape in the country through the decades after WWII.