STC decided to make a trip to Cagayan Province up north and visited PAGASA Member Candice Megamart run by PAGASA P.R.O. Edna Ontiveros and son Cyrus.  On the bright morning of 23 June 2018, he made the rounds of Tuguegarao’s city proper and its historic tour sites like the Callao Caves (where later on archaeologists have found a foot bone that could prove the Philippines was first settled by humans 67,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than previously thought.).

 

PAGASA was invited to the Philippine launch of the 5-in-1 Food Show on 26 March 2018 at the Manila Hotel.  The Food Show will be held from 27-30 June 2018 at Taipei’s Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1 at the World Trade Center Complex.  STC had a picture taken with Ben Tan of TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Dev’t. Council) in front of their tarpaulin stand. He was also introduced to TAITRA Manila’s 1-week old Director Mr. Clement Chan.

On 19 June 2018, Ms. Misako Kanaya (in stripes) of the NNA Research Group of Kyoda News from Tokyo, Japan visited the offices of PAGASA to interview Mr. Steven Cua regarding the state of the Philippine market for frozen products such as ice cream drops/delights given the huge consumer base.  They were in the country for some 11 days to study the feasibility of bringing in Japanese ice cream delights most likely after seeing the success of their Korean counterpart in penetrating the local market.

On 31 May 2018, Talk.Shop.Asia held another Inspiring Forum at the E-Hotel Suites along Makati’s Arnaiz Avenue.  They are hence inviting PAGASA to all their networking activities/events. PAGASA’s Myke Teodoro joined the people at Talk.Shop.Asia and wined and dined the afternoon away.

 

 

 

Though the last meeting of the National Price Coordinating Council was held only on 6 March, DTI felt an urgent need to hold another meeting immediately given the public’s seeming unrest over price increases attributed to government’s aggressive taxation program called T.R.A.I.N. Prices covering all commodities were reported and analyzed including factors affecting the economy like interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations, OFW remittances, the weather, world prices of fuel, sugar and flour, the transport sector, labor, etc. A press-con was later held where PAGASA’s STC was invited to sit in with DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez, DTI Usec. Ruth Castelo, DILG Usec. Epimaco Densing III and DA Usec. Ariel Cayanan.

 

At 2:00pm every Sunday, Inquirer Television and Radyo Inquirer DZIQ 990 AM presents TALK SHOP ASIA for the last 2 years and more. PAGASA has been invited to guest at this show for the last Sunday of every month until the end of this year. For the month of May, on 5/27/18 to be exact, PAGASA Treasurer Mykel Teodoro represented the Association to discuss the topic: “Challenges and Opportunities brought about by Today’s Disruption” with DSAP’s Juls Buled and others like Mia Resurrecion-McDonald/CEO-Borrowed Life and Program Host Rolly Pagaspas with JT Solis and Nyette Mondejar-de Leon. The group even showed off their baller for the day. This program is live-streamed on FB and Digital TV Boxes. 

 

 

 

At the Grand Opening of this year’s IFEX, PAGASA’s STC graced the affair in the morning of 25 May 2018.  IFEX was held both at the World Trade Center and the Phil. Trade Training Center (PTTC) just beside it.  There were many foreign and local pavilions this year. An exhibitor from China sensed the utter lack of supply of Yakult in the market and immediately introduced his similar product at the booth where STC visited. STC was also chanced upon by UNTV and was interviewed regarding the state of prices given the implementation of T.R.A.I.N. by the government with Monde Nissin’s Export Manager Ferdinand Champongco.  A few PAGASA Members visited this Expo with VP Liansel Sy dropping by on the last day.

 

On 17 May 2018, the DENR, in partnership with UNIDO (United Nation Industrial Dev’t. Org’n.) held the first Consultative Workshop at the Joy Nostalg Suites on improving the food cold chain in the country. Invited were stakeholders in the private business sector, bankers and non-governmental organizations involved with farmers of fresh produce. Broken down by sectors, PAGASA joined the FGD with suppliers of equipment, services and supplies for cold chain in the country. 

 

Chaired by House Rep. Estrellita Suansing, the Committee on Ecology, in the presence of Rep. Benhur Lopez, Rep. Enrico Piñeda and Rep. Baby Arenas, listened in on the opinion of stakeholders as to what they think if the law charges the public P10/bottle (be it glass or PET) so citizens would get to return these empty containers instead of seeing them end up in the middle of the sea.  Held on 16 May 2018, (in picture, L-R) Comm. Sec. Atty. Dilbert Quetulio, STC, popular environmentalist of Zero Waste Sonia Mendoza and Phil. Plastics Ind. Assn. (PPIA) Vice Pres. Danny Ngo were among those who gave their 2-cents’ worth.  STC initially cited that the cheapest bottled water only costs P5.50 thus adding P10 on top of its price sounds a bit ridiculous.  He also said why not bring empty bottles in cars and give these to beggars instead of coins/cash.  These bottles will surely find their way to recyclers when sold by these mendicants. Instead of bringing empty bottles back to supermarkets to get their deposits he said, it may augur well for church-goers to bring their empty bottles there and have their children place these in prepared bins by the parish ready for collection by recyclers.  This way, doing good for the ecology may be correlated to doing good in the eyes of our creator. STC says they may even add a sign at church which says: “Environmentalists go to Heaven!”

In the late morning of 7 May 2018, Double Dragon Plaza makes its Grand Opening inside the Double Dragon Meridian Park at the corner of Macapagal Avenue and EDSA Extension, Pasay City. PAGASA’s STC was formally invited to grace the affair. In the group picture, you find (L-R) Anvil Business Club’s Chairman Emeritus George Siy, FFCCCII External Affairs Committee Chairman Nelson Guevarra, Rex Daryanani/Past Pres. of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Phils.), Inc., Federation of the Fil-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industy, Inc. (FFCCCII) Pres. Domingo Yap, Peter Mangasing/ Former Pres.-Federation of Electrical & Electronics Suppliers & Manufacturing of the Phils. and PAGASA’s STC. The latter also had his picture taken with the creative and young business taipan, Edgardo “Injap” Sia>founder of Mang Inasal, Double Dragon, City Malls, Hotel 101, Jinjiang Inn, J. Co Donuts, etc. The food hall of this Mall makes the full circle in the cycle of Commercial Centers and offers a wide assortment of delicacies from the different regions of our country versus international cuisine one finds in most modern food courts.  Islas Pinas brings back the local cultural dances which were first presented during the 60’s  and 70’s at Taal Vista Hotel and Plaza Restaurant in Makati.