The DTI held its first National Price Coordinating Council Meeting on 6 March 2018 with new DTI Officers (L-R) Dir. Ronnel Abrenica, Usec. Ruth Castelo, DTI Sec./NPCC Chairman Ramon Lopez, Dept. of Transportation’s Usec. Atty. Garry de Guzman and DTI Asec. Ernesto Perez. Topic was on the intermediate effects of TRAIN on prices of basic necessities and prime commodities. PAGASA’s STC was there with PCCTA’s Carling Cabochan. STC intimated that effects were a bit too early to tell but there were definite select price increases where some of the products unaffected by TRAIN found its prices on the uptick.  A press conference ensued and STC was invited to join the DTI officers at the Head Table.

 

 

On the afternoon of 3/6/18, DTI oriented manufacturers, distributors and retailers alike on their proposed “Suking Tindahan” Program where they are requesting suppliers to sell to select sari-sari stores at lower prices so they, in turn, can sell to their customers at DTI’s SRP’s.  This was met with some apprehension as sari-sari stores currently buy from the bigger retail outlets and do not possess the economies of scale that bigger stores do.  They do not have the financial muscle and warehouse space to order enough volume and make it worth the suppliers’ while to offer them goods at prices which they do the bigger retail outlets.

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. 

Ad Asia Conventions & Exhibitions Int’l. Corp. launches a new trade show called Food & Hotel Expo Manila (FHEM) which will be held on the 16th-18th of Feb. 2018 at the SMX.  On 19 Jan., the Group invites PAGASA and all its show partners to a Press Briefing at the Bayview Park Hotel Mla. PAGASA is its trade partner for the Show and STC was there together with representatives from the academe, media, sponsors, communication and I.T. outfits and the chef’s and franchise organizations. Ad Asia was represented by Mr. Josh Carlo, Mr. Niel Chavez and Ms. Miles Caballero.

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.

 

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 asia.  (L-R) Akio Sato-san/Pres.-Team Japan, Inc., Chilam/CEO- Beijing Bingobox Technology Co., Ltd., STC, Tom Lin/CEO-Play, Evatar Korea and Iris/Exec. Dir.-Seven Go Technology Co., Ltd of Taiwan.

 

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.

 

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.

 

As a consequence of agreements made at the recent ASEAN Conference held in Manila, this Forum is an offshoot of that Regional Meet.  Held at the Makati Shangri-La on 1-2 Feb. 2018, this Forum attracted top lawyers in Competition Law to discuss cultural and legal understanding of what constitutes unfair competition in regulating business dominance in an industry. Host at this Meet is National Competition Commision’s Chairman Arsenio Balisacan and Presidential Consultant on SMEs Jose “Joey” Concepcion III. STC was fortunate to renew ties with the former Energy Sec. & former NEDA Asst. Sec. General Atty. Raphael Lotilla who is  now based in Asean countries working on various laws affecting these nations like laws on trade integration and facilitation.  STC was also fortunate to spot some youngsters who arrived individually and whom at first he did not recognize but upon deduction and intuition, made them out to be all part of the team El Gamma Penumbra> performers for the international audience at the Special Dinner.