Representing PAGASA at the PRA GMM for the 2nd
Quarter at Novotel Hotel at the Araneta Center on
29 June 2017, STC listened to PRA’s Legal Counsel
and a partner at the Bengzon, Negre, Untalan
Intellectual Property Attorneys Office, Atty. Ferdinand
Negre (in coat) present very clearly “How to Use
Intellectual Property to Create Value for your Retail
Business.” He was aptly joined by the very informative
Atty. Jesus Ros-Division Chief of the Intellectual
Property Office of the Philippines>an entity under
the DTI. They gave very fine examples of how
understanding Intellectual Property Rights can make
your brands earn strong equity.
On the afternoon of 28 June 2017, the Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) of the Department of Trade Industry invited stakeholders to a public hearing on the guidelines in the implementation of SRP under the jurisdiction of the DTI. PAGASA, under its President Steven T. Cua, stated its objection to the implementation of the SRP by the DTI under normal economic conditions. He states that it is best for laissez faire and the normal market forces to dictate on the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities. Competition keeps retailers (and manufacturers/suppliers for that matter) in check. You may find PAGASA’s position on this in the following link:
In the morning of 15 June 2017, the National Price Coordinating
Council (NPCC) held its second meeting under the Duterte
Administration generally to discuss the food supply and price
situation in the City of war-town Marawi. As tension continuously
mounts in said City and Martial Law is declared over the whole of
Mindanao, price freeze for basic necessities in this southern island
takes effect. Also discussed is the potential increase in food prices
with the proposed excise tax on sugared beverages and the new
tax on salted foods. As is with every NPCC Meeting, the DTI invites
the press for a conference to clarify matters and issue statements
for the public to be aware of the on-goings in the economy and the
plans of government to address certain concerns. Almost always,
PAGASA is invited to this Conference headed by DTI Secretary
Ramon Lopez and Usec. Teodoro Pascua. STC mentions when
questioned that fundamentally, price is a function of supply and
demand but that pricing/price positioning, on the other hand,
is a strategic business decision regardless of macroeconomic
factors; that suppliers may opt to increase/decrease prices as a
consequence of anticipated conditions which may be favorable
or adverse to their business. As in the case of anticipated taxes
on prime commodities, some manufacturers have already
opted to increase prices for some of their sku’s even before
taxes are put in place so they don’t have to do so when
competitors adjust their prices.