The 8th PRA Virtual Learning Series with the topic “Futureproofing RETAIL: Strategies to Navigate the New Normal" on 21 May 2020 featured PAGASA President STC. SAP Southeast Asia's Industry Business Architect - Retail, Aditya Utama went deep into strategic priorities for retailers to navigate the new normal and futureproof their business. He was joined by Atty. Paul A. Santos (Chairman, PRA), Rosemarie B. Ong (President, PRA) and Steven Cua (President, Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association) in a panel discussion sharing their insights and experiences in this new normal. The webinar was moderated by Raphael Layosa, CEO of Retailgate.  

PAGASA is a regular attendee of the General Membership Meetings of the Phil. Retailers Assn. as PAGASA is an Associate Member of the PRA. At this 2/Q GMM on 25 July 2019, Kantar World Panel presented at EDSA Shang's Garden Ballroom brand equity of the most popular supermarket products. Also, where consumers went to buy their favorite brands.  STC was honored to introduce the guest speaker for the day.

PAGASA’s STC was invited to grace the annual Retailer & Shopping Center of the Year Awards on 20 June 2019 at Solaire Casino and Resort.  As usual, STC was a presenter for one of the Awards. This year’s Supermarket of the Year Award went to Robinsons Supermarket. The President’s Award for Retailer of the Year went to Mr. Tony Tan Caktiong of the Jollibee Group of Fastfood Restaurants. Host for the evening was crowd favorite RJ Ledesma.    

PRA's Breakfast Briefing for CEOs on 19 September 2018 Joy Nostalg Hotel where PAGASA Pres. STC was asked to introduce the Main Speaker for the event, Mr. Oscar Garcia-Velasco/Pres. of APJ to speak on Artificial Intelligence in Retailing.

    On 28 June 2018 at the Garden Ballroom of EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City, the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) held its 2Q Meeting-cum-Annual Elections of its Board. Keynote speaker was DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez who spoke on the latest DTI laws and policies that affect the retail industry. The elections resulted in Wilcon Builder’s Rose Bosch Ong becoming PRA’s president-elect and as its Chairman, Atty. Paul Santos.

PRA called a meeting with PAGASA and A.C. Nielsen to discuss the topics and speakers for the Supermarket Break-out Session at this year’s National Retail Conf. & Exhibition to be held in August at the SMX in Pasay City. The lunch meeting was held at the Golden Cowrie Resto inside the new Podium at Ortigas Center.  Meeting was held on 5 April 2018 with (clockwise) STC, PRA Asst. Sec.- Gen. Bing Miranda, PRA Sec.-Gen. Evelyn Balmeo-Salire, Supermarket Track Leader Aira V., A.C. Nielsen’s Maria Angelica Carolina and its Managing Director Patrick Cua. STC broached the idea of bringing in Mr. Chilam from Beijing (whom he just met in Chiba, Japan recently) as this young guy was operating unmanned supermarkets relatively successfully. He is spreading his idea now to his partners in Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

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 6 October 2017, the Phil. Retailers Association called a Special Meeting with available Board Members and select Members to discuss the alarming issue of the government’s intention to open the retail industry some more to foreign investors.  From a minimum investment of $2.5M for foreigners to be 100% owners of a Retail Operation, suggestion was to lower this amount to $200,000 only! Naturally, this alarmed the retail industry. PAGASA represented the food retailing sector of this industry at the Meeting.

On the night of 26 July 2017, the PRA held the Retailer of the Year Awards at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Hotel and Casino.  At the audience were the Who’s Who of the Retail World in the Philippines including past PAGASA GenMeet hosts (L-R) Patrick Cua/A.C. Nielsen, Victor Javier/e-Ripple and Bernard Chua/formerly of Hewlett-Packard and now with Amazon Web Services (in pic with PAGASA Dir. Robert Go/Prince Retail Group and STC).  Special Guest of Honor is DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez who urged retailers in Mindanao to provide displaced Maranaw businessmen with some store space to do business with at favorable rates and asked retailers to look into the Halal Business. Invited Presenters of the Awards that evening were Robert Go who is also currently the President of the Cebu Retailers Association&gt an affiliate of the PRA and STC who is partnered with DTI’s Dir. Lilian Salonga. The evening ended with a bang to celebrate the winners for the year.

Representing PAGASA at the PRA GMM for the 2 nd 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 16 th of March 2017, the Phil. Retailers Assn. held a Retail CEO Economic Briefing at Marco Polo Hotel at Ortigas Center. Economist in the House was Mr. Federico R.D. Ocampo, MSC/ Senior VP & Chief Investment Officer of BDO Unibank, Inc.- Trust & Investments Group.  He mentioned that four of the prevailing local trends in retailing are Premiumization, Health & Wellness, the growing importance of Convenience and Online Buying. PAGASA was given two awards that day by the PRA: the Active Member Award and the Membership Loyalty Award  while STC was personally given an Award of Recognition for his involvement in PRA projects and advocacies through the years.

On the morning of 13 May 2016, Nick Miles, Head of Asian Research and Jenny Li of IGD (U.K.), a global food and consumer goods expert spoke with PAGASA’s STC and PRA’s Atty. Paul Santos regarding the state of food retailing in the country. The two researchers are on an Asian tour to update themselves and their 900 member-subscribers about the goings-on in Asia and the Philippines in particular where their clients seem to have a lot of interest in.

On 19 March 2014, the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) held its 17 th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Center of the Year Awards at Crowne Plaza. Theme for this year: The Visionaries. PAGASA’s Steven Cua was invited as presenter together with Puregold’s Aida de Guzman to announce the winners for five categories. This year’s prestigious President’s Award was given to Ms. Teresita Sy-Coson as Philippine Retailing’s Woman Visionary Leader. STC is seen congratulating this very humble yet powerful lady who made it to Forbes Magazine’s List of Asia’s Top 50 Most Powerful Businesswomen for the last couple of years.