In d morning of 26 September 2019, the Senate Committee on Trade and Industry chaired by Sen. Aquilino “Kok o” Pimentel III held a hearing to review the current minimum investment requirement for foreign retailers interested in setting up business in the country.  Unlike in the lower house, stakeholders were given a fair chance here to air their stand on the review of the said Law.  Attending for PAGASA were its President Steven T. Cua, Vice President Liansel Sy and Treasurer Jon Mykel Teodoro. The Team took the opportunity to have shots taken with Sen. Pimentel and Franklin Drilon aside from the other stakeholders from PRA.

April 6, 2018 Cong. Hearing on review of Retail Lib. Law as proposed by Rep. Arthur Yap of the province of Bohol.

In the morning of 23 March 2018, STC attended the Congressional Hearing by the Committee on Trade & Industry headed by Rep. Ferjenel G.Biron, M.D. Bohol Rep. Arthur C. Yap had sponsored a bill to open the Retail Trade Liberalization Law to review as he suggests that there is a need to amend/decrease the minimum investment needed for foreign retailers to come in and set up shop here in the Philippines.  This is to draw in additional foreign investment and improve FDA into the country.   Of course,  PAGASA supported PRA’s position that lowering of minimum investment in this category may open the floodgates for smuggled illicit/goods to proliferate the market as every mom and-pop’s operator at nearby China may want a slice of our market.  PRA’s Roberto Claudio insisted that we see the money to be brought in by these foreign retailers first before acting on any application as they may unscrupulously end up borrowing money from our system to compete aga...

On 11 June 2014, Dr. V.J. Sebastian, Associate Prof. for Economic Environment Strategy of the Institute of Management Technology (a Business Graduate School located in Ghaziabad, India) visited the PAGASA Office to interview Steve Cua regarding the Philippine experience on the road to retail liberalization. India is still deliberating whether to open up retailing to global players.