Posted online on 8 April 2020, the Dept. of Trade & Industry produced a video showing the courage and cooperation of supermarket operators in serving the buying public. In spite of the risk of their officers/personnel catching COVID-19 as food retail outlets are places where people congregate, supermarket operators face the challenges head-on with health protocols like disinfecting the store and equipment, requiring customers and staff to wear masks and shields at all times and practicing social distancing.  DTI is in constant touch with PAGASA and all major stores since Day 1 of lockdown to ensure proper coordination as health safety requirements worldwide keep changing.

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.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera visited one of the supermarkets of PAGASA Pres. Steven T. Cua to interview him regarding the state of retail economy on 20 July 2017 just four days short of President Duterte’s State of the Nation address in Congress.  They wanted to feature in their news how local business people are taking to the rather radical approach of the current administration to solving the perceived ills of society.  Of course, STC told it like it is both with the good and the bad; how the President is coping given his campaign promises with unorthodox solutions yet finding difficulty to rid society of age-old menaces.  At the same time, unwelcome remarks as well as perceived security problems are hindering foreign tourists from finding the Philippines to be the safe heaven it used to be before the strife in Marawi and the drug issue in the urban centers. Foreign investors are focusing on how the economy is holding up a year into the administration of President Dut...

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 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.