Held on Jan.20,2014, PAGASA was invited to join the QC Chamber of Commerce & Industry protest headed by Dr. Carl Balita regarding the "unreasonable" increase in business taxes. QC's Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte-Alimurung, Admin. Aldrin Acuña and City Treasurer Edgar Villanueva attended the said Meet which was supported by PCCI President Alfredo Yao. PAGASA, as represented by Dir. Desmond Chua (long sleeves at end of table), is appealing together with other Industry Associations to the QC Government to reconsider said increase in taxes. The public officials said they will study the appeal even as increased rates were already collected for 1/Q.

On the morning of 12 Dec. 2013, the MMDA calls an Emergency Meeting with stakeholders regarding the implementation of the proposed Daytime Truck Ban in Metro Manila.  Said program is suppose to be implemented the following day but met opposition from the Supply Chain Management Assn. of the Phils. (SCMAP) and other Transport Associations for truckers, haulers, container van truckers, port operators, etc. PAGASA’s Steve Cua airs the expected non-delivery of critical stocks to  supermarkets if trucks were to be banned during the period 13-20 December from 6:00am to 10:00pm.   PAGASA also sent to the MMDA on the same day its Position Paper regarding this  move to ease the traffic situation in the metropolis during the busy Yuletide Season.

  On 4 December 2013, the 16 th Congress of the Lower House calls for the 2 nd Public Hearing on Plastic Bags by the Committee on Ecology chaired by Cong. Amado Bagatsing.  At this well-attended hearing where a lot of the Committee Members were present, a lot of talk centered on incinerators and little time was left to discuss about plastic bags on whether to ban or regulate these.

Taiwan intends to improve trade with the Philippines and launches the Taiwan Trade Center on the eve of 4 December 2013 at the Makati Shangri La where the different Industry Associations like PCCI, PAGASA, etc. were invited and represented.  At the event were DTI Usec. Ponciano C. Manalo, CEO Peter W. J. Huang of the Taiwan Trade Center, PCCI Chairman Alfredo Yao, PCCI Pres. Miguel Varela as well as other distinguished guests.

Just one day after the Emergency Meeting to ascertain supplies of food and basic necessities in affected areas, DTI Sec. Domingo calls a National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) Meeting on the afternoon of 11/12/13. Meeting is to implement a price freeze on all goods and commodities nationwide in view of affected supplies in damaged areas. In anticipation of increased demand for relief goods from neighboring Cebu and Manila which may cause prices to balloon nationwide, the President has declared a National State of Calamity which triggers a price freeze. Prices may go down but may not go up for basic necessities (based on their average for the last three months as monitored by DTI’s BTRCP) until the President lifts said State of Calamity. Price freeze will be implemented by region if applicable and by province if necessary effective immediately.

Dept. of Trade & Industry Sec. Gregory Domingo calls an Emergency Meeting upon the instruction of the President in the morning of 11 Nov. 2013. This is to assess the supply of basic necessities in the provinces/areas damaged by Typhoon Yolanda (International Name Typhoon Haiyan) and the state of retail outlets in the aftermath of looting after the typhoon unleashed its fury last Friday> 11/8/13. No power, fuel, water or assess to ports and roads the main problem in getting aid/relief goods to affected areas. Military to be called in to address issues on disorder.

Director-Elect Jon Mykel “Mike” Teodoro/Velamart in Rosario and Naic, Cavite (white shirt/sporting watch with black strap) represented PAGASA at the DTI Meeting held on the afternoon of 23 Oct. 2013 to include Bottled Water on the list of Basic Necessities it being that water is essential especially during times of calamity and emergency.  As such, rules on said proposal were drawn up at said Meeting attended by  Pepsi (Phils.), Asia Brewery, Hidden Springs and other major bottled water suppliers. A similar Meeting with Instant Noodle Manufacturers took place at the same office on the same day in the morning with Director-Elect Desmond Tan/Daily Supermarket taking the cudgels for PAGASA.