Yung mga pangalan natin kailan kaya masasama dyan....:lol:

It’s fabulous to be a rich Filipino (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22994:its-fabulous-to-be-rich-filipino&catid=23:topnews&Itemid=58)

Wealthy Filipinos spend more than rich Singapore and Hong Kong residents do, especially every month on groceries, travel and utilities payment, a survey by payments technology firm Visa International Inc. revealed.

Visa’s poll on spending patterns and perspectives of high-income households revealed that “affluent” Filipinos —households with a minimum P0.1-million monthly net income—spend on average $2,401 (roughly P116,940), following the rich Japanese with $2,541 monthly spend (P123,746.70 at $1=P48.70) and the top-spender Australians at $3,851 (P187,561.80). The spending is apparently a combination of cash and credit transactions.

In dollar terms, the 500 respondents from the Philippines spend more than those in Hong Kong ($2,327) and Singapore ($2,152). The rich in India are the lowest spenders in the nine countries and territories polled with a monthly average total spend of $693.

According to the document from Visa, they commissioned the poll “to further understand the attitudes, motivations and behaviors of affluent consumers. By doing so, Visa is able to provide better products to suit affluent consumers’
everyday lives.”

The company said the survey interviewed 500 respondents belonging to the AB segment in each of nine Asia-Pacific countries and territories: Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines.

“All respondents were aged 18 and above and of equal gender split. For the Philippines, these are people with a household income of at least P100,001 per month.”

Like their fellow Asians, these Filipinos spend time surfing the Internet once a week or more (74 percent versus the regional average of 93 percent) and exercise “to keep fit and healthy” (63 percent vs. the region’s 73 percent average).

In terms of social habits, majority (91 percent) of the affluent Filipinos polled prefer being with their families; the regional average is 92 percent.

This is followed by entertaining guests at home (42 percent said they do this once a week, while 37 percent said they do this about once a month). But those who said they eat out with friends and family at gourmet restaurants once a month are more (49 percent) than those who do this once a week (41 percent).

Only a percentage of the respondents said they never engage in this social activity.

About 45 affluent Filipinos shop on the Internet about once a week or more, while 20 percent of those polled said they buy something online once a month. Those who said they never transact online account for 35 percent of the respondents in the Philippines.

The survey revealed that a large proportion of monthly spend for affluent Filipinos go to grocery purchases (14 percent), travel (12 percent) and utilities payment (10 percent).

At fourth and fifth spots are mortgage/rental and luxury goods, respectively, both allotted an 8-percent share of the total 15 spending categories.

The items least spent on (2 percent) are on music, compact discs, digital video discs and books.

“Affluent Filipinos are the most likely to spend the highest proportion of their budget on groceries among…counterparts from the Asia-Pacific countries and territories included in the survey.”

The percentage of affluent Filipinos who said they shop for cosmetics and perfumes once a month are higher than those who buy luxury apparels and accessories and clothing brands (36 percent), the latest electronics gadget (19 percent), and designer jewelry (18 percent).

Interestingly, there are those who buy such items about once a week or more: 8 percent on cosmetics and perfumes; 7 percent on luxury apparels and accessories and clothing brands; 2 percent on electronics gadget; and 2 percent also on designer jewelry.

The affluent Indians and Chinese (65 percent and 50 percent, respectively) lead the monthly spend on cosmetics and perfumes. Still, “affluent Filipino respondents are willing to spend more on long-term luxury items and experiences such as their child’s wedding [with average amount of P188,112], home entertainment system [at P42,727], and luxury weekends for two [for P28,339].”

The top three categories for maximum spend in the region are child’s wedding, jewelry and home entertainment.

Other categories that affluent Filipinos spend on, in decreasing spend allocation, are jewelry, personal digital assistant or mobile phone, watch, annual donations to charity, a night out with friends or family, a pair of shoes, a dinner for two at a fine-dining restaurant, and a bottle of wine.

According to Visa, affluent Singaporean respondents are the most willing to spend extravagantly on their child’s wedding (spending $14,242) and jewelry (spending $1,933), while affluent Australian respondents are twice as willing to spend on home entertainment system compared with other marketplaces ($2,166).

During crunch time, majority of the respondent affluent Filipinos said they will consider reducing their spending on nonessentials as a result, despite their tendency to be optimistic in terms of their attitude toward the Asian economy.

Only two out of five of the affluent Filipino respondents were uncertain or felt negatively toward the future.

Among those who are uncertain of what to expect about the Asian economy, 88 percent will consider reducing their spending.

“This percentage was the highest among the affluent people interviewed from nine countries and territories included in the survey,” Visa said, noting that “Singaporean respondents at 83 percent and Taiwanese respondents at 80 percent were second and third, respectively, as the next most likely to consider reducing spending.”

Visa added: “Spend reduction of affluent Filipino respondents will mostly impact nonessentials such as electronic appliances [85 percent of respondents, the highest among Asia-Pacific countries and territories included in survey], luxury goods [81 percent] and entertainment [78 percent].”

The survey revealed that affluent Filipinos’ spend on fashion, skin-care products/cosmetics are less affected.

The regional average on expected reduction to discretionary spending indicates that dining (at 67 percent), luxury goods (at 66 percent) and entertainment (at 62 percent) are the first three to be cut.

Manny Paquiao is a billionaire na ba? Anyway, I just discovered this thread. Seems interesting..mabasa nga lahat ng kwento dito.

House of Aboitiz: Basques who helped build the Philippines (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/21/10/house-aboitiz-basques-who-helped-build-philippines)
by Cecil Morella, Agence France-Presse | 03/21/2010 12:20 PM

CEBU, Philippines - Their unique language has long since withered and died across the Philippines, but the smarts of the Basque people who created chunks of the modern world live on in the house of Aboitiz.

Founded by an immigrant Basque rope fibre trader late in the 19th century in the waning years of Spanish colonial rule, Aboitiz and Co. today remains a major player in the economy of the Southeast Asian nation.

Run from the country's shipping capital of Cebu, it sells electricity to millions of Filipinos and ferries them across the vast archipelago, while offering banking, construction and a host of other services.

"Definitely for the central and southern Philippines, they are the face of the old rich," said Eileen Mangubat, publisher of leading local newspaper Cebu Daily News.

A century after the end of Spanish colonial rule, the story of the enduring Aboitiz empire offers a rich glimpse into the Philippines' economic heritage.

Many wealthy Filipinos of Spanish ancestry got their big start from huge land grants given as reward for services to the crown, later forming the ruling class when the Philippines gained independence after World War II.

However, the Aboitizes built their wealth through enterprise.

Hemp trader Paulino Aboitiz started the business in the late 19th century.

He had the same hunger for work and taste for risk-taking as the Basque farmer-sailors who crewed for colleague Andres de Urdaneta as he circled the world to set up Spain's first colonial government in the islands in 1565.

Paulino Aboitiz's descendants shepherded the company through two wars and, at one stretch during the 1920s, a close brush with bankruptcy.

The business evolved from one that focused on sugar and vegetable oil milling in the early part of the 20th century to one that is now extremely diverse.

One important move was investing heavily in the energy sector when the government started giving up its power monopoly a decade ago.

Today, the Aboitiz family stands alongside the Zobel de Ayalas, who run Ayala Corp., the country's biggest conglomerate, as clearly the two most prominent Filipino clans of Basque lineage in Philippine business.

The company has 31,000 staff and two previous former chief executives, Jon Ramon Aboitiz and Enrique Aboitiz, remain on Forbes magazine's list of the 40 richest Filipinos.

The Aboitiz business went public in 1994 with the listing of their holding firm Aboitiz Equity Ventures, which is now capitalised at 1.63 billion dollars.

In a rare one-one-one interview from the company's modest headquarters in an unfashionable district of Cebu, current chief executive Erramon Aboitiz said the company's success could be partly attributed to its Basque history.

"The Basques are very industrious and they are very hardworking," said US-educated Aboitiz, 52, a quiet, deliberately spoken man whose office walls are lined with prints of some of the earliest known maps of the world.

"In fact, if you even go to Spain... a lot of industries are actually in the Basque areas."

However Aboitiz, only the group's sixth chief executive, admitted he can no longer speak Basque.

"The people that spoke probably a little bit were the generation of my grandfather," he said.

And he emphasised the company's success was mostly due to the family's willingness to modernise and adapt.

"We do believe in traditions and looking at how things were done in the past, but we also think about how things should be in the future and don't fear making that change when we feel it's required," he said.

"Flexibility is probably one of the more important ingredients in business."

Ricardo Lacson, a senior Aboitiz executive, said his employers' success did not stem from their Basque heritage but rather their embrace of modern management methods, in which people are rewarded on merit.

"Just because you are an Aboitiz does not automatically mean you will get that privilege," said Lacson, a vice president for Visayan Electric Co., the country's largest power distributor outside Manila.

"They are very fair. They have this desire for new and better ways of doing things."

Nevertheless, Erramon Aboitiz said the company would remain firmly under family control.

"We are a family consortium of cousins," he said.

Aboitiz said he was part of the fourth generation of the Aboitiz family that was entrusted with honing the skills of those among the fifth, who were now rising through the ranks.

The challenge for a family-run business was staying cohesive so that it could move swiftly to take advantage of new opportunities, according to Aboitiz.

"It's very important that we all understand what we are trying to do and to stand by it. That's the understanding that we all have," he said.

And as the country suffers its worst power shortage in nearly 20 years, the Aboitiz group, with more than half of its turnover coming from the power sector, is among the best placed for the opportunities presented by the crisis.

"What we have today are businesses that we think are good businesses where we have a good market position. We think that they can be profitable in the long term," he said.

vv cross-post vv
House of Aboitiz: Basques who helped build the Philippines (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/21/10/house-aboitiz-basques-who-helped-build-philippines)
by Cecil Morella, Agence France-Presse | 03/21/2010 12:20 PM

CEBU, Philippines - Their unique language has long since withered and died across the Philippines, but the smarts of the Basque people who created chunks of the modern world live on in the house of Aboitiz.

Founded by an immigrant Basque rope fibre trader late in the 19th century in the waning years of Spanish colonial rule, Aboitiz and Co. today remains a major player in the economy of the Southeast Asian nation.

Run from the country's shipping capital of Cebu, it sells electricity to millions of Filipinos and ferries them across the vast archipelago, while offering banking, construction and a host of other services.

"Definitely for the central and southern Philippines, they are the face of the old rich," said Eileen Mangubat, publisher of leading local newspaper Cebu Daily News.

A century after the end of Spanish colonial rule, the story of the enduring Aboitiz empire offers a rich glimpse into the Philippines' economic heritage.

Many wealthy Filipinos of Spanish ancestry got their big start from huge land grants given as reward for services to the crown, later forming the ruling class when the Philippines gained independence after World War II.

However, the Aboitizes built their wealth through enterprise.

Hemp trader Paulino Aboitiz started the business in the late 19th century.

He had the same hunger for work and taste for risk-taking as the Basque farmer-sailors who crewed for colleague Andres de Urdaneta as he circled the world to set up Spain's first colonial government in the islands in 1565.

Paulino Aboitiz's descendants shepherded the company through two wars and, at one stretch during the 1920s, a close brush with bankruptcy.

The business evolved from one that focused on sugar and vegetable oil milling in the early part of the 20th century to one that is now extremely diverse.

One important move was investing heavily in the energy sector when the government started giving up its power monopoly a decade ago.

Today, the Aboitiz family stands alongside the Zobel de Ayalas, who run Ayala Corp., the country's biggest conglomerate, as clearly the two most prominent Filipino clans of Basque lineage in Philippine business.

The company has 31,000 staff and two previous former chief executives, Jon Ramon Aboitiz and Enrique Aboitiz, remain on Forbes magazine's list of the 40 richest Filipinos.

The Aboitiz business went public in 1994 with the listing of their holding firm Aboitiz Equity Ventures, which is now capitalised at 1.63 billion dollars.

In a rare one-one-one interview from the company's modest headquarters in an unfashionable district of Cebu, current chief executive Erramon Aboitiz said the company's success could be partly attributed to its Basque history.

"The Basques are very industrious and they are very hardworking," said US-educated Aboitiz, 52, a quiet, deliberately spoken man whose office walls are lined with prints of some of the earliest known maps of the world.

"In fact, if you even go to Spain... a lot of industries are actually in the Basque areas."

However Aboitiz, only the group's sixth chief executive, admitted he can no longer speak Basque.

"The people that spoke probably a little bit were the generation of my grandfather," he said.

And he emphasised the company's success was mostly due to the family's willingness to modernise and adapt.

"We do believe in traditions and looking at how things were done in the past, but we also think about how things should be in the future and don't fear making that change when we feel it's required," he said.

"Flexibility is probably one of the more important ingredients in business."

Ricardo Lacson, a senior Aboitiz executive, said his employers' success did not stem from their Basque heritage but rather their embrace of modern management methods, in which people are rewarded on merit.

"Just because you are an Aboitiz does not automatically mean you will get that privilege," said Lacson, a vice president for Visayan Electric Co., the country's largest power distributor outside Manila.

"They are very fair. They have this desire for new and better ways of doing things."

Nevertheless, Erramon Aboitiz said the company would remain firmly under family control.

"We are a family consortium of cousins," he said.

Aboitiz said he was part of the fourth generation of the Aboitiz family that was entrusted with honing the skills of those among the fifth, who were now rising through the ranks.

The challenge for a family-run business was staying cohesive so that it could move swiftly to take advantage of new opportunities, according to Aboitiz.

"It's very important that we all understand what we are trying to do and to stand by it. That's the understanding that we all have," he said.

And as the country suffers its worst power shortage in nearly 20 years, the Aboitiz group, with more than half of its turnover coming from the power sector, is among the best placed for the opportunities presented by the crisis.

"What we have today are businesses that we think are good businesses where we have a good market position. We think that they can be profitable in the long term," he said.

DTI slaps dumping duty vs. mosquito coil

BY IRMA ISIP
Malaya Business Insight
March 24, 2010

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imported mosquito coils from Indonesia.

In a Feb. 15, 2010 order which was published only last March 22, then DTI Secretary Peter B. Favila imposed the additional duty in the form of a $0.40 per kilogram cash bond on mosquito coils from PT Johnson Home Hygiene Products.
The extra impost represents a 40 percent dumping margin on the export price.

The Tariff Commission will conduct a formal investigation to determine whether or not there is a need to impose a definitive anti-dumping duty.

The provisional anti-dumping duty will last four months. The order takes effect upon the issuance of a memorandum order by the Bureau of Customs or 15 days after the publication of the order, whichever comes first. It was not immediately known if the BOC has already issued the order.

The DTI was acting on a petition of the Philippine mosquito coil industry represented by Green Coil Industries Inc. against mosquito coils from Indonesia.

The period of investigation for dumping or price difference on Green Coil’s petition covered import from January to December 2008. However, for the injury determination, the period of investigation considered relevant information for three years, from 2006 to 2008.

Green Coil, the biggest player in the industry, said PT Jonhson’s Baygon Super and Baygon Lavender brands of mosquito killers were being sold in the country at a much lower price than in Indonesia.

Green Coil manufactures Lion Tiger junior size mosquito killer, Lion Katol mosquito killer, Tiger Katol mosquito killer.

Other players are Bendyson International Corp., maker of Dinosaurs mosquito killer, and Philippine Valiant Chemical Products with its Royal mosquito killer.

This is the first time that the industry has experienced dumping, probably because of the huge demand in the local market due to the prevalence of mosquito-carried diseases like dengue and malaria.

The local content of mosquito coils is almost 100 percent. Among the ingredients are coconut shell flour, pyrethrum marc, potato starch and natural pyrethrum, an extract from chrysanthemums.

Galvanizers split on zero tariff for steel

BY IRMA ISIP
Malaya Business Insights
March 24, 2010

Four members of the Filipino Galvanizers Institute (FGI) are shelving their petition for zero tariffs on steel raw materials and are instead pursuing an earlier safeguards case on finished imports.

The four – Sonic Steel Industries Inc., the largest steel galvanizer in the country, Group Steel owned by Henry Sy, Tower Steel owned by Alberto and Alfonso Lee and Galvaphil – believe safeguards is a doable protection as it saves both downstream players and the upstream industry, represented by Global Steel Philippines Inc. (GSPI).

Officials of the companies said they have written Trade Senior Undersecretary Thomas Aquino and spoken to officials of the Board of Investments (BOI) to inform them that they are temporarily freezing their petition for zero tariffs on hot rolled coils (HRC) and cold rolled coils (HRC) in favor of a November 2009 plea to slap additional safeguard duties on imported galvanized steel products.

The four account for about 70 percent of the local steel market which is served by the 10 members of the FGI

An official of the one the companies said they believe the elimination of the 7 percent duty on HRC and CRC would not only affect the viability of GSPI but would also make the local steel industry overly dependent on imports.

Sonic for example sources 30 to 40 percent of its raw materials from GSPI.

The November 2009 petition filed by FGI seeks the imposition of safeguard duties on galvanized steel products from China, Taiwan and Korea, among other countries, which have been slowly eating into the FGI members’ market. FGI claimed imports are coming in at below cost.

The four also joined FGI in its petition to eliminate the tariffs on HRC and CRC due to tariff distortion the free trade agreements have created.

The four said the government is not likely to grant both petitions. They said that by pushing just one, the industry gives the government have a freer hand in deciding on the matter.

"The real remedy is the safeguards," one of the officials said.

The petition is now being reviewed by the Bureau of Import Services.

Iligan City, where GSPI’s facilities are located, has expressed its support for the continued imposition of the 7-percent duty on HRC and CRC.

In a letter to Aquino dated March 19, 2010, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz said this is necessary to help GSPI "survive amidst difficulties which are beyond its control."

Cruz’ support is in consideration of the impact of the tariff elimination on the livelihood of GSPI’s 1,100 direct workers and 6,000 indirect workers.

"Reducing the duty will jeopardize the strategic and long-term growth of the steel industry not only in Iligan City but also in the entire country," Cruz said.

On the average, the Philippines imports 400,000 metric tons of CRC per year.

There are 10 galvanizing companies in the Philippines with direct employees of 5,000 and indirect workers totaling 10,000 are Puyat Steel Corp., Union Galvateel Corp., Galvaphil Inc. Sonic Steel Industries inc., Tower Steel Corp., Philippine Steel Coating Corp., Steel Corporation of the Philippines, Chuayuco Steel Manufacturing Corp., Group Steel, and AC Steel Industries.

DTI slaps dumping duty vs. mosquito coil

BY IRMA ISIP
Malaya Business Insight
March 24, 2010

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imported mosquito coils from Indonesia.

This is the first time that the industry has experienced dumping, probably because of the huge demand in the local market due to the prevalence of mosquito-carried diseases like dengue and malaria.


Di ba mas malamok sa kapitbahay? Hehehe. I think when it comes to Malaria, only certain areas in Palawan have got that problem. Sa Dengue naman, it is all over Southeast Asia. Walang katapusan ang commercial sa Dengue sa Singapore and Malaysia kaya. OA lang yung writer, wala namang proof puro suggestions lang.

Anyway.speaking of C2 and green teas... may nagcomment na isang Thai sa isang forum na member ako -

"Have you ever seen Oishi green tea 1 litre size?

Thanks for a cockroach inside Oishi green tea bottle many years ago. It made an owner draw golden necklaces to buyers every weeks to recover the sale target."

and sa isang Vietnamese naman -

"In Vietnam, Zero Degree greentea is more popular and liked more than C2. There have been some scandals with the producer like using expired materials, stealing the TV commercial advertisement. "

Hiningan ko ng links pareho, pero wala namang maibigay. Hehehe.

Di ba mas malamok sa kapitbahay? Hehehe. I think when it comes to Malaria, only certain areas in Palawan have got that problem. Sa Dengue naman, it is all over Southeast Asia. Walang katapusan ang commercial sa Dengue sa Singapore and Malaysia kaya. OA lang yung writer, wala namang proof puro suggestions lang.

Anyway.speaking of C2 and green teas... may nagcomment na isang Thai sa isang forum na member ako -

"Have you ever seen Oishi green tea 1 litre size?

Thanks for a cockroach inside Oishi green tea bottle many years ago. It made an owner draw golden necklaces to buyers every weeks to recover the sale target."

and sa isang Vietnamese naman -

"In Vietnam, Zero Degree greentea is more popular and liked more than C2. There have been some scandals with the producer like using expired materials, stealing the TV commercial advertisement. "

Hiningan ko ng links pareho, pero wala namang maibigay. Hehehe.

So obviously, umiral na naman ang insecurity ng mga Thai at Vietnamese sa Pinas.

Bka naman yung mga tea drinks nila may ipis at hindi C2. Tsaka may Oishi tea drink ba? Alam ko powdered yun.

P.S. pakibigay naman yung link ng reply ng dalwang ungas na yan at puntahan ko awayin ko at insultuhin.

So obviously, umiral na naman ang insecurity ng mga Thai at Vietnamese sa Pinas.

Bka naman yung mga tea drinks nila may ipis at hindi C2. Tsaka may Oishi tea drink ba? Alam ko powdered yun.

P.S. pakibigay naman yung link ng reply ng dalwang ungas na yan at puntahan ko awayin ko at insultuhin.

Oo nga eh, sabi ko din wala akong alam na Oishi bottled tea drink. Anyway, pabayaan mo na, pinagpopost ko na lang lahat ng mga achievements ng Pinoy. :D Tapos luwa mata nila sa mga travel photos na pinanghagilap ko sa SSC at pinost ko dun sa forum. Dun ako bumabawi. Alam mo naman ang mga kapitbahay puro bakhanded ang compliment so sa ganun ko din tinitira. I need help on that forum though, I need more Pinoys to post more stuff, kaya lang unti unti nang namamatay ang forum eh. walang masyadong tao.

Check ASEAN Chat, wag lang mang away ha.. Mod ako jan. Dapat mababait tayong mga Pinoy dun para wala silang masabi. hihihihihihi

Oo nga eh, sabi ko din wala akong alam na Oishi bottled tea drink. Anyway, pabayaan mo na, pinagpopost ko na lang lahat ng mga achievements ng Pinoy. :D Tapos luwa mata nila sa mga travel photos na pinanghagilap ko sa SSC at pinost ko dun sa forum. Dun ako bumabawi. Alam mo naman ang mga kapitbahay puro bakhanded ang compliment so sa ganun ko din tinitira. I need help on that forum though, I need more Pinoys to post more stuff, kaya lang unti unti nang namamatay ang forum eh. walang masyadong tao.

Check ASEAN Chat, wag lang mang away ha.. Mod ako jan. Dapat mababait tayong mga Pinoy dun para wala silang masabi. hihihihihihi

Sige yung patented karinong brutal gagawin ko.:lol::lol::lol:

Sige yung patented karinong brutal gagawin ko.:lol::lol::lol:

Hihihihi. Samahan mo ako dun. :D

TIPS FROM SUCCESSFUL ENTREPS

1. Try to find a business that is unique and has a niche.
2. Always research the competition and marketplace.
3. Be innovative. Design your own machines and systems.
4. Always surround yourself with positive thinkers and people who will support your idea.
5. Avoid hiring friends and relatives.
6. Have a business plan and have experts review it before proceeding.
7. Read Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich". It is important to know the principles of owning a business and that hard times will come. This is a test to personal growth. If you can fight through the battles then you will succeed.
8. Be honest. If it isnt right, dont say it. Karma is everything and you need a clear conscience to attract a lucrative business.
9.Always remember that our business doesnt define who we are-- our immediate family is important, dont neglect them.
10. Lead by example.

GO NEGOSYO Book by J. Concepcion

What I like about Condura is it has quieter operation unlike other brands. Samsung a/c's sound like there is typhoon in your room. :lol:

I prefer condura

Oo nga eh, sabi ko din wala akong alam na Oishi bottled tea drink. Anyway, pabayaan mo na, pinagpopost ko na lang lahat ng mga achievements ng Pinoy. :D Tapos luwa mata nila sa mga travel photos na pinanghagilap ko sa SSC at pinost ko dun sa forum. Dun ako bumabawi. Alam mo naman ang mga kapitbahay puro bakhanded ang compliment so sa ganun ko din tinitira. I need help on that forum though, I need more Pinoys to post more stuff, kaya lang unti unti nang namamatay ang forum eh. walang masyadong tao.

Check ASEAN Chat, wag lang mang away ha.. Mod ako jan. Dapat mababait tayong mga Pinoy dun para wala silang masabi. hihihihihihi

sali ako dyan... wala naman talaga oishi rtd. powdered yun.

sali ako dyan... wala naman talaga oishi rtd. powdered yun.

hmmm... sige antay kita dun dustin.

may magic flakes and C2 drinks na dito sa japan.

Oo nga eh, sabi ko din wala akong alam na Oishi bottled tea drink. Anyway, pabayaan mo na, pinagpopost ko na lang lahat ng mga achievements ng Pinoy. :D Tapos luwa mata nila sa mga travel photos na pinanghagilap ko sa SSC at pinost ko dun sa forum. Dun ako bumabawi. Alam mo naman ang mga kapitbahay puro bakhanded ang compliment so sa ganun ko din tinitira. I need help on that forum though, I need more Pinoys to post more stuff, kaya lang unti unti nang namamatay ang forum eh. walang masyadong tao.

Check ASEAN Chat, wag lang mang away ha.. Mod ako jan. Dapat mababait tayong mga Pinoy dun para wala silang masabi. hihihihihihi

oo nga xxxriainxxx... walang masyadong update sa Asean Chat. Medyo luma na rin yung mga ibang post. Wala masyadong members.

Pero ang galing ng ginawa mo dun ah. Believe ako sa mga pics na post mo. and may stat ka pa about yung Philippine titles sa Miss. U. Post mo rin yung sa global beauties... no.8 ang Pilipinas sa over-all ranking.

Movers, Makers, Shakers -- By JJ. Calero (http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=8588)

As the lady brings him his coffee at the Raffles in Singapore, Juan "Johnny" Jose P. Rocha notices she is Filipina and talks with her in Filipino.

She responds in English, but turns around on realizing he spoke to her in the national language. She says: "Sir, bakit po ang galing nyong managalog?" (Sir, why are you so proficient in Tagalog?)

"Eh, Pilipno ako (Well, I’m Filipino)," he replies. "You don’t look Filipino, you’re Spanish, aren’t you?"

And so starts a long explanation about why he is Filipino. Obviously, Johnny Rocha, a former Philippine ambassador to Spain, is used to getting this reaction everywhere.

His great-great-grandfather, Luis Rocha, a merchant mariner, arrived on Philippine shores just after the British invasion in 1772. He married Gregoria Tuazon, daughter of Antonio Tuazon, a Chinese who helped Simeon de Anda during the three years of the British invasion. Don Luis was the one who built what is now known as Malacañang Palace. He eventually sold it.

His descendants stayed on in the Philippines. Today’s Rochas are related to the Prieto, Legarda, and Tuazon families. Johnny Rocha is of Spanish, Chinese, and Jewish ancestry, but he is, and rightfully so, as Filipino as pre-colonial Filipinos.

Another ancestor of his, a ship captain, successfully lobbied Madrid to allow the issuance of marine licenses in the Philippines, thus making it easier for Filipinos to become mariners. It also helped start an industry that today has more than 250,000 able-bodied mariners roaming the seas of the world.
Up to now the Rochas owe their allegiance to the sea. In 1937 (the year Juan Jose Rocha was born) his father, Antonio V. Rocha, along with an American partner, Chester F. Sharp, established a shipping company. The story goes that they couldn’t decide which of their names should be placed on the company door. So they rolled the dice for it and Sharp won. Thus was born C. F. Sharp & Co. In 1960 Don Antonio bought out Sharp’s interests but insisted on retaining the company name.

It may be said that Johnny Rocha and C.F. Sharp Group, the company he now heads as chairman, president, and chief executive, came to this world together. The year 1937 wasn’t exactly the best time to be born; World War II was already rearing its head.

The war years weren’t easy for anyone. In 1941, when he was four years old, Johnny had an appendectomy. Bombs were falling all over Manila, and Dr. Aboitiz, the attending physician, didn’t know who was going first, he or Johnny.

At age 7, just as Manila was being liberated by the Americans from the Japanese, Johnny Rocha lost his mother through injuries suffered from American shrapnel. Not easy to grow up without a mother. Memories of that war still linger in his mind. During the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Manila, former Ambassador Juan Jose P. Rocha, as chairman of Memorare-Manila 1945 Foundation, unveiled a marker in Intramuros commemorating the more than 100,000 men, women, and children killed in Manila from February 3 to March 3, 1945.

Memorare is a private undertaking set up to remember the noncombatants who perished. In a letter to Rosalinda L. Orosa, columnist for the Philippine Star, Johnny wrote and I quote, "...our beloved city, the Pearl of the Orient, was devastated. Manila was first put to the torch by the Japanese and final destruction resulted from the military artillery of the liberating forces; this combined with the widespread massacre of innocent unarmed civilians committed by rampaging Japanese Marines [which] caused the death of over a hundred thousand residents. In the district of Malate alone, well over twenty thousand parishioners along with five Columban Missionary priests perished."

There is no truth to the rumor that these atrocities were committed by Korean soldiers in the service of the Japanese Army. It was well planned and synchronized. Japanese soldiers led by an officer and seven men went around the city, burning civilian homes and butchering innocent civilians.
The historian William Manchester calls the destruction of Manila "one of the great tragedies of World War II. Of the Allied cities in those war years only Warsaw suffered more."

As a result of this early tragedy in his life, Johnny has become very knowledgeable about the Second World War. Every so often he and the likes of Beniting Legarda, Ambassador Isabel Wilson, and Bubi Kron get together at the German Club and discuss books about this Great War.

In May 1945, before Japan officially surrendered, the Rocha family left on the first ship to the US. In effect, Johnny’s education has been US-oriented. When they returned in 1947 he went to the then American School (International School today). He later returned to the US where he studied at San Rafael Military Academy and at Sta. Clara University in California. At an early age, he made it to the "Who’s Who" among students in American universities and colleges.

In 1986 as a reward for going against the Marcos administration and fully supporting Corazon C. Aquino, Johnny Rocha found himself before King Juan Carlos of Spain, to present his credentials as Philippine ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain. He served in that position until 1992.

The Spanish government received his designation very well. His name was submitted on a Monday and by Friday his accreditation had been approved. "The warmth that Spain has for her formal colony was very evident," he said of how he was received by the Spanish king.

His term was capped with a rare honor -- a two-and-a-half-hour luncheon he and his wife Pilina had with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.

His tenure was marked by an unprecedented fivefold increase in trade between Spain and the Philippines. During that period, too, the stay of some 40,000 of our migrant workers in Spain got legalized.

Mga kabayan, aside from Sandugo and Habagat Outdoor Equipment, are there any other outdoor gear that are proudly Philippine brand?

Will there be a chance for the owners of these brands to come out of Philippines and try to compete with an even larger brands such as Columbia, Timberland or Northface?

Another thing. Is there any locally-made/local brand for MTB (mountain bikes)?

Mga kabayan, aside from Sandugo and Habagat Outdoor Equipment, are there any other outdoor gear that are proudly Philippine brand?

Will there be a chance for the owners of these brands to come out of Philippines and try to compete with an even larger brands such as Columbia, Timberland or Northface?

Another thing. Is there any locally-made/local brand for MTB (mountain bikes)?

Alam ko Tribu also does outdoor gear. And my backpack was bought in Bataan. All the materials were sourced from the Philippines (save for some minor details) but proudly made in Mariveles Bataan. :)

^^Does Tribu have 60L to 70L backpacks too? Last time I know, Tribu only has flipflops.

Anyway, I like the brand names of our local outdoor gear products. So exotic, tribal and original.

I really hope, Sandugo and Habagat will venture out of Philippines, just like Jollibee did.

^^Does Tribu have 60L to 70L backpacks too? Last time I know, Tribu only has flipflops.

Anyway, I like the brand names of our local outdoor gear products. So exotic, tribal and original.

I am not sure, but the ones that I got from Bataan do backpacks. Very cool, and I have my Philippines flag pin attached to it. ;) Hindi na yun tatanggalin. ;)

I am not sure, but the ones that I got from Bataan do backpacks. Very cool, and I have my Philippines flag pin attached to it. ;) Hindi na yun tatanggalin. ;)

Cool... :)

I bought a pair of trekking pants with flags too...Heheheh..I hope to buy a bag or windbreaker with flags too.

Cool... :)

I bought a pair of trekking pants with flags too...Heheheh..I hope to buy a bag or windbreaker with flags too.

Kahit san ako pumunta pag nasa abroad, bitbit ko lagi ang isang full sized Philippine flag. Proud Pinoy, taas noo kahit kanino - basta tingin lang sa kalsada at baka matapilok o masagasaan. :)

Max’s eyes entry into coffee shop market


Saturday, 10 April 2010 00:00
BY KATRINA MENNEN A. VALDEZ Reporter
Manila Times

TO get a slice of the booming coffee shop market, fried chicken purveyor Max’s Restaurant is setting up a separate unit that would sell pastries, finger foods and blended coffee to attract new customers.

Marc San Juan, Max’s officer in charge for corporate marketing, told The Manila Times that the company is “testing the waters” as it saw a need to introduce new products by building another food unit and increasing its presence in the refreshment industry.

“We don’t want to immediately shift into something which is not really part of our core business as a dine-in restaurant,” San Juan said.

The restaurant has been offering caramel bars since the 1940s and this eventually led to Max’s Corner Bakery, which provides an array of desserts for dine-in customers.

Max’s Corner Bakery offers round cakes, flavored cake rolls, ensaymada, polvoron and bread products.

“Thus, some of the products there were consolidated in the main menu. But after 2008, we felt that there is indeed a lot of potential and eventually spin it off as a separate unit for a special market,” San Juan said.

He said management at first thought of just launching a grab-and-go-type of store for customers who are in a hurry or those who want to buy something for pasalubong.

But eventually, the coffee shop concept gelled, as Max’s began offering brewed coffee and blended drinks such as cappuccino, hot chocolate and frapuccino—similar to what coffee shop chains are selling.

“By offering similar products but with more competitive prices, we are confident we can completely plunge into that market in two years time,” San Juan said.

Last year, the Corner Bakery accounted for 5 percent of Max’s total revenue. This year, the company wants to increase it to at least 10 percent, San Juan said.

The executive said that 40 percent of the 116 Max’s restaurants in the country already have standalone Corner Bakeries, while other branches have bakery nooks.

A standalone Coffee Bakery would entail an investment of at least P1.2 million, while less than half a million pesos is required to set up a bakery nook in existing Max’s restaurants.

Only the branches in Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Galleria and Walter Mart North Edsa offer blended drinks since the coffee shop venture is still in the “inception” period.

In line with this bid to attract a wider set of customers, Max’s is also upgrading and renovating its restaurants by updating the “old style” ambience with new furniture and fixtures.

In addition, the restaurant would be offering wireless Internet connection for customers who would opt to buy hot and cold drinks and pastries during the slow hours of 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

San Juan said Max’s has anchored its expansion plan on mall developments so they expect sales would grow apace with the retail sector, which is projected to grow by 10 percent to 15 percent this year.

KAMARU bags is also good. Does this brnd still exists?

Ayala electronics unit opens factory in Chengdu, China

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 04/12/2010 12:47 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), the electronics manufacturing unit of the Ayala Group, has opened a new factory in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in southwestern China.

In a statement, the company said this was in line with its target to capture the fast-growing Chinese market.

"IMI's expansion to Chengdu is part of our strategy to bring IMI's services closer to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which increasingly require greater capacity in China to supply a large domestic market as well as to manufacture for export markets," said company chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

"We believe China will remain at the center of the global electronics manufacturing industry and will be a significant driver of the world economy as it regains its growth momentum. Having this strategic position in the region will allow us to capture a greater share of volume orders as demand turns in step with the economic cycle," he added.

IMI president Arthur Tan meanwhile noted that they currently have clients based in Chengdu and have invited one key OEM to support their new plant.

The Chengdu factory brings the number of IMI’s manufacturing sites in China to 6. The other plants are located in Shenzhen (in Liantang, Kuichong, Fuyong); Jiaxing; and Chongqing.

Tan said rising costs of manufacturing and labor supply shortage in China's coastal regions prompted them to start operations in Chengdu.

“Southwestern China’s manufacturing costs are more competitive compared to those in the coastal cities. It also has the largest pool of migrant workers.”

IMI’s Chengdu plant covers an area of 7,500 square meters. It offers a wide variety of electronics manufacturing solutions, from printed circuit board assembly to full product assembly for OEMs in various markets such as those in the industrial, automotive, medical, and telecommunications infrastructure industries.

Contract design services are also offered to OEMs in collaboration with IMI’s design and engineering centers in Shenzhen, Singapore, the Philippines, and the United States.
as of 04/12/2010 12:48 PM

^^ Now that's what I call diversification!

If Ayala does what Malaysia does, acquiring companies and developing new technologies, we not only absorb them but also maintain company aura.

Making the most of what they have


Manila Standard
April 29, 2010

Home accessories and furniture maker Kalikasan Crafts has made great strides in putting the Philippines on the global map.

Kalikasan Crafts, which started in 1994, has been exporting its lamps, votive holders, tabletop decorative items and furniture to Europe, Canada, Australasia and the United States. The furniture that the company manufactures includes lounge chairs, side tables, large vases and planters made of various gauges of iron and steel. Kalikasan Crafts’ products can also be found in retail stores in Japan, Middle East, Europe and Australia.

“We chose iron because galvanized iron was our main material when we were starting as a subcontractor of Christmas ornaments for an American company,” says Celia, who co-owns the company with her husband Jeremias.

Celia explains that since their workers had already mastered the use of galvanized iron, they decided to pursue its use and simply increase its gauge or thickness when they shifted to the production of furniture and home accessories.

Kalikasan Crafts’ designs feature steel and iron made into functional and arty decorative pieces. Celia says the furniture and decor are sturdy and made to last for years.

“A piece can be a conversation piece whether for the aesthetic value or the design process involved in making it,” she adds.

Kalikasan Crafts is also known for giving new twists to old designs and gets inspiration from nature for this.

“Experience has taught us what could work and what would not. We adapt to the skills of our workers and the equipment that we have. The point is doing our best for every design,” Celia says.

Continuous attendance to the major exhibitions around the world has made it easier for the buyers to appreciate and acquire the products of Kalikasan Crafts.

Kalikasan Crafts is a regular exhibitor at Manila F.A.M.E. International, a government-led bi-annual trade exhibition for home and lifestyle products. The company first joined the trade fair in 1998.

“It was really an eye opened for us. We were able to see how big the industry really was,” Celia says.

In October 2009, the company received a nomination for Manila F.A.M.E.’s Katha Awards while their unconventionally shaped vase called Seedpod Container was nominated for Best Products Design under the gifts and holiday decor category.

“The show gives us a view of the market situation and provides a venue to meet new and existing buyers,” Celia explains.

Manila F.A.M.E. International’s 51st edition, which ended Sunday, is led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, an attached agency of the Trade Department. Dinna Chan Vasquez

Jollibee buys Chinese restaurant chain

BY ALBERT CASTRO
Malaya Business Insights
May 5, 2010

Jollibee Foods Corp. yesterday said it has bought into Chinese restaurant chain San Pin Wang in Guang Xi Zhuang, China, as the company expands reach and diversifies products.

Jollibee’s take up of a 55 percent ownership San Pin Wang was through a joint venture with Guangxi Zong Kai Food and Beverage Investment Co. Ltd. (GZK).

San Pin Wang has a total of 34 stores in the Chinese minority autonomous region, with projected sales of RMB100 million this year.

Guang Xi Zhuang is located in southern China near its border with Vietnam.

Under the agreement signed by Jollibee’s unit Jollibee Worldwide Pte., Ltd., Jollibee will invest RMB30 million in exchange for the shares, and another RMB20 million that will be shouldered both by Jollibee and (GZK) for the chain’s expansion.

The joint venture is expected to be in fully operation by January 2011.

"We look forward to our endeavor with GZK and the people of San Pin Wang. Together with the people from the Jollibee group, I believe that we will be able to grow San Pin Wang to a very large and successful fast food chain in China.... We wish to bring this brand to consumers in many other parts of China beginning with the neighboring provinces in South China," said Jollibee chairman Tony Tan Caktiong.

MVP group eyes controlling stake in N. Harbor (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100505-268276/MVP-group-eyes-controlling-stake-in-N-Harbor)
By Doris Dumlao, Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:16:00 05/05/2010

HONG KONG-BASED FIRST PACIFIC Co. Ltd. wants to expand its infrastructure investments in the Philippines by potentially raising its stake in the Manila North Harbor port project and taking part in the development of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

In a briefing on Wednesday, First Pacific managing director Manuel V. Pangilinan said the First Pacific group has earmarked a record P53-billion capital spending budget for various businesses in the Philippines.

About P22 billion of the budget is for various business units under infrastructure holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., including P11 billion for power distributor Manila Electric Co. and P6 billion for water concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. The group’s crown jewel—Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.—is getting a P28-billion capital spending budget this year, he added.

In the North Harbor venture with the Romero family, where takeover had been earlier delayed by labor issues, Pangilinan said the direction would be to acquire a majority stake. MPIC currently owns only 35 percent of the Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc., which holds the 25-year concession to develop, manage, operate and maintain the North Harbor port.

“We are looking to improve our stake in this project because we believe that by increasing our stake, we won’t only have greater support from shipping companies but also greater support from creditors,” MPIC president Jose Ma. Lim said.

“We’re receiving feedback from shipping companies and the banks that they would like us to increase our stake,” Lim said. Any change in the shareholder structure of the venture will require consent from the Philippine Ports Authority, but Lim noted that the regulators seemed supportive of MPIC’s bid to raise its stake.

On the Clark airport development, Pangilinan said the group has expressed to the government its interest to develop an international airport for the Philippines, including the DMIA in Clark, which is being primed as the country’s next premiere international gateway.

“But it will really require high-speed trains. The feedback is major carriers are reluctant to move to Clark without high-speed trains,” Pangilinan said.

“We’re interested because an airport that close to Manila really needs a high-speed train to connect it to the capital. The alignment for that train is likely to be along NLEx (North Luzon Expressway) and the connector road,” Pangilinan said.

MPIC is the current concessionaire for NLEx, the 80-kilometer highway connecting Metro Manila to the northern Luzon provinces. The company has also offered to build a P17-billion connector road that will link NLEx to the Metro Manila Skyway, the overhead toll road above South Luzon Expressway (SLEx).

Jollibee to build new dining chain
http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100505-268273/Jollibee-to-build-new-dining-chain

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:14:00 05/05/2010

JOLLIBEE FOODS Corp. is building a new casual dining chain specializing on coffee and Italian ice cream using a newly acquired master franchise for a popular Korean brand.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Wednesday, JFC said it had entered into a joint venture to obtain the local master franchise for “Caffe Ti-Amo” (which means Coffee I love You). The joint venture will be 50-percent owned by JFC and 50-percent by local entrepreneur Pamela Tan and her siblings.

In the disclosure, JFC said that the joint venture partners were not related to the controlling shareholders of JFC.

The franchisor will be Caffe Ti-Amo Korea Co. Ltd., owner of the “Caffe Ti-Amo” trademarks based in the Republic of Korea. The restaurant brand was established in Korea in 2006 and had grown its network to 269 stores to become a very successful chain, the disclosure said.

JFC said the joint venture, which will have an initial capital of P10 million, would develop and build a business around gelato and coffee.

“The joint venture plans to open in the Philippines mostly franchised stores and a few joint venture-owned stores,” the disclosure said.

JFC said the first of the “Ti-Amo” stores would open in The Annex at SM North Edsa.”

Analysts said JFC’s entry into this new format was meant to diversify its brand offering and capture opportunities from a growing demand for gourmet coffee shops popularized by the likes of Starbucks. However, this new brand is seen offering a more affordable alternative to other foreign as well as homegrown coffee shop brands.

JFC operates the dominant fast-food service chain in the Philippines. As of end-March, it had a total of domestic 1,569 stores, 692 of which are under the flagship Jollibee brand, 401 under Chinese fast-food chain Chowking, 227 under pizzeria Greenwich, 211 under bakeshop Red Ribbon, 24 under European-inspired deli Delifrance and 14 under budget brand Manong Pepe’s.

Cojuangco to sell stake in Philippines' San Miguel-documents (http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=7883669&subject=companies&action=article)

MANILA, May 10 (Reuters) - Philippines' San Miguel Corp chairman Eduardo Cojuangco is selling out in favour of a key stockholder group, securities filings showed, changing the balance of power in the 120-year-old conglomerate.

Cojuangco's share sale will consolidate power in the hands of company president Ramon Ang and former trade minister Roberto Ongpin who owns part of Top Frontier, the stockholder group, and comes as San Miguel, the country's third-largest listed firm, shifts into high-growth heavy industries.

Top Frontier, a key ally of the San Miguel management, wants to fortify its holdings in San Miguel with share purchase deals worth a total of 79.7 billion pesos ($1.8 billion). No immediate change in business strategy and direction is expected as Ongpin has supported the current management led by Cojuangco.

Ang has been instrumental in shifting San Miguel from its dominant food and beverage businesses into heavy industry such as power, infrastructure, and telecommunications, though this shift could not have materialised without Cojuangco's approval.

San Miguel's A and B shares gained 5.8 percent so far this year, higher than the 2.9 percent gain in the main index. The market in the Philippines was closed on Monday for election day.

It was not immediately clear why Cojuangco, 74, is selling out but he has been reported to be sickly in the past months. Various media have reported that Cojuangco, who returned as San Miguel chairman in 1998, underwent a procedure in the United States in November to correct an abnormal heart rhythm.

San Miguel has not released a statement on Cojuangco's health condition. The company also did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the share sale.

Top Frontier entered into two deals that would allow it to raise its stake to at least 60 percent at the end of 2012 from about 26 percent at end March, according to San Miguel's filings with the stock exchange.

The documents showed Top Frontier entered into a share option deal with 44 corporate shareholders of San Miguel -- mostly related to Cojuangco -- involving 476.72 million A shares and 16.65 million B shares at a price of 75 pesos apiece. The option, worth a total 37 billion pesos, can be exercised until Nov. 2012.

The courts have earlier declared Cojuangco, a close ally of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, as the owner of the San Miguel shares after years of disputes. The government had previously claimed ownership of the shares, alleging that Cojuangco used illegally acquired money from coconut farmers during Marcos' rule to buy into San Miguel.

Separately, Top Frontier entered into a deal to buy the 19.2 percent stake of Q-Tech Alliance Holdings Inc in San Miguel for 42.7 billion pesos. Q-Tech is an Ongpin-led investment group.

Top Frontier had said in November it would seek to consolidate its holdings in San Miguel with Q-Tech. Following Top Frontier's entry into San Miguel, the management of the conglomerate said in January it acquired 49 percent of Top Frontier at an undisclosed amount.

^^^^^^

Parang Lucio Tan ha...binebenta na mga shares....para paghatian ng mga anak at apo....

Nauna na si John Gokongwei dyan....

^^ at least pinoy pa rin ang magkokontrol.

^^ at least pinoy pa rin ang magkokontrol.

sabagay..:cheers:

URC forming meat division; Century also eyeing Pure Foods


Ray Erano
Manila Standard
May 27, 2010


Diversifying conglomerate San Miguel Corp. may no longer find its food business attractive, but the popular Pure Foods hotdog and corned beef brands have prompted at least three big companies to slug it out in acquiring San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc.

The Century Pacific Group of Companies of businessman Ricardo Po is among the five companies interested in buying the 49-percent stake held by San Miguel in San Miguel Purefoods, joining two early bidders—Universal Robina Corp. and NutriAsia Group of Joselito “Butch” Campos Jr., who also owns Del Monte Pacific Ltd.

Universal Robina, or URC, appears to be the most eager to get its hands on San Miguel Pure Foods, which has an estimated value of $1.8 billion. The grapevine says URC of retail and airline tycoon John Gokongwei has long wanted to add a meat processing division in its food manufacturing operations to complement its branded consumer food group.

The company, prior to San Miguel’s overtures, had planned to develop a hotdog brand to get a slice of the multi-billion peso business. The grapevine says URC has attempted to buy out Roel’s Food Corp., a medium-sized meat processing company owned by husband-and-wife team Romy and Carol Pecson.

Roel’s owns and operates a four-hectare plant in Duquit, Mabalacat, Pampanga province and has become one of the biggest food processing concerns in Central Luzon, after starting out from a home-based hotdog-producing business in Marisol, Angeles City.

Roel’s would have been URC’s vehicle in the meat processing business, especially hotdogs, but the Gokongwei company dropped the plan. URC had planned to develop and market a branded hotdog product, called Big Boy, using Roel’s facilities but balked at the idea at the last minute.

“URC wanted a strong brand and felt that developing a popular brand may not be as successful as acquiring an already known product, such as Pure Foods,” the source told this writer. The Pure Foods hotdog brand corners roughly 50 percent of the domestic market.

San Miguel Purefoods would be an ideal fit for URC’s new meat processing division, but the grapevine says the Gokongwei company is interested only in one division of the San Miguel unit. San Miguel Pure Foods holds several food brands in its portfolio, among them Magnolia, Pure Foods, Monterey, Star, Dari Creme, B-Meg and Pure Blend. Its subsidiaries include San Miguel Foods Inc., San Miguel Mills Inc., The Pure Foods-Hormel Company Inc., Magnolia Inc., PT San Miguel Pure Foods Indonesia, San Miguel Super Coffeemix Co. Inc., Monterey Foods Corp., Great Food Solutions and RealSnacks Manufacturing Corp.

URC is already into snacks foods, beverages, hog and poultry, noodles, coffee, dairy and flour and flour-based products that duplicate San Miguel Pure Foods’ product lines. URC, however, is interested in the corned beef brand of San Miguel Pure Foods, which ranks second in the market after Argentina of Pacific Meat Co. Inc., a unit of Century Pacific.

From sardines to hotdog

Century Pacific may end up as the country’s biggest sardine, tuna and hotdog company if it succeeds in convincing San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang.

“Century Pacific leads the corned beef, tuna and canned sardines markets in the Philippines and will lord it over the food processing industry if it gets the hotdog business of San Miguel Pure Foods,” the source said. “Century Pacific’s 555 sardines brand and Century and Blue Bay tuna products dominate their respective markets, while Argentina corned beef is well entrenched as the leading brand in the Philippines. Together, these products have annual sales of P20 billion to P25 billion.”

The fate of URC and Century Pacific hinges on what San Miguel’s Mr. Ang plans to do with San Miguel Pure Foods. Ang this early appears not inclined to break up the company by disposing of its units.

Ang says the mother company might sell stock in San Miguel Pure Foods Co. to the public if it does not receive an acceptable offer for the 49- percent stake.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@manilastandardtoday.com

San Miguel eyes controlling stake in another telco, rail (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/18265-san-miguel-eyes-controlling-stake-in-another-telco-rail)

Friday, 28 May 2010 00:00

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) plans to acquire controlling stakes in a telecommunications company owned by the Ongpin group and a mass rail transit project.

Eric Recto, ISM Communications Corp. president and chief executive said the food and beverage conglomerate is in talks with his company for the sale of the latter’s 77-percent stake in Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (ETPI).

Another option that ISM is looking at is a tie-up with SMC to form a bigger telecom company.

“We want to leverage on our asset,” Recto told reporters on the sidelines of Philweb Corp.’s stockholders meeting.

“We’re still discussing on how it will achieve. [But] the intention is to sell the whole thing,” he added.

Recto said he expects to complete the negotiations within the year.

Ramon Ang, SMC president and Philweb director, earlier said that the conglomerate is acquiring Express Telecommunications Inc. (Extelcom) from the Ongpin group and UK-based Ashmore Investment Management Ltd., which in turn are buying out Extelcom’s creditors.

Extelcom is undergoing corporate rehabilitation, with debts amounting to P9.017 billion.

If the ISM and Extelcom deals would push through, SMC would then have three telcos under its portfolio, including Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc.

Liberty Telecoms is now focusing on Internet broadband and WiMAX to bring it back to profitability. The company expects the two services to account for more than 90 percent of its projected sales and subscriber base.

Roberto Ongpin, ISM chairman and a representative of the Ashmore group, said the SMC-Ashmore partnership will continue as long as there are opportunities to acquire assets.

Ongpin added that Ashmore is “very keen” on expanding to the property sector.

SMC, on the other hand, is eyeing to strengthen its foothold in the infrastructure sector by acquiring 51 percent of Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), Ang said.

ULC is the consortium that will construct the Metro Rail Transit Line (MRT) Line 7 project. It is 50-percent owned by La Costa Development Co., a company led by Salvador Zamora 2nd, the president of Hinatuan Mining Corp.

Other investors in the project are Sy family of the SM group, Levin group, Siemens group, Velasco group, International Finance Corp., Yuchengco Group, George Go group and China Railway and a Japanese investor.

“We have an agreement with major shareholders of MRT 7 and at the moment, the agreement is being finalized. Our agreement is for us to buy in up to 51 percent,” Ang said.

The proposed 20-kilometer MRT 7 will run from San Jose del Monte station in Bulacan to SM City station in North Avenue and would be linked with Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 and MRT 3.

The consortium would also develop the real estate component of the project, which is estimated to cost $2.2 billion, by July next year. ULC said about 900,000 square meters will be developed into commercial spaces and 2 million square meters would be for residences.

^^ related news about the Ongpin Group

Acentic Acquired by PhilWeb Corporation and ISM Communications Corp. (http://blog.taragana.com/pr/acentic-acquired-by-philweb-corporation-and-ism-communications-corp-11609/)

By Acentic, PRNE
January 13th, 2010

Acquisition paves the way for launch for expansion of Digital TV and HSIA services to the Asia and Middle East markets

COLOGNE, Germany, January 14 - Acentic, a leading supplier of digital interactive TV (iTV) systems for the hotel industry is pleased to announce the acquisition of the company by PhilWeb Corp. (WEB) and ISM Communications Corp. (ISM) which acquired a 65% stake in Acentic on January 11, 2010. The acquisition allows Acentic to further extend their digital TV and high speed internet access (HSIA) services throughout the European market and expand to the Asia-Pacific region, the fastest growing hotel market in the world.

The acquisition also strengthens the gaming offering Acentic will provide to its current and future hotel customers. WEB is one of the leading gaming and e-gaming technology companies in Asia.

"We are excited about the entry of WEB and ISM in Acentic and taking Acentic to the next level," said Alistair Forbes, CEO, Acentic. "Our digital TV and HSIA services are already in many of the world's leading hotel chains in Europe and are a perfect fit to the IT business of ISM and the gaming expertise of WEB."

On December 24, 2009, WEB and ISM informed the Philippine Stock Exchange that through a jointly and equally owned Hong Kong special purpose vehicle entered into a binding agreement with Global Innovation Partners (GI Partners), a private equity firm based in the United Kingdom (UK), for the acquisition of a controlling 65% stake in Acentic. The remaining 35% of Acentic will continue to be owned by Niantic Holding GmbH, a German company controlled by Dr. Andreas Jacobs.

Forbes added: "We're looking forward to the changes and growth this new dynamic brings to the Acentic family in 2010 and beyond. As a company that has always been dedicated to customer service and quality products, we remain dedicated to keeping our hotels happy and helping them deliver the best in room services possible to their guests.

"The substantial number of hotel rooms currently under contract to Acentic and the imminent roll out of Acentic Asia provides WEB with enormous opportunities to expand its gaming business, which is today limited only to the Philippine market, to many other major countries principally in Europe and the Middle East," said Dennis Valdez, President, PhilWeb (WEB). "WEB will have an instant platform of 200,000 rooms in Europe as a market for its internet gaming offerings. WEB's participation in the acquisition of Acentic will enable WEB to have a quantum increase in its business prospects worldwide and well beyond just the Philippine market."

About Acentic

Acentic is an international provider of digital TV services to hotels. Acentic's digital content, technology, support and services deliver entertainment and revenue generation tools via the hotel television, providing a unique communications system that meets the evolving lifestyles of guests. Acentic's digital TV services are in many of the world's leading hotel chains including Accor, Dorint, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton, Hyatt, Maritim, Marriott, Movenpick and Starwood in more than 30 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. For more information, visit www.acentic.com or follow us on Twitter @acentic.

San Miguel eyes controlling stake in another telco, rail (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/18265-san-miguel-eyes-controlling-stake-in-another-telco-rail)

Friday, 28 May 2010 00:00

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) plans to acquire controlling stakes in a telecommunications company owned by the Ongpin group and a mass rail transit project.

Eric Recto, ISM Communications Corp. president and chief executive said the food and beverage conglomerate is in talks with his company for the sale of the latter’s 77-percent stake in Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (ETPI).

Another option that ISM is looking at is a tie-up with SMC to form a bigger telecom company.

“We want to leverage on our asset,” Recto told reporters on the sidelines of Philweb Corp.’s stockholders meeting.

“We’re still discussing on how it will achieve. the intention is to sell the whole thing,” he added.

Recto said he expects to complete the negotiations within the year.

Ramon Ang, SMC president and Philweb director, earlier said that the conglomerate is acquiring Express Telecommunications Inc. (Extelcom) from the Ongpin group and UK-based Ashmore Investment Management Ltd., which in turn are buying out Extelcom’s creditors.

Extelcom is undergoing corporate rehabilitation, with debts amounting to P9.017 billion.

If the ISM and Extelcom deals would push through, SMC would then have three telcos under its portfolio, including Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc.

Liberty Telecoms is now focusing on Internet broadband and WiMAX to bring it back to profitability. The company expects the two services to account for more than 90 percent of its projected sales and subscriber base.

Roberto Ongpin, ISM chairman and a representative of the Ashmore group, said the SMC-Ashmore partnership will continue as long as there are opportunities to acquire assets.

Ongpin added that Ashmore is “very keen” on expanding to the property sector.

SMC, on the other hand, is eyeing to strengthen its foothold in the infrastructure sector by acquiring 51 percent of Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), Ang said.

ULC is the consortium that will construct the Metro Rail Transit Line (MRT) Line 7 project. It is 50-percent owned by La Costa Development Co., a company led by Salvador Zamora 2nd, the president of Hinatuan Mining Corp.

Other investors in the project are Sy family of the SM group, Levin group, Siemens group, Velasco group, International Finance Corp., Yuchengco Group, George Go group and China Railway and a Japanese investor.
[B]
“We have an agreement with major shareholders of MRT 7 and at the moment, the agreement is being finalized. Our agreement is for us to buy in up to 51 percent,” Ang said.

The proposed 20-kilometer MRT 7 will run from San Jose del Monte station in Bulacan to SM City station in North Avenue and would be linked with Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 and MRT 3.

The consortium would also develop the real estate component of the project, which is estimated to cost $2.2 billion, by July next year. ULC said about 900,000 square meters will be developed into commercial spaces and 2 million square meters would be for residences.

I guess this is good news for some rail fans...

Now, to get the PNR...

Corner stores praised
Manila Standard Today - May 28, 2010

VICE President Noli De Castro on Thursday acknowledged the contribution of Puregold’s program, Tindahan ni Aling Puring [Madam Puring’s Store], in helping the country’s small entrepreneurs

He praised Puregold for having 150,000 small entrepreneurs in the program and predicted more mom-and-pop stores would be set up as a result of it.

“Despite the proliferation of shopping malls and supermarkets, we see the development of more sari-sari stores in the country especially because of the help and support of Puregold to sari-sari store owners,” De Castro said at the fifth Tindahan ni Aling Puring convention at the World Trade Center, which opened on May 26 and goes on until Saturday.

He said the partnership between mom-and-pop store owners and Puregold ensured that the sari-sari store would survive as a Filipino institution.

“Like the ordinary Filipino, a sari-sari store may be small, but it is determined to grow and prosper,” he said.

“It is also a friendly corner store, and is considered an integral part of families in the community.”

Oscar Lopez steps down as FPHC chair

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100601-273150/Oscar-Lopez-steps-down-as-FPHC-chair)
First Posted 00:08:00 06/01/2010

OSCAR M. LOPEZ is stepping down as chairman and CEO of family-owned conglomerate First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPHC).

The Lopez family patriarch told FPHC stockholders at their annual meeting Monday that he would relinquish the executive position and has recommended his son, Federico “Piki” Lopez, who currently sits as the company’s executive director, to the CEO post effective June 12.

The elder Lopez will remain as chair emeritus of FPHC, which holds the family’s interests in power distribution and generation, manufacturing, property and infrastructure.

“I stated my intention to step aside as chief executive but would like to remain as chair emeritus of the company to help guide the company in its long-term plans,” he said.

In the same speech, Lopez related his past “dream and aspiration to leave the business in a better condition” than when he first worked as the company’s head.

“I think I have earned the right to make that claim,” he said. “None of the mountains I’ve climbed are as steep as those I have had to ascend in my career at First Holdings,” he added.

In the first quarter of the year, the holding firm posted a net income of P24.6 billion, mainly from the P23.6 billion the company earned from the sale of a 6.6-percent stake in Manila Electric Co. to the group of Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Formed in the early 1960s by Eugenio Lopez as a holding firm for the family’s stake in Meralco, FPHC – through its subsidiaries – is now one of the world’s biggest producers of renewable energy.

Alin ang dapat i-patronize?

A Filipino-brand that is made in China? Or a foriegn brand made in Philippines?

Bench watches are made in China. Timex watches are made in Cebu.

Alin ang dapat i-patronize?

A Filipino-brand that is made in China? Or a foriegn brand made in Philippines?

Bench watches are made in China. Timex watches are made in Cebu.

Im very nationalistic. If its 100% imported brand vs. local brand made in China, I will go for China made local brands such as Bench because profits still go Pinoy owners who reinvest the money here.

But if its between, a foreign brand made in the Philippines vs. a local brand made in China I think I will go for a foreign brand made in the Philippines. Aside from being sturdier and alot better, buying locally made goods either foreign brand and local brand has a huge impact on the economy (employment, income, taxes, related industries, favorable impact on consumption like expats spending money in the country etc.)

Problem with China made local brand is that only China and the owner of the local brand benefit more than our local economy because employment and income and other economic benefits go to China and not to the Philippines.

It would be alot better if local brands but made in China like Myphone, myscreen, Accel, 3D appliances, Standard appliances, Promac appliances and Neo laptops should eventually produced here using large amount of local parts and labor force.

^^Daming Filipino brands na pala...I hope they will move their production to Philippines. Mataas naman ang sense of quality natin kumpara sa China...We just need to lower down our power rates, para bababa yong cost of operation.

With the possibility of China's renminbi value to explode, I guess, there will be a migration of foriegn investment from China to somewhere else. If Philippines could build more power plants to lessen the price and to avoid power interruptions, I think we can have some share of this investment. IMHO lang.

^^Daming Filipino brands na pala...I hope they will move their production to Philippines. Mataas naman ang sense of quality natin kumpara sa China...We just need to lower down our power rates, para bababa yong cost of operation.

With the possibility of China's renminbi value to explode, I guess, there will be a migration of foriegn investment from China to somewhere else. If Philippines could build more power plants to lessen the price and to avoid power interruptions, I think we can have some share of this investment. IMHO lang.

Agree here.:cheers:

Inflation will eventually kill Chinese advantage against her Asian competitors. We should grab the opportunity and you a right with your suggestions.:)

what ever happened to this?

^^Daming Filipino brands na pala...I hope they will move their production to Philippines. Mataas naman ang sense of quality natin kumpara sa China...We just need to lower down our power rates, para bababa yong cost of operation.

With the possibility of China's renminbi value to explode, I guess, there will be a migration of foriegn investment from China to somewhere else. If Philippines could build more power plants to lessen the price and to avoid power interruptions, I think we can have some share of this investment. IMHO lang.

Thats the reason why the japanese are taking a second look at the Philippines despite the high cost here.

The owner of the famous Datu Puti and UFC brands and Del MOnte brand in the Philippines wants to get Purefoods, a highly respected brand in the country.

Campos group ahead in bid for Pure Foods

By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:23:00 06/10/2010


THE CAMPOS FAMILY, WHICH controls the NutriAsia food conglomerate, has emerged as one of the leading bidders for the 49-percent stake in San Miguel Pure Foods Inc., which its parent firm is selling for at least $1.8 billion.

More importantly, the Campos group has submitted one of the most attractive bids to San Miguel Corp. for the food manufacturing and processing firm, a source familiar with the issue told the Inquirer.

“It seems that they have one of the best bids among the interested local buyers,” said the source who declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the deal. “It now depends on how attractive the bids from the foreign buyers are.”

The Campos group’s bid—along with as many as five others—is expected to be scrutinized by San Miguel over the coming days. The winning bidder may be announced as early as next week, company president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.

“By next week, we may have a winner already,” Ang said in a separate interview.

Ang added that, depending on the attractiveness of the various bids received, San Miguel could even opt to sell its entire stake in Pure Foods.

Earlier, Pure Foods officials said the company’s profit could increase by up to 15 percent this year from P2.7 billion in 2009.

Sales may likely to increase 10 percent, they added.

The firm is responsible for 44 percent of the country’s poultry output and 63 percent of hotdog sales.

On top of NutriAsia, the Campos family also own pharmaceutical firm United Laboratories. Campos scion Jose Jr. is a business ally of San Miguel’s Ang.

The two, along with businessman Iñigo Zobel, have made several high-profile investments together in recent months.

In addition, the Campos family spent $150 million to buy San Miguel’s minority stake in NutriAsia San Miguel Holdings Ltd., which owns 84.5 percent of Del Monte Pacific Ltd.

Earlier, it was reported that Gokongwei-controlled JG Summit Holdings and five other companies are vying for Pure Foods.

NutriAsia Group holds bulk of the local market share for liquid condiments, specialty sauces and cooking oil. Its UFC brand has an 85-percent market share in the local ketchup and hot chili sauce lines.

The company also controls Del Monte Pacific, a food company that markets canned goods, fresh produce and packaged foods in China, India and the Philippines.

^^Daming Filipino brands na pala...I hope they will move their production to Philippines. Mataas naman ang sense of quality natin kumpara sa China...We just need to lower down our power rates, para bababa yong cost of operation.

With the possibility of China's renminbi value to explode, I guess, there will be a migration of foriegn investment from China to somewhere else. If Philippines could build more power plants to lessen the price and to avoid power interruptions, I think we can have some share of this investment. IMHO lang.

mataas ang quality ng Pilipinas kahit na sa fruits.

sa Kuwait solo ng Pilipinas ang market sa banana at fresh pineapple
eto ang lists.

Del monte
Dole
Chiquita
Fruitia
Pinoy
Delmon
Senorita

Yung C2 na binebenta dito sa Hanoi, made in Indonesia... what the?

Yung C2 na binebenta dito sa Hanoi, made in Indonesia... what the?

:lol:peke

Btw, I think I may have convinced my boss to open a franchise for another Jollibee outlet in Hanoi, Jollibee tho on their website says that franchising in the AP region are on hold. I hope mag open na... :(

Alin ang dapat i-patronize?

A Filipino-brand that is made in China? Or a foriegn brand made in Philippines?

Bench watches are made in China. Timex watches are made in Cebu.

Yung timex. Gaya nung coke may nakalagay pa rin dun sa can na proudly phil made, though alam naman nating foreign brand sya.

^^kamusta nmn ang jollibee dyan dinadayo ba ng locals?

^^kamusta nmn ang jollibee dyan dinadayo ba ng locals?

Nung nagpunta kami nung June 12, may mga locals din, pero maliit lang kasi Jollibee dito sa Hanoi eh, across Lotteria sya- yung chaka na Korean/Japanese fastfood.

Hopefully mag open ng franchising ulit ng JB and makapag-apply ang boss ko. Shucks, pag naconvince ko yun, malaki laki din maitulong dun ng franchise fees sa JB dyan sa Pinas. ;) And hopefully in a better location.

^^ sana nga.. it will help alot our country kung maraming magfrafranchise sa jabi!

^^ Kakaorder ko lang ulit ng JB dinner. ;)

^^ and I just had my Jabee chicken and spag.

^^kamusta nmn ang jollibee dyan dinadayo ba ng locals?

The Jabee in Hongkong Central is always on standing ovation each time I go there for my monthly dose of Jolly Hotdog...Hehehe

While in Shenzhen, I was just able to dine in for four times before it was closed. I also wonder, that the Jabee in HK is serving the regular Jabee menu, while in Shenzhen, they were serving like a normal "fine dining" restaurant and no Jolly Hotdog.

^^ I think they closed their Shenzhen and other Chinese and Taiwanese branches to give way to their other business venture Yonghe King.

Originally Posted by Sleepwalker View Post
Alin ang dapat i-patronize?

A Filipino-brand that is made in China? Or a foriegn brand made in Philippines?

Bench watches are made in China. Timex watches are made in Cebu.

Minsan masama ang masyadong makabayan. Why discriminate foreign brands? The fact that they made it to the Philippine market, gumamit na sila ng Filipino workforce. At ang mga Pilipinong ito ay may sarili din pamilyang pinapakain.

Minsan masama ang masyadong makabayan. Why discriminate foreign brands? The fact that they made it to the Philippine market, gumamit na sila ng Filipino workforce. At ang mga Pilipinong ito ay may sarili din pamilyang pinapakain.

hindi namn, una mong hahanapin pinoy made at gawang pinas, siempre yung may quality, pangalawa na lang yung gawa sa taiwan o china na pinoy din naman ang gumawa doon:D

walang toblerone na gawang Pinas kaya yun imported binibili ko, pero siempre Goya muna kahit hindi na sya Pinoy ngayon:D

hindi namn, una mong hahanapin pinoy made at gawang pinas, siempre yung may quality, pangalawa na lang yung gawa sa taiwan o china na pinoy din naman ang gumawa doon:D

walang toblerone na gawang Pinas kaya yun imported binibili ko, pero siempre Goya muna kahit hindi na sya Pinoy ngayon:D

HIndi na Pinoy ang Goya??? :(

^^ yeah, binili na ata goya ng swiss company b? basta may bumili na

I'll usually go for products with 4 80 na bar code. siguradong gawang pinoy!

^^ I didn't know this. Thanks for the Info.



:horse:

from hoax-slayer.com (http://www.hoax-slayer.com/product-bar-codes.shtml)

Does the barcode number indicate the country of origin of a product?

No it doesn't. The 3-digit prefix code indicates which numbering organization has allocated the bank of numbers to the company. For example, a company may have it's headquarters in South Africa. The EAN organization in South Africa has the code "600", but all the products of the company may be manufactured in England. The English-made products would still have the "600" prefix code. The prefix code is a way to have 70-plus EAN member organizations issuing numbers without having to worry about duplicate numbers.
This information is confirmed on a barcode prefix list (http://www.gs1.org/productssolutions/barcodes/support/prefix_list.html) published on global standards organisation, GS1's website:
GS1 Prefixes do not provide identification of country of origin for a given product. They simply provide number capacity to different countries for assignment from that location to companies who apply. Those companies in turn may manufacture products anywhere in the world. Thus, while the first three digits of the product barcode may sometimes indicate where the product was manufactured, it will not always do so. For example, a barcode that has 690 as the first three digits indicates that the barcode was assigned by the Chinese EAN numbering authority. However, it does not necessarily mean that the product was actually manufactured in China.

Therefore, the advice given in this email is actually rather pointless. The information in the email would only be useful to consumers if the prefix invariably indicated where a product was manufactured. The fact that the barcode prefix is not a reliable and constant method of determining a product's country of manufacture means that, while the information in the email may be interesting, it is actually of little practical value.

^^ salamat sa pagdouble check ng bar code claim.

HIndi na Pinoy ang Goya??? :(

^^ yeah, binili na ata goya ng swiss company b? basta may bumili na

Tama, HIndi na sya Pinoy.:ohno:

Tama, HIndi na sya Pinoy.:ohno:

Bat parang ganun, ang feeling ko ay para akong tinakasan ng masasayang childhood memories kong kumakain ng Serg's... :(

Nakakalungkot... :ohno:

Bat parang ganun, ang feeling ko ay para akong tinakasan ng masasayang childhood memories kong kumakain ng Serg's... :(

Nakakalungkot... :ohno:
Wag malungkot..

buhay na bhay pa ang curly tops at flat tops...:)


Buhay pa nips, football (parang itlog na chocolate), cloud nine at big bang...:)

Don forget ang walang kamatayang choc-nut...:)

^^ Love that brand. I usually buy a box of chocolates at nag-aa la Forrest Gump by myself.

Wag malungkot..

buhay na bhay pa ang curly tops at flat tops...:)


Buhay pa nips, football (parang itlog na chocolate), cloud nine at big bang...:)

Don forget ang walang kamatayang choc-nut...:)

paborito ko yung nips, at cloud nine, yung big bang hindi masyado at parang naalatan ako... yung curly tops and flat tops--> shucks adik ako nyan. Parang chocnut na nagiging kain lang ng kain...

^^^^

ako mas gusto ko big bang. :lol: curly tops din. :lol:

^^ Masarap yung Curly Tops i-plop sa chocolate drinks. Makes it richer.

Something to ponder about...

Kung eto kukunin ng DepEd na maging supplier din ng PCs, OK din...

RedFox to release new 'educ' technologies by August
By Leilani Chavez, abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 06/26/2010 3:42 PM | Updated as of 06/26/2010 5:10 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/06/26/10/redfox-release-new-educ-technologies-august

MANILA, Philippines - RedFox Technologies, a division of Asian Technologies Computer Corporation, unveiled new and innovative technologies for educational purposes on Thursday as part of the InnoTech laboratory launch at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

With the opening of classes, Filipino-owned RedFox is introducing 3 new technologies for the academe: the Interactive Whiteboard, an e-reader, and a Multi-Learner Station.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Interactive%20Whiteboard.jpg

RedFox partnered with Promethean in bringing the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) to Asia. IWB is an interactive display that combines whiteboard, personal computer, and projector.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Picos%20projector.jpg

The package comes with a small projector called Picos, a 78-inch digital whiteboard, and a gray digital pen. "It can be used in discussions, trainings, and other purposes to view presentations and manipulate it directly through the whiteboard," according to the RedFox Philippine homepage.

According to Shishiir Manzo of RedFox, the IWB is an effective way to engage students in class discussions. Teachers can use images as background for presentations, play videos, draw graphs, and the like.

With IWB, what can be seen or done on a computer screen can be projected to an interactive whiteboard, Manzo told abs-cbnNEWS.com. The IWB also includes a handwriting recognition software and can work as wired or through wireless connection to a host PC.

Energy efficient, cheaper

Aside from the IWB, RedFox boasts of the Multi-Learner Station which gives access to 5 to 10 computers through a very powerful (RedFox has not released the specifications yet) single desktop PC.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20MultiLearner%20Station.jpg

The unit works on 1 operating system and enables easy file sharing.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20RDX%20V7%20desktop.jpg

The package is energy efficient, another plus factor, said Manzo. It uses 250 watts of electricity to power five 18.5-inch LCDs and the central processing unit. A typical desktop computer uses roughly the same amount for every use.

Bookworms and e-book followers can also make use of the WizLib, a local version of Kindle, the reading device being distributed by Amazon.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizLib%20ebook%20reader.jpg

Aside from viewing e-books, it can store documents, text files, and black and white images.

Though e-books have yet to acquire a following in the country, RedFox is eyeing possible discussions with the local publishing industry to push for e-versions of textbooks. The move, said RedFox, will be cheaper in the long run.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizLib%20ebook%20reader%20sizes.jpg

WizLib has 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Other technologies

Aside from these technologies, RedFox is joining the touch-screen smartphone craze and will be releasing its own WizPhone.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizPhone.jpg

It will run on the latest Android 2.0 and comes with a music player, digital map, gaming pad, 3-megapixel digital camera, and other office applications.

RedFox also showed off the new eVolve, the company's first "all-in-one" personal computer, which combines a computer and television. It can be mounted on the wall or placed on any smooth surface and easily switchable to TV or PC by remote.

The multimedia PC-slash-TV comes in dual core, quad core, and 6-core configurations.

Almost in the same league as the Multi-Learner Station, the new Docking Station connects up to 6 laptops simultaneously through USB and can serve as an external hub.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Docking%20Station.jpg

RedFox started in 1998 and has since been actively churning out personal computers and laptops in the country's booming technological industry. It has extended its market base to Taiwan, Singapore, and China, while maintaining a manufacturing hub in Cavite, a province located south of the capital Manila.

"We are delighted to say that a modern and up-to-date Philippines is within reach. We are getting there," RedFox CEO Andy Te said in a press release.

These technologies can be seen at the newly-launched InnoTech Laboratory at the National Computer Institute at the University of the Philippines.

Released earlier in Singapore, China, and Taiwan, these products will be available in the Philippine market by August 2010.

All photos by Leilani Chavez, abs-cbnNEWS.com

^^ nice.. we should really help our local industries

Something to ponder about...

Kung eto kukunin ng DepEd na maging supplier din ng PCs, OK din...

RedFox to release new 'educ' technologies by August
By Leilani Chavez, abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 06/26/2010 3:42 PM | Updated as of 06/26/2010 5:10 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/06/26/10/redfox-release-new-educ-technologies-august

MANILA, Philippines - RedFox Technologies, a division of Asian Technologies Computer Corporation, unveiled new and innovative technologies for educational purposes on Thursday as part of the InnoTech laboratory launch at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

With the opening of classes, Filipino-owned RedFox is introducing 3 new technologies for the academe: the Interactive Whiteboard, an e-reader, and a Multi-Learner Station.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Interactive%20Whiteboard.jpg

RedFox partnered with Promethean in bringing the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) to Asia. IWB is an interactive display that combines whiteboard, personal computer, and projector.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Picos%20projector.jpg

The package comes with a small projector called Picos, a 78-inch digital whiteboard, and a gray digital pen. "It can be used in discussions, trainings, and other purposes to view presentations and manipulate it directly through the whiteboard," according to the RedFox Philippine homepage.

According to Shishiir Manzo of RedFox, the IWB is an effective way to engage students in class discussions. Teachers can use images as background for presentations, play videos, draw graphs, and the like.

With IWB, what can be seen or done on a computer screen can be projected to an interactive whiteboard, Manzo told abs-cbnNEWS.com. The IWB also includes a handwriting recognition software and can work as wired or through wireless connection to a host PC.

Energy efficient, cheaper

Aside from the IWB, RedFox boasts of the Multi-Learner Station which gives access to 5 to 10 computers through a very powerful (RedFox has not released the specifications yet) single desktop PC.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20MultiLearner%20Station.jpg

The unit works on 1 operating system and enables easy file sharing.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20RDX%20V7%20desktop.jpg

The package is energy efficient, another plus factor, said Manzo. It uses 250 watts of electricity to power five 18.5-inch LCDs and the central processing unit. A typical desktop computer uses roughly the same amount for every use.

Bookworms and e-book followers can also make use of the WizLib, a local version of Kindle, the reading device being distributed by Amazon.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizLib%20ebook%20reader.jpg

Aside from viewing e-books, it can store documents, text files, and black and white images.

Though e-books have yet to acquire a following in the country, RedFox is eyeing possible discussions with the local publishing industry to push for e-versions of textbooks. The move, said RedFox, will be cheaper in the long run.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizLib%20ebook%20reader%20sizes.jpg

WizLib has 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Other technologies

Aside from these technologies, RedFox is joining the touch-screen smartphone craze and will be releasing its own WizPhone.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20WizPhone.jpg

It will run on the latest Android 2.0 and comes with a music player, digital map, gaming pad, 3-megapixel digital camera, and other office applications.

RedFox also showed off the new eVolve, the company's first "all-in-one" personal computer, which combines a computer and television. It can be mounted on the wall or placed on any smooth surface and easily switchable to TV or PC by remote.

The multimedia PC-slash-TV comes in dual core, quad core, and 6-core configurations.

Almost in the same league as the Multi-Learner Station, the new Docking Station connects up to 6 laptops simultaneously through USB and can serve as an external hub.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/topics/lifestyle/RedFox%20Docking%20Station.jpg

RedFox started in 1998 and has since been actively churning out personal computers and laptops in the country's booming technological industry. It has extended its market base to Taiwan, Singapore, and China, while maintaining a manufacturing hub in Cavite, a province located south of the capital Manila.

"We are delighted to say that a modern and up-to-date Philippines is within reach. We are getting there," RedFox CEO Andy Te said in a press release.

These technologies can be seen at the newly-launched InnoTech Laboratory at the National Computer Institute at the University of the Philippines.

Released earlier in Singapore, China, and Taiwan, these products will be available in the Philippine market by August 2010.

All photos by Leilani Chavez, abs-cbnNEWS.com


That looks very nice.. :)

^^ That and I was thinking of Dick Gordon's panukala before, yung bigyan ng Kindle ang bawat mag-aaral. Hmm, very very ponderous indeed.

is RedFox a filipino company? sana naman made in the Philippines yan, pero baka made in China? :lol:

^^ Read the article.

yes redfox is a filipino brand and manufacturer of PC's, laptops, netbooks, and motherboard.

they just need to implement stricter quality control to rise to the same level of taiwanese brands

^^ Sana man din lang OK yung mga products nila. I saw their showroom in SM North and it's one of the best PC products I've seen.

yes redfox is a filipino brand and manufacturer of PC's, laptops, netbooks, and motherboard.

they just need to implement stricter quality control to rise to the same level of taiwanese brands

^^ Sana man din lang OK yung mga products nila. I saw their showroom in SM North and it's one of the best PC products I've seen.

Ok naman e.

Yung barkada ko may laptop at PC. Maganda at ok ang performance. 3 months na sa kanya after convincing him of buying the local brand.

Isn't the "Interactive Whiteboard" pretty much the same thing as a Smartboard? We use those in college, and I believe a lot of American high schools are equipped with those now.

I'm at least glad to hear we're starting to get somewhere with technological research and development. It's about time!

^^ Yung Wizbook ang magandang ipanukala. I remembered Dick Gordon made one of the most enlightening suggestions on ways how to improve our system.

Walang problema kung adaptive technology lang siya at least pwede nating gamitin yan in our classrooms.

Yeah hopefully we can see all colleges equipped with this technology at the very least.

Yeah hopefully we can see all colleges equipped with this technology at the very least.

maganda yan pag bilhan lahat ng universities ng ganyan, malaking tulong sa redfox and philippine i.t.

let us support our own..

I think there should be a Filipino restaurant in every country. If the Chinese can do it, we could! There are at least 12 Million Filipinos abroad at any given time ~ Surely they want their adobo and sisig!

^^ Good point. As huge as the Filipino diaspora is, I've always why none ever bothered to open up a restaurant. I always see Pho establishments, Thai restaurants, Korea, Japanese, Chinese, even Malaysian food flourishing now, and yet it's extremely rare to find a Filipino restaurant unless you're in a big metro area where there's a huge concentration of Filipinos. So ironic that there are so many of us, yet so very few restaurants. We should shoot for higher goals in the U.S. At least one Filipino restaurant in ever regional area.

Marketing ourselves culturally through mediums such as restaurants and the media will sell our country. It'll attract more interest in the Philippines (in terms of tourists and economics), and it can bring a lot more to the table than we expect (pun intended).

^^ We need more restos. While we can't conquer people these days for slavery, we can conquer them through the stomach. :D

I think there should be a Filipino restaurant in every country. If the Chinese can do it, we could! There are at least 12 Million Filipinos abroad at any given time ~ Surely they want their adobo and sisig!

^^ Good point. As huge as the Filipino diaspora is, I've always why none ever bothered to open up a restaurant. I always see Pho establishments, Thai restaurants, Korea, Japanese, Chinese, even Malaysian food flourishing now, and yet it's extremely rare to find a Filipino restaurant unless you're in a big metro area where there's a huge concentration of Filipinos. So ironic that there are so many of us, yet so very few restaurants. We should shoot for higher goals in the U.S. At least one Filipino restaurant in ever regional area.

Marketing ourselves culturally through mediums such as restaurants and the media will sell our country. It'll attract more interest in the Philippines (in terms of tourists and economics), and it can bring a lot more to the table than we expect (pun intended).

We have Max's (US), Barrio Fiesta (US) and Jollibee (China etc) (with its patented Pinoy burger called yumburger, sweet Pinoy spagetti and palabok).

Hopefully, in other countries as well.

We have Max's (US), Barrio Fiesta (US) and Jollibee (China etc) (with its patented Pinoy burger called yumburger, sweet Pinoy spagetti and palabok).

Hopefully, in other countries as well.

Kulang kulang dre. Dito sa Hanoi, nag-iisa lang ang Jollibee.. sana may Max's..

^^ I wish nga yung Batchoy dumating din diyan para di lang Fernando Pho ang kakainin mo. :D

^^ I wish nga yung Batchoy dumating din diyan para di lang Fernando Pho ang kakainin mo. :D

Hindi na ako kumakain ng pho.. nadala na ako sa 2 weeks na lbm. :ohno::ohno:


i miss batchoy... :((

there is problem with the filipino food. Mataas sya sa uric acid at typically unhealthy. Foods like menudo, kaldereta, kare kare, sisig,bopis, dinuguan. Hindi yan normally kinakain araw araw.

We should focus more on healthy filipino foods.

there is problem with the filipino food. Mataas sya sa uric acid at typically unhealthy. Foods like menudo, kaldereta, kare kare, sisig,bopis, dinuguan. Hindi yan normally kinakain araw araw.

We should focus more on healthy filipino foods.

taas din naman ng uric acid sa Chinese food ah? Mabetsin nga sila eh.

there is problem with the filipino food. Mataas sya sa uric acid at typically unhealthy. Foods like menudo, kaldereta, kare kare, sisig,bopis, dinuguan. Hindi yan normally kinakain araw araw.

We should focus more on healthy filipino foods.

like malunggay:D

Paotsin, a local franchise, serves superb inexpensive food. Tinalo ang Hen Lin..

Paotsin, a local franchise, serves superb inexpensive food. Tinalo ang Hen Lin..

problema sa hen lin, masyadong mahal and hindi naman ganun kasarap.

problema sa hen lin, masyadong mahal and hindi naman ganun kasarap.

Parang jollibee dito sa NY.

Paotsin, a local franchise, serves superb inexpensive food. Tinalo ang Hen Lin..

Sobrang mabetsin at takaw sa uric din sila... Favorite food ng mga nagmamadali.

problema sa hen lin, masyadong mahal and hindi naman ganun kasarap.

Don't think so. Their rice is one of the best things in mass production. Yun nga lang yung chicken legs nila is a very bad thing.

Sobrang mabetsin at takaw sa uric din sila... Favorite food ng mga nagmamadali.

O sige yung fried noodles na lang. Pag nagda-diet ako yung lang kinakain ko...Maraming local franchise yun.

Again, wagi ang Pinoy sa pagkain na ito.

pati yung master siomai, talo na talaga hen lin. Sobra kasing mahal..

Master siomai, isang order 25 pesos lang. Hen lin 35 ata.

Nanganganib na sila.

Pancake House to buy new restaurant; sets regional expansion :banana:

BusinessWorld Online
July 2, 2010

LISTED restaurant chain Pancake House, Inc. is looking to expand in neighboring Southeast Asian countries through newly acquired stores, its top executive said yesterday.

Bigger overseas operations will allow revenues to jump by as much as 16% to P2.1 billion, Martin P. Lorenzo, president and chief executive of Pancake House, told reporters after the company’s stockholders’ meeting in Makati.

To expand its local market, the company has allotted P150 million to P170 million to acquire a chicken restaurant chain.

The company has already spent $10 million to $15 million to acquire 80 and 30 restaurants in Indonesia and Thailand, respectively. The restaurants offer hot pot meals and casual dining.

Overseas operations account for less than 5% of the Pancake House group’s business, but they are expected to contribute 40% later on, Mr. Lorenzo said.

Sales are expected to increase late this year. “[Sales] in the first quarter were slow...but in May and June, sales picked up,” Mr. Lorenzo said, adding that the company was expecting strong results in the second quarter.

System-wide sales are expected to reach P2.5 billion to P2.6 billion from P2.2 billion last year, while revenues should go up to P2.1 billion from P1.8 billion in the previous year. Before-tax earnings are expected to grow to P340 million from P300 million.

Mr. Lorenzo said the local chicken restaurant being eyed for acquisition has five branches. Pancake House wants to increase branches to 60 in two years.

“We will enter that segment because we have the technology for chicken and ability to compete at the P150 [price] range. We will get into that in a month or two,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company will launch in August a culinary school in partnership with listed Far Eastern University.

Mr. Lorenzo said his firm wants to teach 240 students, which will be sent to Malaysia and Indonesia as supervisors.

The partners are waiting for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to certify the curriculum. It will later be expanded to Cebu and Davao.

In the next two to three years, the culinary school will account for 10% of the company’s cash flow, Mr. Lorenzo said.

The Pancake House group ended the first quarter of 2010 with a total of 179 outlets -- for Pancake House, 80; Dencio’s Bar and Grill, 26; Teriyaki Boy, 39; Sizzlin’ Pepper Steak, 19; and Le Coeur de France, 15.

The original Pancake House was opened in 1970 by Milagros Basa, Leticia Zamora and Carmen Zaragosa, producing pancakes and waffles as an alternative to the rice-based restaurant market.

A group of new investors led by Mr. Lorenzo bought the two main shareholders, Sta. Rosa Food Services Corp. and Extrovert Holdings, in February 2000. Pancake House, Inc. was incorporated a month later to finalize the takeover.

The restaurant chain opened an outlet at Malaysia’s Sunway Pyramid Mall in 2007 and Pavilion Mall in 2008.

Shares in Pancake House -- whose profits dropped by a fifth to P8.29 million in the first quarter with the closure of some stores and an increase in operating expenses -- were last traded on Feb. 8 at P10.00 each. -- Neil Jerome C. Morales
|

O sige yung fried noodles na lang. Pag nagda-diet ako yung lang kinakain ko...Maraming local franchise yun.

Again, wagi ang Pinoy sa pagkain na ito.

pati yung master siomai, talo na talaga hen lin. Sobra kasing mahal..

Master siomai, isang order 25 pesos lang. Hen lin 35 ata.

Nanganganib na sila.

Mataas din ang deposits of salt ng Master Siomai. Kung ako na lang Jamaican Pattie na lang or yung Pamaypay Maruya na lang ng SM Bibilhin ko.

OT: Mag-export kaya tayo ng Maruya sa Japan... Baka mag-click.

The famous and oh so yummy Yellow Cab Pizza is a Pinoy. Bet a lot of you guys didn't know that. Or maybe it's just me and my friends :nuts:...I always thought it was American until I spoke to DTI people in KL last year. I approached their statement with skepticism but it took me a few minutes after that to confirm that it is...:lol:

^^ yep, Filipino-owned nga po ang YC, pinapalabas lang nila na it's an American brand. Nasa Makati near AMA-Makati ang commissary nila :)

^^ I wish nga yung Batchoy dumating din diyan para di lang Fernando Pho ang kakainin mo. :D

phase out na ata ang La Paz Batchoy ng Jollibee dito sa Pinas. Di ko na nakikita eh pati ang Amazing Aloha :ohno:

Henry Sy is still RP's richest man: Forbes
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 07/06/2010 12:35 PM | Updated as of 07/06/2010 12:38 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Eighty-five-year-old mall magnate Henry Sy remains the richest man in the Philippines while tycoon John Gokongwei joined the elite billionaires' list this year, according to the annual listing conducted by Forbes Magazine.

The annual listing said the country's richest men are now worth US$22.8 billion, up 39% from $16.4 billion a year ago. Forbes said the buoyant economy, which grew 7.3% in the first quarter of this year, coupled with the 17% rise in the stock market since last year contributed to the growth in wealth of the country’s richest tycoons.

Forbes compiles the list based on information from individuals, stock exchanges, public documents and analysts as well as estimates of the privately held assets of the businessmen. The minimum net worth to make the list this year increased to $50 million, up from $38 million previously.

Forbes said Sy's wealth went up to $5 billion, $1.2 billion more than last year. It said Sy's SM Investments Corp., one of the country’s biggest conglomerates with interests in retail, mall operations and banking, got a 25% boost in stock price in the past year.

The magazine said Sy has held the richest Pinoy title four times, including this year, since Forbes Asia published the inaugural list of the country’s richest in 2006.

Second on the list is tycoon Lucio Tan with $2.1 billion, up from $1.7 billion in 2009. The 76-year old tycoon owns a bevy of businesses which include Fortune Tobacco, Asia Brewery, and Hong-Kong based Eton Properties.

Third on the list is first-time billionaire John Gokongwei Jr. The 83-year-old is worth $1.5 billion, more than double his last year’s net worth of $720 million.

"His JG Summit Holdings’ shares hit a two-year peak earlier this year, pushing his net worth into the 10-figure bracket. The stock rose partly on plans to list the group’s budget carrier, Cebu Pacific, whose IPO subsequently got delayed," Forbes said.

Fourth on the list is Ayala Corporation’s Jaime Zobel de Ayala, who had an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.

Rounding out the top 5 is Alliance Global Group’s Andrew Tan with $1.2 billion.

1) Henry Sy; US$5 billion
2) Lucio Tan; $2.1 billion
3) John Gokongwei Jr.; $1.5 billion
4) Jaime Zobel de Ayala; $1.4 billion
5) Andrew Tan; $1.2 billion
6) Tony Tan Caktiong; $980 million
7) Enrique Razon Jr.; $975 million
8) Beatrice Campos; $840 million
9) George Ty; $805 million
10) Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.; $760 million

Forbes said there are 5 billionaires in the country's wealthiest list this year, compared with three last year. It said at least 28 others on the list also enjoyed growth in net worth, most notably 89-year old David Consunji, who was ranked No. 12 on the list.

Consunji's net worth soared to $715 million, up from $300 million in 2009 and $105 million in 2008, as his construction firm DMCI’s shares have more than doubled.

Villar, GMA Network execs a little poorer

Forbes said four tycoons are poorer compared to a year ago.

Sen. Manuel Villar, who lost the Philippine presidential election in May, dropped to No. 17 with a reduced net worth of $380 million, down from $530 million last year.

Three top executives of GMA Network namely Gilberto Duavit (No. 25; $145 million), Menardo Jimenez (No. 26; $143 million), and Felipe Gozon (No. 27; $120 million) also saw their personal net worth drop this year.

Forbes said there were two new entrants in the country's richest list namely former minister of trade Roberto Ongpin (No. 21; $300 million) and Wilfredo Keng (No. 32; $100 million).

Ongpin is part of an investor group that is poised to become the majority shareholder in diversifying conglomerate San Miguel Corp. The 73-year old also has investments in property, gaming, mining and telecom.

On the other hand, Keng runs mining company Century Peak Metals.

^^ namiss ko na amazing aloha nila... huhuhu

^^ I actually missed their bacon and cheese mushroom burger...

Hay... Stop with food and let's get on to business...

Before you think of Samson or Bokia or Sorny, something truly made for us...

RP device maker expects surge in MyPhone sales

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:17:00 07/09/2010
THE MAKER OF LOCAL MOBILE phone brand MyPhone wants to sell about 100,000 handsets a month, translating to as much as P300 million in revenue, as the company launches more products in 2010.

According to Mytel Mobility Solutions Inc. president Jingo P. Fermin, revenue will go up from the P80 million to P100 million that the company currently earns from the sale of around 30,000 phones a month.

Fermin said the company would “uplift” the image of its products, from being mere affordable devices to gadgets that could offer something no other brand in the world could: Filipino-made content.

“We want to boost the image of our phones. We cannot compete with bigger brands in terms of features, so the way we differentiate ourselves is with our unique content,” Fermin said. “We have Filipino songs and prayers, and even trivia about the Philippines automatically stored in all the phones we sell.”

He said this unique feature was made with the country’s overseas Filipino workers in mind. Over eight million Filipinos are employed abroad. The money they send back to support their families in the Philippines is considered to be a key driver of domestic consumption.

Mytel Mobility is a subsidiary of listed Solid Group Inc

Before you think of Samson or Bokia or Sorny, something truly made for us...

RP device maker expects surge in MyPhone sales

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:17:00 07/09/2010
THE MAKER OF LOCAL MOBILE phone brand MyPhone wants to sell about 100,000 handsets a month, translating to as much as P300 million in revenue, as the company launches more products in 2010.

According to Mytel Mobility Solutions Inc. president Jingo P. Fermin, revenue will go up from the P80 million to P100 million that the company currently earns from the sale of around 30,000 phones a month.

Fermin said the company would “uplift” the image of its products, from being mere affordable devices to gadgets that could offer something no other brand in the world could: Filipino-made content.

“We want to boost the image of our phones. We cannot compete with bigger brands in terms of features, so the way we differentiate ourselves is with our unique content,” Fermin said. “We have Filipino songs and prayers, and even trivia about the Philippines automatically stored in all the phones we sell.”

He said this unique feature was made with the country’s overseas Filipino workers in mind. Over eight million Filipinos are employed abroad. The money they send back to support their families in the Philippines is considered to be a key driver of domestic consumption.

Mytel Mobility is a subsidiary of listed Solid Group Inc

Love this news!:cheers::cheers:

^^ Great idea!!

pag uwi ko sa pinas i will surely buy a myphone unit. :banana:

Before you think of Samson or Bokia or Sorny, something truly made for us...

RP device maker expects surge in MyPhone sales

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:17:00 07/09/2010
THE MAKER OF LOCAL MOBILE phone brand MyPhone wants to sell about 100,000 handsets a month, translating to as much as P300 million in revenue, as the company launches more products in 2010.

According to Mytel Mobility Solutions Inc. president Jingo P. Fermin, revenue will go up from the P80 million to P100 million that the company currently earns from the sale of around 30,000 phones a month.

Fermin said the company would “uplift” the image of its products, from being mere affordable devices to gadgets that could offer something no other brand in the world could: Filipino-made content.

“We want to boost the image of our phones. We cannot compete with bigger brands in terms of features, so the way we differentiate ourselves is with our unique content,” Fermin said. “We have Filipino songs and prayers, and even trivia about the Philippines automatically stored in all the phones we sell.”

He said this unique feature was made with the country’s overseas Filipino workers in mind. Over eight million Filipinos are employed abroad. The money they send back to support their families in the Philippines is considered to be a key driver of domestic consumption.

Mytel Mobility is a subsidiary of listed Solid Group Inc

They should launch new products to increase or enhance their market share.

Wealth of 40 richest Filipinos jumps 39% in 2010: Forbes

Written by LALA RIMANDO, Newsbreak
Tuesday, 06 July 2010

Gokongwei joins billionaire list while Villar is P7-billion poorer

MANILA, Philippines – After the global financial crisis hit in 2009 and the country’s first automated elections in May, the total networth of the 40 wealthiest Filipinos soared 39% to $22.8 billion in 2010, according to Forbes Asia.

In the July issue of the magazine, which featured the Rich List in the Philippines, the authors attributed the uptick to the Philippines’ “buoyant economy,” thanks to the election spending-fed 7.3% economic growth in the first three months of the year, and to the 17% rise in stock market prices.

The Rich List, which Forbes Asia started in 2006 for various Asian countries, has barely changed. Henry Sy has maintained his spot at the top for the past 4 years. The patriarch of the vast empire, which now includes banking, mining real estate, and the biggest network of retail malls, has hit gold on the penchant of Filipinos to shop in airconditioned box-shaped malls, mostly using money sent home by relatives working abroad.

Sy was $1.2 billion (estimated at P56.4 billion) richer in 2010 as the stock price of his holding company, SM Investments, soared over 25% in the past year.

His wealth, now estimated at $5 billion (P235 billion), accounts for 22% of the combined wealth of all the 40 Filipinos on the Rich List and almost half of the total wealth of all billionaires in the country.

There are now five Filipino billionaires in the list – Sy, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and Andrew Tan. There used to be only 3. Andrew Tan, the man behind the Megaworld’s rise-fall-rise fame, returns after 2 years, while Gokongwei makes it to the billionaires list for the first time. Gokongwei, whose wealth was reportedly diminished after the Lehman Brothers saga in 2008, saw the stock price of his holding firm, JG Summit, hit a 2-year peak in early 2010.

The wealth of another Filipino billionaire with Chinese descent, Lucio Tan, increased by $400 million (est P18.8 billion). He majority owns Philippine Airlines, which is planning to downsize after it suffered from oil price spikes and the government’s aviation safety issues with US and Europe. But the 76-year-old businessman has recently cashed in on his cigarette business after Fortune Tobacco, which monopolized the industry for decades, entered into a deal with multinational Philip Morris.

Ayala, the only non-Chinese in the billionaires list, dropped one notch to No. 4 in 2010 since his $200 million (est. P9.4 billion) wealth gain was the smallest of them all.
Villar shaves off P7-B

Sen. Manuel Villar, the country’s wealthiest elected politician on the back of his real estate ventures, shaved off $150 million (est. P7 billion) from his networth after his unsuccessful bid for the presidency in the May 2010 polls.

The self-styled “brown tycoon” who hammered on his rags-to-riches life story during the campaign. The strategy to depend mainly on expensive political ads on TV made him the top campaign spender. As his survey rankings fell, so did the stock price of his listed real estate firm, Vista Land and Lifescapes.

Villar, who was a third-placer in the polls, “lost his presidential bid and a part of his fortune,” Forbes authors wrote. He remains a senator and on his last term.
Ongpin, Cojuangco and the San Miguel saga

The goings on in San Miguel Corporation, which used to be associated with Asia’s oldest beer, were also reflected on the Rich List.

Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., a stalwart in Philippine business and politics, slipped 3 notches down to No. 10 after he decided to sell a financial instrument that would pave the way for his eventual exit from San Miguel.

During the administration of former President Cory Aquino, the mother of current President Benigno Aquino III, portions of Cojuangco’s wealth in San Miguel and other companies were sequestered. Cojuangco—and San Miguel—has since obtained several favorable decisions from the Supreme Court on the ill-gotten wealth cases.

Cojuangco, who has been rumored to be suffering from a heart condition, remains at the helm of San Miguel despite the increasing stake of Roberto Ongpin, a peer during the 20-year reign of former President Ferdinand Marcos, and San Miguel’s president Ramon Ang.

Ongpin and Ang are the consistent personalities in the deals involving industries that San Miguel has been diversifying to—mining, power, telecommunications, airports, and roads.
Marcos, Arroyo allies

Ongpin, who has played it low-key after the Marcos era, joins the Rich List for the first time. His $300 million networth landed him on the 21st spot. Forbes estimated his assets at over $500 million, but he had some $200 million recorded debts.

Another Marcos era politician-turned-businessman in the Rich List is Benjamin Romualdez, the brother of former First Lady Imelda Marcos. Romualdez’s wealth inched up by $40 million (est. P1.9 billion) this year but he slipped one notch to No. 31. The family has minority—and constested—stake in Sy-led Banco de Oro, one of the country’s biggest banks.

The Supreme Court has cleared Romualdez of the decades-long graft charges, but his son, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, unwittingly hugged the limelight last year after picking up a $20,000 dinner tab in New York for former President Gloria Arroyo and her entourage.

Another Arroyo ally, port businessman Enrique Razon Jr., made it to the top 7. The golf buddy of former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was $355 million (est. P16.7 billion) richer this year after the upticks in the stock price of International Container Terminal Service Inc., which he runs. The port business reportedly rode the global trade revival.

Razon also recently sold his stake in the National Grid to the son of Henry Sy after disagreements with his Chinese partners.

These estimates were based on information obtained by Forbes from stock exchanges, public documents, and analysts. The authors assessed the worth of privately owned assets using June 23 stock prices and exchange rates. The fortunes of other family members were considered. (Newsbreak)
http://newsbreak.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7962&Itemid=88889053

The Philippines' Wealthiest
The Philippines' richest are collectively worth $22.8 billion, up an impressive 39% from last year's $16.4 billion.

http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/henry-sy.jpg http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/lucio-tan.jpg
Henry Sy and Lucio Tan
http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/john-gokongwei.jpg http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/jaime-zobel-de-ayala.jpg
John Gokongwei and Jaime Zobel de Ayala
http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/andrew-tan.jpg
Andrew Tan

The Philippines is back on track. The country's economy grew by 7.3% in the first quarter of the year, its fastest pace since 2007. Consumer spending and foreign remittances, which fuel the economy, continue to rise. Benigno Aquino III's election as president hasn't disturbed the market.

The stock exchange's composite index is up 17% since last year but still off 14% from its 2007 high. The country's richest have performed even better. They're collectively worth $22.8 billion, up an impressive 39% from last year's $16.4 billion.

Thirty-three tycoons are richer, including every one of the Philippines' top 10. Henry Sy is once again the country's wealthiest person and the year's biggest gainer. His net worth is $5 billion, up from $3.8 billion in 2009, mostly due to the 28% rise in the stock of his main holding company, SM Investments.

Five tycoons more than doubled their fortunes, including David Consunji, whose construction firm, DMCI, continues to outperform the market; it's up 112% since last year on top of a similar gain the year before. Enrique Aboitiz and nephew Jon Ramon Aboitiz nearly tripled their fortunes this year. Most of their wealth comes from stakes in publicly listed investment company Aboitiz Equity Ventures, which is up 177% since last year.

JG Summit Chairman John Gokongwei is the country's newest billionaire, and Alliance Global Chairman Andrew Tan returned to the billionaire ranks after a two-year hiatus, both because of the stellar performance of their listed conglomerates. All five billionaires on the list are reaping the rewards of diversification. Each has grown steadily wealthier by getting their hands into everything from property development to telecom to power.

The Philippines' 40 Richest
07.07.10, 06:00 PM EDT


Rank ---------- Name --------------- Net Worth ($mil) -------- Age
1 --- Henry Sy ------------------------ 5,000 ---------------- 85
2 --- Lucio Tan ----------------------- 2,100 ---------------- 76
3 --- John Gokongwei Jr. -------------- 1,500 ---------------- 83
4 --- Jaime Zobel de Ayala ------------ 1,400 ---------------- 76
5 --- Andrew Tan --------------------- 1,200 ---------------- 58
6 --- Tony Tan Caktiong --------------- 980 ------------------ 60
7 --- Enrique Razon Jr. ----------------- 975 ------------------ 50
8 --- Beatrice Campos ----------------- 840 ------------------ NA
9 --- George Ty ----------------------- 805 ------------------ 77
10--- Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. ------------760 ------------------ 75
11--- Inigo & Mercedes Zobel -----------730 ------------------ NA
12--- David Consunji ------------------- 715 ------------------ 89
13--- Emilio Yap ----------------------- 665 ------------------ 84
14--- Andrew Gotianun ---------------- 500 ------------------ 82
15--- Vivian Que Azcona -------------- 445 ------------------ NA
16--- Oscar Lopez -------------------- 420 ------------------ 80
17--- Manuel Villar -------------------- 380 ------------------ 60
18--- Jon Ramon Aboitiz --------------- 360 ------------------ 61
19--- Mariano Tan -------------------- 330 ------------------ NA
20--- Robert Coyiuto Jr. --------------- 310 ------------------ 57
21--- Roberto Ongpin ------------------ 300 ------------------ 73
22--- Alfonso Yuchengco -------------- 260 ------------------ 87
23--- Betty Ang ----------------------- 165 ------------------ NA
24--- Enrique Aboitiz ------------------ 150 ------------------ 88
25--- Gilberto Duavit ------------------ 145 ------------------ 75
26--- Menardo Jimenez ---------------- 143 ------------------ 78
27--- Felipe Gozon -------------------- 120 ------------------ 70
28--- Alfredo Ramos ------------------- 117 ------------------ 66
29--- Manuel Zamora Jr. --------------- 116 ------------------ 70
30--- Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. ------------- 115 ------------------ 48
31--- Benjamin Romualdez ------------- 110 ------------------ 80
32--- Wilfredo Keng ------------------- 100 ------------------ 45
33--- Tomas Alcantara ---------------- 99 ------------------- 64
34--- Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. ---------- 95 ------------------- 89
35--- Frederick Dy --------------------- 70 ------------------- 55
36--- Eugenio Lopez III ---------------- 68 ------------------- 58
37--- Lourdes Montinola --------------- 65 ------------------- 81
38--- Luis Virata ---------------------- 57 ------------------- 56
39--- Jesus Tambunting --------------- 55 ------------------- 73
40--- Philip Ang ----------------------- 50 ------------------- 69


Forbers.com

pag uwi ko sa pinas i will surely buy a myphone unit. :banana:

:cheers::cheers:

^^For the past few years, we only generally had 3 US$billionaires (sometimes even 2); but this year, we have 5. And based on the line-up; we'll probably have 7 US$billionaires at least next year. :cheers: :banana:

It would be better news if economic growth will also benefit the poor; but nonetheless, it's still good news. :)

^^ don't exclude beatrice campos of unilab since the cheaper medicine law is already in effect. expect 8 billionaires by next year ;)

sana nga...

i thought that Mr. Ongpin will be on the billionaires rich list hindi pa pla...

http://images.forbes.com/media/lists/86/2010/andrew-tan.jpg
Andrew Tan

tay, ikaw ba yan? sabi ko na nga anak mayaman ako eh! hehe, jk:nuts:

In noodles, frustrated architect finds salvation

By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 19:01:00 07/17/2010
LUCENA CITY – Judith Serrano-Reyes was not able to fulfill her dream of becoming an architect when she dropped the course at the Adamson University several decades ago. But she now pioneers the trend of revolutionizing the popular “pancit chami” here by introducing a foreign version of it to local taste buds.

“I want to contribute to the growth and development of our own chami to encourage city folk to also try and experiment with other variations and taste. Others would find my noodle dish exotic and totally strange to the local palate but that’s the challenge and excitement of it,” says Serrano-Reyes, three-time winner of the annual “Chami Food Contest” here as part of the Maytime “Pasayahan sa Lucena” festival.

Chami is a flour-based noodle, a little wider in strip than the regular one, sautéed in various variations with nourishing mix-up of chopped cabbage, liberal dose of pork or chicken liver, chicharon, particles of meat, boiled quail eggs and slice onions as toppings.

It is believed that Macao cooks introduced the chami noodle locally, when most of the ethnic Chinese manned the kitchen of Lucena’s restaurants several generations back.

Serrano-Reyes notes how local chami fans often show lack of appetite when served with nonconventional taste of the pancit.

“If the chami taste and look are strange, most often Lucenahins would not try it. Our taste when it comes to the chami that we know is very stereotyped. We always want it to be sautéed with soy sauce and sprinkled with meats. Our palate is not that adventurous when it comes to local noodle dish,” she observes.

“But in most classy restaurants in Manila and abroad, the culinary trend is continuous food evolution, especially among noodle dishes,” Serrano-Reyes says.

Though she admits that she also used to share the same conventional palate when it comes to chami, which was one of the specialties of the City Rendezvous, the family-owned restaurant in Lucena’s downtown area that was popular during the early ’60s until it closed shop in the late ’70s.

“But I never milled around in the kitchen of the restaurant. I was still a teenager back then. I had no interest in cooking, not until I got married in 1991. I had to learn the basic because I was then living with my in-laws,” Serrano-Reyes recalls with a laugh.

She entertained the idea of tinkering with the traditional menu of the local noodle during her Singapore vacations in 2006 and 2007, after her friend introduced her to different menus of rice noodle, a popular dish among hawkers in the Lion City.

Immediately when she returned home, she whipped up her local version of “Phad Thai,” a stir-fried rice noodle dish with shrimp, fish sauce, chicken, chili pepper and bean sprout, and garnished with crushed peanuts. The noodle recipe is one of Thailand’s national dishes.

“I used local noodle, shrimp and bean sprout because these are always available in the market and also to minimize the cost,” Serrano-Reyes says. Her dish became an instant hit among friends and family circle.

Wanting to introduce to the public her experiment of the local noodle, Serrano-Reyes joined the 2008 Chami Food Contest and submitted her “Phad Thai” version.

The contest requires participants to use the locally made noodle.

She renamed the dish “Phad Luchina” after the festival theme, Luchina, in recognition of the influence of the local Chinese community to the culture and progress of Lucena, the provincial capital of Quezon province.

Her creation won third prize.

Emboldened by her initial triumph, Serrano-Reyes again joined the same noodle-cooking contest in the following year and submitted her version of “Laksa,” a saucy and spicy noodle dish popular in Malaysia and Singapore characterized by lots of condiments – meat, fowl or sea foods.

The sauce concocted from a mixture of tamarind paste, coconut milk, ginger and chili and broth is poured into a bowl of noodle cooked al dente and topped with assorted garnishing.

She baptized her innovation of the local noodle dish as “Laksa-Rap.”

Impressed by her culinary creativity, the judges granted her the grand prize trophy and P8,000 cash.

Last May, Serrano-Reyes again joined the same contest considered as the Mecca of local noodle chefs.

She submitted another nonconventional noodle recipe – chami spring roll (lumpia), a mixture of sauteed noodle, crab meat, shrimp and squid in special wrapper.

The dip is a mixture of finely chopped garlic, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Her piece won third prize.

“My victory was a testament that Lucena is now also becoming receptive to foreign version of our chami,” Serrano-Reyes says.

The spicy taste of her noodle is not a total stranger to locals.

Some restaurants have long introduced the “tamis-anghang” version of the chami – a mouth-watering harmony of noodles, soy sauce, sugar and siling labuyo.

Serrano-Reyes always buys her noodle from a factory owned by a local Chinese family and with an outlet at the city public market.

“Rice noodle is expensive. But our local noodle is incomparable. I always bring packs of it in Manila and even send it to my friends abroad,” she says.

Several restaurant operators in the city are also one in saying that the noodle factory provides the best noodle for any kind of pancit, especially chami.

Serrano-Reyes’ newfound identity as an award-winning noodle chef has opened a door of opportunities for her.

“My friends and family circle endorse my menu. Through word of mouth, I’ve found a new job after my stint as a former Makati City hall employee,” she says.

Aside from cooking her special noodle concoctions, she also offers various meat and sea food dishes to her growing customers.

“Most of them are curious about the taste my foreign noodle concoctions and they keep on calling back to order for more. Maybe because of the unique exotic taste and the affordable price,” she says.

Her foreign chami concoction, according to Serrano-Reyes, is most sought during family reunions and yuletide parties.

“The chami taste bud of Lucenahin is now getting adventurous and I’m happy with the trend,” she says with a smile.

So famous is the noodle dish among city folk that cooking it has become the main source of livelihood for several local cooks and entrepreneurs.

In almost every barangay in the poblacion, one could easily find a makeshift panciteria, licensed or underground, that offers a variety of noodles with chami as the principal menu.

The competition among city’s chami cooks is stiff as one has to offer a creative concoction of the noodle dish to maintain regular customers.

The basic selection includes white chami, sweetened chami, balibag sa toyo, chami with sauce and tostadong chami, among many other mixtures.

(Judith Serrano-Reyes can be reached through her mobile phone 0919-4461537 and e-mail address: 64.judith@gmail.com)

In Brooklyn, a store named Dalaga gets the "Best Dresses" tag from "NY" magazine
BENT ANTENNA By Audrey N. Carpio (The Philippine Star) Updated July 16, 2010 12:00 AM

Greenpoint, a sleepy neighborhood known for its hardcore Polish community and proximity to Williamsburg — that’s ground zero for New York hipsterdom — was a place I called home for about a year of my life. Its relative inaccessibility and not-quite-Williamsburgness kept the rent prices down, and there I enjoyed one of the most spacious rooms I inhabited in New York. It even had its own faux fireplace. The catch was that it was in an old railroad apartment, which required me to walk through my flatmate’s tiny alcove-turned-bunk bedroom just to get to and from the kitchen, where the bathroom was also located. Inconvenient? As hell, especially if I stumbled in late at night and disturbed my flatmate in her slumber, but such were the configurations of living when you’re young and trying to make it in the city. The little old lady across the hall was a classic case of the hoarder. She’d keep bags and bags of crap just lined outside her door, not about to be thrown away or anything, just sitting there getting tripped over because her apartment was already presumably filled to the brim with precious junk. When she moved out — with a garbage truck — my flatmate and I took a peek inside the remains of the rat’s nest, and it was the creepiest experience: everything seemed untouched since the ’50s, from the stained wallpaper to the dusty lampshades. Even the air was heavy with old memories.

I had pretty much forgotten about Greenpoint until I flipped through New York magazine’s Best Of New York 2010 issue, which deemed that a store named Dalaga, in Greenpoint, had the Best Dresses in all of the boroughs. Greenpoint, it seems, has not only become the happening spot it was bound to be by the law of hipsterfication, but it also put a Filipino word on the map. The store’s website shows a collection of cool-girl clothes, the kind worn breezily with a vintage bike or to a summer rooftop BBQ: fresh, cute, effortless. Handpicked items from cultish brands make Dalaga a dream walk-in closet, and with pieces in the range of $100, young women aren’t going to get priced out of this building. If this store was around just a few years earlier, I might have been a different clientele — the kind who joined the kickball games in the park or entered an amazing vegetarian chili at the corner pub’s chili cook-off. Greenpoint would’ve been just a little brighter. I contacted sisters Michelle and Mary Anne Mangiliman, the proprietresses, and found out more about this wonderful little shop and revisit the old nabe, so to speak.

YSTYLE: What’s Greenpoint like nowadays?

This month, we are celebrating our fourth year in business. We were the first to open a store on Franklin Street in our up-and-coming neighborhood four years ago. Now you can find a variety of bars, shopping and restaurants. Greenpoint has a friendly neighborhood feel and is still home to many creatives, artists, musicians and a new crop of parents, including ourselves! Waterfront parks are being developed and community-based events occur frequently. Greenpoint was named one of the top five places to live in New York by NY magazine and Dalaga was declared to have the “Best Dresses in NY for 2010” by New York magazine for their “Best of NY Shopping Guide.” So, in short, it is everything we hoped it would be and is continuing to get better.

Tell me about how you and your sister came to open your store there. Where did you grow up and how did fashion beckon you?

Like a lot of little girls, I loved fashion and wearing our mom’s clothing. Especially ’80s fashion — big shoulders, sweetheart necklines, metallics, and my mom’s bright pink satin pumps. I remember sewing dresses out of socks for my Barbies and playing shopkeeper with my sister in my mom’s closet.

Naturally, Mary Anne was under the “fashion-influence” of her ate and we always knew that we would end up doing something in fashion together.

Our parents Marte and Connie Mangiliman migrated from Pampanga to northern Virginia in 1977, where we were born. Immediately after high school, we studied fashion in San Francisco, California. From there, we moved with my now husband to Greenpoint in 2004 when there was only one bar and one coffee shop on Franklin Street. We loved the people, history, and character of the buildings immediately. Our storefront in particular was something that caught our eye years before we actually attained it. We saw the potential of what Franklin Street could be and the rest is history.

It’s summer in NYC, the most fun time in the city to be outdoors. What are women buying from your store? What’s the “summer look” this year?

We are known for our dresses, especially dresses that are multi-functional — they take you from day to night, from occasion to occasion.

Right now, NYC women are loving wallflower prints, rompers, strappy black sandals, ’60s vintage-inspired sunglasses, loose fitting pleated cropped pants, asymmetric details, nautical stripes, and pockets on everything!

As for your own personal style, what are you usually found in? Any favorite, never-throw-away items in your closet?

My personal style changes on a day-to-day basis — it’s all about how I’m feeling that morning. But every outfit needs a little rock ‘n’ roll — whether it be a black studded bracelet or huge mixed chain jewelry from Zachary Pryor or FRIENDANDNEMESIS — I like to add a bit of bad ass glamour to my look. I like drapey, loose-fitting pieces as well as structured shoulders and asymmetric details. Pieces that fit perfectly in the shoulders or waist. I wear a lot of black, cream, mustard and gold.

My must-have items that I can never throw away are an animal print cardigan, black lace-up booties, and black leggings.

Mary Anne is usually found in a pair of skinny jeans by BLANK and flowy crop tops by Ark & Co that feature beautiful embroidery or stitching, very similar to the traditional Filipino kimona. For my sister, details are what matter the most: long necklaces, large, flat hoop earrings, and sassy shoes.

What do you say when people ask you to explain the meaning of dalaga?

When my sister and I were really little, three to five years old, our father would refer to his beautiful younger sisters who were teenagers at the time as dalagas. I also remember watching Star Search and envying the gorgeous well-spoken models that our mother referred to as dalagas. So when my sister and I were feeling especially pretty as little ladies, my dad would very lovingly say, “Look at my little dalagas!”

So to my sister and I, it was a huge compliment to be called a dalaga. We translated it to mean “quintessential woman in her prime.” We even got dalaga tattoos years before opening our store. When naming our clothing line, now store, we really wanted to pay homage to our father by naming our company after his family name, Mangiliman LLC, and show our Filipino pride by naming our store something in Tagalog as well as something that sounded pretty to an American ear that also had sentimental meaning.

The storefront and its interiors look very interesting. What are some of the special details of the place?

It started out with an amazing find on eBay, a romantic vintage bedroom set, which included a headboard, armoire, armchairs, nightstands, lamps and dresser. We’ve turned the dresser into our cash wrap and jewelry display. The ornate headboard hangs upside down at the center of the store as a beautiful centerpiece. The nightstands work as functional displays throughout the store and the capiz hanging lamps perfectly light our dreamy windows. We really wanted to create a cozy comfortable environment and went for a bedroom-in-a-garden feel. Lucky for us, my in-laws owned a flower shop in Ohio and kept their backstock silk flowers a long time after they closed. Those beautiful flowers perfectly provide a lot of the colorful décor as well as his family’s antiques and vintage sewing machines that set the romantic vibe we have today.

Tell us about your own line, Dalaga NYC.

We started Dalaga, the clothing line, in 2004. Michelle would design and make the patterns, while Mary Anne would cut and sew.

We specialized in one-of-a-kind tops and dresses, and really great-fitting low-rise pants while selling our line through sample sales. As we were developing our line, we came upon our now storefront. We always knew we wanted to be a vertically integrated store, meaning we wanted to design, manufacture and exclusively sell our own brand. So when we first opened, 70 percent of our store (consisted of) original Dalaga designs, as things sold out quickly — it was hard to fill the demand as there were only two of us sewing in the back of the shop.

We also wanted to fill the demands of our customer by selling not only our line, but the best denim, shoes, and jewelry at an accessible price, as well as showcasing other unique Brooklyn designers.

As time has passed, Michelle gave birth to her daughter, Mahal, and Mary Anne had a little boy named Gavin. We’ve also opened up an online store and on occasion, Michelle will whip up a one-of-a-kind dress that will go out on the sales floor the very same day. Our dream still lives on, as we hope to start manufacturing our line in the US or Philippines, as well as open more Dalagas, a home store, and men’s store in the next few years.

FYI, Oxygen is a owned by Golden ABC (http://www.goldenabc.com/brands.html) of Cebu which also the owner of Penshoppe, Memo, Regatta and Red Logo brands.

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Sony Ericsson partners with Oxygen garment (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=594899&publicationSubCategoryId=108)
By Jessica B. Natad (The Freeman) Updated July 20, 2010 12:00 AM


CEBU, Philippines – Sony Ericsson has partnered with garment manufacturer Oxygen to emphasize the target market of its “special” Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pocket.

“Sony Ericsson and Oxygen have launched a partnership to dress (the buyers of X10 mini pocket) in the stylish Oxygen mini tee. Oxygen's little black shirt of the season was specially designed with the Sony Ericsson Xperia™X10 mini as inspiration,” according to a statement.

Oxygen shoppers with a minimum P800 purchase are also entitled to a raffle coupon for one of 15 Sony Ericsson X10 mini handsets from July 23 to August 31, 2010.

Sony Ericsson has seen Oxygen’s “new high-street style” that has gained a following among the ultra-hip and mobile.

“Fashionable men and women have found Oxygen the first and last stop to find that sophisticated party look that works. Oxygen has launched its latest clothes collection and carries a host of fashionable accessories. The Oxygen mini tee is only the latest among its must-have creations.”

The X10 mini is a miniature version of the Xperia line of handsets. The phone is about the size of a credit card. Together with its sister handset, the X10 mini pro, the X10 mini has earned the title of world's smallest Android smartphones. (THE FREEMAN)

FYI, Oxygen is a owned by Golden ABC (http://www.goldenabc.com/brands.html) of Cebu which also the owner of Penshoppe, Memo, Regatta and Red Logo brands.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sony Ericsson partners with Oxygen garment (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=594899&publicationSubCategoryId=108)
By Jessica B. Natad (The Freeman) Updated July 20, 2010 12:00 AM


CEBU, Philippines – Sony Ericsson has partnered with garment manufacturer Oxygen to emphasize the target market of its “special” Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pocket.

“Sony Ericsson and Oxygen have launched a partnership to dress (the buyers of X10 mini pocket) in the stylish Oxygen mini tee. Oxygen's little black shirt of the season was specially designed with the Sony Ericsson Xperia™X10 mini as inspiration,” according to a statement.

Oxygen shoppers with a minimum P800 purchase are also entitled to a raffle coupon for one of 15 Sony Ericsson X10 mini handsets from July 23 to August 31, 2010.

Sony Ericsson has seen Oxygen’s “new high-street style” that has gained a following among the ultra-hip and mobile.

“Fashionable men and women have found Oxygen the first and last stop to find that sophisticated party look that works. Oxygen has launched its latest clothes collection and carries a host of fashionable accessories. The Oxygen mini tee is only the latest among its must-have creations.”

The X10 mini is a miniature version of the Xperia line of handsets. The phone is about the size of a credit card. Together with its sister handset, the X10 mini pro, the X10 mini has earned the title of world's smallest Android smartphones. (THE FREEMAN)

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

In noodles, frustrated architect finds salvation

By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 19:01:00 07/17/2010
LUCENA CITY – Judith Serrano-Reyes was not able to fulfill her dream of becoming an architect when she dropped the course at the Adamson University several decades ago. But she now pioneers the trend of revolutionizing the popular “pancit chami” here by introducing a foreign version of it to local taste buds.

“I want to contribute to the growth and development of our own chami to encourage city folk to also try and experiment with other variations and taste. Others would find my noodle dish exotic and totally strange to the local palate but that’s the challenge and excitement of it,” says Serrano-Reyes, three-time winner of the annual “Chami Food Contest” here as part of the Maytime “Pasayahan sa Lucena” festival.

Chami is a flour-based noodle, a little wider in strip than the regular one, sautéed in various variations with nourishing mix-up of chopped cabbage, liberal dose of pork or chicken liver, chicharon, particles of meat, boiled quail eggs and slice onions as toppings.

It is believed that Macao cooks introduced the chami noodle locally, when most of the ethnic Chinese manned the kitchen of Lucena’s restaurants several generations back.

Serrano-Reyes notes how local chami fans often show lack of appetite when served with nonconventional taste of the pancit.

“If the chami taste and look are strange, most often Lucenahins would not try it. Our taste when it comes to the chami that we know is very stereotyped. We always want it to be sautéed with soy sauce and sprinkled with meats. Our palate is not that adventurous when it comes to local noodle dish,” she observes.

“But in most classy restaurants in Manila and abroad, the culinary trend is continuous food evolution, especially among noodle dishes,” Serrano-Reyes says.

Though she admits that she also used to share the same conventional palate when it comes to chami, which was one of the specialties of the City Rendezvous, the family-owned restaurant in Lucena’s downtown area that was popular during the early ’60s until it closed shop in the late ’70s.

“But I never milled around in the kitchen of the restaurant. I was still a teenager back then. I had no interest in cooking, not until I got married in 1991. I had to learn the basic because I was then living with my in-laws,” Serrano-Reyes recalls with a laugh.

She entertained the idea of tinkering with the traditional menu of the local noodle during her Singapore vacations in 2006 and 2007, after her friend introduced her to different menus of rice noodle, a popular dish among hawkers in the Lion City.

Immediately when she returned home, she whipped up her local version of “Phad Thai,” a stir-fried rice noodle dish with shrimp, fish sauce, chicken, chili pepper and bean sprout, and garnished with crushed peanuts. The noodle recipe is one of Thailand’s national dishes.

“I used local noodle, shrimp and bean sprout because these are always available in the market and also to minimize the cost,” Serrano-Reyes says. Her dish became an instant hit among friends and family circle.

Wanting to introduce to the public her experiment of the local noodle, Serrano-Reyes joined the 2008 Chami Food Contest and submitted her “Phad Thai” version.

The contest requires participants to use the locally made noodle.

She renamed the dish “Phad Luchina” after the festival theme, Luchina, in recognition of the influence of the local Chinese community to the culture and progress of Lucena, the provincial capital of Quezon province.

Her creation won third prize.

Emboldened by her initial triumph, Serrano-Reyes again joined the same noodle-cooking contest in the following year and submitted her version of “Laksa,” a saucy and spicy noodle dish popular in Malaysia and Singapore characterized by lots of condiments – meat, fowl or sea foods.

The sauce concocted from a mixture of tamarind paste, coconut milk, ginger and chili and broth is poured into a bowl of noodle cooked al dente and topped with assorted garnishing.

She baptized her innovation of the local noodle dish as “Laksa-Rap.”

Impressed by her culinary creativity, the judges granted her the grand prize trophy and P8,000 cash.

Last May, Serrano-Reyes again joined the same contest considered as the Mecca of local noodle chefs.

She submitted another nonconventional noodle recipe – chami spring roll (lumpia), a mixture of sauteed noodle, crab meat, shrimp and squid in special wrapper.

The dip is a mixture of finely chopped garlic, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Her piece won third prize.

“My victory was a testament that Lucena is now also becoming receptive to foreign version of our chami,” Serrano-Reyes says.

The spicy taste of her noodle is not a total stranger to locals.

Some restaurants have long introduced the “tamis-anghang” version of the chami – a mouth-watering harmony of noodles, soy sauce, sugar and siling labuyo.

Serrano-Reyes always buys her noodle from a factory owned by a local Chinese family and with an outlet at the city public market.

“Rice noodle is expensive. But our local noodle is incomparable. I always bring packs of it in Manila and even send it to my friends abroad,” she says.

Several restaurant operators in the city are also one in saying that the noodle factory provides the best noodle for any kind of pancit, especially chami.

Serrano-Reyes’ newfound identity as an award-winning noodle chef has opened a door of opportunities for her.

“My friends and family circle endorse my menu. Through word of mouth, I’ve found a new job after my stint as a former Makati City hall employee,” she says.

Aside from cooking her special noodle concoctions, she also offers various meat and sea food dishes to her growing customers.

“Most of them are curious about the taste my foreign noodle concoctions and they keep on calling back to order for more. Maybe because of the unique exotic taste and the affordable price,” she says.

Her foreign chami concoction, according to Serrano-Reyes, is most sought during family reunions and yuletide parties.

“The chami taste bud of Lucenahin is now getting adventurous and I’m happy with the trend,” she says with a smile.

So famous is the noodle dish among city folk that cooking it has become the main source of livelihood for several local cooks and entrepreneurs.

In almost every barangay in the poblacion, one could easily find a makeshift panciteria, licensed or underground, that offers a variety of noodles with chami as the principal menu.

The competition among city’s chami cooks is stiff as one has to offer a creative concoction of the noodle dish to maintain regular customers.

The basic selection includes white chami, sweetened chami, balibag sa toyo, chami with sauce and tostadong chami, among many other mixtures.

(Judith Serrano-Reyes can be reached through her mobile phone 0919-4461537 and e-mail address: 64.judith@gmail.com)

She should name her concoction in Filipino.

Ginaya na nya nga ang formula pati pangalan?

Pacman ranked 5th in Sports Illustrated's rich list

By Abac Cordero
(The Philippine Star)
Updated July 23, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - From the distinguished Forbes magazine to Sports Illustrated’s (SI) list of the world’s highest-earning athletes.

Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing icon, landed in fifth spot of SI’s 20 highest-paid athletes with his estimated $38 million in earnings in 2010. He was No. 3 last year in the sports magazine’s list.

Pacquiao recently made his debut in Forbes magazine’s own list of highest-paid sportsmen. He was in sixth place, sharing the spot with NBA star Lebron James and golf champion Phil Mickelson, with earnings of $40 million for 2010.

Pacquiao is the hottest boxer in the planet today, and commands a guaranteed purse of at least $12 million for each fight. He earns as much on endorsements, appearance fees, and sales of merchandise bearing his name or image.

The 31-year-old welterweight champion is set to fight in November and could have easily made $40 million if it was against Floyd Mayweather Jr. But negotiations for the fight bogged down, but it may happen in May next year.

Tennis star Roger Federer topped the SI list that included seven football players, five from motorsports, three from tennis, two baseball players and two NBA stars, according to a report that came out in ABS-CBN yesterday.

The list was arrived at following computations of the athletes’ earnings from June 2009 to June this year. Inside that period, Pacquiao had two big fights and two big wins over Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.

Federer, who was at No. 9 last year, topped this year’s list with $61,768,110, dislodging soccer star David Beckham who is now at No. 3. Argentine Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona moved up to No. 2 with $44 million.

Another football superstar, Portugese Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, came in at No. 4 with $40 million.

^^ If his fight with Mayweather pushes thru, his earnings would be bigger....

Jollibee to build commissary in China
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña (The Philippine Star) Updated July 29, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) is building its first commissary in China through a joint venture with Singapore firm Hua Xia Harvest Holdings Pte. Ltd. that will require both parties to invest a total of $7.4 million.

In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, JFC said its wholly-owned unit Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. signed an agreement with Hua Xia Harvest to undertake food manufacturing operations to supply products for the restaurants of the Jollibee Group in China – initially Yonghe King for its stores in Shanghai and Beijing.

A new company – Jollibee Foods Processing Pte. Ltd. – was formed in Singapore with the Philippine fastfood firm taking a 70-percent interest while the balance of 30 percent will be held by Hua Xia Harvest.

The joint venture intends to invest a total of 50 million renminbi (approximately P338 million) in the facility, inclusive of the cost of the acquistion of the land use right. Construction of the facility, located in Shucheng County in Anhui province in China, is targeted to start in the next few months while production is expected to begin in 2011.

Anhui ranks among the top provinces in China in the production of agricultural products.

JFC currently has no commissary in China and depends on third party suppliers for its products supply.

Under the agreement, the new company will obtain a land use right over a parcel of land with an area of around four hectares for a usage term of 50 years.

The Jollibee group currently operates to w businesss in China – Yonghe King with 177 stores located mainly in Beijing, Shanghai, Shanzen and Wuhan regions, and Hong Zhuang Yuan with 49 stores all located in Beijing. It will also own 55 percen of San Pin Wang, a restaurant chain with 34 stores in Nanning, Guyangxi province in South China by early 2011 based on the joint venture agreement it entered into in April 2010.

As of end-June this year, JFC had a total of 1,584 stores in the Philippines: Jollibee (700), Chowking (408), Greenwich (223), Red ribbon (214), Delifrance (24) and Manong Pepe’s (15). Overseas, it had a total of 357 stores – Yonghe King (177); Jollibee (60) mainly in the US (25), Vietnam (17) and Brunei (11); Red Ribbon (36) all in the US; Chowlking (35) mostly in the US (18) and Dubai (15), Hong Zhuang Yuan (49) for a total of 1,941 stores worldwide.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=597555&publicationSubCategoryId=66

there is problem with the filipino food. Mataas sya sa uric acid at typically unhealthy. Foods like menudo, kaldereta, kare kare, sisig,bopis, dinuguan. Hindi yan normally kinakain araw araw.

We should focus more on healthy filipino foods.

^^that narrows it down to a very short list...

I don't think it wouldn't hurt to practice cooking these foods in a healthier manner. People manage to shortcut a lot of things in order to make a dish healthier - lately, creativity has reached the point to where flavor is hardly sacrificed. For example, there are a number of ways to make Adobo less oily. So, don't give up!

Yonghe King plans 1,000 new chain stores nationwide

Yonghe King, a well-known Chinese-style fast food chain, on February 24 announced plans to open around 1,000 new restaurants in China in the coming seven years with the financial support from the Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), the biggest fast food company in the Philippines.

Yonghe King, a well-known Chinese-style fast food chain, on February 24 announced plans to open around 1,000 new restaurants in China in the coming seven years with the financial support from the Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), the biggest fast food company in the Philippines.

The two parties signed a co-operative agreement on February 24 in Shanghai, under which Jollibee will pay US$22.5 million to buy 85 per cent of Belmont Enterprise Ventures Ltd, the holding company of Yonghe King, which now has opened more than 80 chain stores in 10 Chinese cities.

"We expect to first increase the number of chain stores from 300 to 500 in three to five years," said Yonghe King President Steven Lin, one of the company's founders. "Thereafter, Yonghe King's expansion will be further accelerated, with its total outlet number hitting 1,000 within seven years from now."

Yonghe King will benefit from Jollibee's strong financial situation and better store management practices, which have overshadowed McDonald's to become the most popular fast food chain in the Philippines, said Michelle Lee, another founder of Yonghe King.

Jollibee outnumbered McDonald's by a ratio of 2:1 in the Philippines, with a total of 988 outlets (33 overseas) by the end of 2003, according to company statistics.

Meanwhile, the Philippine company reported a net profit of US$22.42 million last year, with a total cash assets of US$48.6 million on hand by the end of 2003.

Jollibee President Tony Tan Caktiong on February 24 noted that his group will fully support Yonghe King's expansion in China in the coming years as a major step to share in the fast growth of the Chinese market.

"Our current strategy in China is to contribute to make Yonghe King an even bigger brand, hopefully the world's No 1 Chinese-style fast food brand in the future," said Tan.

Jollibee will help refine the management of Yonghe King by emphasizing its tasty food, affordable prices, delightful environment and satisfactory service, which have been summed up as the secrets behind Jollibee's success in the Philippines, according to Tan.

But industry analysts point out that the Chinese market is something different from what it is in the Philippines, and there may be difficulties copying the Jollibee models from Manila to Shanghai, where Yonghe King's headquarters is based.

Jollibee opened a store in Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province in 1998, but the only Chinese store there was closed after failing to adjust to the local market as the company had expected.

Tan denied plans yesterday to reopen Jollibee stores in China or bring other Jollibee food brands onto the Chinese mainland in the near future.

Established in 1975, Jollibee has grown into an international food giant, with fast food brands like Jollibee (chicken and burgers), Chow King (Chinese fast food) and Greenwich (pizza and pasta) and worldwide sales of US$516 million in 2003.

Yonghe King was founded in Shanghai by Taiwanese investors in 1995, and now it has more than 30 restaurants in the city.

Source:China Daily
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200402/25/eng20040225_135844.shtml

A Fast Food Restaurant offers Breakfast, Quick Lunch and Take-aways
source: http://www.shopping-in-beijing.com/beijingshops/Yonghe-King-Restaurant-177.html

http://www.shopping-in-beijing.com/beijing_pictures/beijing_shopping/2007/0802/beijing_china_9.jpg
Window display of Yonghe King Restaurant


Yonghe King Restaurant is famous for its fresh-made soya. It’s a good choice for breakfast or lunch. You can order take-away as well.

In the Place
Yonghe King Restaurant is a chain of fast food restaurants. Today, I had lunch at the Xiandaicheng Branch of the chain. Going in, I was greeted by the waitresses... Not just by one of them, but by at least 3!

Behing a counter-desk, there is a large menu displayed on the wall. I ordered a complete meal: Yonghe King beef noodles + dumplings + soya. It cost me RMB 19.

I paid, the cashier gave me a ticket. I was wondering where to show this ticket and how to get the food, when a waitress came to me and led me to an empty seat. She took the ticket, and asked me to wait.

As it was lunch time and the restaurant was crowded, I shared a table with two other ladies. Each table has 4 seats around, so I couldn’t occupy a table alone. They have more seats upstairs, but most of the customers are just too lazy to go upstairs.

I have to say that the whole operation is very efficient because I waited for less than 3 minutes before me meal arrived. The waitress served me the noodles and the soya first, then after another 2 minutes, I got the dumplings as well.

The fare comes with a big spoon, a pair of chopsticks, and napkins. I liked the soup of the noodle dish. The dumplings were delicious as well, but quantity was just not enough, with only 2 items. The soya was cool and sweet, I enjoyed it.

Other Foods
Yonghe King Restaurant serves all kinds of Chinese-style fast food.

For breakfast, they have meal menus, such as soya + youtiao (a fried long-shaped bread), soya + eggs, wonton soup. Their prices range from RMB 5 to RMB 8.

For lunch, they serve a wide range of fast food fares: noodles (RMB 8-10), dishes accompanied with boiled rice (RMB 10.5-15), soups (RMB 5-8), tea eggs (RMB 1.5), pickled vegetables (RMB 2), dumplings and pies (RMB 5-16).

The most expensive dumplings are the ones made of crab. They cost RMB 16, while the other ones are all less than RMB 8.

There are also 5 complete meals such as the one I ordered. Their prices range RMB 15-19. The latest dish is beef noodles + icy honey & bean pudding, priced at RMB 18.

The drinks offered are mostly made of soya: cool soya (RMB 4), hot soya (RMB 3.5), hot and diet soya (RMB 3.5), hot/cool honey soya (RMB 5). I really appreciated that they serve soya both hot and cold, as people’s needs vary with the weather.

There is also orange juice (RMB 4.5), beer (RMB 8), and Wulong ice tea (RMB 4.5) on the menu.

Take-away
Yonghe King Restaurant does deliver orders inside the city of Beijing. Such orders must be over RMB 20. For every such order, the restaurant offers you a free cup of hot/cool soya.

from a Malaysian blogger in her trip to ShenZen
http://laurahii.blogspot.com/2009/09/shenzhen-enjoy-foods.html

ShenZhen - Enjoy foods

I guess you guys must be sick of entries about places. So, this entry will talk about foods. Basically, when I`m traveling to ShenZhen I found out I dont take a lot pictures of foods. How`s unusual.

I think probably I wasnt feeling well most of the time and sometime I have to struggled to pretend "I`m fine" . Well, I learned my lesson when come to foods especially when on travel.

OKay,...since we stayed at Century Plaza Hotel, just next to it there a Cafe called " YONGHE King" & KFC restaurant which is 24 hours. Cool, How`s nice is that.

And almost everyday morning we went there for breakfast @ Yonghe King till become regular and the staff asked us to buy a vouchers which will better value for money.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac2/enghii1/IMG_1365.jpg

We get free mug ahahah how`s cute is that!

I really enjoy all the meals at Yonghe King, it was so cheap and delicious. And the best thing about it the service good and fast to be served. ooooooooohhhh I another thing, the restaurant is very very clean.

I feel really comfortable and enjoy my meals. By the way, I love their signature Soy milk. It was freshly made. Another my favourite dish is beef noodles soup, & porridge!

You guys can visit their website : http://www.yonghe.com.cn

Splash puts up unit for Vietnam expansion

By JAMES A. LOYOLA
August 2, 2010, 4:40pm
Manila Bulletin

Homegrown personal care products manufacturer Splash Corporation has set up a subsidiary in Vietnam which signed a distribution agreement with the TKM Group last month to boost its presence in the Vietnam market.

The new subsidiary, Splash Vietnam, has agreed to make TKM the exclusive distribution partner of Splash products in Ho Chin Minh City. The agreement involves the debut of Splash's four skin and hair care brands in Vietnam.

“The agreement marks a major milestone in Splash's continued domestic success and international expansion. It is with pride and great excitement that we finally bring our world class products within reach of our Vietnamese consumers,” Splash president Eric Domagas said.

He added that, “from having no presence in Vietnam, we will be now be available in targeted modern and general trade channels” and noted that “we see Vietnam as a major market in Southeast Asia.”

The establishment of Vietnam subsidiary further enables Splash to have more control over distribution, product registration and marketing of its products.

“Beyond marketing our category leading brands, our presence in Vietnam serves a higher purpose. It is our vision that through the commercial success of our brands and products in Vietnam, we can bring about positive change in our individual Vietnamese consumers, and in doing so, we will fulfill our corporate cause of enriching the economic well-being of the societies we serve,” Domagas said.

He said Splash Vietnam will help boost international sales and he is optimistic that the Vietnam market will respond positively to the company's major brands.

TKM Group is a group of companies involved in the importation, trade and distribution of food, beverage, alcohol, perfume and cosmetics into Vietnam.

Established in 2005, TKM Group is composed of Thien Kim (domestic food and distribution company), Toan Phuc Companies (duty free business), TKM Group Singapore (international sourcing and logistics arm) and We are Beauty (W.A.B.), which imports and markets cosmetics and fashion brands to Vietnam.

FYI, Oxygen is a owned by Golden ABC (http://www.goldenabc.com/brands.html) of Cebu which also the owner of Penshoppe, Memo, Regatta and Red Logo brands.


I didn't know this....:)

Huge investment in China.
Ayala Land unit in JV with foreign firm for a $220-M project in China
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 08/03/2010 3:55 PM | Updated as of 08/03/2010 4:16 PM



MANILA, Philippines -- Ayala Land, Inc.'s wholly-owned unit Regent Wise Investments Limited and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (SSTEC) signed an equity joint venture deal for a $220-million residential project in China.

Ayala Land President and CEO Antonino T. Aquino said on Tuesday the project involves the development of a 9.78 hectare housing project in Tianjin Eco-City.

Touted as a showcase for "green" development, the SSTEC has picked Ayala Land as one of several eco-oriented developers in the region.

The other developers involved in the project are China's Shimao Group, Japan's Mitsui Fudosan Group, Taiwan's Farglory Group, and Malaysia's Sunway Group.

"We are very pleased to have been invited to participate as a partner in this groundbreaking new development," said Aquino.

Ayala Land, through its subsidiary, will build a 19-storey residential comples at the Eco-City's start-up area.

The first phase, comprising 11 towers, will start construction by end-2010 and is expected to be completed within 20 months.

Ayala Land shares rose by 1.1% to P15.24 on Tuesday, reflecting an overall rise in the local stock market.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/08/03/10/ayala-land-unit-jv-foreign-firm-220-m-project-china

Seafood City (U.S. based Filipino supermarket) and Chowking opened recently in Seattle! And they're building another Jollibee right now to be inaugurated next month. :)

We're going up the three hour drive this weekend to replenish our supplies. :D

I hope they come to Portland soon.

Petroenergy, JV partner to drill 2 new oil wells in Gabon
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 08/04/2010 5:55 PM | Updated as of 08/04/2010 5:55 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Petroenergy Resources Corp. and its oil exploration partner, Houston-based Vaalco Energy, will drill 2 new oil wells at their Etame Marin prospect in offshore Gabon in west Central Africa.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Petroenergy said the drilling of the first exploratory well where oil was struck - Etsem-1 was completed.

Estsem-1 well was drilled to a total depth of 2,757 meters, logging "oil full to base."

"Further analyses are on-going to estimate the size of the discovery and to assess potential development strategies," said Petroenergy head of corporate and legal affairs, Arlan Profeta.

The drill rig "Sapphire Driller' will drill a new horizontal well, Etame 7H, which will be completed in the fourth quarter.

Aside from Etame 7H well, one development well in the South Tchibala field, and another exploratory well will be drilled this year to test both the Gamba and Dentale reservoirs in the Omanguo prospect.

The Gamba sandstone section in Etsem-1 well, is the same reservoir that produces in the consortium's Avouma/South Tchibala, Ebouri, and Etame oil fields.

Petroenergy shares shed nearly 2% on Wednesday at P5 a piece.

MANILA, Philippines — It’s not only the officers of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) who are enjoying sky-high perks and bonuses from the government.

In 2009, the government officials who received the most in salaries, allowances and “extraordinary and miscellaneous fees” came from—besides the MWSS—the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Social Security System (SSS), and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

This was according to the Commission on Audit’s report on the salaries and allowances received by principal officers and members of governing boards of government-owned and/or -controlled corporations, and secretaries, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of national government agencies.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza was the official who got the highest salary and allowances from the government in 2009—P26.865 million.

He was followed in the top 10 by CDC President Benigno Ricafort—P14.506 million;

DBP Deputy Chief Executive Officer Edgardo Garcia—P12.718 million; and

BSP Governor Armando Tetangco—P10.772 million




President of the Philippines — P839,000

List of principal officers and members of governing boards of GOCCs and their subsidiaries and secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and other officials of equivalent rank of NGAs who received salaries and allowances in FY 2009:

Name of Officer (Mother Unit) Amount

1. Arreza, Armand D. (SBMA) -- 26,865,923.20
2. Ricafort, Benigno (CDC) -- 14,506,466.74
3. Garcia, Edgardo F. (DBP) -- 12,718,942.61
4. Tetangco, Amando Jr. (BSP) -- 10,772,830.14
5. Bitonio, Benedicto Ernesto Jr. R. (DBP) -- 9,309,042.75
6. Geronimo, Rolando (DBP) -- 9,080,633.12
7. Abaya, Narciso L. (BCDA) -- 7,654,597.14
8. Templo, Horacio T. (SSS) -- 7,073,488.92
9. Samia, Armando O. (DBP) -- 6,983,533.14
10. Quirino, Ma. Therese (DBP) -- 6,753,136.41
11. Puno, Isaac III S. (BCDA) -- 6,010,701.40
12. Guevarra, Jesus II (DBP) -- 5,672,395.45
13. Suratos, Armando L. (BSP) -- 5,525,347.73
14. Maldia, Wilfredo C. (LBP) -- 5,473,755.94
15. Sarmiento, Andres C. (LBP) -- 5,406,907.99
16. Garcia, Oscar O. (MWSS-CO) -- 5,401,391.22
17. Tejada, Benilda (DBP) -- 5,216,276.46
18. Allado, Diosdado Jose M. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,969,239.59
19. Selispara, Cresencio R. (LBP) -- 4,917,216.99
20. Guinigundo, Diwa C. (SSP) -- 4,889,136.21
21.Guevarra, Simeona S. (LBP) -- 4,849,701.21
22. Roca, Miguel (SSS) -- 4,840,260.67
23. Veran, Nenita H. (LBP) -- 4,801,142.41
24. Espenilla, Nestor Jr. A. (BSP) -- 4,763,694.15
25. Favis-Villafuerte, Nelly (BSP) -- 4,654,176.05
26. Reyes, Alfredo C. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,641,381.01
27. Mahusay, Ferdinand P. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,622,760.13
28. Sulaik, Lorenzo S. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,562,181.34
29. Arnaez, Aurora R. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,540,957.28
30. Borromea, Cecilia C. (LBP) -- 4,521,459.80
31. De Zuñiga, Juan D. (BSP) -- 4,214,653.50
32. Antonio, Alfredo C. (BSP) -- 4,498,715.73
33. Boncan, Raul A. (BSP) -- 4,456,222.10
34. Pico, Gilda E. (LBP) -- 4,455,831.34
35. Nograles, Jose C. (PDIC) -- 4,454,109.50
36. Amatong, Juanita D. (BSP) -- 4,448,201.43
37. Cruz, Macra A. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,372,531.30
38. Zosa, Aileen Anunciacion R. (BCDA) -- 4,302,811.80
39. Singzon, Imelda S. (PDIC) -- 4,293,781.60
40. Orseta, Cristina Q. (PDIC) -- 4,292,508.79
41. Bunye, Ignacio R. (BSP) -- 4,283,173.61

List of principal officers and members of governing boards of GOCCs and their subsidiaries and secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and other officials of equivalent rank of NGAs who received salaries and allowances in FY 2009:

Name of Officer (Mother Unit) Amount

1. Arreza, Armand D. (SBMA) -- 26,865,923.20
2. Ricafort, Benigno (CDC) -- 14,506,466.74
3. Garcia, Edgardo F. (DBP) -- 12,718,942.61
4. Tetangco, Amando Jr. (BSP) -- 10,772,830.14
5. Bitonio, Benedicto Ernesto Jr. R. (DBP) -- 9,309,042.75
6. Geronimo, Rolando (DBP) -- 9,080,633.12
7. Abaya, Narciso L. (BCDA) -- 7,654,597.14
8. Templo, Horacio T. (SSS) -- 7,073,488.92
9. Samia, Armando O. (DBP) -- 6,983,533.14
10. Quirino, Ma. Therese (DBP) -- 6,753,136.41
11. Puno, Isaac III S. (BCDA) -- 6,010,701.40
12. Guevarra, Jesus II (DBP) -- 5,672,395.45
13. Suratos, Armando L. (BSP) -- 5,525,347.73
14. Maldia, Wilfredo C. (LBP) -- 5,473,755.94
15. Sarmiento, Andres C. (LBP) -- 5,406,907.99
16. Garcia, Oscar O. (MWSS-CO) -- 5,401,391.22
17. Tejada, Benilda (DBP) -- 5,216,276.46
18. Allado, Diosdado Jose M. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,969,239.59
19. Selispara, Cresencio R. (LBP) -- 4,917,216.99
20. Guinigundo, Diwa C. (SSP) -- 4,889,136.21
21.Guevarra, Simeona S. (LBP) -- 4,849,701.21
22. Roca, Miguel (SSS) -- 4,840,260.67
23. Veran, Nenita H. (LBP) -- 4,801,142.41
24. Espenilla, Nestor Jr. A. (BSP) -- 4,763,694.15
25. Favis-Villafuerte, Nelly (BSP) -- 4,654,176.05
26. Reyes, Alfredo C. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,641,381.01
27. Mahusay, Ferdinand P. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,622,760.13
28. Sulaik, Lorenzo S. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,562,181.34
29. Arnaez, Aurora R. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,540,957.28
30. Borromea, Cecilia C. (LBP) -- 4,521,459.80
31. De Zuñiga, Juan D. (BSP) -- 4,214,653.50
32. Antonio, Alfredo C. (BSP) -- 4,498,715.73
33. Boncan, Raul A. (BSP) -- 4,456,222.10
34. Pico, Gilda E. (LBP) -- 4,455,831.34
35. Nograles, Jose C. (PDIC) -- 4,454,109.50
36. Amatong, Juanita D. (BSP) -- 4,448,201.43
37. Cruz, Macra A. (MWSS-CO) -- 4,372,531.30
38. Zosa, Aileen Anunciacion R. (BCDA) -- 4,302,811.80
39. Singzon, Imelda S. (PDIC) -- 4,293,781.60
40. Orseta, Cristina Q. (PDIC) -- 4,292,508.79
41. Bunye, Ignacio R. (BSP) -- 4,283,173.61

This is a revelation. Working with these government owned corporation is really good. The pay is high.

That's the declared salaries and allowances only. :)

List of principal officers and members of governing boards of GOCCs and their subsidiaries and secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and other officials of equivalent rank of NGAs who received salaries and allowances in FY 2009:

Name of Officer (Mother Unit) Amount

1. Arreza, Armand D. (SBMA) -- 26,865,923.20
2. Ricafort, Benigno (CDC) -- 14,506,466.74
...
...
...


I therefore conclude na para maging successful na millionaire tayo, either sa DBP or sa BSP tayo magtrabaho...

I think OK lang yung pasahod sa BSP. they have done really well in managing our monetary policies.


yung MWSS ang hindi ko maintindihan. puro palpak naman sila, tapos hanggang 30th month pa ang pa-bonus

International Container to Invest $600 Million in Latin American Seaports
By Ian Sayson - Aug 11, 2010 1:13 PM GMT+0800
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-11/international-container-to-invest-600-million-in-latin-american-seaports.html

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the largest Philippine port operator, plans to spend $600 million expanding facilities in Latin America as economic growth spurs trade.

The company will make the investments in Argentina, Mexico and Colombia during the next two years, Chairman Enrique Razon told reporters today after a shareholders meeting in Manila. The terminal operator previously announced plans to spend $123 million upgrading facilities in Manila, Brazil, Ecuador and Madagascar this year.

ICTSI has boosted operations in Latin America as rising commodity prices and rebounding economies spur consumer spending. Economic growth in the region will likely outpace expansion in the Euro area, Japan and the U.S. through 2012, according to the World Bank.

“The region needs new ports because the existing facilities are congested,” said Haj Narvaez, a Manila-based Macquarie Group Ltd. analyst. “Yields are also attractive.”

ICTSI may have the capacity to handle as many as 1.5 million twenty-foot containers in Mexico, Argentina and Colombia within two years, said Narvaez, who rates the Manila-based company “outperform.” The terminal operator has total capacity of 6.8 million boxes at present, he said.

Rising Volumes

The company expects volumes across its operations to continue growing this year, with all of its terminal performing “well,” Razon said.

Stockholders also approved a new class of shares at the meeting. The terminal operator fell 1.1 percent to close at 32.85 pesos in Manila.

ICTSI’s Americas operations, including a terminal in Brazil and another in Ecuador, handled 248,136 containers in the second quarter. That’s more than a third of the volume moved at the company’s 10 Asian terminals, which are spread across the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, China and Brunei.

The company won a 34-year concession to build a container terminal in Mexico’s Port of Manzanillo last year. It agreed to build a facility in Port of Buenaventura in Colombia in 2007 and one in Argentina’s Port of La Plata in 2008.

ICTSI, which began in 1987 when the Philippines privatized the Port of Manila, also runs terminals in Poland, Madagascar, Syria and Georgia. It signed a 25-year lease to operate a facility in the U.S. port of Portland in May.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ian C. Sayson in Manila at isayson@bloomberg.net

Andrew Tan-led Megaworld earns P2.24B

STRONG REVENUES in real estate and office rentals hiked Andrew L. Tan-led Megaworld Corp.'s first-half profits by 12% to P2.24 billion.

Consolidated revenues rose by 6% to P9.29 billion, of which P6.10 billion came from real estate sales, the property giant told the local stock exchange on Thursday.

“We remain optimistic about the prospects of the property industry. Our new project launches, especially those in McKinley Hill and Newport City, have been selling quite well," Kingson U. Sian, executive director and senior vice-president of Megaworld, said in the disclosure.

Megaworld is aiming for P24 billion in reservation sales this year, supported by P17 billion in capital expenditures. "We are definitely on track to meeting our sales targets for the year," Mr. Sian said.

"Our business process outsourcing (BPO) buildings have, likewise, been the location of choice for top-name BPO companies,” he added.

Megaworld has 380,000 square meters (sq. m.) of office space at Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. It is building 70,000 sq. m. more until the end of the year.

Shares in Megaworld were unchanged on Wednesday at P1.78 each. -- Neil Jerome C. Morales

Alliance Global’s earnings up by more than a third

THE PROPERTY business hiked Andrew L. Tan-led Alliance Global Group, Inc.’s profits by 36% to P4.83 billion in the first half. The listed conglomerate is looking at further investing in the tourism sector, the company said in a disclosure yesterday.

Alliance Global’s net income attributable to shareholders rose by 43% to P3.69 billion year on year.

“We are quite pleased that our results show strong revenue growth across all lines of business. Our results confirm that our strategy to focus on key industries and accelerate growth, particularly in the tourism industry, is working,” said Alliance Global President Kingson U. Sian.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization in the first half gained 21% at P6.3 billion while consolidated revenues climbed by 22% to P21.26 billion.

“Revenues were driven primarily by Alliance Global’s real estate development arm, Megaworld Corp., which accounted for 46% of revenues,” the company said.

Alliance Global noted higher sales of residential projects such as McKinley Hill in Taguig, Newport City in Pasay, and Manhattan Garden City in Cubao; and the increase in revenues from the rental of office spaces to business process outsourcing companies.

In the first quarter, Megaworld had 380,000 square meters (sq. m.) of office space at Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. It is building 70,000 sq. m. more until the end of the year.

Megaworld has allotted P17 billion in capital expenditures this year, up from P11 billion last year. It expects to launch four new property projects this year.

Meanwhile, consumer units Emperador Distillers, which produces brandy labels Emperador, Generoso and The Bar; and Golden Arches Development Corp., the master franchise holder of McDonald’s in the Philippines, accounted for 44% of earnings.

Alliance Global said its “fourth business leg,” Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc., contributed equity earnings of P595 million in the first half of the year.

Travellers International, the developer and operator of Resorts World Manila, is a joint venture between Alliance Global and Genting Hong Kong Ltd., the third-largest cruise line operator in the world.

“While our priority is to drive profitable growth for our shareholders, we remain mindful of the needs of our country, particularly in the tourism sector, and, therefore, align our focus with the government’s thrust to boost tourist arrivals in the country and expand the impact of the tourism industry on the rest of the economy,” Mr. Sian said.

In July, the company said it would open the 540-room Hamilton Hotel by 2012, the fourth hotel in the 25-hectare Newport City adjacent to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. It will bring the total number of hotel rooms in Newport City to about 1,900.

Two more hotels will be built in the next five years.

Meanwhile, Alliance Global said it would guarantee the issuance by its wholly owned subsidiary, Alliance Global Group Cayman Islands, Inc., of US dollar-denominated corporate notes.

Proceeds of the notes, which will mature in 2017, will be used to finance capital and project expenditures, refinance debts of subsidiaries, and for general corporate purposes.

“The final terms and conditions of the notes, including the amount, interest rate, and maturity date shall be determined and approved in the coming weeks,” Alliance Global said.

The issuer is a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

Shares in Alliance Global closed 1.38% or P0.09 higher at P6.43 yesterday. -- Neil Jerome C. Morales

Andrew Tan-led Megaworld earns P2.24B

STRONG REVENUES in real estate and office rentals hiked Andrew L. Tan-led Megaworld Corp.'s first-half profits by 12% to P2.24 billion.

Consolidated revenues rose by 6% to P9.29 billion, of which P6.10 billion came from real estate sales, the property giant told the local stock exchange on Thursday.

“We remain optimistic about the prospects of the property industry. Our new project launches, especially those in McKinley Hill and Newport City, have been selling quite well," Kingson U. Sian, executive director and senior vice-president of Megaworld, said in the disclosure.

Megaworld is aiming for P24 billion in reservation sales this year, supported by P17 billion in capital expenditures. "We are definitely on track to meeting our sales targets for the year," Mr. Sian said.

"Our business process outsourcing (BPO) buildings have, likewise, been the location of choice for top-name BPO companies,” he added.

Megaworld has 380,000 square meters (sq. m.) of office space at Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. It is building 70,000 sq. m. more until the end of the year.

Shares in Megaworld were unchanged on Wednesday at P1.78 each. -- Neil Jerome C. Morales


May pag asa kaya na mag-expand pa horizontally ang Megaworld dyan sa Eastwood City?
Sana ma-acquire pa nito ang mga kalapit pa na property hanggang duon sa Mercury o lagpas pa :banana:

Biz Buzz

By the Staff
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:23:00 08/23/2010

Chicken chain threatens Chowking

CHOWKING will not admit it, but some of its franchisees believe that the Chinese quick service restaurant chain of Jollibee Food Corp. is feeling the heat from competition posed by Mang Inasal, a chain of chicken restaurants started in Iloilo City that is expanding at a furious space.

Chowking has already initiated some management changes, including the replacement of Erwin Elechicon effective May 16 this year with Ariel Fermin, who now heads both Chowking and pizza chain Greenwich.

Franchisees in the know tell Biz Buzz that this major change was prompted in part by the aggressive expansion of Mang Inasal, which will have 300 stores by the end of the year.

Some of Chowking’s executives have even moved to Mang Inasal.

Edgar Sia, the young owner of Mang Inasal, however, says that Chowking does not have anything to fear from Mang Inasal, although he did admit that some of Chowking people—as well as those from other food companies—are now on his team.
“They should not be threatened by such a small player like Mang Inasal, they are already giants,” says Sia.
This small player, however, may just turn out to be a David to the Goliath that is Chowking, which has 408 branches as of end-June. Tina Arceo-Dumlao

kasi naman ang may kasalanan dyan ay yung mga store manager... for example ako tinigilan ko na ang pagbili ng orange chicken nila kasi madalas sa hindi pag sinerved nila ,,, para lang akong kumain sa karinderia sa presentasyon ng pagkain. as in wlang ka effort effort

Jollibee Foods Corp is already an EMPIRE, if you compare it to a newbie like Mang Inasal.

for me, mang inasal is not that good.

Gusto ko yung pecho ng mang inasal:D

Obvious ba ito:

From Singapore company established 1993:

http://www.jollibean.com/imgs/jollibean.jpg


From a Philippine company established in 1978:


http://www.alleba.com/blog/wp-content/photos/web2_jollibee_logo2.gif


Gaya, gaya... puto...

Ano ba ang Chicken Inasal? What makes it different from say...
lechong manok...
chicken bar-b-q...
rotisserie chicken...

wla kasi kaming Mang Inasal dito.
meyrong chicken joy...
max 's fried chicken...
manila's ihawan chicken barbeque



:horse:

^^ It's already posted eons ago in the Skybar thread.

Gaya gaya, puto ina

^^ Just caught it on Twitter

Found it riain...

Food Establishment Look & Sound-Alikes

McDonald's
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/1834/thmcdonaldslogo.jpg
Established: 1940
Country of Origin: USA
Into: Fast Food

Mc Curry
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/5431/35532665.jpg
Established: 2001 (in picture are the owners)
Country of Origin: Malaysia
Into: Curries/Indian Cuisine


KFC
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1319/kfc300x299.jpg
Established: 1930
Country of Origin: USA
Into: Fast Food

CFC (California Fried Chicken)
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5781/dsc07674t.jpg
Established: 1996
Country of Origin: UK (above picture an Indonesian branch)
Into: Fast Food


Jollibee
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6778/jollibee.jpg
Established: 1978
Country of Origin: Philippines
Into: Fast Food

Jollibean
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7004/dsc08167.jpg
Established: 1993
Country of Origin: Singapore
Into: soya bean milk drinks, snacks

^^ Wala bang Mang Donald's? :D

^^ Wala bang Mang Donald's? :D

Big Mak meron (parang burger machine):):)

^^ Nakakamiss yung mga burger stands sa atin... :(

^^ Wala bang mga burger stands diyan?

^^ Wala bang mga burger stands diyan?

bahn my lang... sandwiches.... nakakamiss ng burger ng burger machine...

Andok's Baliwag, Senor Pedro now....:):)


Niknok Manok opens 8th outlet in Ortigas

(The Philippine Star)
Updated August 30, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a new kid on the block and it’s got plans to become a major player in the fastfood industry.

Less than a year from its opening, Niknok Manok opened last week its eighth outlet at the corner of Bank Drive and Doña Vargas St. in the Ortigas area. Niknok Manok Foods Corp. president and CEO Rogelio “Gil” Nemeño said they hope to open up to 200 branches in five years.

This requires a total investment running into about a quarter of a billion pesos at an average of P12 million per outlet, which is what the company spent for their latest outlet.

Business has been brisk so far, said Jaycel S. Ortiaga, Niknok Manok head of marketing. “Our clientele consists mostly of young professionals who frequent the place because it offers an ambience that is both cozy and vibrant,” she said.

Nemeño, who owns the Nutrilicious brand of drinks, said they entered the market last December with the opening of their first outlet at the Isetann building in Quiapo, Manila. Since then, they have opened branches in Caloocan, Shaw Blvd. E. Rodriguez Blvd. in Quezon City, P. Noval in Sampaloc, Manila, SM City in Rosario, Cavite and along Morayta in the University Belt area.

On the drawing board are new outlets that will be located in Quintin Paredes in Binondo, Manila, one in Concepcion, Marikina and inside SM establishments. Niknok Manok vice chairman Dr. Rey Carpio said their plan is to establish 200 outlets in five years.

This means an average of 40 outlets a year, which is kind of conservative, according to Nemeño.

^^ Yung mga food establishments natin is parang mixed blessing na din. At least hindi tayo kasing penetrated ng mga foreign food companies like KFC or McDo. However, it could also spell oversaturation in the industry (too many foods, too little time and money.)

bahn my lang... sandwiches.... nakakamiss ng burger ng burger machine...

Love Burge machine stands but sometimes may element na nakakasawa din (they have to increase the sizes of the meat.)

Love Burge machine stands but sometimes may element na nakakasawa din (they have to increase the sizes of the meat.)

Actually yung Frank's okay din. :D Nakakasawa sya pag araw arawin mo nga naman.. pero masarap na pansapin sa tyan pag pauwi ka na sa gimikan. But yeah I really miss Burger stands natin... and also Andok's! Homaygulay. I was looking at their website the other day, naglalaway ako sa inggit.

Andrew Tan’s hard way
to billions of dollars

BY AMADO MACASAET
Malaya Business Insights
September 1, 2010

Andrew Tan was 27 years old when he, quite by accident, learned there was a man who set up a small distillery in Rosario, La Union.

The man who Tan can only recall by his last name, Posadas, was a retired chemist of La Tondeña, makers of rum. Posadas was good at making spirits but he never learned to do business. Besides, he was afflicted with a deadly cancer he never told his family about.

Andrew Tan offered to take over the company, named Far East Distillers. He did not buy the firm. He merely paid Posadas a comfortable salary. But he died two years after setting up the distillery in 1997.

Tan had a problem. He did not have a chemist he could trust with his soul. Instead of hiring one, he went to the United Kingdom, Spain and France to try and learn the art of making distilled spirits.

He learned fast but did not have the full mind of a chemist. What he knew all along was there is a market for cheaper liquor that is called whiskey, better than gin or rum but only a little more expensive.

His first product was Andy Players whiskey that sold like hotcakes. But like all brands of cheaper drinks, its life did not last that long. In 1981, he expanded the distillery and moved to Caloocan City. Long after he came up with what is generally accepted as brandy, called Emperador. It is now the biggest of such distilled spirit.

While raking in profits from the distillery, Tan established a reputation in the banking system as a good client.

Tan says he is grateful to his teachers in Hong Kong where he had his early education. He is proud to show the scar above the elbow of his left hand. He was whipped hard by his teacher with a bamboo stick — split in the middle from use at the tip—for mere childish behavior.

The incident left him with a deep sense of discipline that would later help him in many other business ventures.

Now 58 years old, Tan is not exactly youngest (Enrique Razon is 47) among the billionaires but he slugged it out alone, very much like Lucio Tan who started as a minor employee of Bataan Cigar and Cigarette Factory.

Tan is now in the company of taipans like Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei, Henry Sy, George S.K. Ty and Tony Tan Caktiong, together with the old rich like the Zobel de Ayalas and Eduardo Cojuangco who is also of Chinese descent.

He had it as tough as Lucio Tan who did not have much except a determination to succeed and the knowledge that success is made easier with some brains and more hard work.

He makes sure that the profits he makes are plowed back into expansion and other projects. He finds no extreme pleasure in living in a lavish home. He continues to live in a relatively modest home in Quezon City.

Apart from being very Chinese in that way, he might have been helped living a modest life by having a Chinese-Filipina wife from the other end of the country – Aparri.

Tan does not have the swagger of a billionaire. He moves about practically by himself, treats his people with care and respect. Modesty is probably his greatest virtue.

A combination of a Chinese from Hong Kong with a Chinese-Filipina wife with Ilocano sense of thrift and hard work is, as if by design, a good first step toward a comfortable life.

Tan took all of 31 years to be the country’s fifth richest man. He is only 58 years old.

Tan is No. 5 in a list of 40 richest Filipinos as reported by Forbes Asia Philippines Rich List. His holding company, Alliance Global Group, is worth $1.2 billion. Not bad for one who started producing distilled spirits without studying chemistry.

It is noticeable that among the top nine richest Filipinos, six are of Chinese descent. In fact, even Eduardo M. Cojuangco descended from a Chinese family. Ten years after 1979 when he acquired a "rotten" distillery in Rosario, La Union, and parlayed it into a competitor of the giants after moving the firm to Caloocan City, Tan ventured into his first condominium building on Annapolis street in Makati. He was competing with the giants in the property development business. He studied his market closely and figured out he could compete by selling the units at P24,000 per square meter. Today, the price in The Fort, dominated by Ayala Land, is P100,000 per square meter. Even higher in Global City at P110,000 per square meter.

While Tan never really even took a rest competing in the property business, having constructed 220 condominium buildings with 100,000 units in various parts of Metro Manila, he was, at the same time, laying his hands on other ventures. To begin with, he formed two other property development companies: Empire East and Suntrust.

However, he feels his greatest contribution to his country is the construction of eight multi-story buildings that house call centers and a few more edifices now home to large multinational companies like Citibank NA.

They are located in a 24-hectare property Tan named Eastwood City Cyberpark, a self-contained city overlooking the Marikina Valley.

Tan told Malaya Business Insight in an interview that half of his profits come from property development. Alliance Global owns 50 percent of McDonald’s with George Yang.

Tan feels the 25,000 jobs he has created in his business are not enough. There will be more jobs when his resort complex – a gaming cum tourism project – comes into full bloom.

The complex has three hotels with more than 1,000 rooms. Tan co-owns the project with Genting, a Malaysian gaming-tourism operation.

Petron is now Pinoy (again. majority-owned by San Miguel. Formerly wholly -owned by Ashmore of UK)..:cheers::cheers:


SMC exercises call option on Petron shares

Malaya Business Insights
September 1, 2010

Diversifying food conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) yesterday said that it has exercised its option to purchase a controlling stake in Petron Corp.

In a disclosure, the SMC said it paid P10.9 billion for the execution of the option.

"We advise that the company purchased 1,517,637,398 common shares of stock of Petron Corp. ("Petron") from Sea Refinery Holdings, B.V. at (P7.20) per share. The shares were crossed at the Exchange today, Aug. 31, 2010," the company said.

"Upon the exercise by the company of the option to acquire 60 percent of the outstanding shares of Sea Refinery Corp. on or before Dec. 15, 2010, the company will have up to 67 percent equity interest in Petron," it added.

SMC’s option was for 40 percent of the Sea Refinery’s holdings which represent 50.1 percent of the outstanding shares of Petron.

SMC acquisition of the oil firm is part of its diversification and expansion program as it veers away from its traditional food and drinks business. So far the company has invested in power, mining, telecommunication, infrastructure and oil refining to fuel faster profit growth.

Petron’s Bataan refinery in Luzon has a capacity of 180,000 barrels per day and supplies nearly 40 percent of the country’s fuel.

Petron earlier said that its income for the first half grew by 64 percent P2.96 billion from P1.8 billion in the same period last year. Petron said that the income growth was due to higher sales revenues and better margin from petrochemical feedstock.

The company said that sales revenues grew by 50 percent to P115.35 billion from P76.68 billion in the same period last year. Petron’s earning grew by 10 percent in the second quarter, to P1.03 billion from P934 million in the same period last year. - John Poquiz

This business needs government support.:cheers:



Giving Gapan’s tsinelas industry a shot in the strap

By Armand Galang
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 19:02:00 09/04/2010


GAPAN CITY—A source of livelihood for some 15,000 people, footwear production in this Nueva Ecija city is a struggling industry that needs a stronger push, local officials concede.

“There’s no doubt our slippers here are creatively crafted, ones you can find in both modern and traditional designs,” says Leocadio Reyes, president of the City of Gapan Footwear Multipurpose Cooperative.

Reyes says footwear production has been in Gapan for as long as anyone can remember but government intervention, which gave the industry the needed push, only came in 2000.

Main livelihood

Mayor Christian Tinio says at least three Gapan villages—San Lorenzo, Marilou and Pambuan—have tsinelas (slippers) as their main source of livelihood. At least P200 million roll in this business annually, he says.

Saying demand for Gapan City-made footwear continue to grow, with orders coming from big shopping mall chains such as SM and Gaisano, Tinio says the market should level up to “repeat orders.”

“And that is now the bigger challenge to our producers here ... The quality of our products has to be upgraded and be attuned to the times, especially with the influx of products from China,” he says.

Brigida Pili, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), says footwear production was identified by the agency as this city’s One Town One Product (OTOP). This means that the industry should be the focus of national and local government agencies and private groups in livelihood programs, she says.

Technology transfer

Pili says OTOP identification entails support of technology transfer and provisions of financing facilities, packaging and marketing.

Besides DTI and the local government, the Department of Agriculture and the office of the provincial agriculturist are also part of the support system for industry players.

Reyes says government intervention has forced them to depart from the traditional branding of their products as “Made in Marikina” or other places known in the footwear industry.

“Bago dumating ang suporta ng gobyerno sa pagtsitsinelas, may mga umoorder at kung saan gustong sabihin na doon gawa, yun ang ginagawa ng iba (Before government support came, there were people who would place bulk orders and ask local workers to make it appear that the products came from a place specified by the customer. Some footwear makers here did that),” he says.

Technology transfer

Reyes says the city council earlier passed an ordinance that obliged producers to put the brand “Gapan” in their products. While most of them were initially reluctant, they were later surprised that buyers liked the branding.

Reyes says most of the raw materials they use, particularly synthetic leather, are imported from China. “We need a bigger capital but we manage to earn a little,” he says.

Tinio says apart from upgrading quality control mechanism, the city government also monitors the welfare of industry stakeholders, including the youth in production areas.

“We do not allow children to be exposed in dangerous areas of production,” he says.

^^ Well... Dapat palitan na ang "Havaianas" "Crocs" at "Dupe" ng mga ganito...

Dapat dun tayo sa Sandugo, Spartan at ganito...

(I'm sparking a tsinelas war again.)

^^ Well... Dapat palitan na ang "Havaianas" "Crocs" at "Dupe" ng mga ganito...

Dapat dun tayo sa Sandugo, Spartan at ganito...

(I'm sparking a tsinelas war again.)

Definitely agree.

We have Marikina, Liliw and now Gapan made tsinelas aside from those you have mentioned (modernized name 'flip flops')that are as good as those imported ones.

Why would I spend 750 pesos ++++ for a pair of ordinary looking tsinelas from Brazil or America?

Will the havaianas make my kalyo covered foot look good?:lol::lol:

BUY PHILIPPINE MADE!!!!:cheers::cheers::banana::banana:

Conglomerates lording it over

There is a very interesting report that examines how business conglomerates are becoming a very powerful moving force in this country.

The report, written by stockmarket expert Astro del Castillo, noted how the largest conglomerates in the country are spreading their wings as they are looking to commit close to P200 billion in capital expenditures. The amount does not include San Miguel Corp.’s energy ventures for 2010.

Telecommunications continues to lead the way among the different sectors with it accounting for over P60 billion of the spend. Public infrastructure comes next at approximately P57 billion, with real estate at third with P24 billion.

The largest business group in the country in terms of market capitalization, turn-over, EBITDA and capital expenditures is chaired by Manny Pangilinan. The group, which includes Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), is an important contributor to the economy with total turnover equivalent to approximately six percent of the nation’s GDP.

The report pointed out that a strong team is responsible for the implementation of their three pronged strategy – continued dominance in telecommunications, assembly of the best portfolio of infrastructure assets in the country and development of the natural resources industry.

The group’s capital expenditure budget this year, including those of Meralco and Philex mining is at P49.5 billion.

Next on the list is the Ayala group, which continues to be driven by three primary legs: banking, real estate and telecommunications. Del Castillo said their entry into infrastructure, Manila Water, has done an excellent job at developing its water concession in the east and they are looking to use it as a springboard for entering the same sector in other areas in the Philippines and even abroad.

The Ayala group’s capex (including those of BPI, Globe, Ayala Land, among others) is at P40.57 billion.

Third on the list is the Gokongwei group (Digitel, Cebu Pacific, Universal Robina, Robinsons Land, etc.) with a capex of P33 billion. Del Castillo pointed out that with the varied mix of assets in their portfolio and the planned expansion of their consumer goods business, it might make sense for the Gokongweis to dispose of the smaller parts of the portfolio that can be viewed by the market as distractions.

Meanwhile, the SM group, having established itself as the clear leader in the retail sector, has recently been undertaking steps to vault their other companies into leading positions, it was noted. BDO is now the largest bank by assets in the country although it still trails BPI’s market capitalization. They are also entering the real estate market in a big way. Del Castillo said these are exciting times for the SM Group and it will be interesting to see how the other, perhaps more established players, in real estate and even banking will react to this big push. The group’s capex is at P12.8 billion, including those for SM Prime, SM Land, and SM Development Corp.

Another conglomerate that has been making headlines is San Miguel Corp. which has undertaken a total transformation of their portfolio with divestments or planned divestments in their beverage, food and packaging businesses funding their entry into banking, telecommunications, infrastructure, energy and retail distribution of fuel. Capex is at P8.4 billion, excluding those for SMC’s energy ventures.

The report noted that SMC’s aggressive transformation is certainly bold but all the industries it has entered are very competitive and the success of their new ventures will take some time to become evident.

Also mentioned in the report is the Lopez Group which has used the past couple of years to restructure their portfolio. Proceeds from the sale of the North Luzon Expressway and Meralco have been used to strengthen their balance sheet and take a leading role in clean and renewable energy. The focus now seems to be power generation along with multimedia content creation and distribution through both ABS-CBN and SkyCable, it said. Capex has been placed at P11.9 billion, primarily for ABS-CBN and Energy Development Corp.

Likewise mentioned is the Aboitiz Group which has been one of the most aggressive entrants into the power generation business, locking up 2,890 megawatts of generating capacity, next only to SMC. Its capex budget is at P39.9 billion, which actually is the third biggest, next only to MVP’s group and the Ayala group.

For comments, e-mail at philstarhiddenagenda@yahoo.com

From:

The NAIA 3 mess

HIDDEN AGENDA
By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
(The Philippine Star)
Updated September 05, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

Pangasinan’s pride is RP’s top seed :cheers::cheers:company

By Johanna Morden
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 19:11:00 09/04/2010


TAYUG, PANGASINAN—All it took was a small seed for a Pangasinan-born enterprise to become one of the top seed companies in the Philippines.

It was in 1984 when Willy Co, a De La Salle University business graduate, decided to invest in the seed industry, much to the consternation of his peers who believed the breeding and producing of seeds was not a viable business option.

Co, who would become the first and only Filipino president of the Asia and Pacific Seed Association, founded the Allied Botanical Corp. (ABC), a vegetable seed company that began propagating hybrid sorghum seeds, a type of grain primarily used for animal feed.

In a recent speech during ABC’s 25th anniversary this year, Co says financial return was not the only driving force behind the creation of the company.

“The reward is the fulfillment of seeing a toiling farmer smiling at you, thanking you for the money he made out of the crop by planting our seeds,” he says.

With this philosophy, he led the company to its first cropping of hybrid grain sorghum in 1985 at a farm in Alcala town.

Starting from 11 hectares and a little over 20 employees, ABC is now a company that employs hundreds and operates breeding and testing facilities all over the country, says ABC research manager Cris Alibuyog.
Alibuyog says ABC has since become the main supplier of hybrid grain sorghum in the country.

From there, ABC has expanded its product line with seeds of salad crops, such as lettuce and tomato, and those of highland vegetables like cabbages.

In 1996, ABC established the Allied Agro, its main research and breeding facility in this eastern Pangasinan town that is fully owned and run by Filipinos.

“There are a few other research facilities in the country, but all of them are owned in part by foreigners,” says Alibuyog. “Our technology here is equal to other research technologies in the world.”
The establishment of Allied Agro also coincided with the launch of ABC’s pinakbet line composed of seeds of vegetables which make up the ingredients of the Ilocano vegetable fare, including eggplants and squash, among others.

Allied Agro uses 23 hectares of land where ABC’s scientists produce and breed seeds and test new crop varieties.
Here, new varieties undergo a rigorous screening process to ensure that these are resistant to pests and diseases and that these produce quality vegetables.

Varieties that pass this inspection would be grown in ABC’s trial facilities to test their adaptability to the different climate conditions in the country.

“Between six and 10 years of study and testing is what it takes before we release seeds of new varieties of crops into the market,” says Alibuyog.

He says ABC’s aim is to provide farmers with seeds that would help improve their livelihood and that would make them competitive in the global agricultural community.

ABC’s products are known in the seed industry as Condor Quality Seeds, a line composed of 86 kinds of seeds from crops ranging from sweet, yellow-fleshed watermelon to winged beans. They come ready to be planted in green plastic packets or canned containers.

ABC is famous for Spitfire 252 F1, an eggplant variety conceived in its research facilities. “Spitfire produces crops so big that a farmer from Ilocos even harvested one eggplant that weighed 1.5 kg,” says Alibuyog.

In its Tayug research facility, ABC also conceived its signature “Batik” corn variety, which is distinctive for its white and purple kernels.

ABC’s bestseller remains to be the seeds of brassica, a group of plants composed of cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli and lettuce. Alibuyog says ABC supplies 80 to 90 percent of brassica seeds in the local market.

ABC sells its products to farmers through its dealers found in practically every town in the Philippines. In 2008, it began exporting to other Asian countries.

“However, we make sure that we supply the needs of Filipino farmers first before we export to other countries,” says Alibuyog.

Expert parlays skincare into something rewarding

By Sharon Robas-Macawile
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:09:00 09/04/2010

Filed Under: business, Health and Beauty Products, woman, Consumer Issues

IF THERE is one thing women (and even men) wish for their skin to be, it’s that it should be flawless. And with the onset of many facial centers that offer a wide range of advance treatments and services nowadays, this wish isn’t hard to become a reality.

Since 2001, Flawless, a leading chain of aesthetic and skincare clinic, has been giving many customers a feel of what it’s like to be beautiful inside and out.

Rubby Sy, owner and chief executive officer of Flawless, recalls how her interest in always looking beautiful even at a young age, led her to venture into the skincare business: “Ever since I was a kid, I really like to pretty myself up…I always wanted to make myself look good. When I was a young girl I always wear beautiful dresses, and then when I was a teenager I had acne, so I often go to a dermatologist … So, it wasn’t hard for me to go into this ‘beauty’ business or know more about it.”

She adds that Flawless’ initial concept was like that of a “fast-food” store—targeting the mass market with quality service at an affordable price.

But before she became an entrepreneur, Sy worked in a bank for 15 years and was Citibank’s treasurer for consumer services group when she left to concentrate on her creative passion.

In 1993, Sy conquered the export market by selling Christmas decors.

Endorsers

“I love creating things and I love Christmas, so I make decors that we export all over the world. Initially, I started with Christmas decors, afterward I saw myself making household accessories and novelty items for different occasions as well,” shares Sy.

Her export business was doing well until it “went on a hiatus last year after the peso depreciation a few years ago, and the global recession affected the business.” But being the creative person that she is, Sy plans to go into export again in 2012.

With her banking and entrepreneurial skills, Sy, together with a business partner, opened Flawless’ first outlet in SM Megamall and became a hit to customers.

Today, Flawless, a recipient of the Outstanding Retailer of the Year Award by the Philippine Retailers’ Association in 2009, has 35 branches all over Metro Manila and in the provinces, most of which are mall-based, making it more accessible to everyone unlike before, Sy adds, when “most dermatologists hold clinics in the hospitals.”

“But we are quite choosy; we just don’t open branches for the sake of opening branches. We have to evaluate every single branch…Right now we’re evaluating the existing branches, to see which is doing well and which is not. Because it’s not a matter of going big in terms of number (of branches) but having outlets that give the best service to its clients,” Sy explains.

Flawless celebrity endorsers include Lorna Tolentino, Judy Ann Santos, Richard Gutierrez, Mark Herras and Yasmin Kurdi to name a few. Sy adds that although having star endorsers proves effective in “making the brand more approachable to our target market, we don’t want people to come to us only because of our celeb endorsers... but we want them to patronize us because of our products and services.”

Lunch crowd

Flawless also boasts of its affordability such as the classic facial which costs only P350, plus a variety of other inexpensive facial and skincare treatments.

Sy also notes that 35 percent of their clientele are men who often go to their clinics during mid-day or lunchtime. “We opened our doors to let men know that we’re not only for the ladies. Men are also conscious of their face…they want to have smaller pores, get rid of their wrinkles, etc.”

Last year, with the help of a Singaporean brand consultant, Flawless rebranded with a new logo and concept—from “fast-food” to “airline” concept. Treatment rooms are now classified as Diamond—first class, private room; Ruby—business class, semi-private room; and Emerald—economy class.

Sy explains the reason for the rebranding: “First, the industry is becoming very competitive. When we started, we only had one competitor, now there are many. We don’t want our customers to come to us only because “mura kami” . . . it should not be a price war, of course there’s our promise to give you affordable price but more than that we want you to have a flawless experience—quality products and services.

“Second, we want to think big…We want to look outside and go global. We want to tell the world that here is a Filipino brand that could give you the best.”

Asked what could be Flawless edge over the others, Sy says: “We have iSkin products that are exclusive to Flawless—these are very good products that can help cure pimples, remove pigmentation and firm up skin. We also offer a lifetime hair removal service… and we have a doctor in each of our branch.”

Sy also adds that they have a training department where Flawless staff and aestheticians are trained and screened to ensure quality service once they are deployed to different branches.

“What makes us happy is if we could bring back our patients’ self-esteem and confidence . . . that’s why I always remind branch officers, doctors that we’re not here for the money, we are here to take care of the needs of our clients,” Sy, who is not only an entrepreneur but also a dance enthusiast particularly of Latin dances (rhumba, samba, etc.) and had competed in dance competitions before.

Franchising

Flawless is also open for franchising for a total investment of P3.5 to P5 million depending on the size. This includes construction, basic equipment, three months supply of medicines and others.

“Sometimes we help them look for a place or if clients have a location in mind we also help them. But we always make sure that franchisees can follow our standard and applicants must have a very high attention to details, kasi kung pabaya, we might get ourselves into trouble,” explains Sy.

Couple Jinkee and Manny Pacquiao has a franchise in General Santos City.

To those who want to put up a business, Sy has this to say: “If you want to have a business of your own, you have to put your heart in it because if it’s not there, there will be no passion and if there is no passion, I don’t think the business will be successful… because you have to do something that you really enjoy, so it’s not work it’s all fun.”

3 RP firms in Forbes Asia’s 2010 ‘Best Under A Billion’ list


INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:14:00 09/02/2010


MANILA, Philippines – Three Philippine companies made it to the “Best Under A Billion” list for 2010 by Forbes Asia, according to an article in the magazine’s September issue.

It listed Lopez Holdings (broadcasting, cable and satellite, and entertainment programming); Pacific Online Systems (develops and manages computer systems for gaming industry); and Philweb (online gambling services to the public) as among the top-performing 200 firms from close to 13,000 publicly listed Asia-Pacific companies with actively traded shares and sales between $5 million and 1 billion.

Lopez Holdings registered $538 million in sales, with a $257 million net income, and $529 million market value; Pacific Online Systems has $21 million in sales; with a $6 million net income, and $432 million market value; Philweb has $18 million in sales, $12 million net income; and $432 million market value, according to Forbes Asia.

A total of 151 firms are new on the list, including the three from the Philippines, compared to 136 last year while 49 others are returnees, it said.

Firms in information technology, healthcare and electronics sectors accounted for close to half of the 200 companies on the list, according to the article.

Selection of the final 200 was based on earnings growth, sales growth, and shareholders’ return on equity in the past 12 months and over three years, Forbes Asia said.

China and Hong Kong had the most number of companies in the “Best Under A Billion” list with 71 but down from 78 in 2009, followed by India with 39, up from 20 last year, it said.

This is the third consecutive year that both economies have dominated the list, it said.

India is in second place with 39 entries, 19 more than last year, thus making it the biggest gainer. More Indian companies made the list this year as the country is less open than many other Asian economies and was therefore less affected by the global downturn, it said.

The others are from South Korea, 20 down from 23 in 2009; Taiwan, 19 down from 16; Australia, 13 down from 18; Malaysia, 9 up from 8; Thailand, 9 up from 5; Singapore, 8 up from 5; Philippines, 3 up from 0; Japan, 2 down from 24; Pakistan, 2 up from 0; Sri Lanka, 2 up from 1; Indonesia, 1, New Zealand, 1, and Vietnam, 1 up from 0.

Among the new companies this year is Vinamilk from Vietnam, the first time that a firm from the Southeast Asian state has made the list. The company holds a one-third share of Vietnam’s dairy products market. It recently started work on a $120 million dairy plant, near
Ho Chi Minh City that is expected to be the biggest in Southeast Asia, the magazine said.

Also new faces from the Southeast Asian region are glove maker Hartalega Holdings from Malaysia and MCS Steel from Thailand.
Asia’s economic giants China and India contributed their share of new entries as well, it said.

They include Chinese real estate brokerage firm E-house and Indian animated movie maker Compact Disc India, it said.

Among the returning firms this year is Indian software company Micro Technologies, it said. Also listed last year, its revenues soared 79% to $102 million compared with last year, while its net income went up from $14 million to $20 million.

Chinese internet search engine Baidu also returned to the list from last year with its revenue up from $462 million in 2009 to $651 million this year, while net earnings also increased from $151 million to $217 million, it said.

Another notable returnee is Thailand’s Dynasty Ceramic. During the political protests in May that brought central Bangkok to a standstill, sales of tiles at the company’s 170 outlets increased 15% from the year before. Also, the firm’s stock price is up 90% over the past 12 months. Its CEO Roongroj Saengsastra is featured in a profile story in the latest issue of Forbes Asia, according to Forbes Asia.

The 200 winning companies will be honored at the Forbes Asia “Best Under A Billion” award ceremony and dinner in Hong Kong on November 23.

Putting the Spring Back in Marikina’s Step

By Tina Arceo-Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:32:00 09/04/2010

Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure, Consumer Issues, business

IT does not take rocket science to figure out that Marikina City has a shoe fetish.

This city in the eastern part of Metro Manila, which still has that old provincial feel and where many of the residents have managed to keep that distinct Rizal accent, is certainly entitled to it. It has been the center of the country’s shoe manufacturing industry for over a century.

Marikina even has the distinction of having crafted the world’s biggest pair of men’s shoes, measuring 5.5 meters long, 2.2 meters wide and 1.83 meters high—to prove that it is still a giant in the shoe sector. The city also houses part of the infamous shoe collection of former First Lady, and now Ilocos Norte representative, Imelda Marcos.

The Marikina shoe sector’s reach and influence, however, have suffered greatly in recent years due to the onslaught of competition—cheap shoes, mainly from China. :ohno::ohno:This has prompted private firms and government agencies to devise strategies that would give the Marikina shoe sector a new spring in its step.

Town lore credits Laureano M. Guevara for having founded in 1887 the shoe industry that made Marikina famous here and abroad.

According to official accounts, the business-minded Guevara, or Kapitan Moy, saw an opportunity to make shoes that ordinary people could afford. Slippers and wooden clogs were readily available then, but not shoes which were quite expensive to make and thus, were only available to the elite.

Kapitan Moy wanted to learn how to make shoes, but the shoemakers in Manila were reluctant to teach him the craft. He decided to just learn it by himself.

Enterprising and determined, he bought himself a pair of imported shoes in Manila, brought them back to Marikina and asked the help of wooden shoe cobbler Tiburcio Eustaquio to undo the shoes so they could learn how to put the pieces back again.

After much trial, error and experimentation, Kapitan Moy and Eustaquio, assisted by Ambrocio Sta. Ines and Gervacio Carlos, managed to produce the first pair of Marikina-made shoes. Thus was born Kapitan Moy’s shoe shop and Marikina’s shoe making industry.

According to Marikina city’s website, the businessman saw to it that other Marikeños were taught the new skill at once, for he intended it to be a source of livelihood for a town that subsisted largely on fishing and farming. His townmates did embrace this new trade and Marikina’s local cobblers became among the best in the field.

Accounts show that for the greater part of the 20th century, Marikina was the biggest manufacturer of quality shoes. Between 1978 and 1982, Marikina’s women’s shoes and handbags made of snakeskin were the rave on Fifth Avenue, New York City. In 1983, Marikina produced 70 percent of the shoe production of the Philippines, which was estimated at 30 million pairs.

For having started it all, Kapitan Moy was honored as the “Father of the Shoe Industry.” His home near the Marikina church has been transformed into a cultural and heritage zone and nearby is Marikina’s Shoe Museum, the country’s first and one of a few of its kind in the world.

Those years of rapid production, however, have unfortunately become a distant memory. Local shoe brands point to price competition from abroad, the difficulty among local artisans to keep up with the latest designs and the lack of know-how of new technology as major factors behind the decline.

The Shoe Museum, the crafting of the world’s largest shoes and the introduction of the Sapatos Festival in 2002 are part of many efforts from the local government to keep the tradition of shoe-making alive in Marikina.

In 2003, former Marikina mayor Marides C. Fernando put in place a Marikina Shoe Design Center to provide local shoe designers access to computers so they can update themselves on the latest designs in the world’s fashion capitals. The council also approved a resolution then requiring local shoe manufacturers to use the French sizing system to put the industry at par with the rest of the world and to standardize production.

Private shoe companies are doing their part as well. Some shoe brands, among them Via Venetto, have refused to cave in to the temptation to turn to China for cheaper supplies. Their logic is that while Marikina may not be able to compete in price, it can very well compete in quality, and that is what discriminating buyers are willing to pay top peso for.

Via Venetto owner Ging Pajaro says that she still has 99 percent of Via Venetto shoes made in Marikina because her customers prefer the hand crafted quality of Marikina shoes that make them sturdier than those from China.

“China may be more updated, but because Marikina’s shoes are handcrafted, more care goes into the making of shoes. That’s why I may never go to China,” Pajaro says, “Besides, we owe our growth to Marikina. We owe this industry a lot.”

For Mark Siggaoat, vice president of shoe manufacturer Manel’s Corp., the key to reviving the Marikina shoe industry is government support in terms of incentives, and assistance when it comes to design and manufacturing techniques.

“The share of Marikina shoes has been going down, but the industry is not a lost cause. We have to be able to upgrade it for us to compete,” Siggaoat says, “We must not give up (Marikina’s local shoe industry) because it is there. It would be such a waste if we just let it die.” •

^^ I remembered an anecdote before. Bumili ang isang OFW ng mamahaling sapatos sa Singapore, top dollar binayad, ngunit ang 'di niya aakalain, made in Marikina din pala yun.

^^ Ngek, bumili ako ng well known brandname shirt dito sa US, pag uwi ko ang tatak made in the Philippines... mahal pa man.

^^ It's prolly a company policy not to sell their own products here and then sell them at a marked-up price abroad. I know a console, Amiga CD32, which is not generally known in the Philippines but was made here. You'd wonder why it wasn't even sold here as well...

Leyte bakery sets expansion

ORMOC -- Homegrown Panny’s Homebaked Products will expand to Butuan in Mindanao next year, the first branch outside Eastern Visayas and the fifth in the region.

Nestor M. Sy, bakery owner, said he would invest between P10 million to P15 million on the new outlet.

The firm marked a milestone last year with the opening of its first dine-in outlet in Tacloban.

The bakery opened its first outlet in Maasin, Southern Leyte in 1991. It expanded to Tacloban after five years and branched out to Baybay just this year. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
|

source (http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17205)

Definitely agree.

We have Marikina, Liliw and now Gapan made tsinelas aside from those you have mentioned (modernized name 'flip flops')that are as good as those imported ones.

Why would I spend 750 pesos ++++ for a pair of ordinary looking tsinelas from Brazil or America?

Will the havaianas make my kalyo covered foot look good?:lol::lol:

BUY PHILIPPINE MADE!!!!:cheers::cheers::banana::banana:

I love the Liliw tsinelas.. :) I bought a pair when I went there last year. In fairness, Havaianas are good. Mine lasted for at least 3 years, ipinangakyat ko pa ng Pinatubo yun, dun na natigok Independence Day sa Laoag ng natapilok ako sa may sinking bell tower.

Every towns and cities have its own homegrown brands and Companies... And for that we take pride in its contribution to its local and national economy. Post some pictures here of homegrown brands and Companies that started in your city or town.

some of CEBU's Homegrown brands and Companies

1). The Superferry Shipping Company by the Aboitiz's of Cebu
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs162.snc3/18970_244952356139_196764641139_4811894_4181953_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs262.ash1/18970_245071246139_196764641139_4812756_1749382_n.jpg

2.) Gaisano Malls
http://www.darlingfoods.com/images/market%20logo/gaisano_iligan.jpg

Photo of Gaisano Metro in Downtown Cebu
http://www.sinjin.ph/images/cebuheritage9.jpg

Gaisano is a shopping mall chain in the Philippines. The malls are managed by several groups. All Gaisano Malls are located in the Visayas and Mindanao region with 40 branches. Gaisano serves as one of the largest shopping mall chains in the Philippines.

Gaisano Malls
[edit] Gaisano Grand Group
Name Address
Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall (formerly Gaisano Tabunok) Cebu South Rd., Tabunok, Talisay City, Cebu
'Gaisano Grand Mall Mactan' Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
Gaisano Grand PriceClub Carcar Carcar, Cebu
Gaisano Grand Minglanilla (U/C) Minglanilla, Cebu
'Gaisano Grand Toledo (U/C) Toledo, Cebu
Gaisano Grand Bacolod SuperMall Araneta Street, Singcang, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Gaisano Grand Bacolod Main Luzuriaga cor. Gatuslao Sts., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Gaisano Grand Kabankalan Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
Gaisano Grand Mall Panabo Panabo City, Davao
Gaisano Grand Mall Tagum Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Gaisano Grand Roxas Mall Arnaldo Boulevard, Roxas City, Capiz
Gaisano Grand Roxas Marketplace San Roque Extension, Roxas City, Capiz
Gaisano Grand Mall Antique Bagumbayan, San Jose, Antique
Gaisano Grand CitiMall Davao Davao City, Davao
[edit] The Heva Management Group (Gaisano Capital)

The Heva Management Group manages malls under the name Gaisano Capital.
[edit] Neopace Inc.

Gaisano Malls situated in Northern Mindanao are managed by Neopace, Inc. which also owns Gaisano Interpace Computer Systems.
Name Address
Gaisano Capital Mall of Ormoc (U/C) Alegria, Ormoc City
Gaisano Island Mall of Mactan Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
Gaisano Central Mall Tacloban Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City, Leyte
Gaisano Capital Dept. Store Tacloban Cor. Rizal Ave. & Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City, Leyte
Gaisano Capital Ormoc -Department Store Ormoc City
Gaisano Capital City Iloilo Luna Street, La Paz, Iloilo City, Iloilo
Gaisano Capital Kalibo Roxas Avenue Extension, Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan
Gaisano Capital San Carlos San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
Gaisano Capital Ozamiz Port Road, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental
Gaisano Capital Pagadian Rizal Avenue, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur
Gaisano Capital Guanco Iloilo Guanco St, Iloilo City, Iloilo
Name Address
Gaisano City Mall Corrales Extension cor. C.M. Recto Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
Gaisano Carmen Max Suniel Street , Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
Gaisano Cogon Cor. Daumar Street, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
Gaisano Osmeña Osmeña Street, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
Gaisano Valencia Valencia City, Bukidnon
Gaisano Malaybalay Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
Gaisano Butuan J.C. Aquino Avenue corner Jorge Rosales Avenue, Butuan City
Gaisano Superstore Iligan Cabili corner Quezon Avenue Iligan City
Gaisano Super City Mall Iligan Roxas Avenue, Iligan City
[edit] DSG Group (Gaisano Center)

Gaisano Malls based in Southern Mindanao are managed by the DSG Sons Group.
Name Address
Gaisano Mall of Davao (G-Mall) "Mindanao's Biggest" J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City
Gaisano Center Closed for renovation Bolton Street, Davao City
Gaisano Digos Digos City, Davao del Sur
Gaisano Tagum Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Gaisano Mall of Gensan Jose Catolico Avenue, General Santos City, South Cotabato
[edit] Metro Gaisano

In partnership with Ayala Malls and Pacific Mall Legaspi, Metro Gaisano is the first major department store chain to expand outside of Cebu.
Name Address
Gaisano capital Colon corner Juan Luna Streets, Cebu City, Cebu
Gaisano Metro Ayala Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City, Cebu

3). Cebuana Lhuillier
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs330.snc3/29100_124420617574990_116956164988102_312864_3000670_n.jpg

The Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corporation (CLSC) is a duly registered company established in 1996. CLSC is an affiliate of the P.J. Lhuillier Group of Companies.

The PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies is a dynamic organization managing and operating businesses in diverse industries including financial and insurance services; retail and trade; property and resort management; communications and information technology. Its core business is in pawnshop services, bannered by the Cebuana Lhuillier brand.

CLSC is in charge of managing the ancillary services and products being offered in all Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop outlets. CLSC's core business is PERA PADALA, a money remittance service that aims to efficiently service a sizeable segment of both the domestic and international market. At present, CLSC is concentrating on developing its infrastructure and implementing various enhancements in its PERA PADALA system.

4). Penshoppe
http://www.pana.com.ph/images/vftt/vftt-20-penshoppe-trinoma.jpg

Penshoppe Clothing provides a variety of styles to choose from and constantly update its collection. Started in 1986, today Penshoppe is recognized as one of the market leaders in the Philippine's in fashion, accessorries and personal care product industry.

(Company History)

Penshoppe was launched in 1986 by young Chief Executive Officer Bernie Liu and a few friends in Cebu City, Philippines, who were privy to the clothing needs of young people. T-shirts basically composed 80% of students’ clothing repertoire back then. So Penshoppe sold shirts with graphic oriented designs and offered the market with unique choices that added value to them.

After having established market dominance in Visayas and Mindanao, Penshoppe opened its first boutique in SM City North Edsa in 1991. Through the years, its network has expanded to 300 sites, all strategically located in the country’s key shopping areas.

Penshoppe further crossed barriers in 2002 by launching the brand in Xiamen, China extending its brand-building expertise beyond the national borders.

5).Bo's Coffee
http://www.boscoffeeclub.com/splash.jpg

http://www.purplepieces.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/opening-team-3.jpg
The launching of Bo’s Coffee’s 40th branch is another milestone for the company. In celebration to this, Bo’s Coffee will be introducing two exciting beverages very soon!

Bo’s Coffee Club offers coffee, treats, and service to numerous customers in Cebu. It has become one of Cebu’s phenomenal coffee place. Started in 1996, it has branched out to Metro Manila.

A Cebu-grown coffee chain has temporarily shelved plans to penetrate the international market as it directs attention to strengthening its logistical base and market expansion in the Philippines.

Steve Benitez, president and chief executive officer of Bo's Coffee Club, said the firm has received several inquiries from interested investors but its direction in the short run is geared towards increasing its coffee chain with greater concentration in the Luzon area.

"We want to be strong locally first and international expansion will follow," he said, adding that the company's long-term goal though is to open an international outlet in the next two to three years.

Earlier, Benitez said the company was planning to open a branch in Dubai.

"When we talked about Dubai, we didn't have any Manila office yet. We don't want to go to Dubai half-baked," said Bos Coffee Club business development manager Rene Bacolod.

Foreseeing the potential to grow their market in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, Benitez said, about five additional stores and an office will open in the area by the end of the year.

Bacolod said negotiations to set up presence in Tagaytay, Subic and Legaspi are in the process.

Benitez said Bo's has already built a roasting plant in Manila to provide fresh roasted beans to its customers.

Another roasting plant and commissary will open in Cebu within the year, he added.

Benitez said newly roasted beans have to be shipped to the outlets within three days and must be consumed in two to three weeks to ensure the freshness of the beans, otherwise non-consumed items are immediately disposed.

As proof, he said, the roasted date is displayed in every Bo's coffee bag.

Bo's coffee beans are 90 per cent sourced locally from coffee plantations in Bukidnon, Cordillera, Benguet, Sultan Kudarat and the Mountain Provinces, among others.

The beans' freshness and the need to set up a commissary were one of the main issues considered in the company's plan to expand overseas, said Bacolod.

"We want our coffee to taste 100 per cent Filipino. That's our edge," he said.

Educating the Filipino market about purchasing fresh coffee beans is Bo's advocacy, Benitez said.

It recently opened its newly franchised outlet located at the Sykes Asia building in Cebu City.

He said Bo's has gained 75 to 80 per cent share of the market in Visayas and Mindanao.

The opening of three more coffee outlets two in Mandaue City and one in the southern part of Cebu Province this year will increase the market share, he added.

Benitez said most of Bo's coffee shops in Cebu will undergo renovations. Bos has 33 branches nationwide, 16 of which are company-owned while 17 are franchised.

In Cebu, two stores are franchised, including the Sykes Asia branch and in iI building Asiatown IT Park, while nine outlets are managed by the company.

Benitez said Bos aims to hit 50 branches by 2008.

Bo's has complementary ventures, including Triangle Fort Distribution Inc., the warehouse and delivery provider; Triangle Food Central Corp., the commissary unit; Coffee System Franchise Corp., its franchise arm; and Omni Triangle Resources Corp., its new business venture group.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Vallacar_Transit_logo.png

Visayas - Ceres Liner (Yellow)
Mindanao - Bachelor Express(Yellow) and Rural Transit (Red)
Southern Tagalog - Ceres Transport (Blue)

Vallacar Transit Corporation

Vallacar Transit Corporation is the largest land transport company in the Philippines. It comprises Vallacar Transit, Inc., established in 1968, Rural Transit of Mindanao Inc. (RTMI), established in 1985, and Bachelor Express Inc., also established in 1985. This family-owned and managed business has grown from a lone 14-seater jeepney plying a single route, to a conglomerate of transportation companies with a combined number of operating units of a little almost 3000 transport vehicles as of January 2010, operating in nearly 80 percent of the bus routes in the Visayas and Mindanao regions as well as some part of Luzon in the Philippines. The company pioneered inter-modal services between Negros and Cebu, Mindanao and Leyte, and Panay and Luzon. It also pioneered inter-modal transport services utilizing the Strong Republic Nautical Highway from Cubao in Quezon City to Zamboanga City.

History

The company was founded in 1968 by Ricardo B. Yanson and his wife, Olivia Villaflores Yanson, beginning with the purchase of one jeepney unit. This effort ultimately became a jeepney-assembly business. In the early 70's, the market was flooded with Ford Fieras; the couple decided to diversify into a small bus line which plied the Bacolod City-Valladolid route and christened it Ceres Liner.

By 1980, Ceres Liner had covered the whole province of Negros and in 1981, they ventured into Mindanao. They bought out Fortune Express and Bachelor Express, both Cagayan de Oro-based bus companies in 1985, and formed Rural Transit of Mindanao, while retaining the name of the latter, as one of the conditions of the contract of sale. In 2005, the conglomerate bought out Lilian Express Inc. and sister company Mary May Express, its fiercest business rival and became the dominant transit company in the island of Mindanao. In 2007, its buses pioneered travel through the Western Nautical Highway.[1] Philtranco pioneered bus travel through the eastern nautical highway and is the only bus line running the Manila to Davao City route.

source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallacar_Transit_Corporation)

originally posted by romantic_guy08
The Vallacar Transit Inc. Family...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/romanticguy08/3097516527_f40d0a0040.jpg
Courtesy of baoti Liner from Flickr

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/romanticguy08/2459595472_fd5e632e74.jpg
Courtesy of Mindanao Bus Freak 2 from Flickr

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/romanticguy08/3098361710_819b29a52d.jpg
Courtesy of Baoti Liner from Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3538085625_16456d902f.jpg
Courtesy of Dennis Obsuna


Negros Navigation

http://baras.willig-web.com/images/negros_navigation.jpg

Negros Navigation Co., Inc. (Nenaco) is one of the oldest domestic shipping companies in the Philippines. It is also one of the largest companies in the passenger transport business in the Philippines.[1] Its main hub is Pier 2 in Manila North Harbor.

It was organized and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 26, 1932 for the purpose of transporting passengers and cargo at various ports of call in the Philippines.

In the 60’s Nenaco was the first among the domestic shipping companies to operate brand new, fast and luxurious air conditioned passenger ships. In 70’s , it was first to construct and operate a modern passenger terminal in Manila’s North Harbor and likewise pioneered in offering special cruises to the Philippine tourist spots using its coastwise vessels. In the 80’s , Nenaco launched its containerization program and ushered a new industry trend on the use of Roll-on Roll-off (“RORO”) vessels. It also deploys various shuttle buses in Baclaran, Cubao and Alabang which takes passengers to the pier terminal.

In the 90’s, it became the first Philippine shipping company to be listed in the stock exchange. Proceeds amounting to P916.86 million from Initial Public Offering (IPO) were utilized to support the “Globalization Program” of the company that involved fleet expansion and service modernization.

source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negros_Navigation)

Originally posted by Bacolodchamp

LIVING UP TO ITS NAME AS BACOLOD'S BEST...

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/header.jpg

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/shoppers.jpg
"Last November 2005 Bong-bongs piaya and barquillos received an award "Most Outstanding Company and Brands in the Philippines" and "Number One Pasalubong Center" chosen by the consumers choice award. Despite of competition BongBong's piaya and barquillos remained one of the best because of affordability and quality of its product. One big factor that gave the company an edge, is that the quality and kind of services that offered by the personnel to their treasured consumers."

BongBong's Pasalubong Center Nationwide Stores

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/office.jpg
Main Office - Bacolod City
Bangga Pauline, Alijis Road
Bacolod City, Philippines
Telefax : (034) 708-3051 - Tel. No. 434-2626

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/store1.jpg
Main Branch -Bacolod City
UTC Mall
Araneta Street, Purok Lechonan
Bacolod City, Philippines
Telefax: (034) 435-1672

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/gaisano_bacolod.jpg
Bacolod City Branch
Gaisano City
Araneta St. , Bacolod City, Philippines

http://www.bongbongs-piaya.com/images/Kalibo_1.jpg
Gaisano Kalibo Outlet
Roxas Ave. Extension
Brgy. Andagao, Kalibo-Aklan,Philippines

Bacolod City Branch
Robinson's Place Bacolod
Mandalagan, Bacolod City

Bacolod City Branch
Ceres Terminal,South Bound
Shopping, Bacolod City,Philippines

Kabankalan City Branch
Gaisano City, Kabankalan City
Negros Occidental, Philippines

Iloilo City Branch
SM City, Manduriao
Iloilo, Philippines

Roxas City Branch
Gaisano Roxas Main
Arnaldo Boulevard, Roxas City
Philippines

Cebu City Branch
Gaisano, Cebu City
Philippines

Cagayan de Oro City Branch
Plaza Fair, Cagayan de Oro
Philippines

Cagayan de Oro City Branch
SM, Cagayan de Oro City
Philippines

newest addition...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3630/3367790420_fd11e0db8c.jpg
Bacolod-Silay Airport

originally posted by boy muscovado

Aldritz Corporation

Makers of Pau D' Arco Liniment, the fastest selling liniment in the country and now one of the frontrunners in herbal and alternative medicine production of the country

http://www.aldrtz.com/images/products-animation.jpg

CEBU

clothing brand:
- Loalde
- ForMe (of Penshoppe group)
- Oxygen (of Penshoppe group)
- Island Souvenirs
- USA Sports


hospitality:
- Waterfront Hotels Group


food / resto:
- Chicharritos / Chilen (chicharon)
- Phillippine Brand; 7D etc. (dried mango)
- Laguna Cafe group (Laguna Cafe; Lemon Grass)
- Pino Resto / Pino Inasal (Lhuillier group)
- Julie's Bakeshop
- Virginia Food Philippines
- Coffee Dream


medical:
- Rose Pharmacy


banking:
- East/West Bank (of Gaisano Group)
- Union Bank / City Savings Bank (of Aboitiz Group)


transportation:
- Norkis Group


others:
- Body & Sole (spa)
- Habagat Outdoors
- Mandaue Foam

Davao City's Homegrown brands

Tatak Dabaw

http://www.businessweekmindanao.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ONB1-1024x369.jpg

http://www.phoenixphilippines.com/images/pnx_marian.jpg

http://www.jayaintl.com/images/RDL%20PRODUCT.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4800537939_bbd3ab1fd3_z.jpg

http://pangayaw.i.ph/photo/d/85-1/City-Hardware-Logo.gif

http://www.neo.com.ph/image_mae/emcor.png

http://oroderm.net/wp-content/themes/oroMain/images/spa.jpg

http://www.pinoy-entrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mandarin-logo1-300x105.jpg

http://www.darlingfoods.com/images/market%20logo/NCCC%20Supermarket%20Main.jpg

http://www.pinoy-entrepreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/blugre-logo.jpg

http://s47261.gridserver.com/files/category_pictures/tribu.jpg

DASIA Security Agency
Holiday Gym & Spa
Add Here:

continuation:

1. Philippine Foremost Milling Company
2. Bombo Radyo Philippines
3. Queen City Development Bank
4. TSKI (taytay sa kauswagan Inc.)
5. Mang Inasal
6. Teds Lapaz Batchoy
7. Waffle Time Inc.
8. Sarabia optical, Pawnshop and Jewelry
9. Marina's
10. Freska
11. CoffeeBreak
12. Imperial Appliance

^^ from Iloilo Thread

DUMAGUETE CITY's BUSINESSES THAT CONQUER THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINES




LEE SUPER PLAZA

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Branches

Lee Super Plaza Dumaguete - Perdices St., Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
Lee Hypermart Dumaguete - Brgy. Bagacay, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
Lee Plaza City Central Dipolog - Quezon Avenue, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte





DU EK SAM

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With Branches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao







RAMAS UYPITCHING AND SONS INC


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With Branches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao







Dumaguete City Development Bank
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Main Branch: Dr. Vicente Locsin cor. Cervantes Sts., Dumagute City
No. of Branches: 4







JO's Chicken Inato

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With Branches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao








PANDA ICE CREAM
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Website (http://www.pandaicecream.net/)

NegOr product flies high

Food products made in Negros Oriental have started to gain global acceptance after complying with international standards.

Katherine Vinarao, food sector consultant of the Negros Oriental Business Development Foundation, said products like the Chewy Fruit Bar, Bodbod Kabog and Bodbod sa Tanjay were runaway successes in the Asian Food and Beverage Expo in Tokyo in 2008.

Since then, the Chewy Fruit Bar, made by Island Fruits in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, has been marketed in supermarkets in the country and abroad.

The CFB is also a regular feature for business class passengers on Philippine Airlines flights between Manila and Sydney, Australia, she said.

The Chewy Fruit Bar is made from dried pineapple, papaya and mangoes and each bar is equivalent to 160 calories. “That’s a complete meal,” Vinarao said.
Other products like the Bodbod Kabog have a ten-month shelf life in its retorted packaging, doing away with the usual banana leaf.

Vinarao said that another product, the Baye-baye of Bayawan, made of rice, has a shelf life of 14 days and is also a favorite pasalubong for Filipinos here and abroad.

Vinarao said these food items have been discovered in the international market due to the efforts of the Negros Oriental Investment Promotions Center, the Negros Oriental Business Development Foundatioin, the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry.

But she said that even as they have complied with local and international food standards, the processed food industry in Negros Oriental may have problems sustaining these businesses because of insufficient raw material in the province. She said that there is also a dearth of local packaging and graphic designers and printers to project a world-class product.

One solution, she said, is for the food companies to partner with academic institutions.

The Institution that started in Dumaguete.

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Sisters Of St. Paul of Chartres
Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City

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Founding Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres
(Mother Marthe de St Paul, Superior, Sr. Marie Louise du Sacre Couer. Sr. Ange Marie, Sr. Anne de la Croix, Sr. Charles de Genes. Sr. Catherine, and Sr. Josephine)

The National Historical Institute erected a marker on the landing site of the first Sisters of St. Paul Chartres in the Philippines as it recognizes the historical importance of the arrival of the SPC Sisters in 1904 and the Congregation's significant humanitarian contributions, especially in the field of education and health care.


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Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres

The Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC) Congregation was founded in 1696 by Fr. Louis Chauvet, the parish priest of Levesville-La Chenard which is a small village southeast of Chartres, France.

Father Chauvet’s vision of charity was shared by his first followers and entrusted their training to Mademoiselle Marie Anne de Tilly, a lady of nobility and an active member of the parish who left a life of comfort “to serve God and neighbor”.

The difficult circumstances of the French Revolution, occasioned the spread of the Congregation to other places. Their primary activity was to educate young girls and to visit and care the poor and the sick.

On October 29. 1904, seven Sisters of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres established its first foundation in the Philippines in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. Instituto de San Pablo became the first of more than a hundred mission houses they would open in their first 100 years in the Philippines.

Since then, they had spread to different parts of the country of about 70 institutions including hospitals, sanitarium, and home-for-the-aged under its helm making it the largest religious/educational/health organization in the country. There are 39 schools, 11 health care facilities, 10 pastoral centers and 9 houses under the Provincialate.


UNIVERSITIES


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St. Paul University of Dumaguete - 1904
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St. Paul University of Tuguegarao - 1907
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St. Paul University of Manila - 1912
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St. Paul University of Surigao - 1926
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St. Paul University of Quezon City - 1946
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St. Paul University of Ilo-ilo - 1946

SCHOOLS


LUZON

St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur - Vigan, Ilocos Sur, June 5, 1905

St. Paul School - Aparri, Cagayan, May 13, 1924

St. Joseph Institute - Candon, Ilocos Sur, May 1930

St. Paul's Novitiate - Quezon City, 1930

St. Williams Institute - Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, May 19,1945

St. Paul College of Parañaque - Parañaque, Metro Manila , June 11, 1945

St. Paul College of Bocaue - Bocaue, Bulacan, June 12,1945

St. Paul School of Makati - Makati, Metro Manila, Sept. 4, 1945

St. William's School - San Marcelino, Zambales, June 1, 1955

Mount Saint Paul - La Trinidad, Benguet, April 19, 1959

Mount Carmel High School - Polilio, Quezon, May 15, 1962

St. Augustine's School - Iba, Zambales, May 23, 1962

St. Paul Academy - Goa, Camarines Sur, July 5, 1966

Carmel Academy - Palauig, Zambalez, June 8, 1968

St. Paul School - San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, June 17, 1969

St. Paul School - San Rafael, Bulacan, May 27, 1970

St. Paul College of Pasig - Pasig, Metro Manila, July 7, 1970

Our Lady of Peace School - Antipolo, Rizal

Gabriel Academy - Caloocan, Metro Manila, 1980

St. Paul College of Manila - Malvar, Metro Manila , June 7, 1981

St. Vincent Academy - Candelaria, Zambales, May 22, 1973

St. Paul College - Island Park Subdivision, Dasmariñas Cavite, June 2001


VISAYAS AND MINDANAO

St. Michael College - Cantilan, Surigao, 1932

Purisima School - Tago, Surigao del Sur, May 28, 1954

St. Paul School of Medellin - Medellin, Cebu , June 27, 1967

St. Anthony High School - Manticao, Misamis Oriental, June 7, 1969

Sto. Niño High School - Gitagum, Misamis Oriental, June 19, 1969

Holy Trinity Academy - Buug, Zamboanga del Sur, June 9, 1970

Notre Dame of Surala - Surallah, South Cotabato, June 25, 1970

St. Michael College - Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, May 1982

St. Paul Convent Claret School - Sunrise Village, Isabela, Basilan, August 4, 1971

St. Paul School - Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, June 21, 1972

OWNED HOSPITALS

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Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital - Baguio City
St. Paul Hospital - Tuguegarao City
St. Paul Hospital Cavite - Dasmarinas, Cavite
St. Paul's Hospital - Iloilo City
Perpetual Succour Hospital - Cebu City
Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital - Dalaguete, Cebu


ADMINISTERED HOSPITALS

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Maria Reyna Hospital - Cagayan de Oro City
DLSU Medical Center - Dasmarinas, Cavite
Our Lady of Peace Hospital - Paranaque City
St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital - Maramag, Bukidnon
General Santos Doctors Hospital - General Santos City

SANITARIUM

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Culion Lepers Sanitarium -Culion, Palawan
Bicol Sanitarium - Sipocot, Camarines Sur


HOME FOR THE AGED

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Mere Monique Home - Iloilo City
SPC Vigil House - Taytay, Rizal

PASTORAL CENTERS


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Our Lady of Peace Mission - Coastal Road, Parañaque City
St. Paul's Convent - Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte
Sta. Cruz Mission - Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres Convent - Timuga, Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
SPC Medical Clinic and Pastoral Center - Bagac, Bataan
SPC Pastoral Center with school - General Natividad, Nueva Ecija
SPC Pastoral Ministry Center - Palatiw, Pasig City

RETREAT CENTERS



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Mount Saint Paul Retreat House - Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet
Saint Paul Center for Renewal - Alfonso, Cavite

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SANS RIVAL


Branches

Rizal Boulevard
Robinsons Dumaguete
Alabang Town Center
Glorietta 4
Shangri-La Plaza
Carson City, CA, USA
Daly City, CA, USA



Have you been to Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries in Dumaguete? Have you tried their silvanas and sans rival? Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries is famous for their luscious silvanas and sans rival and they make the best cakes and sweet delicacies in town. The shop is located near the Rizal Boulevard. The shop first opened in the year 1977. It was owned by Mrs Trinidad Teves-Sagarbarria, her daughter Chining now runs and operates the business. Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries was the oldest bakeshop in Dumaguete. Long before it was built, the family just make sans rival and silvanas only for the family and friends and since it was really good and with some advices of friends and relatives they decided to start a business, that is the Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries in Dumaguete and because there was a large clamor for their cakes, they expanded with more branches of The House of Silvanas in the country and eventually opened 2 branches in California where they have since taken up residence. The location of their branches The House of Silvanas were in Alabang Town Center which is in Muntinlupa, at Glorietta 4 in Makati City, and at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. The other 2 branches were in Carson City and Daly City which are both in California, USA. In Dumaguete, when the first time I've been to Sans Rival with my mom, I remembered that I ordered their famous silvana and my mom ordered sans rival and we both liked it and decided to buy some for take out. A silvana is a frozen cookie made with a layer of butter cream sandwiched between two cashew-meringue wafers, coated with cookie crumbs. Some describe it as a cookie version of the sans rival. We really loved their specialty and during weekends we used to buy silvanas and sometimes cakes for desserts. Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries is not only good in making silvanas and sans rival but they also make delicious and the best cakes. They bake different cakes, all are so pleasing to the eyes and mouthwatering. Of all their cakes, my favorite was their Date & Walnut Dacquoise but it's a little expensive than the other cakes they sell. I also like their Mango Cloud Cake, Concorde Cake, Black Forest Cake, Tiramisu Cake, Blitz Torte or Brazo de Mercedes, and their cheesecakes. If cakes are not your thing, you can also try their pies, i'm telling you their pies are good. The also sell some sweet goodies like cookies, and they also sell spaghetti and a lot more. Though the shop is small and they have limited tables and chairs, still the ambiance is great. The shop is actually air-conditioned so you will really feel comfortable while eating. they also have friendly staff, fast service and clean restroom.

CHEZ ANDRE PIZZA

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Branches in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

Chez Andre, the Pizza Gourmet is a real homegrown business. It was started in Bacong, Negros Oriental, a few minutes from the popular provincial capital, Dumaguete City, the Philippines' University Town, by Frenchman Joel Andre Estoursy and his wife, Vita.

Chez André, founded by French André Estoursy, is now owned by Abrazo Corp., which is composed of local entrepreneurs.

“We will be conducting more promotional and marketing programs. The franchisees can also do some marketing on their own,” said Jing-jing Mariño-Farrarons of Abrazo Corp.

Farrarons said Chez André has grown significantly from the time Abrazo Corp. acquired the company, brand and recipes from Estoursy. From the seven franchised outlets and one company-owned pizzeria under Estoursy, the new owners now manage a network of branches spread located in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

CAFE ANTONIO

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Cafe Antonio -Spanish Heritage, Dumaguete City
Cafe Antonio - Los Banos, Laguna
Cafe Antonio - Teletech, Dumaguete Business Park

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Don't forget this big company...The owner, the Uytengsus, cousins of the Uymatiaos, have their formative years in Dumaguete. You could see their footprints in Dumaguete in the many buildings and facilities they donated to Silliman...

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This company has admitedly become Dumaguete-based nowadays...

Look at their address (http://www.chickenatiatihan.com/contact.html): http://www.chickenatiatihan.com/contact.html.

^^ Our local businesses prove that, we can live without Carrefour, 7-11...

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This company has admitedly become Dumaguete-based nowadays...

Look at their address (http://www.chickenatiatihan.com/contact.html): http://www.chickenatiatihan.com/contact.html.

I hated this Chicken place: Chicken is very dry and their concept of vegetables is half a slice of string beans and thinly sliced potato.

From an office under a tree, Uratex now a conglomerate

By Corrie Salientes-Narisma
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 14:37:00 09/11/2010

Filed Under: business, Small Business, Entrepreneurship, Consumer Issues, Lifestyle (House & Home)



FORTY-TWO years ago, a young couple, with a borrowed capital of P4,000, put up a small company called Polyfoam Chemical Corp.

The couple rented a warehouse in Pasay City and with 10 employees, mostly friends and relatives, they started manufacturing and selling polyurethane foam.

The office was outside the warehouse under a santol tree, so that whenever it rained, the office workers had to run into the warehouse bringing with them all their documents and office paraphernalia.

After years of hard work and perseverance, what started as a modest business has become what is now known as the Uratex Group of seven companies, with 13 factories in 10 locations and still expanding, and a total of 2,200 employees.

Although it has several products under its wing, it is most popular for its Uratex polyurethane foam and mattresses and monoblock furniture.

Humble beginnings

Husband and wife Robert and Naty Cheng, who were 19 and 20 years old at that time, were then newly married. He was a factory worker in his grandfather’s textile business and she was an office worker in her aunt’s stock brokerage when they decided to try their luck in business.

The couple went into buying and selling of furniture and bed supplies. That was when they noticed foam supply was short, giving them the idea to go into manufacturing and selling foam, and Polyfoam was born in 1968.

From the very start, according to the couple’s friend and company executive vice president Eddie Gallor, Polyfoam focused on producing high quality foam called Uratex. And with every piece of foam produced, Gallor says, comes a five-year warranty from the company to assure buyers that Polyfoam attests to the quality of the products they are buying.

In its initial years, the company used imported foam bought from traders and a process called the batch (vs. continuous) foaming system with manual weighing and dosing of chemicals and weighing scales. The foam was then sold mainly to furniture and bedding industries to produce sofas and spring mattresses.

Uratex foam was not an instant hit as quality, at that time, “was not a popular concept” and the market went for the cheapest foam possible despite the fact that it sags easily and didn’t last long, according to Gallor.

“Foam was seen as an industrial product and consumers did not really talk about it. The company had to educate the customers on the value of high quality foam mattress,” he says.

“The good thing was that the few people who tried it, gave us a priceless word-of-mouth advertising over the years,” he says, adding that it must have taken the company at least five years before Uratex gained a steady following.

Expansion, diversification

It was when the market started warming up to Uratex foam that Polyfoam began its aggressive expansion and diversification program. In 1974, or about six year after its founding, the company established ties with the bedding industry leading to its foray into the production of bed springs in a factory in Valenzuela.

The following year, the company started supplying foam to certain car assemblers participating in the government’s Car Development Program.

In 1983, its ties with the furniture industry led to Polyfoam’s investment in German knitting machines to produce velvet fabric.

A major foam factory was put up in Muntinlupa in 1989 to cater to the industrial needs of the companies in the Calabarzon area and this also prompted the establishment of a foam research and development center.

In 1989, RGC Textile was established to manufacture fabrics for toy companies. Four years later, the group started production of plastic furniture, which was sold through its foam sales network.

In the 1990s, the company became more aggressive in its expansion and diversification program. It went into the production of radiators, leaf springs, stamped parts for the automotive OEM (original equipment manufacturing), automotive OEM fabric, muffler, products for the electronics industry, complete seating for the motorcycle industry, ready-wrap microwaveable food containers, and technical grades and pinhole free foam.

These entailed the establishment of new companies to handle the different businesses and several plants and factories in various parts of the country, including several in many parts of Metro Manila, Naga, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Cebu, Davao, Pangasinan, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, and Iloilo.

Changes, challenges

The companies that now comprise the Uratex Group are Polyfoam, Polyflex Industries, RGC Textile, Roberts Automotive, Inoac Philippines Inc. and Multimax Industries. Polyfoam and Multiplex are now in the top 1000 corporations of the Philippines.

Today, foam manufacturing accounts for 60 percent of the business, the Uratex monoblock chairs and tables and readywrap ‘microwavable’ food containers contribute 15 percent of the business and the rest comes from radiators, leaf springs, mufflers, stamped metal parts and textile.

Robert Cheng, the co-founder and chief executive officer of the Uratex Group, passed away in 2004. His wife Naty took over his job and has remained a hands-on CEO of the group to this day.

Their children also joined the business to assist their mother. Pinky Cheng-Rosagas helps in the financing aspect while Peachy Cheng-Medina serves as the group’s managing director.

Medina says her mother is also the chief finance officer, so she handles the day-to-day financial affairs of the group. Marketing, manufacturing and corporate services are handled by division or business unit heads. A management team, led by Naty and two executive vice presidents – Gallor and William Lee, takes care of business strategies and setting of directions.

She adds that her parents had no partners in the business but they had a lot of lenders when they were starting and the business grew on cycles of borrowing money, producing and selling. “It helped that they were very frugal.”

Uratex is undoubtedly the dominant brand in the foam market. Its name is now synonymous to foam. It accounts for 50 percent in the consumer segment and about 80 percent in the industrial segment.

Keeping up

Medina says that with globalization and free trade, the Uratex Group is facing tough challenges from many imported products such as mattresses, radiators and furniture.

However, the group, confident of the quality and prices it is offering, is ready to face these challenges.

Hot Chocolate

By Leica Carpo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 10:48:00 09/11/2010

“FORGET love and fall in chocolate.”

At 29 and wise beyond her years, Koby “Kobz” Parcell did exactly that. This milk chocolate aficionado has become Manila’s hottest chocolateur (chocolate entrepreneur) since she opened Chocolate Fire, the metro’s first chocolate lounge.

Here chocoholics will have ample opportunity to get their daily fix and choose from real Belgian chocolates that have no additives, chemicals, preservatives or emulsifiers. Here is where you’ll find from 70 to 200 seriously decadent and oftentimes wildly experimental chocolate creations made fresh daily.

The chocolates in Chocolate Fire are created by a Master Chocolatier (MC), known only by the pseudonym “Picasso-Van Gogh of Chocolate,” says Kobz with a mysterious smile. “He keeps his identity secret as he would rather that his work speak for him,” she explains.

A true artist, this MC says he takes his inspirations from life and lets his mind go beyond normal recipe conventions. The crazier the idea, the better. “I am inspired by the quality of excellent ingredients we can source and where a creative mind will allow that to lead,” he says.

MC works with a variety of fresh, dried and glace ingredients, 90 percent of them imported from Europe or Australia. The remaining 10 percent, such as coconut or dried mangoes are sourced locally, and are “chemical- or preservative-free, as the purity of everything is of utmost importance to us at Chocolate Fire,” says Kobz.

But even this chocolatier acknowledges that one cannot live on love or chocolate alone. Thus, she recently organized a charity auction that brought together a diverse group of celebrity chocolate lovers. The event, held last August 21, auctioned off mouth-watering and quite a few jaw-dropping chocolate portraits taken by top photographer Raymund Isaac.

“Raymund has been a long time-friend whose work never ceases to amaze me,” says Kobz. “We’ve discussed over the past year the possibility of doing an exhibit for charity that brings out the passion ignited by chocolate. Because such a project would be complex in terms of photography and post production, I knew that Raymund would be perfect for the venture, with his skills, his experience and his team.”

Held at Chocolate Fire’s Salcedo Village branch, the charity exhibition became a night of exploring the senses through amazing chocolate and exceptional visuals.

After a blessing by Pastor Robert Hern, Senator Tito Sotto cut the ribbon that signalled the start of a passionate evening of chocolate cocktails, chocolate treats and charity, since the proceeds of the auction will go to the Virlanie Foundation for street children.

Isaac’s spectacular photographs featured Manila’s top models, actors, entrepreneurs and artists, among them Karen Pamintuan, Rocio Olbes, Heart Evangelista, Denise Laurel, Brent Javier, Stephanie Zubiri, Victor Consunji, Maggie Wilson, Kat Agarrado, Ian King, Joey Mead, Eric Tai, Wilma Doesnt, Marc Nelson, Amina Aranaz Alunan, Rafa Alunan, Tim Yap, Ciara Sotto, Bryan McClelland, Tisha Silang, Sanya Smith, Ornusa Cadness, Mia Ayesa, Stephanie Kienle, Maria Dolonius, Mylene Dizon, Ira Cruz, Iza Calzado, Solenn Heussaff, Mark Whittington, Kirja Parcell, Amanda Griffin Jacob and baby Kieran Jacob.

“They are a wonderful array of personalities who are also amazing in giving their support, their time and tolerance to sit for the pictures while having some crazy chocolate explosions happening around them,” reveals Kobz.

It was a star-studded evening, filled with laughter, great chocolate and the wonderful beats of Nykó Macá, with drinks provided by Junnel Marketing and wine by Sommelier Selection. Released for the first time was Isaac’s exceptional video of behind-the-scenes shoots by Portfolio Studio. Some of the pictures were still on auction through Chocolate Fire’s Facebook Page until August 29.

Post auction, Chocolate Fire is looking to franchising, with a great many concepts just waiting to be brought to life, says Kobz. Home delivery will also be introduced, as well as an expanded gifts division to provide giveaways for weddings, birthdays, baptismal and bridal shower parties and similar events. Only three months old, this luxury chocolate lounge is looking forward to some great promos and creative flavors as the year gives way to the holiday mood.

So, with all that chocolate at her fingertips, which is her favorite?

Says Kobz without a moment’s pause: “I’m a milk chocolate person and currently I’m obsessed with CF’s dipped figs, in milk chocolate of course. It’s such a great combination of the fruity glaced fig with its seeds and plump fruit and the smooth milk chocolate. Add an Anzac biscuit and you’ve got the perfect treat with a cup of coffee or tea!”

If that delicious description leaves you flat, don’t fret. There are at least 69 other options to choose from at Chocolate Fire. So, fire away! •

Chocolate Fire is on the ground floor of PDCP Building cor. Leviste and Rufino Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati. Tel. 840 - FIRE (3473). Or visit its Facebook Page: Chocolate Fire

Cosmetics retailer in drive to boost sales

HOMEGROWN cosmetics retailer HBC, Inc. will start offering new services in its stores to make its branches a “one-stop shop” for customers.
HBC, INC. tied up with money transfer firm Western Union and United Laboratories, Inc. last month for remittance services and the sale of over-the-counter drugs, respectively.
HBC, INC. tied up with money transfer firm Western Union and United Laboratories, Inc. last month for remittance services and the sale of over-the-counter drugs, respectively.

Higher in-store transactions and market penetration through increased brand awareness will allow HBC to hike revenues by 7% this year to P1.5 billion, executives said late last week.

The personal care retailer will start with local stores before testing new foreign markets.

HBC tied up with money transfer firm Western Union and United Laboratories, Inc. (Unilab) last month for remittance services and the sale of over-the-counter drugs, respectively, Noel P. Manucom, president and chief operating officer of HBC, told BusinessWorld.

“Our partnership with Western Union and Unilab is our way of establishing a retail trend of being a one-stop shop as we provide customers an assortment of products and services inside HBC stores,” Mr. Manucom said.

“Now, customers would not only come to us to shop for their personal care products but also try Western Union’s services and get [medicines from] Unilab,” said Marlon J. Mendoza, developmental business manager of HBC.

Under the partnership, local pharmaceutical giant Unilab will sell over-the-counter products like Biogesic, Alaxan, PH Care, and Myra-E. A roving pharmacist will be available for every 10 HBC stores.

Mr. Manucom said Western Union remittance services and bill payments would be available in 60 stores this year.

“Our objective is to increase the number of people going in stores to transact business and we will [encourage] them to look at our products,” he added.

HBC has 217 branches locally, of which 10 are franchised. It started operations in 1993.

“Penetration in the C, D and E target markets is barely 3%. We still have lots of potential for growth,” Mr. Manucom said.

With aggressive marketing and new services, Mr. Manucom said: “I think by yearend we will be growing by 7% compared with P1.4 billion [in revenues] last year.”

Meanwhile, profits should match the P35-million income last year.

Profits of the cosmetics retailer went up to P10 million while revenues climbed by 5% to P658 million in the first half compared with the previous year due to higher efficiency in operations and lower raw materials costs, executives said.

However, Mr. Manucom said: “In the first half, there was a problem in the supply chain. The Chinese new year holiday lasted almost a month so shipment of imported products was delayed.”

It resulted in lost opportunities as products like hair color, which accounts for 34% to 35% of the total business, went out of stock for more than a month in Northern Luzon.

For its second-half expansion, HBC will open five company-owned full stores and two franchised stores that will either be carts or kiosks.

Families of overseas Filipinos are being eyed as franchisees.

“We would rather focus first here in the next two to three years,” Mr. Manucom said.

The personal care retailer has stores in Singapore, Bahrain, Oman, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and 17 outlets in California’s Seafood City chain of Filipino-owned supermarkets. Three of these stores are operated by franchisees.

By 2012, the company wants to expand its network to 500 stores
HBC, which sells beauty, personal, and homecare products and services, claims to have 4% of the country’s P35-billion health and beauty industry.

“If there is one product that will be inelastic in demand in the near future, it will be products like sunblock because of the effects of global warming,” Mr. Manucom said.

HBC employs 800 regular workers, 600 of which are in stores and 200 in support services.

source (http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17603)

Nenaco reducing capital to P800m to erase deficit

by Jenniffer B. Austria

Negros Navigation Co., a shipping company that emerged from corporate rehabilitation early this year, will restructure its capital to wipe out deficit.

Nenaco said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it would reduce its capital stock to P800 million from P4 billion to create a surplus to erase P2.7 billion in deficiency.

The company also sought the SEC’s approval to reclassify 900 million common shares at P0.20 apiece into preferred shares. Nenaco said the 900 million preferred shares would come from its unissued capital stock.

Nenaco posted revenues of P623 million in the first quarter of the year, up 25 percent from P500 million year-on-year, after passenger volume rose 45 percent and freight volume expanded by 39 percent.

The company attributed the higher revenues largely to the strong marketing initiatives in both passenger and freight businesses. Early this year, Nenaco repackaged its freight business with the successful launching of NN Freight. The revitalized enabled Nenaco to secure the lion’s share of the market in areas where it served.

“Actually, we operated at a very limited capacity during the period as four of our vessels underwent maintenance and drydocking during the first quarter,”said Nenaco chairman and chief executive Sulficio Tagud Jr.

“Now that our entire fleet is fully operational, coupled with the growing demand, we are very optimistic about the remaining months of the year,” he said.

Nenaco’s net income in the first three months of the year reached P47.3 million, down 38 percent on year, due to the sharp spike in fuel prices.

“Fuel prices rose to almost 50 percent this year compared with last year’s, causing our operating expenses to swell 39 percent. With the fuel price hike, we pushed our revenues up to offset the additional fuel cost burden,” Tagud added.

With the launching of NN Freight, Nenaco has redefined the landscape of shipping experience. From the traditional pier-to-pier transport, Nenaco now offers the more revolutionary house-to-house service. It picks up cargo from a factory anywhere in the country and deliver it to its final destination in a seamless operation.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=2010/september/13/business3.isx&d=2010/september/13

Alliance Select Foods’ plan to acquire Viet food process firm hits snag

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:33:00 09/13/2010

Filed Under: business, Food, Mergers - Acquisitions - Takeovers

MANILA, Philippines -- Canned fish exporter Alliance Select Foods International Inc.'s $14-million plan to acquire a Vietnamese company that processes rice and pangasius fish has hit a snag as the due diligence audit unearthed some issues, which may affect the target company's valuation.

ASFI, formerly known as the Alliance Tuna International Inc., told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday that it had suspended negotiations on the proposed purchase of a 50-percent plus one stake in Hiep Thanh Seafood Joint Stock Co. (HTS).

"Over the last two months, ASFI has been conducting an extensive and thorough due diligence exercise on the target company. This review was completed recently," the disclosure said.

"They (HTS) need to take corrective action before Alliance will consider investing in the company, if at all," it added.

Some problems in HTS were discovered during the due diligence audit, which can affect the valuation of the Vietnamese company, prompting ASFI to rethink its plan to buy into the company.

Pending the resolution of those issues, ASFI's board thus decided to suspend negotiations with the Vietnamese group.

"The board will revisit the situation in a few weeks time to decide if the issues raised have been addressed to Alliance's satisfaction," the disclosure said.

A prospective takeover of this Vietnamese company, which produces 200 metric tons of pangasius a day and mills around 900 metric tons of rice per day - can dramatically change ASFI's revenue distribution, which was heavily skewed in favor of canned tuna production.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20100913-292076/Alliance-Select-Foods-plan-to-acquire-Viet-food-process-firm-hits-snag

Local franchisers’ bid to expand abroad boosted

Written by Max V. de Leon /  Reporter
Monday, 13 September 2010 12:32

HOMEGROWN franchisers welcomed the plan of some business executives to put up the Franchise Investment Holdings Inc., which aims to encourage the expansion of the local franchise industry abroad by providing the necessary financing to local franchise concepts.

 Paulo Tibig, president of the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (Affi), noted that there are several viable business concepts in the Philippines with a strong potential to succeed in other countries, but are being hindered by lack of funds.

 Local franchisers, he said, need the support of businessmen who would rather invest in homegrown business concepts than put their money in foreign franchises and traditional investment instruments, such as the stock market and bonds. 

Earlier, Samie Lim, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), had announced that he and some executives were pooling their personal funds to establish the Franchise Investment Holdings Inc. (Fihi) with an initial capital of P100 million, and that they planned to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission within this week.

“This will be a big boost to the Philippine franchising industry. We have several brands in Affi that are ready to expand to other countries but do not have the financial capability,” said Tibig. Once the proposals and concepts have been released by Fihi, they “will definitely discuss it in the Affi board.”

 Richard Sanz, owner of Bibingkinitan that is now looking at expanding in two countries, said it will probably need at least P3 million just to put up a single outlet in another country, an amount that still does not cover the commissary.

The biggest expenditure will be in developing the international franchise system and manual.  

 “We really welcome the establishment of Fihi. We at Affi are one with the PFA in helping Filipino SMEs go for international expansion.

This franchise fund is a very good way to help those who have the potential but due to capital restraints will find it impossible to expand internationally,” said Sanz.

 Lim said Fihi will invest the equivalent to 35 percent to 51 percent of a franchising company. “It could be new or existing [franchiser]. They can go to us or we go to them. We are all experts and we can raise the money and do the papers.”


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/1230-local-franchisers-bid-to-expand-abroad-boosted

^^ Dream ko (dream lang talaga) na makapagtayo ng turon/maruya stands sa Japan. Papatok kaya?

^^ Dream ko (dream lang talaga) na makapagtayo ng turon/maruya stands sa Japan. Papatok kaya?

Basta hugis Hello Kitty siguro. Oo. :D

^^ It's been running on my mind ever since.

Mom finds stride in ice cream business

By Kris Roque (The Philippine Star)


http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6216/usual2f.jpg
The Aricayos the opening of their Fiorgelato Kiosk at SM Mall in Rosario, Cavite


MANILA, Philippines - For years, Daisy Aricayos, a full-time mom, and her hubby, Amado, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), have been considering what business they could put their hands on. As a captain of an international cargo liner, Amado was earning more than enough to fund a small venture back home in Rosario, Cavite, that her wife, a midwife before they married, could manage.

Initially, Daisy was set on building apartment rows because it was very viable then. They were within sight of a thriving export processing zone and to accommodate thousands of out of town employees and managers, apartment buildings mushroomed in areas near the industrial facility. Unfortunately, the bubble burst years later, with so many companies in the industrial area folding up, and leaving empty homes.

The couple decided that dilly-dallying was a blessing in disguise. Then another setback struck. Amado developed a heart ailment that forced him to temporarily leave his lucrative seafaring job. For two and a half years, Daisy got her husband back in shape . While waiting to finally get a clean bill of health so he could get back on board his ship, he worked as an instructor of a local maritime school. Expectedly, the compensation was a pittance, and barely enough to support the couple’s growing brood of four daughters. The upside is that Daisy’s years of prudent spending allowed the young family to sustain their needs.

The experience however, prompted the Aricayos to revive their plans of setting up a business. The couple did not want to end up like thousands of OFW families, who squandered their hard-earned money and ended up dirt-poor, just as they were in the beginning. They did not want such heart-breaking stories to be theirs as well.

“We both knew even before my husband got sick that we had to put part of our savings to a business that we could grow and rely on when he retires from his job. My children were also taught to fend for themselves, so I purposely did not hire maids. Amado and I became more aggressive in pursuing a business, and after a lot of research and consultation, we decided with our children that we wanted an ice cream business,” recalls Daisy.

At last year’s Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI) trade show, the Aricayos met other aspiring entrepreneurs and before long, they were negotiating with the owners of Milkin Corp., the franchisor, manufacturer and sole distributor of pure Italian style ice cream – Fiorgelato.

After being toured at the Fiorgelato facility and briefed on their options, the Aricayos decided to set up a Fiorgelato kiosk which is ideal for mall, food courts, supermarket lobbies, offices lounges and other functional areas with an area of three to five square meters. The package of P475,000 was within their budget. And right about that time, the SM Mall in Rosario, Cavite was still filling in their outlets. Everything meshed finally.

Amado last year put off another assignment abroad to help Daisy in the business, and even two of their kids were taking their turns in learning the ropes of the ice cream business.

Daisy became misty-eyed recalling how the family grew even closer during their start-up months.

“We were all so eager to pitch in. Imagine, my husband, a ship captain who is used to ordering his crew what to do and being served as well, had no qualms scooping up ice cream, serving customers and going over inventory. I really saw in his smiles that he was very happy with what he was doing. Our older children would help as well after schoolwork. It was a real bonding time for the family,” Daisy says with unabashed pride.

These days, Daisy is even more adroit in multi-tasking. Still refusing to get household help, she gets by everyday with the help of an older sister taking care of her daughters, preparing their meals, their uniforms and taking the younger ones to school, and then spending hours at her Fiorgelato kiosk at SM Mall in Rosario.

The task of going over inventory and balancing books is something that Daisy never imagined she could be capable of doing so well. Of course, aside from the Fiorgelato staff that she calls every now and then for guidance, Daisy is being assisted, albeit long distance, by Amado.

Daisy by now knows, that one needs to be tough to stay in the business, and have the creativity to wiggle out of the cyclical nature of the ice cream business.

“Not all days are good, just like in other businesses. But I am learning, talking to other AFFI members on how to survive and grow. I am not giving up, in fact, we are thinking eventually of setting up in another mall.”

Pancake House sees good year despite tough H1

Written by Dennis D. Estopace / Reporter
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 12:18

PUBLICLY-LISTED Pancake House Inc. expects a 15-percent growth in system-wide sales, so much so that it will buy another restaurant chain.

“We are hoping the balance of the year will be much better,” chief executive officer Martin Lorenzo told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting on Tuesday of the Management Association of the Philippines.

Lorenzo said that the company experienced a “tough” first quarter this year up to April or before the country held national elections.

“But after May, things were picking up.”

Lorenzo family-led Pancake group has entered into an agreement with the SM group for it to be the exclusive coffee shop chain in the hotels the latter would be putting up, an executive said on Tuesday.

In its second-quarter report to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Pancake House said it “was significantly affected by the increased labor, occupancy and utility costs during the second quarter driving the operating costs to increase by 4 percent to P863 million from P826 million from the same period last year.”

Electricity charges and salaries increased by 8 percent in the 2nd quarter of 2010.

“As a result, the Group experienced a decrease in net income by 12 percent to P25 million from P28 million last year,” Lorenzo said.

Nonetheless, the company said a 2-percent consolidated restaurant sales increase and an improvement in sales for the second quarter are “clear indications of the renewed interest of the market to return to the casual/fast-casual restaurants.”

Lorenzo said that they also expect earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) to increase also by 15 percent year-on-year.

The company’s consolidated Ebitda in second quarter remained “strong at P133 million,” its report to the PSE said.

Hence, Lorenzo said they are close to buying one of two-restaurant chains they are eyeing.

The restaurant chain, which he declined to identify, targets the lower income bracket and will offer only chicken as its fare.

“It will be a great entry for a mass-based market. The price point will be at P120 per meal, right smack against Jollibee and McDonald’s,” Lorenzo said.

He said that they are definite to close the purchase deal before the year ends and that the other target would be deferred to next year “if things don’t go quite right.”

“The [acquisition] price can be anywhere between P1 to P2 billion [because] that’s how much we have, how much we allocate for acquisition.”

Lorenzo added that in going for acquisition, “it must be a big price, minimum of P2 to P3 billion.”

The purchase will bring to six the restaurant brand chains under Pancake House.

Aside from its eponymous restaurant, Pancake House also owns and operates Dencio’s, Teriyaki Boy, Singkit and Le Coeur de France.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/1331-pancake-house-sees-good-year-despite-tough-h1

Shopwise to open more stores

Written by Dennis D. Estopace / Reporter
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 12:17

PRIVATELY-HELD Rustan Supercenters Inc. (RSI) continues to expand market by opening additional outlets.

RSI president Bienvenido Tantoco III said they are opening two hypermarket-format stores this year, one of which will be at the Pacita Complex in San Pedro, Laguna.

“The development of new stores that’s now what we want to focus on.

This year we’ve got two and then, on the side, two deals are under development,” Tantoco said on the sidelines of a Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) meeting on Tuesday.

He said that one Shopwise store requires a capital spend of between P250 to P300 million.

The company will also open this month its Shopwise in Shaw, Mandaluyong City.

Tantoco’s announcement comes at a time when RSI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shopwise Inc., posted a 2-percent dip in its cash and cash equivalent for 2010 to P487.113 million from P497.52 million that the company recorded for its fiscal year 2009 ending in March.

Nonetheless, the company posted a 25.33-percent increase in its net income to nearly P60 million this year as against the P47.8-million net income it said in a report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In his talk at the MAP meeting, Tantoco said the company has paid its P3-billion debt.

“We only have P1-billion left [of debt] to pay. That includes those owed to suppliers and not only from banks,” he later told reporters adding that they expect to pare down their debts in the next three years.

RSI‘s long-term loans payable represent loans from local banks secured by its merchandise inventory and property and equipment.

It said in its latest financial statement to the SEC that as of March, the aggregate carrying values of assets pledged as securities for long-term loans payable amounted to P762.2 million.

RSI’s trade and other payables stand at P1.24 billion as of March, its report to the SEC said.

Meanwhile, Tantoco said they are adding more to the current 165 brands that RSI carries.

But by securing the license to franchise products of Topeka, Kansas-based Payless ShoeSource Inc., he said they are gearing more to a bracket of consumers with lower income.

“Now we’re moving more to the middle- and working class.” Nonetheless, Tantoco said that they will maintain high-end brands.

We want to “expand towards three types of customers: the middle-income earners, via the Shopwise brand; upper- and upper-middle income segment catered to by Rustan’s; and the Rustan’s Express brand targeting working mothers.”

Still, Tantoco said that the company doesn’t see that Metro Manila is saturated.

“There’s a shift in certain markets: they’re going to big stores and also shopping in small stores. That’s how consumer behavior is shifting. Metro Manila has a lot of room.”



http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/1330-shopwise-to-open-more-stores-

Splash looks to high-end

Friday, 17 September 2010 00:00

Splash Corp. is looking to tap the high-end market with its new anti-bacterial brand.

In a briefing, officials of the personal care products manufacturer said it was looking at P100 million in sales for its Hygienix product line, and doubling this in five years. “We are very confident to hit P100 in the first year [with our] hand sanitizers and minor introduction of new lines like soaps and deodorants,” Gracia Cardenas, Hygienix brand manager, said.

Splash bought the Hygienix brand from Hortaleza-owned Home of Beauty Exclusives. Unlike its previous product offerings designed for the mass market, Hygienix will be a premium brand, which aims to target educated women, Cardenas said.

“While we’re catering to the mass market brand, Hygienix would like to be the first brand for the high end market,” she said, adding that the mass market was not accustomed to anti-bacterial products.

Even with the presence of established brands like Green Cross and Safeguard, Cardenas is confident that Hygienix will perform well in the P10-billion anti-bacterial industry, which has no dominant market leader and no “cutthroat competition.”

Splash shares fell from P2.90 on Wednesday to P2.75 each on Thursday.
KRISTA ANGELA M. MONTEALEGRE

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/25988-splash-looks-to-high-end

Entrepreneur emeritus

Teodoro L. Ferrer
President
Generika Drugstore


American financier and statesman Bernard Baruch has been quoted to have said, "Age is just a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it." These words seem to be prophetic for Teodoro L. Ferrer who, after working for the Ayala Group for over 30 years, was planning to retire at 60, put up a small business, and take it easy. Little did he know that establishing Erikagen, the company that owns the Generika Drugstore trademark and business model, would keep him busier than ever.

Mr. Ferrer put up Generika Drugstore in 2004 when branded medicine dominated the retail drugstore industry. He muses that neither he nor his business partner and nephew-in-law, Julien Bello, had any prior experience in the retail or pharmaceutical industries. Their primary motivation was simply to bring affordable but effective medicine closer to the masses. A survey showed that low-income people were the ones doubtful about generic medicine -- thinking that it would be a waste to spend the little money they have on what they perceived may not be effective. "This was the thinking six or seven years ago. We thought, why don’t we do something about it? And why not put up something more meaningful that would help society?" says Mr. Ferrer.

While targeting lower-income buyers when it first started, Generika caters to all consumers. Half of its products are from local manufacturers and the rest are imported from India, the US, Europe and Malaysia. The company promotes the use of generics but branded medicine still make up 20% of their total sales. Mr. Ferrer explains that it takes time to persuade customers to shift to generics, "When customers come in to buy a branded product and you don’t have it, they just leave. If you have branded medicine, they buy it and then they come back. You can have another chance to talk to them and ask them to try generics. Then he can tell another customer that he’s using generic medicine and get other people to try it."

The first four years of the business charted a steep learning curve for Mr. Ferrer and his Generika team. Learning from mistakes, challenges and opportunities, he slowly grew the business. With 16 company-owned stores in 2008, the company started franchising operations. "We delayed the launch of our franchises because we invested a lot of time on the manuals, on developing our point of sale (POS) and building up our organizational structure to be able to handle the franchise outlets. We put a great deal of emphasis on training ... We don’t accept franchise applications easily. We don’t leave our franchisees to sink or swim on their own. Our philosophy is that we consider every franchisee as a business partner for the long-term," Mr. Ferrer emphasizes.

As of July 2010, there were 100 Generika stores in Luzon, of which 16 are company-owned and 84 are franchise outlets. By the end of 2010, the company aims to have 140 outlets. Early next year, Generika will begin opening stores in Visayas and Mindanao. Mr. Ferrer expects the company to have nearly 1,000 stores in five years. "Our vision is to build a national chain. It was clear from the beginning. If we were going to do this, why not do it in a big way? After all, many communities all over the country still do not have access to affordable medicine," he says.

To foster growth and streamline operations, three other companies were formed -- Actimed Distribution, Inc., Generika Franchising Services Corporation and Novelis Solutions, Inc. Actimed sources products and distributes them to company-owned and franchise stores and other accounts. Generika Franchising markets the Generika business model and provides management and operational support to franchisees. Novelis develops POS and other software applications for the Generika companies and drugstores.

As a divergent growth opportunity from his original Generika concept, Mr. Ferrer expresses excitement over their POS system and says that they are hoping to market it to other companies and industries. "Currently, it’s only used in our stores. However, some of our franchisees have expressed interest in applying it in their other businesses. Seeing an unexpected opportunity here, I wonder if we could market it outside the Philippines. There’s China, India, all the emerging economies. Of course there are other software applications available, but these cost millions and are geared towards the big companies. What about the little guys, the small and medium companies?"

To ensure that the company stands out in the huge pharmaceutical market and to combat any misconception about generics, Generika focuses on providing value-added services that support and educate consumers. Among their offerings are a loyalty card, patient counseling, free blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar screening, free delivery service for a minimum P300 purchase, and a centralized customer database to be launched in late 2010. Using their current customer database, the company can monitor and remind customers of their remaining medicine supply and ask if they need Generika to deliver replenishment supplies. With a centralized database, it will be easier for the company to keep track of their customers’ orders regardless of the location.

"A successful business needs customers who keep coming back. For them to do that, they have to be happy with your products and services. But to have happy customers, you need happy employees, especially in retail because they are the ones talking to the customers," Mr. Ferrer says.

To sustain better medical care and quality of life for the community where they operate, Generika ties up with a provider so they can offer free consultation and affordable mobile diagnostics. In franchisee-led consultations, Generika provides four doctors, free medicine and volunteers who are company employees. They also hold a Generika Awareness talk to educate people about generics. Generika also participates in medical missions sponsored by other organizations.

After four years in the business, Mr. Ferrer and the company started reaping industry recognition for their efforts. The Drugstore Association of the Philippines (DSAP) awarded Generika Drugstore with the DSAP Quality Award as the National Winner in the Drugstore Chain Category in 2008. In the same year, Mr. Ferrer was recognized as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Magazine. Generika received the Best in Franchise Support and Most Promising Franchise for 2009 also from Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2009, five Generika Drugstore branches garnered the Bureau of Food and Drugs Quality Seal Award, with the drugstore’s Soledad branch emerging as the overall winner for the drugstore chain category, besting bigger and more established drugstore chains.

For this so-called retiree, there is no slowing down. Weekdays are spent in the office and weekends are spent traveling for store inaugurations around Luzon. But he isn’t complaining. Mr. Ferrer is happy that, at 65, he still gets to do meaningful work. He encourages other retirees to put up their own business, "You can never be too old to make a difference. You can still set up your own business, be successful, and do something for everyone... especially something that would benefit the community."

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. Official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on 12 October 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011. The Entrepreneur Of The Year is produced globally by Ernst & Young.


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17925

Shopwise to open more stores

Written by Dennis D. Estopace / Reporter
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 12:17

PRIVATELY-HELD Rustan Supercenters Inc. (RSI) continues to expand market by opening additional outlets.



http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/1330-shopwise-to-open-more-stores-

Ayoko sa Shopwise, tulad ng Rustans puro imported binebenta.

Pero kung maging katulad nya ang Puregold na dati puro imported at smuggled pa binebenta, ngayon mas marami na ang local produce.

This will maximize their local impact and mitigate their negative impact to the small stores in their vicinity.

Entrepreneur emeritus

Teodoro L. Ferrer
President
Generika Drugstore


American financier and statesman Bernard Baruch has been quoted to have said, "Age is just a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it." These words seem to be prophetic for Teodoro L. Ferrer who, after working for the Ayala Group for over 30 years, was planning to retire at 60, put up a small business, and take it easy. Little did he know that establishing Erikagen, the company that owns the Generika Drugstore trademark and business model, would keep him busier than ever.

Mr. Ferrer put up Generika Drugstore in 2004 when branded medicine dominated the retail drugstore industry. He muses that neither he nor his business partner and nephew-in-law, Julien Bello, had any prior experience in the retail or pharmaceutical industries. Their primary motivation was simply to bring affordable but effective medicine closer to the masses. A survey showed that low-income people were the ones doubtful about generic medicine -- thinking that it would be a waste to spend the little money they have on what they perceived may not be effective. "This was the thinking six or seven years ago. We thought, why don’t we do something about it? And why not put up something more meaningful that would help society?" says Mr. Ferrer.

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17925

Good news!

At least alot of local companies now are trying to destroy the almost monopoly of Mercury drug in the drug store market.

Nasaan na kaya yung Merced drug?

Ano na nangyari sa South Star?

Weaving rags, empowering people, protecting the planet
By The Go Negosyo Team (The Philippine Star) Updated September 18, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (4) View comments

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/6708/gen6ca.jpg
Therese Clarence “Reese” Fernandez's story is one woven of success and inspiration: a young woman empowering others, proving once again the Filipino’s characteristic ingenuity, dedication and excellence.


MANILA, Philippines - While most Filipinos her age who just finished school go on to become career employees and spend their time partying around, this young woman co-founded a social enterprise that is moving mountains, even smoky mountains.

Therese Clarence “Reese” Fernandez was raised by a single mother who does missionary work. With her mom’s advocacy, she lived in three churches around Quiapo – eating in feeding programs, using public restrooms, and playing with street children who were earning a living for their families or were part of syndicates that used them. These and more are her sources of inspiration as she took social entrepreneurship to heart.

“Whenever I look back at my childhood, I could not help but feel a strong responsibility towards making the world a better place,” said Reese, president and founding partner of Rags2Riches (RIIR), Inc., a social enterprise that creates high-end designer fashion masterpieces and home accessories that are ethical and eco-friendly.

Mere mention of the names Reese and RIIR paints a picture of Payatas dumpsite mothers who earn a living by recycling scrap to make rugs. In November 2007, Reese, an Ateneo honors management graduate, co-founded RIIR, a viable and sustainable enterprise that would inspire and influence other businesses to do well by doing good. It also promotes creative recycling and fair trade.

True enough, the group was able to uplift the lives of the Payatas women by giving them earning potentials five times what they used to earn from making rugs and rags, by defying unfair trade.

Originally, they would sell their products to middlemen but with the entry of RIIR, they were able to sell their products direct to retailers for a higher price.

RIIR, recognizing the need for collaboration, sought advice from top caliber designers Rajo Laurel and Amina Aranaz-Alunan, who taught them to innovate the rags. They transformed rags into fashion masterpieces such as ladies bags and eyeglass cases, and home accessories such as wine bottle holders. Their products are available in high-end shops in Serendra, Greenbelt, and Powerplant Mall.

Not surprisingly, Reese and Rags2Riches have been receiving recognition here and abroad. Most recently, Reese was named one of the five Rolex Young Laureates, selected out of an elite pool of 200 entrepreneurs all over the world. Aside from the Rolex citation, she was also chosen as one of 20 Young Social Entrepreneurs of the World, YouthActionNet Global Fellow awarded in Washington in November 2008.

Meanwhile, Rags2Riches also bagged numerous awards for itself and the country, including the top prize in Business in Development (BID) Global Challenge (Amsterdam, Netherlands, January 2009), besting 8,000 entries all over the world.

A focused and dedicated woman, Reese admits she is hungry for revolutionary ideas that would bring the world to the next level and eventually help the world become more sustainable and ethical.

While she candidly admits she may be the oldest 25-year-old you could ever meet, Reese is still young. She enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures, she blogs, she maintains a FaceBook account, and she tweets too.

On Sept. 27, Go Negosyo will be recognizing Reese as one of the Go Negosyo Inspiring Young Filipino Entrepreneurs in the 2010 Youth Entrepreneurship Summit at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. The award will be presented by Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion along with the Go Negosyo trustees. This will be the second major event of Go Negosyo for this year, following the success of the Women Entrepreneurship Summit last March where 20,000 Filipinos flooded the World Trade Center.

The theme is centered on reinforcing the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino youth by enjoining them to develop a positive change in their mindset and empowering them with relevant entrepreneurship tools and concepts. Forums and programs will be held, with topics ranging from negosyo basics to tips and advice on youth concerns and interests. There will be booths and exhibitors showcasing different products and services that also present business model ideas and opportunities to attendees.

Go Negosyo encourages the Filipino youth to take advantage of the one-day summit, which is open to the public for free. Mentors and other successful young entrepreneurs will be there to share their words of wisdom to those who would like to follow their footsteps.

The Go Negosyo Youth Entrepreneurship Summit is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo and the Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with PLDT SME Nation, Smart, RFM, BPI Kanegosyo, Mang Inasal, Nokia, Citi, Alo Youth, Vitwater, Rexona, Creamsilk, Belo, ATR Kim Eng, R.A. Gapuz Review Center, National Livelihood Development Corporation, Landbank, Presidential Social Fund, Condura, The Philippine STAR, Folded & Hung, Ever Bilena, BDO and Splash.

Good news!

At least alot of local companies now are trying to destroy the almost monopoly of Mercury drug in the drug store market.

Nasaan na kaya yung Merced drug?

Ano na nangyari sa South Star?


I agree, Mercury has become a monolith....what we need is more competition..

I agree, Mercury has become a monolith....what we need is more competition..

Mahirap yatang pabagsakin Mercury...

Imagine nyo halos lahat ng Medical representative prinopromote Mercury.

Problema kasi sa mga kalaban ng Mercury, masyado silang istrito at maarte sa pagbibigay ng mga stocks transfer, kaya hayun hindi sila binabanggit ng mga Med. Reps pag nagpropromote sila ng kanilang mga gamot.

^^ Manson Drug is slowly increasing. It started in Pampanga and has grown to many branches across Central Luzon and starting to penetrate Metro Manila...:)

From farm to fork: Le Bistro Vert makes a pitch for healthy and sustainable eating in a very tasty and creative way

Written by Vladimir Bunoan
Saturday, 18 September 2010 09:52

You can almost hear actor Mark Dacascos announcing that this week’s secret ingredient was eggplant.

From out of the kitchen came three dishes that featured eggplant for Chef Sau del Rosario and entrepreneur Pacita “Chit” Juan to taste and assess if they should be included on the menu. One particularly interesting appetizer attempted to transform thin slices of eggplant into chips, which was served with several dipping sauces, including an aioli, which I said worked rather well. Del Rosario felt the eggplant strips could be made shorter and crispier, and instructed the kitchen to try it again.

Another dish, made by del Rosario himself, was a pasta with eggplant slices, spiced with anchovies—a classic native combination, upgraded to bistro quality.

“It’s really like Iron Chef,” says del Rosario of the setup at Le Bistro Vert. “We highlight ingredients that are available.”

That afternoon, Juan had just surveyed the farms that supply fresh ingredients to the restaurant and found out that there’s an ample harvest of eggplants, which explains the rush to create new dishes that highlighted the vegetable.

For Juan, helping find new markets for small producers isn’t new. It’s the same advocacy behind ECHOstore, which she conceived with partners Jeannie Javelosa and Reena Francisco. Now with five branches, ECHOstore sells natural, community fair-trade products from around the country. Le Bistro Vert, which translates to “the green bistro,” is just another platform to showcase—and market—these local artisanal foods and produce.

But for the first three to four months, Juan admits that the restaurant was “just a café,” although the intention has always been there. But when del Rosario came into the picture, the three women found the right chef-partner to bring their concept of having a restaurant that serves sustainable food to the next level.

Del Rosario is not new to the local dining scene—I first tried his food at Le Taxi of the Pan Pacific Hotel in the mid-1990s. But the chef left the country for the next nine years, where he worked at the Equinox in Singapore, among other eateries, then returned with a bang with M Café and then Chelsea.

It was Javelosa who asked the chef to be a partner at Le Bistro Vert.

“We share the same advocacy,” del Rosario says, adding that he was already using organic vegetables at Le Taxi.

The idea behind Le Bistro Vert is to offer “a special sustainable food menu which ensures that food products support earth-friendly initiatives and help sustain local farmers.”

Juan clarifies that Le Bistro Vert isn’t a vegan or a nonmeat restaurant—although there are numerous items on the menu that only use vegetables.

“But we go the extra mile,” she says. “For instance, the chicken we use is organic. And we use brown rice.”

The restaurant is now even talking to suppliers for organic wine.

“In a way, we want to educate the people that they can also do this at home,” she stresses.

Within the restaurant is a deli, which features not just bread items from del Rosario’s own Food Garage but food items sourced from around the country—from cheeses to coffee.

It even has its own little herb garden outside the kitchen “also to suggest to people that they can have a backyard garden,” Juan says.



Go local

For a French-trained chef like del Rosario, Le Bistro Vert poses a definite challenge.

Juan explains: “The challenge for him is to use local produce, maybe not 100 percent, but 90 percent of the time. It’s really up to his skill to use local ingredients.”

For instance, Juan says they don’t use imported fish like salmon and seabass—which are staples in fine-dining restaurants—but local ones like dapa (sole) and apahap.

Del Rosario chuckles when asked about this, saying that having worked in cosmopolitan cities like Paris and Shanghai, he is so used to working with “highfalutin ingredients.”

“I find it very challenging,” he says, “but also fulfilling.”

This is the reason he chose to return to the Philippines. “I came back because I really love this place, and I feel that I have a mission to do,” he explains. “It’s all meant to be.”

“I think it comes with age, too,” he says with a laugh. “If you serve me foie gras, I wouldn’t even touch it.”

Del Rosario was already experimenting with modernized Filipino cuisine at M Café, but more within a pan-Asian context. “This time we’re using local ingredients, so it’s more authentic,” he says. “And we use local ingredients for any other cuisine, not just Filipino food.”

For instance, he cites the tamarind. While this is commonly used as a souring agent for the traditional sinigang, he utilizes tamarind as a dip and as a substitute for lemon—in many ways like they do in Iron Chef.

Perhaps the only imported ingredients he commonly uses at Le Bistro Vert are olive oil and capers.

One recommendable dish, in fact, is the smoked fish and caper spaghettini (P250)—a Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s simple but flavorful, with its coriander and basil herbs and garlic confit.

Smoked fish, or tinapa, is also used for the Le Bistro Vert Caesar salad (P210), which also features salted egg bits and shavings of queso de bola. A bit drier than what you’d expect, but the flavor profiles are definitely there such that you don’t really miss the real thing.

Del Rosario admits that meat poses a challenge since local beef tends to be tough. But his beef mignon “bistek-style” (P375) proved to be quite tender. This was also upgraded in terms of presentation as it is served with garlic confit, onion tempura and fried basil.

The chef, who hails from Pampanga, also adds some native touches, such as using the buro mustasa to flavor an apahap filet, and transforming the bringhe into some sort of curry rice.

“I never had the chance to immerse myself in the Philippines until now,” he says. “I have finally found my calling.”

The showy, playful style of del Rosario is still definitely on display on the menu but at Le Bistro Vert, one also gets a sense of comfort and familiarity—the food has soul.

And that’s exactly the message Juan wants to convey.

“We have to go back to healthy living,” she says.

And help the local farmers in the process.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/life/1426-from-farm-to-fork-le-bistro-vert-makes-a-pitch-for-healthy-and-sustainable-eating-in-a-very-tasty-and-creative-way

Mahirap yatang pabagsakin Mercury...

Imagine nyo halos lahat ng Medical representative prinopromote Mercury.

Problema kasi sa mga kalaban ng Mercury, masyado silang istrito at maarte sa pagbibigay ng mga stocks transfer, kaya hayun hindi sila binabanggit ng mga Med. Reps pag nagpropromote sila ng kanilang mga gamot.


I buy some of my meds from Generics Pharmacy if there is a generic version of the drug already, one thing I notice the big drugstores like mercury often don't have available stock of generics drugs....they really would prefer that you buy the branded meds, maybe because of the higher profit margins and incentives from the big drug companies.....

Entrepreneur turns from candles, candies to ‘healing drink’


By Sharon Robas-Macawile
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:46:00 09/18/2010

Filed Under: business, Entrepreneurship, Health, Consumer Issues


FOR MORE than a decade, Elizabeth G. Seim had managed different businesses ranging from aromatherapy things to candies.
Recently, she heads the company that imports and distributes the country’s first colostrum-based food.

Seim started as an entrepreneur in the ’90s, selling aromatherapy products in her store Regeneré, a chain of wellness products shop, initially located in the Edsa Plaza Shangri-La Mall.

“I was the one who introduced aromatherapy in the Philippines,” Seim declares, citing products such as aromatherapy candles were not readily available in the country back then.

She adds that most of these products were sourced abroad, and became a hit to many local patrons.

“I have a niche market here. And customers really appreciate it because they don’t need to go abroad to buy it. It may be a bit pricey but many of our clients are thankful that it’s available here,” Seim shares.

Regeneré has had many branches in leading malls in Metro Manila, including one branch with a spa in Rockwell. Although the stores no longer exist today, Seim relates how it had been a success: “It was very good . . . because I was the only one who had those products. I have a niche market. When I go abroad and see one-of-a kind things I buy them and put them in my store…and customers love it.”

She also ventured in a Candy Express franchise located near the then “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” museum in the Shangri-La Mall, taking advantage of the many customers visiting the museum. However, when ‘Ripley’s’ ceased operation, Seim decided to close Candy Express as she wasn’t keen on moving it to another location.

But her penchant for wellness products prodded her, together with a Malaysian business partner, to put up SNI Philippines Inc. in 2008. SNI Philippines started importing and distributing health products in many parts of the country. Its mother company is the Malaysia-based SNI World.

Seim recalls how she wasn’t too keen on the idea of the venture in the beginning, but after knowing the many health benefits the product contains, her hesitation turned to enthusiasm.

SNI’s main product today is the IgCo Natural Colostrum Skim Milk, a healthy food and drink made from bovine colostrum imported from New Zealand.

Antibodies

Colostrum is the pre-milk substance produced during the first few days after the birth of a human or an animal. It contains large amounts of antibodies or immunoglobulins (Ig), as well as vitamins and minerals that help protect newborns from viruses and bacteria.

“It is the only food in nature that contains antibodies,” says Seim, SNI Philippines’ managing director.

Studies show that colostrum has great benefits not only to newborns but to adults as well. And researchers prove that bovine colostrum has nearly similar properties as that of human colostrum, thus it’s a good alternative source for commercial consumption.

IgCo (Immunoglobulin Colostrum) is 100 percent natural colostrum blended with skim milk in powder form, made using a slow freeze drying technique. This process preserves colostrum’s active biological components such as the immune and growth factors.

“It is safe and it’s all natural because the cows in New Zealand are pasture fed, no injection, etc.,” explains Seim.

She says that their target market is “everybody…sick or not sick, young or old,” adding that it’s a preventive agent that protects the immune system in order to prevent getting sick, and can be taken even by those with lactose-intolerance as it has a very low lactose content.

IgCo’s 15g-sachet retails for P75. Seim stresses that it is recommended to be taken on an empty stomach early in the morning or before bedtime and must be dissolved only in lukewarm or cold water, not hot water.

From 300 distributors in the first month of its operation, SNI has now 3,000 distributors all over the country.

‘The miracle food’

Seim adds that many doctors and medical practitioners, who call the product “The Miracle Food,” vouch for IgCo’s many health benefits, that’s why they recommend it to their patients.

In fact, at SNI website (www.snionline.com.ph), there are many testimonies by IgCo users relating how the product made them healthy and well, including a 17-year-old girl who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2008 who declared how IgCo protected her from getting serious infections while undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Other health benefits of colostrum aside from boosting the immune system are: it helps lower blood sugar to normal level; maintains strong bones and a healthy intestinal tract; helps build muscles; minimizes allergies; and helps heal wounds faster, among others.

But SNI is not only about making profits. Seim stresses their advocacy of helping out and giving back to the communities through the company’s SNI Care program which conducts outreach programs all over the country by conducting feeding programs and medical missions. They also give out IgCo samples to poor communities and, with the help of doctors, educate people about the benefits of colostrum. SNI also sponsors and participates in several medical conventions and symposia.

SNI Academy, on the other hand, is the company’s training program for its members and interested participants, who want to become a member or distributor, which teaches basic communication and presentation skills, as well as personality development and spiritual wellness.

Seim is optimistic that SNI will go a long way in helping Filipinos become healthy, as well as giving them opportunities to earn. “We are slowly but surely growing,” she beams, adding that more colostrum-based products are being developed by the company.

She concludes by attesting that aside from the success of the business, nothing makes her happier and fulfilled than helping others and seeing them happy, healthy and well.

I buy some of my meds from Generics Pharmacy if there is a generic version of the drug already, one thing I notice the big drugstores like mercury often don't have available stock of generics drugs....they really would prefer that you buy the branded meds, maybe because of the higher profit margins and incentives from the big drug companies.....

One of the products I carry is available at Generics Pharmacy, also at Mercury Drug, pero i don't promote Generic Pharmacy, like other Med. Reps. because they are unfair to us. Ang alam ko pareho lang ang price ng bigay namin sa Mercury and Generic Pharmacy (kahit sa ibang Drugstores).

Lagi kung pinupuntahan Generics Pharmacy to compare with Mercury, and what I noticed karamihan ng mga generic meds. na available sa Generics Pharmacy available din sa Mercury, except dun sa may mga pending na case of infringement of patent, at yung mga parallel imports.

Filipino restaurant in Siem Reap, Cambodia

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1242636191343/Home/Goodnah%20Exterior%202.JPG?height=300&width=400

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1229241023911/Home/Goodnah%20Design.jpg?height=254&width=487

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1242638725158/Home/Goodnah%20Event.JPG?height=364&width=400

peration Hours

Open Tuesday to Sunday

Morning: 9am to 3pm
Evening: 6pm to 10pm

Hotline: 017-873-173

www.goodnah.com

dp

One of the products I carry is available at Generics Pharmacy, also at Mercury Drug, pero i don't promote Generic Pharmacy, like other Med. Reps. because they are unfair to us. Ang alam ko pareho lang ang price ng bigay namin sa Mercury and Generic Pharmacy (kahit sa ibang Drugstores).

Lagi kung pinupuntahan Generics Pharmacy to compare with Mercury, and what I noticed karamihan ng mga generic meds. na available sa Generics Pharmacy available din sa Mercury, except dun sa may mga pending na case of infringement of patent, at yung mga parallel imports.


That's good to know, thanks @ eee7.....how about at Watson's..

Filipino restaurant in Siem Reap, Cambodia

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1242636191343/Home/Goodnah%20Exterior%202.JPG?height=300&width=400

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1229241023911/Home/Goodnah%20Design.jpg?height=254&width=487

http://www.goodnah.com/_/rsrc/1242638725158/Home/Goodnah%20Event.JPG?height=364&width=400

peration Hours

Open Tuesday to Sunday

Morning: 9am to 3pm
Evening: 6pm to 10pm

Hotline: 017-873-173

www.goodnah.com


Wow, pinoys are all over.....

Finding fortune in street food

By The Go Negosyo Team (The Philippine Star) Updated September 19, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/8932/gen21.jpg
Reymont Choachuy shows samples of streetside delicacies sold in his outlets.


MANILA, Philippines - Like the average Filipino Reymont Choachuy loves to enjoy street food in the bustling sidewalks or idle corners of the neighborhood. Little did he know that this passion for eating the “streetside delicacy” would lead to a very successful entrepreneurial venture.

It started in 2003 when Reymont was hospitalized because of diarrhea contracted from the streets of Muñoz in Quezon City. “I never expected that I would get sick, after all those years of eating that type of food,” said Reymont.

After that incident, Reymont vowed to bring the Filipino street food to a higher level. “I used all my savings to start Sam’s Everything on Sticks in Tutuban Centermall,” he said. “It was not easy, but it turned out to be fate. We had competitors selling at lower prices but we never gave up on our battle cry of producing clean street foods that is reasonably priced. Sam’s serves everything on sticks that you find in and out of the streets, like fish balls, squid balls, among others. Then came the evolution of items like lobster balls, crab claws, corn dogs, shrimp bombs, etc.”

From the first Sam’s Everything on Sticks, Reymont opened the second outlet, a third outlet, and so on. As their business clicked and just when they thought that things couldn’t get better, people started lining up and asking questions about the business. “People came and kept on asking if they can have a franchise. We solicited the services of a franchise consultant to professionalize our business and conceptualize our manual for operations. There was then the need to establish a commissary that can serve all our outlets and ensure that all are of the same standard,” said Reymont.

Two years after Reymont set up Sam’s Everything on Sticks, Noble House was established. Today, with Reymont as president, Noble House serves as the franchising umbrella of more than 60 food outlets. Aside from Sam’s Everything on Sticks, Noble House carries brands such as Itlog on Sticks, Sumomai and Ferino’s Bibingka. All of these brands and concepts are a product of Reymont’s initial commitment of producing quality and safe street food.

Reymont also credits his company’s success to their franchising system. “One thing is clear. We wanted to make sure that the entry level of the franchisees is low. This is why we have a reasonable franchise package and we don’t charge royalties because we want franchisees to recover their investments in less than 18 months. Nevertheless, we never saw our package as cheap compared to others, since we offer better presentation in our state-of-the-art food cart while it was made sure that franchisees enjoy good margins to make this business a lucrative one for them to manage. Noble House wishes to help Filipinos achieve the Filipino dream of one day having their own successful business,” he explained.

With the present success of his business Reymont, at the age of 35, continues to dream even bigger. “My vision for Noble House is to have 1,000 outlets nationwide and to eventually become the biggest franchising company in Asia.”

As Reymont believes that every Filipino can be a successful entrepreneur, Go Negosyo believes that every young and aspiring negosyante should learn from his entrepreneurial journey.

On Sept. 27, the Go Negosyo will be recognizing Reymont as one of the Go Negosyo inspiring young Filipino entrepreneurs in the 2010 Youth Entrepreneurship Summit at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. The award will be presented by Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion along with the Go Negosyo Trustees. This will be the second major event of Go Negosyo for this year, following the success of the Women Entrepreneurship Summit last March where 20,000 Filipinos flooded the World Trade Center.

The theme of the Go Negosyo Youth Summit is centered on reinforcing the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino youth by enjoining them to develop a positive change in their mindset and empowering them with relevant entrepreneurship tools and concepts. Forums and programs will be held, with topics ranging from the negosyo basics to tips and advices on youth concerns and interests. There will be booths and exhibitors, showcasing different products and services that also present business model ideas and opportunities to attendees.

Go Negosyo encourages the Filipino youth to take advantage of the one day summit, which is open for free. Mentors and other successful young entrepreneurs, like Reymont, will be there to share their words of wisdom to those who would like to follow their footsteps.

The Go Negosyo Youth Entrepreneurship Summit is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship - Go Negosyo and the Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with PLDT SME Nation, Smart, RFM, BPI Kanegosyo, Mang Inasal, Nokia, Citi, Alo Youth, Vitwater, Rexona, Creamsilk, Belo, ATR Kim Eng, R.A. Gapuz Review Center, National Livelihood Development Corp., Landbank, Presidential Social Fund, Condura, The Philippine Star, Folded & Hung, Ever Bilena, BDO and Splash.

Ayoko sa Shopwise, tulad ng Rustans puro imported binebenta.

Pero kung maging katulad nya ang Puregold na dati puro imported at smuggled pa binebenta, ngayon mas marami na ang local produce.

This will maximize their local impact and mitigate their negative impact to the small stores in their vicinity.

I bought these noodles made overseas in SM and boy, it wasn't well worth the 30 pesos it was for. Seems like iba't ibang lahi iba't ibang panlasa talaga.

An Ilonggo Lifestyle Shop in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

http://blogs.stylebible.ph/previewblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_00021-300x200.jpg

http://blogs.stylebible.ph/previewblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_0098-200x300.jpg

^^ Parang maliit lang ang mga stores but it's already starting.

^^ Parang maliit lang ang mga stores but it's already starting.

Namention pa yan sa CNN article. :)

Baliwag opens up to franchising after 25 years

BALIWAG Lechon Manok, Inc. is opening its doors to franchisees for the first time after 25 years of building its roasted chicken brand.

The company wants to reach “uncharted” territories -- the Visayas, Mindanao and overseas -- an executive said late last week.

“More or less we only have 200 stores. Hopefully with franchising, we can double that in a really short span of time,” said Sarabeth S. Salcedo, operations manager of Baliwag Lechon Manok, at the sidelines of the Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc. expo in Pasay.

It is the first time for the firm to join the yearly franchising expo.
“[Franchising] is the next step. It has been a long time coming for our company and we also want to tap other areas that we have not yet tapped so far,” Ms. Salcedo said.

Baliwag Lechon Manok will first accept proposals to franchise 20- to 50-square-meter kiosks. Ms. Salcedo said the chicken chain would open full restaurants and fastfood outlets to franchisees later on.

“Our focus is greater Luzon and the Visayas. If there are offers from overseas and Mindanao, we are open,” Ms. Salcedo said. Areas for franchising are Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Parañaque, Taguig, Pasig and Mandaluyong, the company said in its brochure.

Baliwag Lechon Manok has branches in as far as Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Baguio.

Investors need to shell out P250,000 for the franchise fee. Franchisees will also pay other fees such as a royalty of 5% on gross sales, and contribute to a marketing fund.

“The brand is already known so [franchisees] will no longer have a hard time selling the product,” she said.

Ms. Salcedo said the firm would cook up new products as it expands.

In 1985, couple Dwight and Dolores Salcedo put up the first branch of Baliwag Lechon Manok at Project 8 in Quezon City with an investment of P10,000.

In July 2000, the company launched Baliwag Grill and Restaurant, which serves Filipino dishes like bulalo, kare-kare, sisig, pancit canton and buko pandan.

Baliwag Lechon Manok later started operations of Baliwag Lechon Manok Atbp. at the foodcourt of SM Megamall in 2006. The brand serves Filipino dishes in a kiosk-like setting.

Recently, the company opened a commissary in Pasig. “We built a bigger commissary having in mind franchising,” Ms. Salcedo said.

The emergence of chicken restaurants and fastfood outlets has brought new interest in the business.

“We see that there are many other chicken concepts being put up right now. And we see this as a second wind because we know that Baliwag started as a fad in the 1980s,” Ms. Salcedo said, adding that sales are growing due to increased demand for chicken and a better economy.

Top sellers include Baliwag Lechon Manok and Liempo (roasted chicken and roasted pork), Crispy Pata (deep-fried pork leg), and Regular and Spicy Chicharon (deep-fried pork skin). -- Neil Jerome C. Morales

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17990

Andok's increases rapidly kaya dapat gumawa ng move si Baliwag para hindi pag-iwanan...:)

Andok's increases rapidly kaya dapat gumawa ng move si Baliwag para hindi pag-iwanan...:)

Magpafranchise kasi sila... sa abroad! When the market in the Pinas saturated, they should consider expanding overseas.

AFFI: Proudly Pinoy, proudly global
By Patricia Esteves (The Philippine Star) Updated September 20, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino entrepreneur has indeed come a long way. Over a decade ago, the generally-accepted approach was to set up a foreign franchise in the country because the mindset was that foreign franchises, and foreign brands are sure winners. And it was — until a small group of enterprising small and medium-sized local entrepreneurs thought the biased tide can be reversed, and that consumers, while used to welcoming imported concepts, would eventually go back and desire the familiarity of homegrown products.

Today, Filipino franchisers have proven that not only can they stand up to their bigger foreign counterparts, but they too, have what it takes to invade their competitors’ foreign enclaves.

“Back then, few people would speculate that these Filipino franchises would survive and even thrive. But the Pinoy franchiser persevered, driven by the belief in the natural ingenuity and industry of the Filipino,” says Richard V. Sanz, executive vice-president of the Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc. (AFFI)

Sanz’s company, Food Asia Corp. which he heads as president and CEO, and which runs the franchise “Bibingkinitan!” and Tea Square, is currently negotiating to open its first offshore branch in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Mindful that targeting only the Filipino market would limit his chances of succeeding, Sanz emphasizes he is positioning his product in the mainstream market as well.

Such is also the approach of his peers in Fiorgelato/Fior Café, Goto King, Figaro, Lots’ A Pizza, Chicharrific, Plato Wraps, JM Peanut World, RBX Rice-in-a-Box, and Aquabest which are now branching out in Southeast Asia.

Potato Corner is a step ahead; it is already gaining ground in the US, not just among the Filipino community, but in the larger, more diverse mainstream market.

Most of the established Filipino franchises now setting their sights on the bigger global arena, have learned from experience that starting small requires one to be detail-oriented. Attention to detail is what is important if one aspires to expand outside of the Philippines. One cannot miss out on the basic due-diligence learning about the country where they plan to set up shop — its culture, laws and policies where their franchise will be established.

These awe-inspiring business homegrown models were highlighted in AFFI’s franchise show dubbed “The 9th Filipino Franchise Show 2010: Championing the Filipino MSME Franchise.”

With homegrown franchises proving to be more resilient than their foreign counterparts in these uncertain times, the push to enhance the scale of this year’s show has become imperative, says Sanz, a Young Market Masters Awardee (5th YMMA Awards) for entrepreneurial marketing whose homegrown business concept Bibingkinitan! has been cited as the Philippines’ fastest growing franchise and best in franchising support in the recent Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2010 Franchise Awards.

“This year’s show was the biggest and grandest all-Filipino franchise show. We featured the best and innovative franchises, mostly homegrown. It showcased the best of the Filipino’s creativity in franchising,” he pointed out.

The featured business models are expected to further stoke the desire of local franchisers to think of not only of expanding their business at home, but at a crucial point, take up the challenge of going global, AFFI board advisor and chairman emeritus Teresita L. Ngan Tian, president of Lots’ A Pizza, added.

AFFI is confident the Filipino franchisers’ chances of succeeding abroad are just as good as those from other countries because Philippine brands are competitive.

Going for a niche market is one way to do it, but covering the bases before venturing overseas is still a smart business sense. Being a stickler for details, along with skillfully combining a broader global outlook with the unique Filipino brand of service ups the chances of making a mark.

Sowing passion, reaping success

Lyndon C. Tan
President
Basic Necessity, Inc.

http://www.bworldonline.com/webpics/articles/image/20100919f053f.jpg
Lyndon C. Tan

Some people are born with green thumbs, with a natural affinity for growing and nurturing plants. Combine this talent with a savvy business outlook and you might get someone like Lyndon C. Tan.

Growing up in a world where conversations revolved around yields, pricing and weather, it was only natural for Mr. Tan to join his family’s rice milling business after graduating from the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City. He handled the marketing side of the business but never forgot the appeal of farming.

With his innate understanding of the business, Mr. Tan decided that he wanted to compete with the popular agribusiness brands. To better equip himself for this undertaking, he pursued a Masters in Business Administration from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) before setting up his own company.

With his parents’ blessing -- their only request was for him not to compete with the family business -- but with very limited capital, Mr. Tan put up Basic Necessity, Inc. in 1997. He grew and traded vegetables in Silang, Cavite, where the weather was favorable to his crops. He mostly bought vegetables from Nueva Ecija or Baguio farmers, then consolidated and sold them in the Tagaytay area.

Three years later, Mr. Tan saw a way to achieve his goal by developing the local lettuce industry. In 2000, the Philippines would import about 400,000 kilos of lettuce from Australia. Locally grown lettuce was practically negligible in the industry because of unreliable supply.

"Hotels and high-end restaurants paid P180-200 per kilo of lettuce simply because of its scarcity," he says. "I decided to see if my backyard-grown produce could reduce the volume of importations."

Aware that the country’s tropical climate and general soil type were not conducive to growing lettuce, Mr. Tan researched and drafted a special program that would allow locally grown lettuce to compete with imports. He convinced Senator Edgardo Angara that Basic Necessity was serious about being a reliable supplier. "At that time, local players like us didn’t have huge resources of our own," he says, "so we asked the government for help."

With a P38 million loan from the Department of Agriculture, he converted eight hectares of his farm into a commercial hydroponic facility and installed a computerized system to automatically create optimal growing conditions for lettuce. He used a mixture of coconut peat and rice husks, which retained water very well, as a soil alternative.

"People will always tell you that husks take too long to dry, but that seeming disadvantage was perfect for my needs. I save water, time and effort; it makes my farm environmentally sustainable. Moreover, my vegetables are free from soilborne diseases."

Mr. Tan began producing 1,500 kilos of top-grade lettuce every day. He was so successful that within his first year of cultivating different varieties of lettuce, Basic Necessity helped reduce importation by 50%. Because lettuce was now more readily available, prices dipped to P110/kilo, which delighted hotel and restaurant buyers. By the second year, Mr. Tan was not only able to significantly lessen imports but he worked to eliminate them entirely.

His groundbreaking success then would be the first of many. "After initially catering to the hotels, we started to get more clients in fine dining, such as Italianni’s and Cibo, who were encouraged to offer salads in their menus because lettuce was now much more affordable," Mr. Tan says. Basic Necessity developed a ’restaurant group’ to accommodate its growing number of clients. Mr. Tan also started teaching the secret of growing lettuce to small-scale farmers who worked in his back-up farms in Baguio.

With lettuce prices further dropping to P90 per kilo, Mr. Tan posited that salads could now be accessible to more consumers. When his ’restaurant group’ mushroomed, he decided to open up his market by developing salads for fastfood chains and convenience stores. Initially, this was a challenge as Filipinos are not traditional salad eaters, Mr. Tan notes.

"Surprisingly, the affordable salad items became bestsellers, maybe because people are more health-conscious now."

In true visionary fashion, Mr. Tan responded by expanding his product categories to include pre-packed salads for supermarkets, making them readily available to the public.

"These products are more expensive in terms of equipment investment but I felt that more and more consumers wanted to eat healthy meals but didn’t have the time to prepare them. So, the ready-to-eat salad was born."

With the success of its lettuce production and salad bags, Basic Necessity diversified into a number of pioneering products under the SaladTime brand. It introduced incubator-grown bean sprouts (togue), fresh peeled garlic, cherry tomatoes and pre-packed Filipino meals such as pinakbet, sinigang and chop suey. To this day, Basic Necessity continues to supply vegetables to upscale hotels and restaurants, the wholesale mecca of Divisoria and even markets as far south as Mindanao.

At present, Basic Necessity aims to further reinvent the vegetable production industry by moving towards specialty customers such as culinary schools and health clubs. Basic Necessity has four greenhouses which produce around 10,000 packs of culinary herbs. Having already explored the opportunities for special diets (e.g., South Beach, Atkins) and special scents for spas (e.g., lavender, rosemary), Mr. Tan is confident that his company can also supply customers with very specific vegetable needs, like fresh wheatgrass for example. He also plans to develop products such as enoki mushrooms, portobello sprouts and baby roquettes, which are not yet locally available.

Mr. Tan is proud of Basic Necessity’s seed-to-shelf coverage; that is, it grows, processes, sells and delivers its own products. Modern equipment such as vacuum coolers, automated vegetable washers and computerized packing machines ensure the freshness of its high-quality produce. Basic Necessity is the first agriculture-based company to receive the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Products (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications for its food safety processes.

The passion Mr. Tan has sown in his farm certainly paid off. In 2002, Mr. Tan received the Presidential Gawad Saka Farmer of the Year award for High-Value Commercial Crops (HVCC). He received The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for Agricultural and Food Technology in 2003 and the Honor Prestige Award from AIM in 2004.

In an industry where the weather can affect harvest volumes and prices, Mr. Tan remains undaunted. Growing up in Naga City has made him accept typhoons as a way of life, and he simply does his best to bounce back from each calamity.

"A lot of people don’t understand how it is to grow up in the Bicol region. There, we do not see typhoons as unusual problems; they’re regular occurrences. If there’s a typhoon today, we just clean up afterwards and prepare for the next one.

"Typhoon Milenyo was a devastating wipeout -- my market share dropped from 90% to an all-time low of 60% -- but we had to take it in stride. We just woke up at three the next morning, as usual, and started rebuilding the farm."

For Lyndon Tan, being successful is about facing challenges and keeping customers happy; it is having the strength and fortitude to weather any business storm.


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18014

Magpafranchise kasi sila... sa abroad! When the market in the Pinas saturated, they should consider expanding overseas.

Yung SM dapat i-transplant na sa ibang bansa hindi lang sa Tsina.

Yung SM dapat i-transplant na sa ibang bansa hindi lang sa Tsina.

True, sana magkaSM dito sa Vietnam. Hehehe

- wrong post-

^^ Singaporean owned po ang Gardenia.

True, sana magkaSM dito sa Vietnam. Hehehe

I'm wishing it happens. SM may be stingy with some of its policies but its a sturdy company that'll do big overseas.

^^ Singaporean owned po ang Gardenia.


Agree. Singaporean. Like Bread talk.

Balayong Bakery carts in SM Malls are definitely and purely local.

Like French baker. Owned by a Pinoy-Chinese.

Hindi naman masarap ang Bread Talk. Mas okay ang Le Coeur de France (Pinoy-Portuguese).

Hindi naman masarap ang Bread Talk. Mas okay ang Le Coeur de France (Pinoy-Portuguese).

Agree hindi masarap.

Yung Le Coeur di ba under ng Lorenzo Group yan of the Pancake, Dencio's and Teriyaki Boy fame?

^^ i forgot nabili na nga pala ng lorenzo group (pancake house) ang LDF and all of its intellectual property rights.

expanding sila ngayon sa vietnam (lorenzo group brands).

I'm wishing it happens. SM may be stingy with some of its policies but its a sturdy company that'll do big overseas.

I think papatok dito ang concept ng SM... patay lahat negosyo nila! bwahahahahaha


^^ i forgot nabili na nga pala ng lorenzo group (pancake house) ang LDF and all of its intellectual property rights.

expanding sila ngayon sa vietnam (lorenzo group brands).

Ohh.. ^^ which brands at para mapatronize ko dito...

^^ here...

Pancake House buys Le Coeur de France chain
Company plans launch in Vietnam

By Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:26:00 02/12/2008

Filed Under: Mergers - Acquisitions - Takeovers, Restaurants & catering, Company Information
Casual dining company Pancake House Inc. Monday said it had acquired the café bakery brand Le Coeur de France for roughly P105 million, strengthening its foray into the international market.

In an interview, Pancake House chairman Martin Lorenzo said the company planned to launch the French bread and bakery line in Vietnam, a former French colony, after the success of Pancake House’s expansion in Malaysia.

Pancake House said in a separate disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it had purchased 260,000 shares of Boulangerie Francaise Inc., representing 100 percent of Boulangerie’s issued and outstanding shares, for P30 million.

Pancake House International Inc., the company’s wholly owned vehicle for its international franchising business purchased the trademark “Le Coeur de France” and all its related intellectual property rights from trademark owner Baratow Limited for the US dollar equivalent of P53 million.

Pancake House also infused P22 million into Boulangerie to be used in settling a portion of the latter’s outstanding payables.

Le Coeur has a network of 13 café bakeries in the Philippines, mostly in shopping malls in Metro Manila.

It also supplies bread and bakery products to hotels, restaurants and airline caterers.

Pancake House plans to expand the outlets to up to 30 in the next 18 months. This expansion is expected to contribute P40 million to the company’s earnings.

With the acquisition of Le Coeur, the Pancake House Group will have 150 stores, generating sales of P3 billion this year, Lorenzo said. He added that, aside from Le Coeur, Pancake House would launch its Japanese restaurant Teriyaki Boy in Vietnam.

Pancake House plans to spend P50 million for the expansion of its brands in Vietnam.

In Malaysia, it will also spend P30-P40 million to put up four new Pancake House stores.

Pancake House recently penetrated untapped markets with new brands such as “Singkit,” its Chinese take-out and delivery service, and the newly opened “Pepper Steak” at Trinoma mall in Quezon City. It also owns bar and grill restaurant chain Dencio’s. Edited by INQUIRER.net

^^ Oh that is great news, but no timetables as to when the launch is going to happen hey? Chances are, mauuna ang Saigon nyan kesa dito sa Hanoi.. Sana ang Max's mag expand din dito..