Home-grown fresh and processed food products from the country’s 16 regions will be for sale in the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) upcoming Sikat Pinoy National Food Fair, showcasing regional specialties and delicacies occasionally available in Metro Manila.

“While food fairs have become quite a common place to look for home-grown products and best buys especially with the prevalence of weekend markets, the Sikat Pinoy National Food Fair will bring together more than 250 food entrepreneurs from the various regions of the country in one venue,” DTI Undersecretary Ponciano C. Manalo, Jr. said. 

With the tagline “Piling-piling pagkaing Pilipino”, the fair will be held at the SM Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City from 21 to 25 August 2013. The DTI in cooperation with its regional and provincial offices, and the Department of Agriculture (DA) is organizing this fair. 

Some of the products for sale are coffee from Benguet, unoy rice from Kalinga, empanada from Ilocos, longanisa from Vigan, Ivatan yellow rice from Batanes, sans rival from Pampanga, cashew nuts from Palawan, smoked fish from Cavite, suman sa lihiya from Oriental Mindoro, laing and pinangat from Albay, snack food from Iloilo, chicharon from Cebu, moron from Leyte, juices from Zamboanga, processed meat from Misamis Oriental, coco sugar from Davao del Sur, and tablea from Agusan del Sur.

The first day of the fair will be devoted to institutional buyers from hotels, resorts, and restaurants, as well as media outfits. The succeeding four days will be open to the public.

The fair will also hold free cooking demonstrations and training seminars. The cooking demonstrations will be hosted by the LJC Restaurant Group and Culinary Institute of Aristocrat (August 22), Ultima Entrepinoy and Pan Pacific (August 23), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (August 24); and Villa Salud Catering (August 25). The seminar topics include: basics of exporting (August 24), food handling and food additives (August 24), and business opportunities in meat processing and food cart business (August 25).

For more information on the fair, you may contact the DTI through the Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT) at 751.3223, or email at bdt@dti.gov.ph.  The BDT is at the ground floor of the Trade and Industry Building, 361 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City. You may also visit the fair’s website at www.sikatpinoyfairs.com, or “like” its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SikatPinoyFairs.

HR professionals, recruiters, recruitment providers and businessmen are invited to attend this year's HR summit which will be held on August 1-2 at Crowne Plaza Galleria.

Now on its 6th run, the theme is Talent Management to Sustain Growth. It will feature Mr. Peter Earnshow, Managing Director, Asia, Pacific and Japan at SilkRoad Technology, PMAP President, Ms. Grace Sorongon; PSTD President, Ms. Rita Bantigue; together with sought-after HR experts and speakers.

Topic highlights include Talent Management to Sustain Growth; The Future Work; Talentship and Sustainability – A New HR Program Paradigm; Identifying and Developing High Potentials; A Must: Coaching Program; WLP in Talent Management; Generating Employee Engagement Thru Exemplary Leadership; A Must: Wellness Programs for Life Balance; A Must: Pre-empting Discipline and Grievance; Developing Employee Personal Magnetism; Coaching for Results; Talent Development Strategies; Work Life Balance to Sustain Employee Engagement; Leadership Development and Succession Planning; Strategic HR Programs: Offensive or Defensive?; Executive Integration: Charting the Path to Success; Best HR Programs and Practices in Talent Management; and OD on Innovation and Creativity.

Among the mentioned topics above, I find 'WorkLife Balance to Balance Employee Engagement' interesting. For my own understanding, the topic will tackle best practices any employer could implement to have an employee stay and not think of transferring to another company or changing careers.

Topic highlights include Talent Management to Sustain Growth; The Future Work; Talentship and Sustainability – A New HR Program Paradigm; Identifying and Developing High Potentials; A Must: Coaching Program; WLP in Talent Management; Generating Employee Engagement Thru Exemplary Leadership; A Must: Wellness Programs for Life Balance; A Must: Pre-empting Discipline and Grievance; Developing Employee Personal Magnetism; Coaching for Results; Talent Development Strategies; Work Life Balance to Sustain Employee Engagement; Leadership Development and Succession Planning; Strategic HR Programs: Offensive or Defensive?; Executive Integration: Charting the Path to Success; Best HR Programs and Practices in Talent Management; and OD on Innovation and Creativity.

Sponsors for this event include the Philippine Daily Inquirer; The Job Market, Job Market Online, Pinoy Best Deals, Creativoices, Business Mirror, Dinsmor Promo, Megasardines, Resorts World, Agentsentral.com, Negosentro.com, techTV.ph, Citibank, Metrobank, HSBC,  Creativemax Advertising and Merchandising, Positive Steps, Galileo Enrichment Learning Program, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Sola Gracia Foundation, etc.  We are still accepting exhibitors and sponsors for this big event.  For inquiries, please call Randolf at 470 – 1055 -57

If you've ever thought about taking a vacation and exploring the Philippines, now would be the best time to turn that idea into a reality.

It doesn't matter if you want a quiet retreat or a thrilling adventure; whether you're planning your honeymoon or just going out with friends, there is no shortage of options in the upcoming 23^rd Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) this coming August 10 to 12 at the SMX convention Center in Pasay City.

 

Now bigger than ever, the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM)—the longest-running travel trade show in the country—is set to showcase the Philippines in the upcoming Sale ng Bayan. Featuring heritage and eco-adventure tours from all over the Philippines, the 23^rd PTM is the result of various familiarization and exploration trips that bring new tour products into the market every year.

 

The annual event is organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), in cooperation with the Department of Tourism. With almost 250 exhibitors presenting their tour products through colorful pavilions and booths, the Sale ng Bayan will also launch “Philippine Island Fun Caravan Getaways”—joint group tours that cover various locations from all over the Philippines. These 4-day to 8-day tours pool local,balikbayan, and foreign tourists together to avail of special packages that would have otherwise cost a lot of money if done individually. Featured tours include the Batanes-Cagayan Northern-scape, Cordilleras Cultural Weekend Warrior Caravan, Central Visayas Backdoor tour, and the Tuna-T'Boli trail, among others.

 

“It has always been our goal to outdo ourselves every year,” says PHILTOA President Cesar Cruz, who is also the chairman of the upcoming PTM. “Innovation is key. We've been working closely with tour operators and government agencies alike to offer newer, better products yearly.”

 

Like most trade shows, the PTM will still feature classic destinations such as Bohol, Boracay, Cebu and Palawan. Also not to be missed are the individual tour packages that have anywhere from 70 to 80% discounted prices, such as “Kulinarya” (Binondo food trip for as low as P648), “Health and Wellness” (Tagaytay Wellness trip for as low as P2900), “Festivals” (Panagbenga trip for as low as P5500), and many more. Aside from the endless array of tour products in the country's biggest gathering of tour operators, the PTM will also provide informative seminars for students dubbed as Byahe-info. Also scheduled is an Eco Chorale Competition, a Folk Dance Competition, and even a Tourism Quiz Bee—ensuring educational activities for everyone in attendance.

 

It's more fun in the Philippines!

 

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The Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Inc. is a non-stock and non-profit organization of tour operators and allied members actively involved in the advocacy of responsible tourism. The membership includes travel agencies, hotel, resorts, transportation companies, handicraft stores, and other tourism-oriented establishments and associations. For more information on the 23rd Philippine Travel Mart, visit <www.philtoa.org>.

During the upcoming Franchise Asia Philippines 2012 to be held at the SMX Convention Center from July 25-29, 2012, Generika Drugstore, the 2011 Most Promising Filipino Franchise awardee, will be offering Filipino entrepreneurs the opportunity to invest on a proven business model that guarantees excellent returns.

Generika Drugstore will be joining Asia's biggest franchise show to showcase the business advantages that it offers as an established and successful brand. With franchising as its main growth strategy, Generika Drugstore aims to establish a total of 400 outlets nationwide with a significant presence in the Visayas and Mindanao. This is in line with its vision to become the leading drugstore chain in the country.

Franchisees who sign up with Generika will have the assurance of an award-winning business model recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Franchising Association (PFA) when it was named the Most Promising Filipino Franchise in 2011. The award was based on a set of carefully criteria, including the franchise concept, sales and marketing, franchise operating system, corporate social responsibility, ethical practices and reputation, growth and financial performance, and profitability.

Those who are interested in becoming part of the Generika family may visit its booth at the franchising expo, visit www.generika.com.ph, or call the dedicated franchising desk at 828-1818 loc 106 for more information.

Generika Drugstore was founded in September 2003 to educate Filipinos about generic brand drugs and to provide them with quality affordable generic medicines as an alternative to higher cost branded drugs. In 2011, Generika Drugstore was named as the Most Promising Filipino Franchise by the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) and the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). In 2009, Generika Drugstore was awarded with the Quality Seal Award by the Bureau of Food & Drugs (BFAD); and in 2008, Generika Drugstore was proclaimed the national winner in the drugstore chain category by the Drugstore Association of the Philippines (DSAP). There are 300 Generika Drugstore locations nationwide.