NEWSLINE BIZBEAT SME PROFILE DeNNIs ChAN LeADeRs IN ...

A Plantersbank publication for Entrepreneurs
newsline
Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting visits
Visayas for Iloilo entrepreneur summit.
bizbeat
Nine steps to making your dream
business a reality.
sme profile
The Atendido family of RFA Furniture
and Interiors—makers of homes
and world-class furnishings.
vol06 ISSUE05 october2011
Dennis Chan
President of Famous Secret Precision Machining Inc.
Leaders in Excellence
Entrepreneurs who inspire and motivate Filipinos
to seize opportunities in the global market.

publisher’s
message
take the lead
Whenever you travel
by plane or car, or perhaps find
yourself enjoying an amazingly
comfy lounge chair in an exclusive
resort, would it ever occur that
parts of both airliner and car and
the luxurious furnishings are
entirely made in the Philippines?
As a bank that supports
SMEs and nation building, our
magazine’s takes pride in throwing
the spotlight on Filipino-owned
companies whose products are
respected for world-standard
quality and workmanship. We are
truly honoured to share the stories
of two Plantersbank clients in this
issue.
Famous Secret, the Cavitebased
machining company led
by Dennis Chan, is the producer
of parts for Toyota and Honda
cars and motorcycles, Boeing and
Airbus commercial jet aircraft as
well as RV12 kit planes for Moog.
Now, their ‘secret’ is out on the
cover story.
In SME Profile, we feature
RFA Furniture. Owned by the
Atendido family, RFA Furniture is
considered the ‘secret weapon’ of
well-known architects and interior
designers. The finest creations by
RFA Furniture and Interior have
graced the pages of interior design
magazines, and offer luxurious
comfort in the five-star resorts and
the homes of the rich and famous.
We hope the success stories of
Dennis Chan and the Atendidos
challenge established SME owners
to do better whilst inspiring more
Filipinos to aspire for financial
independence and a better life
through entrepreneurship.
Whether you’re running a
start-up from your kitchen table
or expanding operations to a new
city, this issue offers a wide range
of articles to help entrepreneurs
expand capacities and options in
various aspects of business. We
take our readers on a trip to Bataan
where client Montemar Resort is
transforming itself into a showcase
for the conservation of natural
habitats and marine species.
Philippine franchising guru Butz
Bartolome outlines steps to a
flourishing franchise. Marketing
management consultant Herbie
Sancianco and productivity coach
Kimberly McCloskey share their
insights about the process of getting
customers excited. Sales trainer
Adrian Miller offers pointers
on how to get to “yes” through
perseverance, and life coach
Francis J. Kong gives definitive
views about ethics in business.
With this line-up of in-depth
features, management tips and
reviews, we hope our readers will
boldly take on the challenge of
building their companies anchored
on a vision, their brands around
global standards of excellence and
their mission on values that are
truly our own.
Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting
Chairman and CEO
Planters Development Bank
1

staffbox
Q&A
Q: Why should companies invest
in education as part of their
corporate social responsibility?
A: We hire based on inherent skills and potential to
learn more. We invest in training our manpower so the
quality of our management also improves. I believe that
entrepreneurs must not centralize decisions to themselves
because a company can become bigger and better once the
entrepreneur masters the use of talent to make his enterprise
grow. — pedro tomas , Versatrunk Philippines
A: Companies, big or small, should invest in education
as a way to give back to the communities where they do
business and to address the countrys problem on illiteracy.
— Zonito tamase , Golden Style Cafe, SM Centerpoint
publisher
Planters Development Bank
editorial adviser
Consuelo V. Dantes
Editor-in-chief
Bobby F. Banaag
Executive editor
Olive B. Ramirez
managing editor
Dennis P. Liuag
Associate editor
Therese M. Gutierrez
circulation manager
Bryan C. Rilloraza
editorial staff
Joy G. dela Cruz
Abi Abear
Eman Cruz
Publishing agent
Quatro Grafix, Inc.
Project manager
Estelle Custodio-Piencenaves
Design and layout
Victor Garcia
WRITE TO US!
Q: When business is good, how do you give back
to the community?
Send us your answer to this question through email address:
info@plantersbank.com.ph before November 4. Chosen
answers will be published in the next issue of SME magazine
and lucky winners will each get a prize.
get in touch with us
Corporate Communications
Department
12/F Plantersbank Building
314 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
1200 Makati City, Philippines
Tels: (632) 8847600 (Trunkline)
8847654 (direct line)
Email:
info@plantersbank.com.ph
Website:
www.plantersbank.com.ph
2

contents
18
Cover Story
The Big Reveal
b y k a r l r. d e m e s a
04
06
08
newsline
Plantersbank chairman addresses
Iloilo business summit
bizbeat
9 steps to your dream business
by a r m a n d o “b u t z” ba r to lo m e
sme focus
ta x at i o n
Taxation of separation
benefits
b y se n e n q u i z o n
m ar k e t i n g
Customers deserve wow
b y h e r b e r t m. s a n c ia n c o
s a l e s t r a i n i n g
Winning the war against
tire-kickers
b y a d r ia n m i l le r
17
23
c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e
Memorable encounters
every time!
b y k i m b er ly j. mcc l o s k e y
w e a l t h m a n a g e m e n t
Gearing up for an
emergency
b y r a n d e l l t i o n g s o n
m a n p ow er
The solution is to create
more jobs
b y s c h u b e r t c a e s a r c. a u s t e r o
save mother earth
Saving energy in the kitchen
sme profile
Nest creators
by k r is t i n e g o n z a l e z
t e c h n o l o g y
Online classified ads
b y r iz p u l u m b a r i t
inspiration
Ethics is never easy
b y f r a n c i s k o n g
26
28
29
lifestyle
The charms of Montemar
by k r is t i n e g o n z a l e z
healthwatch
Exercises for small spaces
by r u s s e l l e u s ta q u i o
revieW
b o o k
How the mighty have
fallen and how the
mightier survived
b y j o e l pa b l o s a l u d
t e c h
Perfect presentations
b y k c c alp o
3

newsline
Iloilo business community
gives warm welcome
to Ambassador Jesus P.
Tambunting during the Iloilo
Summit.
Plantersbank to host 2012 APEC
Conference on SME Financing.
Plantersbank supports green
technology.
plantersbank chairman addressEs
Iloilo Business summit
Ambassador Tambunting (left) is
presented a token of appreciation by Iloilo
City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog on behalf
of summit organizers.
Plantersbank’s greatest challenge
is to stay aligned with the evolving
needs of the country’s Small and
Medium Enterprises, Plantersbank
chairman and CEO Ambassador
Jesus P. Tambunting said during
his well-received address on SME
financing to the delegates of the 1st
Iloilo City Business Summit.
A mbassador Tambunt i ng
cited the continuous growth of
Iloilo’s 70,000 registered SMEs has
resulted in higher contribution to
the national economy. He noted
that the country’s SME sector has
generated some 6.5 million direct
and indirect jobs, over P20 billion
in domestic sales of products and
services, and US$18 billion in
export revenues.
“Plantersbank has been very
much a part of Iloilo’s economic
progress since October 1997,”
Ambassador Tambunting said. “We
have served the financing needs of
your SMEs, many of whom have
grown with us and even during
difficult times.”
The Iloilo summit themed:
Innovative and Sustainable
Development for Growth was
also addressed by: Metro Pacific
Investments chairman Manuel V.
Pangilinan, Phinma Corporation
chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr.,
Lamoiyan Corporation president
and CEO Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro,
CIBI Information executive vice
president Jonathan De Luzurriaga,
and Iloilo Economic Development
Foundation president Narzalina Z.
Lim.
First Davao Investment
Confab receives
Plantersbank support
Davao City recently concluded its
first Investment Conference (iCon)
and trade exhibit organized by
the Davao Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Department
of Trade and Industry to promote
the city as a strategic export
gateway and investment platform
in southern Philippines.
The conference held in August
drew over 200 entrepreneurs,
investors and local officials for
two-days of discussions covering
challenges and opportunities in
franchising, export production,
business finance, tourism, halal
business and entrepreneurship
in this part of the country.
Plantersbank was one of the
sponsors and exhibitors at the
Marco Polo Davao Hotel.
Plantersbank Mindanao
Lending Department head VP
Gerardo V. Munda was resource
speaker at the well-attended session
on business financing. During his
presentation, VP Munda reiterated
Plantersbank’s commitment to the
development of the region in its role
as “partner” of the SMEs, especially
in the agribusiness sector.
In a show of synergy in action,
the joint sales team from SME
Banking and Branch Banking
Groups joined the exhibit to
promote the Bank’s customized
products and services for SMEs.
4

Green anti-erosion
technology gets ‘thumbs up’
from Plantersbank
Plantersbank recently granted
a P10 million credit line facility
to Coco Technology Corporation
(Cocotech). The loan facility
will support working capital
requirements for the production
of coco fiber geo-textile nets for
erosion control and slope protection
along the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La
Union Expressway (TIPLEX).
Cocotech is the country’s
foremost company that specializes
in bio-engineering construction.
The company uses coconut fiber
in the manufacture of geo-textile
nets used in slope protection, river
and shoreline rehabilitation and
erosion protection. The company
also promotes sustainable living by
providing livelihood opportunities
to some 500 families of low-income
coconut farmers in various areas
in the Bicol Region who do the
twining and weaving of waste
coconut fibers.
This project is aligned with
Plantersbank’s thrust to encourage
commercial growth of sustainable
tec h nolog ies a nd suppor t
integration of rural producers into
the economic mainstream.
Supporting green
technology.
Plantersbank
chairman
Ambassador Jesus
P. Tambunting
(third from left) and
Cocotech president
Dr. Justino
Arboleda (second
from left) shakes
hand formalizing
the agreement.
Witnesses are Mr.
Washington Sycip,
founding chairman
of SGV & Co. and
honorary chairman
of Philippine
Business for the
Environment,
and Plantersbank
president Fe
Miranda T. Aruta.
Plantersbank to host 2012 APEC Conference on SME Financing
Plantersbank has the honor of
hosting the 9th Annual Meeting
and Conference of the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Financial Institutions Dealing With
SMEs (APECFinancingSMEs) in
July 2012.
Witnessed by top executives
representing 13 SME financing
institutions from 11 Asia-Pacific
countries, the turnover took on
added significance, considering the
cultural and historical ties between
the Philippines and Mexico dating
back to the nao de China or Manila-
Acapulco galleon trade.
The official handover was made
last July at the start of the threeday
conference in Nueva Vallarta
in Mexico. Plantersbank first vice
president and head of Corporate
Communications Roberto F.
Banaag (front row, 4th from left)
received the appointment on behalf
of Plantersbank and the Philippines
from Mexico’s Nacional Financiera
(NAFINSA) development bank
CEO Hector Rangel Domene (front
row, 8th from left).
Other institutions present were
the China Development Bank, Bank
of China (Hong Kong) Ltd., Japan
Finance Corporation, Industrial
Bank of Korea, the Association of
Banks in Malaysia, NAFINSA of
Mexico, the Association of Banks
in Singapore, Taiwan Cooperative
Bank, SME Development Bank
of Thailand and the Vietnam
Joint Stock Commercial Bank for
Industry and Trade.
Lucena SMEs pack Plantersbank Seminar
Planters Development Bank received an
overwhelming welcome in Lucena city during the
Work on Wheels (WOW) SME Caravan project
sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry
and the SME Development Council of Quezon
province.
The event, which marked the nationwide
celebration of SME Development Month, drew scores
of business people, traders and aspiring entrepreneurs
from this city and nearby Quezon towns.
Some 300 guests crowded the SM Lucena
Activity Center to hear Plantersbank FVP Adonis C.
Yap’s seminar on Credit Sourcing and Management.
The large turnout attests to the growing recognition
of entrepreneurship as the path to financial
independence and wealth.
5

BIZBEAT
Cut down your business risks by choosing the franchise business that fits you.
9 Steps
to your dream
business
by a r m a n d o “b u t z” ba r to lo m e
© Kts | Dreamstime.com
6

With the wide array of franchise
opportunities available in the
market, it can be confusing to find
one that is right for you. Those
who are not thorough in their
search can easily fall victim to
unscrupulous conmen out to make
a fast buck. Of course, majority are
legitimate enterprises that could
be your ticket to success. Here are
some tips to guide you in choosing
a franchise.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Take time to carefully evaluate
yourself before you even consider
franchising. Know your goals and
what type of business you prefer
so you can determine if a franchise
opportunity has the components
you want. It is important that you
have a clear picture of what the
future will be like for you as a
business owner.
GO WITH SOMETHING YOU KNOW AND LIKE
Remember, this business is
something you are going to commit
to, spend money on and do on a
daily basis. Take stock of your
interests, hobbies, passions, as
this is a good way to know what
you will enjoy doing. Corny as it
sounds, there is truth to the saying
“Do what you love and you won’t
have to work a day in your life.”
KNOW YOUR BUDGET
Compare how much you have and
how much it would require putting
up your dream business. Pick
a venture that would still leave
you with a decent bank balance.
Surprisingly, there are a lot of
promising ventures you can get
into with just P500,000.
KNOW YOURSELF
Consider your strengths and
weaknesses and how these will
affect your potential franchise.
Does your body clock coincide with
the store hours? Are you willing
to be on call at any time? How are
your problem solving skills? How
patient are you? Also, clarify your
goals for getting into business. Is
it for the money, prestige or the
experience? What are you willing
to do to achieve your goals? How
long are you willing to wait?
Answering these questions can
help you streamline your choices
and simplify your task.
INVESTIGATE
Get to know the company. Learn
all you can about your prospective
business by calling the company,
visiting their website and meeting
with them. Know how long the
company has been in franchising
and how many branches they have
to get an idea of your chance for
prime locations and rate of return.
MEET THE FRANCHISER
Aside from meeting with franchise
personnel of the company, be sure
to get to know those people you will
be working most closely with as you
build your business. The president
of the company is most likely an
impressive person, but he’s not the
one who will be answering your
call when you have a problem.
Find out who will be providing the
operational support and training
directly to you and form an opinion
about their competence. Make sure
that any remaining questions or
issues you may have are addressed
at this meeting.
TALK TO FRANCHISEES
The most valuable source of
information on any franchise
system is the existing franchisees.
The truth is, the prevailing attitude
and concerns of the existing
franchisees will almost certainly
be your attitude and concerns if
you decide to become a franchisee.
Visit a sufficient number of the
existing franchisees to ensure
you have a sense of the prevailing
attitudes of the group.
While you want to note that
© Jooooooooo | Dreamstime.com
majority of franchisees are happy
and supportive of the franchiser,
it would also be a plus to talk to
an unhappy franchisee during
your investigation. Listen to the
complaints but also try to determine
what makes this franchisee
unhappy. If you find you can identify
yourself with the positive ones and
feel that the negative franchisee is
not at all like you, then you should
be fine. However, if you find that
you are more like the person who
is unhappy, this is probably not the
right franchise for you.
CONSULT EXPERTS
If you are new to franchising, don’t
attempt to go through it by yourself.
Even with your business acumen,
there are bound to be a few things
you might overlook which may
cost you in the long run. There are
people who can guide you through
the franchising process and help
you review and discuss unfamiliar
topics or material.
MAKE YOUR DECISION
Now that you’ve finished your
investigation and have all the
information you need, it is time to
determine if this franchise is right
for you. It either is or isn’t, and you’ll
know which it is. In either case, it is
time to make a decision and move
on. If this company has everything
you wanted, go for it. If it doesn’t,
eliminate it and go to the next one.
Don’t settle for anything less.
Butz Bartolome’s recent book “IS FRANCHISING
FOR YOU?” presents a step-by-step guide. The
176-page hard copy may be purchased at www.
franmarketing.multiply.com. It is also available on
kindle e-book format and can be downloaded in
your tablet via amazon.com.
7

smefocus
taxation
Before parting ways, know the
rules on separation benefits.
customer service
Four easy ways to make your
business encounters positive
and memorable.
marketing
A customer service-centered
philosophy in the company
leads to loyal customers
wealth management
Prepare for unexpected
disasters by setting up your
emergency fund.
sales training
Sales tips to win over
indecisive buyers.
manpower
Know the Security of Tenure
Bill and its implications on
small businesses.
technology
The story behind Sulit.com.ph, one of the
biggest names in Philippine internet.
inspiration
Being ethical in business is hard
but it can be done!
Taxation of separation benefits
by sen en q u i z o n
© Vladek | Dreamstime.com
8

© Sengerg | Dreamstime.com
There are two new developments
on taxation of separation benefits
that could have significant impact
on the amount of separation pay
that employees are entitled to upon
their separation from service, and
on the withholding tax obligations
of employers as withholding
agents.
Under RMO 26-2011 (June
13, 2011), the Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR) has relaxed the procedure
for securing confirmation
of tax exemption of separation benefits
received by employees who
are separated from the service on
account of death, sickness or physical
disability.
RMO 26-2011 passes on to the
Revenue Regions the responsibility
for processing requests for confirmation
of tax exemption of separation
benefits due to death, sickness
or physical disability; this used to
be handled by the BIR National
Office. In order to further facilitate
the processing of requests for tax
exemption of separation benefits,
the BIR now only requires a certificate
of tax exemption, instead of
confirmatory ruling.
However, with respect to separation
benefits received by employees
for other causes “beyond
the control” of the official or employee,
such as separation due to
reorganization, restructuring, and
others, which are likewise treated
as income tax exempt pursuant to
Section 32(B)(6)(b) of the Tax Code,
the BIR still requires that a confirmatory
ruling be secured and that
the Law Division - BIR National
handle it.
In another development, the
BIR has now taken the position
that payment of monetized unused
sick and vacation leave credits as
a result of involuntary separation
(i.e., separation due to health, sickness
or physical disability and for
other causes beyond the control of
the employee) shall only be exempt
to the extent of 10 days for vacation
leaves, while all monetized
sick leave credits will be taxable
[BIR Ruling No. 199-2011 (June 29,
2011)].
This is a departure from its previous
rulings [e.g., BIR Ruling No.
SB-(004) 024-09], which provide
that terminal pay -- i.e., commutation
and payment of unused sick
leave and vacation leave credits,
which form part of the tax-exempt
separation pay, is not subject to
income tax and consequently to
withholding tax regardless of the
number of monetized sick and
vacation leaves. As in previous
rulings, the BIR still, however,
maintains that the salaries, 13th
month pay, and other renumeration
received by the employee
for services rendered while still
under employ shall be subjected to
income tax and, consequently, to
withholding tax.
Both employers and employees
should be made aware of these
developments to ensure that they
understand the tax consequence
of separation pay/benefits and to
avoid conflict. These developments
are also important in helping employers
comply properly with their
withholding tax responsibilities as
withholding agents, and employees
in ensuring that they benefit from
the relaxed procedures adopted by
the BIR in securing confirmation
of tax exemption of the separation
they receive due to death, sickness
or physical disability.
The author is a Senior Manager with the Tax
Advisory & Compliance Division of Punongbayan
& Araullo. Comments or questions may be sent to
Senen.Quizon@ph.gt.com.
9

sme focus
marketing
Herbert M. Sancianco has over 20 years of
experience in advertising, marketing and sales
operations. He owns and manages Market Bridges,
Phils. Inc., a full marketing services company, with
offices at 11-0 Burgundy Corporate Plaza, 252 Sen.
Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City. The author can be
reached at mbpidmbc@i-manila.com.ph or at Tel:
(63-2) 886-4122 to 23.
Customers Deserve Wow
by h er b er t m. s a n c ia n c o
Winning over and retaining
customers pose the greatest
challenge for SMEs. Seasoned
marketers know that it costs a
business more money to persuade
people to try a new brand or product
than to keep their customers
coming back for more.
But, before you even start
creating that experience, look into
your company’s values statement.
Is it written for a customer
service-centered philosophy and
proposition? If not, a review is in
order.
A customer service-centered
values statement creates the
company’s culture where a positive
attitude and a great service
behavior are communicated to
its target market, shareholders,
suppliers and most of all among
employees – management and
baseline staff. Productivity,
performance and profitability
are strong end results for such
company.
Points of Contact
Make a list of your customer contact
points— before, during and after a
business encounter.
A typical diagram looks
something like this:
Each contact point could be the
start of a great customer moment
or a horrific experience. The staff
assigned to each of these points
should be well trained to handle
the tasks that are endemic to each
customer encounter.
Start the customer encounter
with a cheerful greeting such as
“How are you today?” or “How may
I serve you today?” Many company
front-liners and backroom staff
fail to observe this basic ethic
when there isn’t a formal customer
service program in place. And
often, the result is a lost opportunity
to close a sale or offer their services
to customers.
What about the company
website? Apart from being
informative and an attractive sales
builder, websites must be userfriendly.
The build-up then involves
the customer service process from
each starting point as each element
in the process has a customer
engagement condition.
Company employees need
to appreciate that if any one or
several steps in the process fail to
create a happy or even satisfying
experience, the rest of the steps
shall in all likelihood hinder a
successful sales transaction.
Few customers would bother
to complain about a product or
service. The majority of unhappy
customers simply vote with their
feet. They walk out the door and
never return, often to the benefit of
the competition.
If you haven’t created a formal
customer service program for your
company, it is high time you did.
In a retail store
environment, a typical
customer will go through
this process.
store entry
selling area
browsing
merchandising
selection
product
pick-up
purchase
payment
store exit
In a hotel environment,
there are more steps
involved.
driveway
arrival
hotel entry
front desk
check-in and
processing
walk to
assigned
room
dining area
visit
visit to other
facilities
front desk
check-out and
processing
hotel exit
Your business might be losing
money despite a good brand image
or a terrific sales location, among
several positive points of the
business paradigm.
MABUHAY ANG NEGOSYANTE!
10

Based in New York, Adrian Miller is the president of
Adrian Miller Direct Marketing, a sales training and
consulting company that provides customized,
results-driven training programs to companies
worldwide. AMDM’s programs focus on the
techniques and skills needed for building new
business and retaining existing business, resulting
in increased ‘ROA’ (Return on attention). She can be
reached at amiller@adrianmiller.com.
sme focus
sales training
Winning the War Against Tire-kickers
by a d r ia n m i ller
You know exactly what I mean. The
symptoms:
• I’m going to do it but I’ve been
so busy.
• Can you give more
information? (This after
explaining the product or
service ad nauseum)
• I forgot. How do I (fill in
whatever it is they say they
are going to do)?
And on and on.
Anyone who has been in business
more than 30 days has probably
experienced this “tire-kicker”
syndrome. It can be frustrating and
even a bit infuriating.
What causes this phenomenon?
1. Inertia (the most powerful
obstacle any salesperson will
face)
2. The philosophy that “the devil I
know is preferable to the devil I
don’t (translated into fear of the
unknown)
3. There was no “real” intent to
move forward.
So how can you win the war
against tire-kickers? While there is
no hard and fast answer there are a
few simple things that can help you
to overcome the problem:
• Be persistent. You can’t lose
what you don’t have so don’t
give up. Be tenacious and
stay on the grid.
• Determine if you really
WANT this business and if
not, move on. (Actually, you
should have done this right at
the beginning)
• Don’t forget to continue to
present value and benefits.
The tire-kicker needs to keep
hearing about the “improvements”
that will be made in
their situation if they avail
themselves of your product or
service.
© Martinmark | Dreamstime.com
Most importantly, make certain
that you have enough prospects
in your sales funnel so that one or
two tire-kickers won’t destroy your
sales numbers. You can’t avoid
them but you can make certain
that they have as little impact as
possible.
11

sme focus
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Memorable Encounters Every Time!
by k i m b e r ly j. mcc l o s k e y
Think about how many people you
come into contact with on a daily
basis.
Now think about how many of
them will remember you later in a
favorable light. A few? Lots? All?
This may be something you don’t
think about often, but wouldn’t you
like for everyone you encounter
every single day to have positive
thoughts about you later? I sure
do! For those of us in business our
interactions with people can lead to
good or bad publicity, so remember
these four simple steps to make
each encounter an enjoyable one.
Smile!
When we meet someone for the
first time or the fiftieth time,
smile. A smile conveys that we’re
happy to see them. A smile is an
unspoken form of encouragement
(which we all crave) and smiles are
contagious. They help people relax
from whatever stresses they might
be experiencing, at least for a few
moments, and that by itself will
make you memorable.
Learn a person’s name and remember it
Our names are valuable and unique
to each of us, so it stands to reason
it makes people feel important
when we address them by name,
whether it’s from memory or just
reading it from their name badge.
Don’t mispronounce a person’s
name because on some level they
will take it as a personal insult.
Ask them to repeat it (or spell it) if
it’s unusual. The more difficult the
name is, the more reason we should
say it correctly.
Compliment people
Be sincere and make a positive
statement about something they
are wearing or working on or
proud of or interested in. It makes
people smile and feel good about
themselves. Doing this also shows
that you have taken notice of them
and are interested in them and this
too makes people feel important.
Listen
Paying attention to someone as
they speak is akin to giving them
a high compliment. It says we are
interested in them and what they
are saying. Ask questions that they
will enjoy answering. If we show a
genuine interest in a person they
will automatically like us on some
level.
© Wavebreakmediamicro | Dreamstime.com Article Source: CSM magazine.
http://www.customerservicemanager.com
12

Randell Tiongson is an advocate of Life & Personal
Finance. He is a Director of the Registered Financial
Planner Institute (Phils.) and has over 20 years
experience in the financial services industry.
For questions, write to randell@randelltiongson.
com. To read his personal finance blogs, visit
http://www.randelltiongson.com/.
sme focus
wealth management
Gearing Up for an Emergency
Here’s one of the most fundamental objectives one should prioritize -
setting up an emergency fund.
by r a n d e l l t i o n g s o n
It is foolish to think that we will
never undergo an emergency in life
and most of the time emergencies
cost a lot of money. In my seminar
Steps to Financial Peace, I talked
about setting up an emergency
fund as the 3rd step to achieving
financial security.
Before starting an emergency
fund, it is best if you know how
much you actually spend in a
month. Many people I know are
clueless as to how much they spend
monthly.
If you already have a monthly
figure, you are now ready to start
building your emergency fund.
The rule of thumb for emergency
allocation is somewhere between
3 to 6 months of your monthly
expenses. 3 months is good, 4
months is better, 5 months will be
great and 6 months is excellent.
Emergency funds come in handy
for a variety of reasons: medical
emergencies, loss of employment
and so forth. You should also be
sensible in determining what an
emergency is and what it is not. A
42” flat LED TV that is on Sale is
definitely not an emergency.
Here are 3 good reasons Why should you
set up an emergency fund? :
1) Emergencies do happen: It is
foolish to think that emergencies
will not happen to you. Things
do come up that you have not
planned for and you’re going to
have to provide for them.
2) Relieves stress: Having an
emergency fund has an added
bonus — peace of mind! You
will feel relieved because you
no longer have to worry about
most small emergencies. Once
you get your larger emergency
fund saved, you won’t have to
worry about paying for most
large ones either.
3) Risk reduction: You are less
likely to go into debt because
you are able to plan ahead.
Starting an emergency fund
is not easy but this is definitely
something we should prioritize.
Dave Ramsey suggests we do it by
‘baby steps’. Do it in stages like 1
week worth of expenses first, and
then move to 2 weeks, to 3 weeks
and so forth. Keep a piggy bank or
an envelope where you can place
your emergency fund. My wife and
I have this big transparent piggy
bank. Once the amount reaches
P3,000 to P5,000, we transfer it to
our savings account/emergency
fund. We take baby steps too.
Here are some tips:
1) Keep your emergency fund in
cash or near cash placements
like savings, current, time
deposits or Special Deposit
Accounts (SDA). Do not invest
your emergency funds yet
as those are intended to be
a buffer or a margin for your
finances. Make sure that the
deposits can be withdrawn
quickly and without huge
penalties.
2) Keep some of those funds in
an ATM account, say 2 weeks’
worth. Emergencies do not
necessarily occur during
banking hours.
3) Once you have achieved an
ideal 6 months emergency
buffer, start investing in better
yielding instruments like
marked to market funds (UITF,
Mutual Funds) because said
instruments should perform
better in the long run. If you
keep all your money in low
yielding deposits, its value will
ultimately erode because of
inflation.
Gear up for an emergency
because it is the wise thing to do.
© Armaggesin | Dreamstime.com
13

sme focus
manpower
Schubert Caesar C. Austero is the 2011 President of the Peoples
Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP). He is also
human resource management practitioner, an academician, a writer;
and a social development activist. He is also an Organizational
Behavior professor of the Human Resource Management Program
at the School of Management and Information Technology of De La
Salle-College of St. Benilde, and continues to run special programs
for HRM managers . Twice weekly, he writes an op-ed column for the
Manila Standard Today (Are We There Yet?). You can reach him via
email: pmap@pmap.org.ph.
The solution is to create more jobs
The Committee on Labor and
Employment of the House of
Representatives submitted for
plenary discussion last June 2011,
House Bill 4853, otherwise known
as the Security of Tenure bill.
If the measure gets passed
and becomes a law, the number of
subcontracted employees for every
business will be limited to only 20
percent of its total workforce, and if
it exceeds 30 percent, the company
will be charged with violation. The
20 percent cap on subcontracted
employees includes security,
messenger, and janitorial services.
Businesses such as banks and
pawnshops with 50 percent of total
manpower complement comprised
of security guards, and small
franchise businesses will be hard
hit. In effect, expansion of business
and creating more employment
will become prohibitive and almost
illegal in this country.
A nd, think about the
implication of the proposed 30
percent cap on probationary
employees to the thousands of
franchised businesses that employ
two to three employees per outlet.
If a stand-alone snack bar requires
three employees to operate, the 30
percent cap would mean they could
only hire one additional person
every six months.
Protecting the welfare of
employees is a responsibility that
everyone in this country must share.
Security of tenure must be assured.
But there are ways to do this without
necessarily endangering the
viability of business. The provisions
of HB 4853, simply put, will stifle
employment and slow down
expansion at a time when far too
many of our countrymen need jobs.
The central issue is employment
because if there are more than
enough jobs and people can afford
to pick one job over another, we
will not be even talking about these
things. The solution, therefore,
is to produce more employment
opportunities and to nurture an
industrial relations ecosystem
that creates jobs and more jobs. In
such a scenario, HB 4853 would be
completely irrelevant.
Given that an exhaustive
review of all Asian industrial
relations systems is too big a scope,
we focus on representative systems.
Kuruvilla and Venkitaratnam
© Adamgregor | Dreamstime.com
(1996) argue that industrial relations
systems in Asia are typified by
six distinct stylized models: The
Japanese flexible workplace
model, the tripartite Singapore
model, the state-employer
dominated model (Malaysia
and Indonesia), the pluralist
decentralized and fragmented
industrial relations model (the
Philippines), the politicized multiunion
model (India and the rest
of South Asia), and the transitory
model (a catch-all category that
includes South Korea, Taiwan,
China, and Vietnam). Note that the
transitory model takes into account
transitions from authoritarian rule
to democracy (South Korea and
Taiwan) as well as from closed to
more open economies (China and
Vietnam) during the last decades.
14

sme focus
Technology
Online classified ads
by r iz p u lu m bar i t
Some five years ago, freelance web
developers RJ David and future
wife Arianne had a dream: to make
it big in the worldwide web. Ironically,
RJ and Arianne, who build
web sites for others, cannot seem
to build a web site for themselves—
they had no idea what website to
put up. They neither knew which
market to target nor what product
to sell.
Arianne then came up with
a simple but bright idea: why not
build a classified ads website
where you can advertise anything
for free, 24/7? On September 11,
2006, RJ and Arianne quietly
launched what would soon be
the biggest name in Philippine
internet: Sulit.com.ph.
Number One Website
Based on Alexa.com, a leading web
traffic ranking site, Sulit averages
4 million views everyday, making
it the top Philippine website.
It ranks ninth overall if you
count foreign sites like Facebook
and Google. Sulit, meaning “worth
it” in Filipino, even beat media
giants like abs-cbnnews.com and
inquirer.net. What started out as
an experiment is now a byword in
the Philippine internet scene.
Why they’re on top
The couple attribute Sulit’s
popularity to a number of things:
Passion. “We a re ver y
passionate with what we do.” It
shows: users always have a very
satisfying experience every time
they log on.
Constant innovation. “We
introduce innovations for the
ever-evolving needs of our users.
It’s in Sulit’s DNA to continuously
improve the website.”
A results-oriented product.
“Sulit delivers results to all our
users: both buyers and sellers.”
The website is one big marketplace
where anyone can buy and sell
anything for free — from big-ticket
items like cars, houses and condos,
to the very interesting like designer
bags, pets and gadgets.
Sulit is a great equalizer.
“Mom-and-pop businesses can
now compete with the big boys.
Millions of potential customers can
view your ad. Sulit lowers the cost
of doing business-- no more huge
marketing budgets or business
space. All you need is a computer
and an internet connection.
Sulit Innovations
Virtual currency. Usually used in
online gaming, you can purchase
premium services like more
prominent paid ads with this.
Transition to Mobile Apps. As
mobile internet access increase,
users may also browse Sulit using
cell phones.
Advice to E-commerce upstarts
For those who want to venture into
e-business, Mr. David has some
sound advice:
Adapt quickly to the market.
The internet is a fast-paced industry.
What you know now will be
obsolete in 3 to 6 months. Those
who can’t adapt quickly to the ever-changing
landscape will surely
stagnate and die.
Use existing platforms like
Sulit. Focus on selling and dealing
with customers. Let Sulit worry
about the technicalities of site
maintenance.
fast facts
Years on the web @@@@@ 5
Staff (Team members) 45
Number of hits per day
4 million
Average age of users
18-34 years old
Registered Members
48% male, 52% female
Group of users
2 (buyers and sellers)
Most popular categories
cars, gadgets, clothes
and accessories, real estate
Sold items posted in Sulit 40%
15

sme focus
inspiration
An international speaker, trainer and consultant,
Francis J. Kong has been featured in many
major business conventions and conferences
both here and abroad. He trains under Maximum
Impact of Atlanta Georgia as well as the
Ziglar World Training Company in London. He
is a broadcaster, columnist and author, with 11
books under his name.
From the book: DUH?!! Why do intelligent people
Develop Unhealthy Habits? How to get out of it and WIN!
ETHICS IS NEVER EASY
by f r a n c i s k o n g
Here’s some courtroom drama.
The judge was visibly upset.
“Now let’s be honest, and let’s be
ethical,” the judge said in a tone
that was not exactly very friendly,
leaving the two lawyers nervous.
Taking his seat in his chambers,
the judge faced the opposing
lawyers. “So”, he said, “I have been
presented, by both of you, with
a bribe.” Both lawyers squirmed
uncomfortably. “You, Attorney
Soriano, gave me P150,000. And
you, Attorney Santos gave me
P100,000.”
The judge reached into his
pocket and pulled out a check. He
handed it to Atty. Soriano. “Now
then let’s be ethical, I’m returning
P50,000, and we’re going to decide
this case solely on its merits!”
Is being ethical important? You
bet. Is being ethical easy? Are you
kidding? Being ethical is never easy.
Especially in a country like ours.
I got an email from one of my
readers. It said: “Francis, I love
your lectures, your books and
your seminars, but the truth is
doing business in this country and
dealing with certain government
institutions require a lot of ethical
compromises.”
Michael Josephson, one of
the most sought-after and quoted
ethicists in the United States, has
this to say:
Let’s be honest. Ethics is not
for wimps. It’s not easy being a
good person.
It’s not easy to be honest when
it might be costly, to play fair
when others cheat, or to keep
convenient promises.
It’s not easy to stand up for our
beliefs and still respect different
viewpoints.
It’s not easy to control powerful
impulses, to be accountable for
our attitudes and actions, to tackle
unpleasant tasks, or to sacrifice the
now for later.
It’s not easy to bear criticism
and learn from it without getting
angry, to take advice, and to
admit error.
It’s not easy to feel genuine
remorse and apologize sincerely
or to accept an apology graciously
and to forgive.
It’s not easy to stop feeling like
a victim, to resist cynicism, and to
make the best of every situation.
It’s not easy to be consistently
kind, to think of others first, to
judge generously, and to give
benefit of the doubt.
It’s not easy to be grateful or to
give without concern for reward
or gratitude.
It’s not easy to fail and still keep
trying, to learn from failure, to risk
falling again, and to start over,
to lose with grace, or to be glad of
another’s success.
It’s not easy to look at ourselves
honestly and be accountable, to
avoid excuses and rationalizations,
or to resist temptations.
No, being a person of character
is not easy. That’s why it’s such
a lofty goal and an admirable
achievement.
And Josephson is right. Ethics
is not for wimps because it takes
a lot courage to do right and to be
right.
When somebody maligns
you, it feels easier to hit them
back with dirty tricks from your
personal arsenal. But an ethical
person refuses to go down to that
level. So even though everybody is
doing it, you don’t jump in because
what they are doing violates your
morality. And as you refuse to join
the gang, you are ostracized and
criticized for your beliefs and your
behavior. But you bear the pain
and the ridicule, believing that
you have earned the respect of
others and that you have built more
strength into your character.
The choice is ours to make. We
can take the path least resistance,
play the game like most people
do, and be part of a system. Or we
can choose to stay with our lofty
goals and ideals, and refuse to be
brought down to a level where we
allow ourselves to make ethical
compromises.
Love God. Obey his commands.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
This is where you get your true
wealth. This is how you can hold
your head up high and let your
children be proud of you – no
matter what income bracket you
fall under.
16

save mother earth
Be kitchen smart. Here are useful energy saving tips while preparing sumptuous meals.
© Alphababy | Dreamstime.com
Saving Energy in the Kitchen
Cooking food accounts for about 5% of the energy we use in our homes, so
make sure your culinary skills aren’t draining resources unnecessarily.
Liquid petroleum gas is generally
cleaner than electricity if
the power is generated by coalfired
plants. But cooking with
electricity is still cleaner than
cooking with charcoal.
Cook in batches. If you’re
cooking from scratch, prepare
enough for several meals, and
freeze or refrigerate the remaining
portions. It will take
much less energy and time and
effort to reheat the leftovers
than to cook new meals.
Use the smallest pan possible,
because smaller pans require
less energy.
Work on a number of levels.
Cook several items on top of
each other in a stacked steamer
to get the most out of each
burner’s energy.
Match the pan to the burner
if the pan doesn’t completely
cover the burner, heat will be
escaping around the sides.
Use residual heat in the rice
cooker to warm leftovers. Just
put in clean bowl on top of the
steamed rice.
Cook stir-fry instead of a
prepackaged meal. It will
take a quarter of the time and
energy and that’s not including
the energy required to produce
the prepackaged meal.
Don’t pre-heat the oven, unless
you’re making pastry or bread.
It should get hot quickly enough
not to affect cooking times or
quality.
Resist the temptation to open
the oven door to check the
progress. Every time you do so,
up to 25% of the heat escapes.
Turn off the heat a few minutes
before food’s cooked—it’ll continue
cooking in the residual
heat.
All under one lid, cook whole
meals in one pot. Delicious
one-pot paellas, stews and
casseroles use about a third of
the energy of meals cooked in
separate pans.
Source: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:
365 Simple Ways to Save Energy, Resources
and Money by Joanna Yarrow
17

18
Dennis Chan of Famous Secret Precision Machining Inc.

cover story
The
Big
Reveal
What is an open secret? It’s the deal of hush hush
proportions, something so prevalent it needs no
acknowledgement, a piece of information that blankets
everything making itself moot to even be mentioned.
by k a r l r. d e m e s a | p h o t o by a r t h u r a b r a h a m o f pa r a l l a x s t u d i o
19

For Dennis Chan, president of
Famous Secret Precision Machining
Inc (FSPMI), it’s a slice of college
nostalgia. Those heady days in the
tail end of the 1980s when he partied
hard in club land with 15 of his closest
friends as a DJ, an audiophile and
a disco events organizer. Famous
Secret was what they named their
“party-at-home” enterprise.
But the name was destined to
reach greater heights. Fast forward to
2011 and it now represents the great
Filipino secret inside world-class
transport brands like Toyota, Boeing
and Honda.
The classified entrepreneur
Just like his business, Chan’s character
is not one to bask in the limelight.
For the past 10 years, he quietly
perservered, steadily expanding his
factory to its present 8,000 sq. m.
capacity in Silang, Cavite.
Chan is gregarious, articulate and
upbeat. He prefers casual clothing
and friendly talk mixed with much
anecdotes, interesting asides and
stories told in something akin to a
stream of consciousness. “You can
talk to me for 24 hours straight,” he
grins.
He is also, judging from the way
he tells the history of Famous Secret,
the kind of person whose persistence
crosses over to the never say die
territory.
“I started this company with
just 10,000 pesos in my pocket,”
he confesses. A graduate of DLSU’s
Electronics and Communication
Engineering course, Chan’s father
worked the hardware business for
livelihood while Chan banked on his
I started this company
with just 10,000 pesos
in my pocket.
entrepreneurial skills that included
being a commercial player for college
basketball teams like Unity Coolers
and Zesto.
A f ter college, the young
entrepreneur-of-all-trades stumbled
upon Mesco, Inc where he learned
to specialize in high-tech machines
as part of his sales work. “I can’t sell
something that is so expensive if I
don’t know how to operate it,” he says.
The smart and compassionate
businessman credits most of what
he knows today to the 16 years of
mentoring that he received from
no less than the founders of Mesco,
Inc. He has travelled the world and
received training from Israel and
Japan to use the machines that are
now found on his plant’s floor.
During those years with Mesco
when he would be happy to sell one
machine in a year, Chan was offered
twice to work abroad with a salary
that is ten times what he is making
in the Philippines. Twice, he chose
to stay in the country to pursue his
Filipino dream.
Aiming for excellence
Today, FSPMI is the number one
Philippine subcontractor engaged
in the manufacture of automotive,
motorcycle, industrial and other
precision parts for OEM in the local
and export market. The company
has certainly come a long way from
making bicycle parts in the mid-
1990s.
A big chunk of its business caters
to the motorcycle and car market:
making air-conditioner parts, brake
drum, brake discs, and end rear axle
housing. They manufacture parts for
popular Toyota models like Fortuner,
Innova and Hi-Lux. Aside from car
parts, FSPMI also manufactures
agricultural engine and industrial
parts. Recently though, they’ve
gone into airplane assembly and it’s
been growing steadily, composing
five percent of the company’s total
output.
Stepping onto the plane assembly
hangar itself is a revelation. Seeing
an RV-12 kit plane (those two seaters)
getting put together takes me back to
a time when I did the same thing to
model cars, planes, tanks and other
vehicles. Except this one is on a scale
that is utterly fascinating.
It’s a vision that’s been realized
with the help of Plantersbank’s SME
loan program. Chan explains: “I
was introduced to the bank’s SME
program loan and linked up with
them in 2009. They’re one of the few
establishments that tried me kahit
hindi pa ako kilala. They put their
faith in me. Hindi nila ako kilala
pero tumaya sila sa akin.” (They don’t
know me yet they took a risk and
believed in the business.)
Value over profit
How exactly did FSPMI pull this off in
a market where China and Thailand
lead the manufacturing and assembly
pack? The big secret, says Chan, is
in learning to appreciate value over
profit.
“I don’t want to be in a business
that just makes money,” says Chan,
who’s taken Sun Tzu’s Art of War to
heart. “Sometimes you need to look
at the value, as opposed to just the
money.”
FSPMI now has approximately 150
machines, leaving their competitors
(with the next company in line having
a mere 50-60 machines) in the dust.
Everything, from the cutting tools to
the coolants and even the measuring
instruments, have passed through
Chan’s hands. “I can operate [the
machines]. Install, calibrate and
measure,” he explains.
Of course it helps that they’ve
patterned themselves after the
20

horizontal integration model of
Taiwan, as opposed to the vertical
model (where they make and do
everything but specialize in none).
“What we offer is sub-contracting.
This is not [our clients’] core business
but we can make their life easier by
enabling them to not think about this
area of their operations anymore.”
It’s a strategy that’s paid off big
time in the long term. It’s enabled
FSPMI to do away with engineers
almost wholly and train skilled
workers like farmers from Mindanao.
In fact, farmers make up a majority of
his current work force.
With engineers leaving left and
right hoping for better opportunities
abroad, Chan discovered that farmers
had the work values that he needed.
They’re astute and focused since
they’re used to backbreaking labor.
Teaching and certifying the work
force for the manufacturing floor has
become one of the core strengths of
FPSMI. With the CNC machines,
they don’t need to do research and
development procedures on the parts
themselves, just the processes. As an
overarching schematic that’s versatile
Sometimes you need
to look at the value as
opposed to just the money.
for a lot of things, it’s hard to beat.
For his dedicated employees, Chan
is in the process of setting up what he
calls a “a corporate university” for
skilled training that will be accredited
by TESDA and other institutions. This
vocational school will certify workers
for specific jobs, enabling them to do
away with fancy degrees and opt for
pure function.
But his vision doesn’t end there.
A proud Filipino, Chan is bent on
creating opportunities to bring home
our skilled OFWs so they can enjoy
living in their own country.
Two other things that give FSPMI
an advantage is their “greener earth”
proposition and their location at a
PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone
Authority) special economic zone.
The latter has enabled FSPMI to
be one of the key players in the Daiichi
Industrial Park that developed the
community around their plant in
Silang, Cavite, from providing local
plant jobs right down to the tricycles
for transport of the employees.
The former ensured that they’re
keeping the environment clean by
having their products and scraps
biodegradable or disposed of
properly—the whole idea, Chan says,
is not to acquire new technologies
simply to become green but to
improve the use of existing ones to
enable efficient use of energy.
Reaching the skies
The newest division of Famous
Secret—the plane assembly division
is what Chan hopes to be the wave
of the future. “When I used to travel
a lot, my dream was just to put a
doorknob on those planes,” Chan
says, taking us 16 years back to when
he started FSPMI, dovetailing it with
his then full time job.
Now he thanks the Lehman
Brothers in jest, for kicking down
the doors for smaller, foreign
manufacturers like FSPMI to enter
the game.
Famous Secret’s
plant floor with
more than
150 precision
machines for
the manufacture
of automotive,
motorcycle and
airplane parts.
21

“Matagal ko na ring nililigawan
yung mga airplane companies,” he
tells us. “Right now we are 40 percent
cheaper than China in terms of labor.
It’s a calculated risk. It’s a long term
investment that may not become
what I want since right now it’s very
hard to compete with Thailand in the
automotive area. But I believe that
the airplane parts and assembly can
become a Filipino specialty. It’s an
area where we can still be competitive.
This is an investment not only for me
but everybody.”
FSPMI currently engages in
the assembly and manufacture of
the servo-valves that control the
flaps, the landing gear and the other
moving parts for Boeing (which they
are a serial partner of), the Airbus
commercial jet planes, and the
fuselage and wings assembly for the
RV12 kit planes for Moog.
It’s a risky thing. But for Chan,
who once dragged race as a college
man along the streets of Manila, it’s
a risk that could become the next
big thing. This is the whole reason
why he’s expanding his aerospace
business by opening up an assembly
plant in Baguio city by 2012.
With every new impossible
dream, Chan remembers his first
mentor who would often ask him
the difficult question, would you
rather be smart or lucky? He repeats
the question several times during
the interview but never told us his
answer.
In time and w ith much
anticipation, we will be waiting for
that big reveal.
Famous Secret
Lot 2, Blk 3, Daiichi Industrial Park
Special Economic Zone, Maguyam Road,
Silang, Cavite
Tel. No.: (046) 430-2429, (046) 430-1230
Website: fspmi@famoussecret.com
Chan hired farmers
from Mindanao
to operate the
machines. He
discovered that
they are astute,
focused and had
the work values
that he needed.
22

sme profile
NEST CREATORS
Furniture making is a trade that dates back to a time when perfecting
and honing a craft was a sign of personal mastery.
“I started in upholstery as an apprentice to my cousins - this was
around 1969,” says the humble Rodito C. Atendido, founder of
RFA Furniture & Interior. Later on, his mentor saw he had a gift for
carpentry and he was taught the art of furniture making.
by k r is t i n e g o n z a l e z | p h o t o by a r t h u r a b r a h a m o f pa r a l l a x s t u d i o
Rodito and Estrelita Atendido of RFA Furniture
23

It started as a home
business and I was the only
employee
Making a good living as a furniture
maker, he sought greener pastures
abroad as a manager in a furniture
store in Saudi. The one-year experience
left him longing for home and
family. He came home and continued
being in the trade for eighteen years
until he decided to take the plunge
and open his own shop.
The furniture business
“Sa bahay lang ako nagsimula – sa
garahe, ako lang mag-isa. (It started
as a home business and I was the
only employee) I did everything from
the upholstery, carpentry, and finishing,”
he says. Eventually, orders
started pouring in.
He would research to get ideas,
but his innate artistry allows him
to add his own interpretation to the
piece. Works of art, indeed, is how he
best describes the final product.
RFA makes formal dining
pieces—banquet dinner tables and
intricate chairs—as well as comfortable
couches that also serve as
conversation pieces, contemporary
console tables, unique bookshelves,
modern wine bars, and dainty daybeds.
Those who are familiar with
the pieces at the Serendra lobby can
verify the workmanship for themselves.
Their furniture have graced
covers of glossy magazines, albeit
the backstage and behind the scenes
work. There are no accolades from
media, but the recognition of fellow
artists—designers, architects, and
appreciative clients—fuels their passion.
Working with the masters
You can see many of their works in
high-end beach resorts and sophisticated
hotel poolside. Lawn furniture
is also another specialty – they’re
very proud of the work they’ve done
for Le Soleil de Boracay, Misibis Bay
Resort, Hotel St. Elise, and Manila
Grand Hotel, to name but just a few.
The company has been providing
quality furniture for more than ten
years, and has worked with many
renowned designers in the industry,
such as architect J. Antonio Mendoza,
Camilo Vasquez, Daniel Enriquez,
Anton Bermudo, Lorie Borja,
and Jovey Dimayuga. “They show
us their specs and designs, and we
make it happen for them,” he says.
Most of their recent projects
come from the boom in the real
estate industry. There have been
many home and condo-unit owners
who request for their skilled services,
even the hotels—from the big
to the boutique, know of them. Most
residential clients come from wellknown
names in the showbiz, politics,
and society pages.
“We have clients who show us imported
catalogs or a designer chair
they bought abroad, and we try to
replicate – but not copy, the piece for
their home,” shares Atendido. “But
we can also duplicate if requested,
for a reasonable price,” he laughs.
La Familia Atendido
Lest readers get the wrong impression,
it wasn’t always this exciting.
Mrs. Estrelita Atendido, the muse
and the accountant of the artistic
Atendido, confirms this. “When we
started, we did everything including
deliveries to clients,” shares Mrs.
Atendido of her husband.
Every book in entrepreneurship
and business starts with manual
labor, putting your heart into every
endeavor, a lot of sleepless nights,
and in some (lucky, but not all) instances,
a faithful spouse by your
side.
She would accompany him to all
his delivery duties and handle the
24

client side of the business. Family
is the center—the grounding force—
in his life. RFA is the initials of the
founder, Rodito Atendido, and F
stands for the first letter in the
names of their four sons. Rodito
and Estrelita have a brood of seven.
Franklin, the eldest, is the architect
and heir apparent.
Now that the children are grown,
most of the Atendido offspring have
a hand in the expansion of the business.
His daughter, Eva, an interior
designer herself, meets with the clients
and handles accounts, and his
other daughter, Lanie, manages their
Tiendesitas store, Designer’s Den.
It’s evident that his children
admire him, “Binata pa lang sya,
sobrang sipag na nya,” says Eva, a
graduate of the Philippine School
of Interior Design. She points to
an impressive dining table on display,
“that’s his design – daig pa nya
kami,” she laughs.
Tools of growth
“We’re very thankful for the designer
and architects we’ve worked with,”
says Mrs. Atendido. “Architect J. Antonio
Mendoza, our long time client,
was our first in the industry—and
we just grew from our projects with
him.”
With an impressive clientele,
the Atendidos were inspired to innovate
and improve their services.
The business expanded with a store
in Tiendesitas in Pasig, a showroom
and shop in Taytay, Rizal, and a
three-floor hardware store beside it.
The turning point in their business
was when Plantersbank approached
them two years ago. “We
had a lot of fears in borrowing. It’s
a big thing to be trusted by the bank
and be granted a loan,” says Mr.
Atendido.
Seeing the results, the fears disappeared.
“Parang napaka-bagal pag
sariling sikap,” he explains. “Noong
nag-simula kami makapag-loan, ang
dali na palakihin at palawakin ang
business dahil may kapital—everything
you can think of is possible.”
Looking back, he is still amazed
at how it happened. “Other banks
size you up but not Plantersbank.
Which is why we also try our hardest
to fulfill our end of the bargain and
keep a good credit name.”
Gratitude in all things
Enjoying the fruits of their labor
is not lost on the Atendido’s. These
days, husband and wife have retired
from the hectic everyday toil, but still
serve as advisers to their children.
The slower pace leaves Rodito
with more time to design and go back
to his first love, upholstery. Both are
confident that their seven children
will be able to handle the reins and
make the business grow further.
Rodito’s rags to riches experience
make the Atendido’s aware
that they have to share the abundant
blessings.
“You need to treat your employees
well, pay them on time, help them
during their times of need, and love
them because they help you in your
business,” shares Mrs. Atendido.
Their generosity to their staff,
the love they bear their children, and
the commitment to their trade has
given the Atendido’s a well-crafted
life, something that only a few could
achieve.
RFA Furniture
Pasco St., Santolan, Pasig City
Tel. No.: (02) 703-4371, (02) 401-1035
E-mail: rfa_furniture @yahoo.com
Furniture display
located in the
Pasig showroom.
25

lifestyle
The in-place of yesterday is still the exclusive hideaway of comfort-seeking urban dwellers.
THE CHARMS OF MONTEMAR
by k r is t i n e g o n z a l e z
Located in historic Bataan, Montemar
Beach Club has an expansive view
of the West Philippine Sea. The
surrounding trees, blue skies, and
most importantly, the absence of
smog and concrete grey city buildings
give sanctuary for the weary.
There are no luxurious carpets
or extravagant facilities in the resort,
and certainly no distracting designs
that take away the beauty of the
lush, natural surroundings. Privacy,
however, is guaranteed. And those
seeking peace and quiet will revel in it.
Breathing space
The club’s open spaces, sprawling
lawns, and sizeable rooms surpass
what most sought after resorts in the
country could offer. Known as the
getaway for the rich and privileged
back in the day, Montemar’s dossier
had the names of society’s elite.
“It was the vacation place back
then,” says Leticia Ruiz, the designerconsultant
of the 13-hectare club. An
easy three-hour drive from Manila,
it’s accessible and perfect for the long
weekends and special holidays.
“Guests would bring their families
and spend the holidays here. It was
very exclusive—it still is to a certain
extent,” she says.
It explains the stately space of
the rooms. Unlike the newer resorts
where the “walking area” is a ten-inch
gap between the flat screen television
and the bed, the rooms of Montemar
can boast of expansive legroom—no
toe stubbing in the furniture and no
bags haphazardly piled in the corner.
Resort renovation
Five years ago, Mrs. Ruiz, one of the
original members herself, agreed to
restore it to its former self.
“I saw the character and the
potential of what it could become
again,” she relates. The land area was
the jewel, but to give it polish, Mrs.
Ruiz transformed the dated Spanish-
Mediterranean look to a chic modernstyle
plantation hideaway.
Neutral tones provided quiet
26

sanctuary, refurbished essentials gave
an updated look, and cove lighting
reenergized the bed and bathrooms.
Even the two restaurants, La
Marea and Lanai, were given new life.
Lanai’s bamboo mural and birdcage
accents are certainly a delight, and
the use of natural light is copious.
La Merea’s menu is filled with
sumptuous local favorites – karekare,
kaldereta, and sinampalukang
tocinong manok, and also provides an
international selection such as pizza,
pasta, sandwiches for snacks, and
a filling American and continental
breakfast.
Perfect setting
“The beach and the pool are the
popular spots,” laughs Mrs. Ruiz.
Guests would languish in the sand,
read a book, play water sports games,
and sometimes, a good game of tugand-war.
“Christmas is magical here
– there are lights all over, and we have
a New Year’s celebration countdown
with fireworks display,” she narrates.
The club has an extensive list of
recreation and sports equipment like
the aqua cycles, banana boat rides,
kayaks, and jet skis, to name a few.
For indoor activities, there’s a stack
of game boards, chess and mahjong
sets, and even the famous Pinoy alltime
favorite magic-sing is available
to amuse the kids and even the older
crowds.
Recently, Montemar opened
its exclusive gates to day tours and
corporate packages. “We have been
receiving requests for team buildings
and leadership seminars, and since
we have the room capacity, we can
accommodate a big number,” says
resident manager Virgilio Alonzo.
The club can accommodate 450
guests and can boast of facilities
for their corporate clients. “We
have a conference room that can
accommodate 500 people, function
rooms for meetings, and an obstacle
course that we provided especially
for this purpose,” he says. In the
evenings, the club’s staff lights a
bonfire in the beach.
Saving pawikans
In 2005, Montemar Beach Club
launched the Pawikan Conservation
Project to protect endangered marine
turtles. Together with the local
government, the Philippine Animal
and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) and
the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR),
Montemar conducts awareness
programs and alternative livelihood
with the Bagac community to preserve
the wildlife and stop poaching.
Often seen along the shores
are Olive Ridley, Green Turtle, and
Hawksbill Turtle. Currently, there
are three pawikans under the staff’s
watchful eye, waiting to be released
after rehabilitation. The club also
celebrates an annual Grand Pawikan
Festival in November where the
hatchlings are released back to the
sea.
Strict policy
The exclusiveness explains the very
strict policy in reservations and
oculars visits. “We take the security of
our members seriously,” says Alonzo.
Club membership is thoroughly
checked. A committee screens and
approves all potential members.
Special discounts on room rates are
extended to members, including
priority in reservations. “We’re really
booked during peak seasons, so the
need to book in advance is a must” he
says.
Old world service
“We have regulars who’ve been
coming for years. We know their
preferred room, favorite item on the
menu, their usual drink, their regular
masseuse, even their little quirks –
we know them personally,” Alonzo
smiles.
“We try to provide our guests
with the best service,” he says. Which
is why, according to him, the board
decided to build a relationship with
Plantersbank.
“We saw how Plantersbank takes
good care of their clients and we like
the service that they accord us—much
like what we extend to our guests,” he
says, reflecting on the similarities of
the industry.
To end, Mrs. Ruiz says, “I see most
of the old members, such as myself,
bring their now grown-children and
grandchildren for family get-togethers.
It’s nice to share this legacy.”
It goes without saying that
tradition, family, and idyllic living
may not be the words usually
associated with beach resorts, but it
perfectly captures the cozy and classic
atmosphere, if not quiet charisma, of
Montemar.
Montemar
Makati Sales Office: 10/F Telecom Plaza
Building, 316 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Salcedo
Village, Makati City
Sales Telephone Nos.: (02) 811-5496,
892-6497, 892-6498
Fax No.: (02) 811-5235
Email: inquiry@montemar.com.ph
Website: www.montemar.com.ph
27

healthwatch
No excuses. You can still exercise even if all you have is an armchair.
Exercises for Small Spaces
by r u s s e l l e u s ta q u i o
squats
pushups
on the desk
lunges
dips
on the chair
kness to chest
“Why do my back, neck, shoulders
and legs hurt even if I’m just sitting
the whole day?” We hear this a lot from
friends and from ourselves as well.
Unknown to us, not moving our bodies
is precisely the cause of these aches
and pains. Our bodies are designed to
move, not to slouch in front of a computer
or sit on a chair the whole day.
In order to give the body some physical
activity during the day, here are a
few exercises you can do in your office
chair, on your desk or in your cubicle’s
little space.
1. Squats
How to do it: Stand straight (full extension
of the hips and knees) with feet
shoulder-width apart. Feel your weight
on your heels, natural arch of your
lower back maintained, and chest up.
Send your hips or butt back and down.
Bottom of the squat is below parallel
(hip crease below the knee cap). Knees
track over the feet (the knees point
toward the direction of the toes are
pointing and feet are directly under
your thighs). Arms are held high and
in front of your body for counter balance
and keep the chest up. Return to
full extension of the hips and knees /
standing position.
Tip: If you cannot go below parallel,
use the edge of your seat as your fanny
target. As soon as your butt touches the
edge of the chair, stand up. Touch and
go, no resting on the chair.
Benefit: Done correctly, it actually
reduces knee and lower back pains and
makes your legs and other parts of your
body stronger.
2. Pushups on the desk
How to do it: Lean on the desk with
hands placed on the desk just outside
shoulder width. Feet are about hip
width. Tighten your belly and keep
your body straight and rigid like a stick.
This is the plank position. From the
plank position, bend the elbows until
your chest touches the desk (as low as
you can go if you can’t do a full push
up) and then push your body returning
to the plank position with elbows fully
open or locked out.
Tip: It is important to keep your body
rigid all throughout the movement.
Benefit: Strengthens your arms, chest
and core area that causes back pains.
3. Lunges
How to do it: From a standing position,
take a big step forward. Front leg—the
knee should be over the heel not above
the balls of your feet. Trailing leg—the
knee is bent and should almost touch
the ground with the heel pointing to
the ceiling. Keep your body straight.
Push back with your front leg to standing
position. Alternate legs.
Benefit: Strengthens the legs and the
posterior chain (lower back, butt and
hamstrings). Climbing up the MRT or
your condo’s stairs will be a breeze!
4. Dips on the chair
How to do it: Place hands on the edge
of your chair with elbows straight and
locked out. Your butt should be “hanging”
a few inches away from the edge
of your seat. Legs extended or bent (for
an easier dip) in front of you. Bend your
elbows and let your body go as low as
you are able to or if the edge of your seat
is a few inches above your lower back.
Push your body back up and return to
full extension of the elbows.
Benefit: Strengthens arms and chest.
5. Knees to Chest
How to do it: Sit close to the edge of your
chair. Back straight. Hands on the sides
of the chair. Legs raised up, ideally,
parallel to the ground. Tighten your
belly and raise your legs till they are
parallel to the ground while leaning
back for counter balance. Bring your
knees as close to your chest as possible
then stretch out your legs while leaning
back to starting position.
Benefit: Strengthens the core and
your hip flexors. A strong core is essential
in functional movements.
Do ten (10) reps of each movement
without resting between movements.
Do them at a steady pace, not too fast,
not too slow. If you have little time, you
can just do one round of these movements.
If you have time to spare, you
may do 2 to 3 rounds, resting 1 minute
between rounds, not between movements.
One round is 10 squats, 10 pushups
on the desk, 10 lunges, 10 dips on
the chair and 10 knees to chest.
Your officemates are going to
wonder what you’re doing and you run
the risk of getting laughed at a bit but
you will be fitter than them… Cheers!
Russell Eustaquio is the Trainer and owner
of Ang Tibay Training Gym— strength and
conditioning facility that uses functional
movements to do more work in a wide range
of time frames and physical tasks.
28

evieW
effective
book
books
A review of the book: How the
Mighty Fall by Jim Collins.
tech
The latest projectors for an
business presentation.
How the mighty have
fallen and how the
mightier survived
by j o e l pa b l o s a l u d
How does one survive a global
economic turmoil close to that of
a wobbling top? The fall of Bear
Stearns, collapse of Lehman
Brothers, topped by Merrill
Lynch—America’s symbol of
economic bullishness—yielding
to a takeover bid: these are but
few of the dozens of crash-andburn
scenarios that had hogged
global headlines in the last five
years. With the United States still
whirling from a recession, with
the possibility of China diving into
a crash as exports to the U.S. and
Europe could slow down, what is
in store for the world’s economic
giants today?
Understanding “institutional
decline” is just one of those
riveting things discussed in Jim
Collins’ How the Mighty Fall and
Why Some Companies Never Give
In, a book as interesting as any
account of the Silk Road. The how’s
and why’s are presented by Collins
clearly and nearly without a hitch,
in a language as easy to the eyes
as it is to the mind. There’s none
of the business gibberish that’s all
too rampant in numerous business
books.
The author sees institutional
decline “like a staged disease:
harder to detect but easier to cure in
the early stages, easier to detect but
harder to cure in the later stages.
An institution can look strong on
the outside but already be sick on
the inside, dangerously on the cusp
of a precipitous fall.”
His description brings the
experience of an earthquake to
mind, hitting with the force of an
apocalypse in the sullen quiet of a
train ride, or a family dinner. Collins
notes the rise of fall of the Bank of
America, which from 1945 rose to
become a giant of a commercial
bank, overtaking Chase National
Bank. Over the next three decades,
it became a paragon of banking
success, logging a little over a
thousand banks in 100 countries,
held aloft by assets amounting to
$100 billion.
But with boom always comes
bust. Collins enumerated what was
to be described as a bloodbath of
unbelievable proportions:
• “It posted the biggest losses in
U.S. banking history;
• “Rattled the stock market to the
point of briefly depressing the
dollar;
• “cumulative stock performance
fall of more than 80% behind
the general stock market;
• “face a serious takeover from
rival California bank;
• “cut its dividend for the first
time in three years;
• And “sell off its headquarters
to save on capital.”
The statement Collins’ posted
ought to compel all business
entities—giants or dwarfs—to
rethink their business strategy and
swing away from a complacency
that could very well catch them all
by surprise.
“Every institution is vulnerable,
no matter how great. No matter how
much you’ve achieved, no matter
how far you’ve gone, no matter how
much power you’ve garnered, you
are vulnerable to decline. There
is no law of nature that the most
powerful will inevitably remain at
the top. Anyone can fall and most
eventually do.”
Collins sets the first five stages
of decline in such simple terms,
any explanation could be lost in
translation. The five are as follows:
• Hubris born of success
• Undisciplined pursuit of more
• Denial of risk and peril
• Grasping for salvation
• Capitulation to irrelevance or
death
Drafting your way out of a tight
situation, such as an economic
fallout, is the book’s offer of a silver
lining amid a mushroom cloud. The
whole treatise revolves around three
major realities in the rough and
tumble world of profit: Decline can
be avoided, detected and reversed.
Collins says it best: “This work
is also not about gloating over the
demise of once-mighty enterprises
that fell, but about seeing what we
can learn and apply to our own
situation. By understanding the five
stages of decline discussed in these
pages, leaders can substantially
reduce the chances of falling all
the way to the bottom, tumbling
from iconic to irrelevant.”
29

tech
Perfect Presentations
Four projectors that help you say exactly what you want to say.
by kc c a l p o
In business, presentations tools are a must in order
to convey your message clearly especially during an
important presentation. SME Magazine presents
four projectors that fully enable you to drive your
point home, as well as offer excellent imagery and
unparalleled convenience.
Canon Xeed SX7 Mark II
Never ever judge something by its size! This compact
projector packs a punch with its notable tag team—
LCOS reflective LCD panels with Canon’s Aspectual
Illumination System (AISYS) optical systems, which
produces superb images in any resolution and
environment. The SX7 Mark II also has a projection
distance of up to 4.9m (for 100” images) and comes
with up to 4,000 lumens of brightness, a 1000:1 contrast
ratio and helpful image modes.
InFocus IN102 DLP Projector
Your money will be well spent with the 2.3kg, 3Dready
InFocus IN102 DLP projector, which serves up
a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200, a projection
distance of up to six meters, 2800:1 contrast ratio
and 2700 lumens brightness. And if your company’s
worried about the IN102’s maintenance costs, fret not:
you don’t have to shell out for any filters, comes with
a five-year warranty, and has an average 3,000-hour
lamp life on normal mode.
Epson EB-1775W
The ugly and bulky projectors of yore have given way
to Epson’s latest slim, light and eco-friendly contender,
the EB-1775W. Its optimized proprietary lamp lasts
longer than those of other projectors (and provides
crystal-clear visuals from as far back as 8.18m), and
it also enables you to do presentations via USB or
wireless connections. Security issues are also licked
with its password protection function and wire cables,
chains or Kensington locks.
Acer C110 Pico Projector
Like most gadgets, projectors have gone portable.
The Acer C110 pico projector lets the whole room see
what you’re up to with the help of a 4.3-m maximum
projection distance, 1280 x 800 maximum resolution,
50 lumens brightness, and a maximum throw distance
of two meters minus the extra weight.
Take your pick from these handy tools and impress
clients as well as your bosses with a clear and visually
stimulating presentation.
30

october 2011
3 Monday – LAST DAY OF
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for FY beginning December
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2011
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7279) for September 2011
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e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT/
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on compensation, EWT and
FWT for September 2011
(non-eFPS taxpayers)
· 1603 - FBT for CQ ended
September 2011 (non-eFPS
taxpayers)
· 1606 - Withholding on
transfer of real property
other than capital assets for
September 2011
SUBMISSION
· Transcript sheets of ORB for
mineral products, distilled
spirits, wines, fermented
liquor, tobacco products, oil,
automobiles, and cigarette
paper for September 2011
· A sugar cooperative’s
list of buyers of sugar for
September 2011, together
with a copy of certificate
of advance payment of
VAT made by each buyer
appearing on the list
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releases of refined sugar by
the proprietor or operator of
a sugar refinery or mill for
September 2011
DISTRIBUTION
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withheld for September 2011
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creditable PT withheld for
September 2011
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ended September 2011
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ITR and AIF by corporations
and partnerships for FY
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September 2010
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return for shares not traded
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ended June 2011
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2011 by PEZAregistered
enterprises for FY ended May
2011
· PhilHealth - RF-1 remittance
report for September 2011
19 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters E to L for
September 2011
20 Thursday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING &
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 2551Q - PT for TQ ended
September 2011
FILING & PAYMENT
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for September 2011 (noneFPS
taxpayers)
DISTRIBUTION
· 2307 - Certificate of EWT for
TQ ended September 2011
PAYMENT
· LGU - LBT fourth installment
for CY 2011
21 Friday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT
and PT for September 2011
(Group E)
24 Monday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT
and PT for September 2011
(Groups B, C and D)
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters M to Q for
September 2011
25 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING &
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 2550Q - VAT for TQ ended
September 2011
e-PAYMENT
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for September 2011 (all
eFPS groups)
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT
and PT for September 2011
(Group A)
SUBMISSION
· Summary lists of sales/
purchases by VAT-registered
taxpayers (non-eFPS
taxpayers) for TQ ended
September 2011
· Sworn statement of
manufacturers or importers
on the volume of sales
per brand of alcohol and
tobacco products for July to
September 2011
28 Friday – LAST DAY OF
FILING
· SEC - AFS for FY ended June
2011 by corporations whose
securities are not registered
under RSA or SRC
31 Monday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 1702Q - Quarterly ITR for TQ
ended August 2011
REGISTRATION
· Computerized books
of accounts and other
accounting records in CD-R,
DVD-R or other optical
media, and affidavit on the
post-reporting requirements
for CAS for FY ended
September 2011
· Manual books of accounts
and other accounting records
for FY beginning November
1, 2011
e-SUBMISSION
· Summary lists of sales/
purchases by VAT-registered
taxpayers (all eFPS groups)
for TQ ended September
2011
SUBMISSION
· Inventory list for FY ended
September 2011
· BOI - Transcript sheets of
ORB by qualified jewelry
enterprises for FY ended
September 2011
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters R to Z for
September 2011 October
november 2011
2 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF
SUBMISSION
· Engagement letters and
renewals or subsequent
agreements for financial
audit by independent CPAs
for TY beginning January 1,
2012
· PEZA - ITR filed with the
BIR on October 17, 2011 by
PEZA-registered enterprises
for FY ended June 2011
7 Monday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 2000 - DST for October 2011
SUBMISSION
· Summary report of
certifications issued by the
President of NHMFC (RA
7279) for October 2011
8 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF
SUBMISSION
· Transcript sheets of ORB
for distilled spirits, wines,
fermented liquor, tobacco
products, oil, automobiles,
and cigarette paper for
October 2011
10 Thursday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT/
REMITTANCE
· 1600 - Withholding VAT/PT
for October 2011
FILING and REMITTANCE
· 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and
1602 - Withholding return on
compensation, EWT and FWT
for October 2011 (non-eFPS
taxpayers)
· 1606 - Withholding on
transfer of real property
other than capital assets for
October 2011
SUBMISSION
· Transcript sheets of ORB for
mineral products for October
2011
· A sugar cooperative’s list of
buyers of sugar for October
2011, together with a copy
of certificate of advance
payment of VAT made by
each buyer appearing on the
list
· Information return on
releases of refined sugar by
the proprietor or operator of
a sugar refinery or mill for
October 2011
DISTRIBUTION
· 2306 - Certificate of VAT/PT
withheld for October 2011
· 2307 - Certificate of
creditable PT withheld for
October 2011
REMITTANCE
· PhilHealth - ME-5
contributions for October
2011
· SSS - R-5 contributions for
October 2011
11 Friday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and
1602 - Withholding return on
compensation, EWT and FWT
for October 2011 (Group E)
14 Monday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and
1602 - Withholding return on
compensation, EWT and FWT
for October 2011 (Groups B,
C and D)
FILING
· SEC - AFS for FY ended July
2011 by corporations whose
securities are registered
under RSA or SRC
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters A to D for
October 2011
15 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 1701Q - ITR for selfemployed
individuals, estates
and trusts for TQ September
2011
· 1702 and 1702-AIF - Annual
ITR and AIF by corporations
and partnerships for FY
ended July 2011
· 1704 - IAET for FY ended
October 2010
e-PAYMENT
· 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and
1602 - Withholding return on
compensation, EWT and FWT
for October 2011 (all eFPS
groups)
FILING and PAYMENT
· 1707A - Consolidated CGT
return for shares not traded
in the stock exchange for FY
ended July 2011
e-FILING
· 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and
1602 - Withholding return on
compensation, EWT and FWT
for October 2011 (Group A)
REGISTRATION
· Bound computer–generated/
loose-leaf books of accounts
and other accounting records
for FY ended October 2011
e-SUBMISSION
· Summary list of machines
(CRM-POS) sold by machine
distributors/dealers/ vendors/
suppliers for TQ ended
October 2011
SUBMISSION
· PhilHealth - RF-1 remittance
report for October 2011
16 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF
SUBMISSION
· PEZA - AFS filed with the
BIR on October 17, 2011 by
PEZA-registered enterprises
for FY ended June 2011
21 Monday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 2551Q - PT for TQ ended
October 2011
tax calendar
FILING and PAYMENT
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (noneFPS
taxpayers)
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (Group
E)
DISTRIBUTION
· 2307 - Certificate of EWT for
TQ ended October 2011
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters E to L for
October 2011
22 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (Group
D)
23 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (Group
C)
24 Thursday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (Group
B)
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters M to Q for
October 2011
25 Friday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 2550Q - VAT for TQ ended
October 2011
e-PAYMENT
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (all EFPS
groups)
e-FILING
· 2550M and 2551M - VAT and
PT for October 2011 (Group
A)
SUBMISSION
· Summary list of sales/
purchases by VAT-registered
taxpayers (non-eFPS
taxpayers) for TQ ended
October 2011
· Sworn statement of
manufacturers or importers
on the volume of sales per
brand of alcohol and tobacco
products for August to
October 2011
29 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF
e-FILING/FILING and
e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT
· 1702Q - Quarterly ITR for TQ
ended September 2011
FILING
· SEC - AFS for FY ended July
2011 by corporations whose
securities are not registered
under RSA or SRC
30 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF
REGISTRATION
· Computerized books
of accounts and other
accounting records in CD-R,
DVD-R or other optical
media, and affidavit on the
post-reporting requirements
for CAS for FY ended
October 2011
· Manual books of accounts
and other accounting records
for FY beginning December
1, 2011
e-SUBMISSION
· Summary lists of sales/
purchases by VAT-registered
taxpayers (all eFPS groups)
for TQ ended October 2011
SUBMISSION
· Inventory list for FY ended
October 2011
· BOI - Transcript sheets of
ORB by qualified jewelry
enterprises for FY ended
October 2011
· PEZA - ITR filed with the BIR
on November 15, 2011 by
PEZA-registered enterprises
for FY ended July 2011
REMITTANCE
· HDMF - M1-1 contributions
by employers whose names
start with letters R to Z for
October 2011
Courtesy of Punongbayan & Araullo, the Philippine member
firm of Grant Thornton International, a leading international
organization of independently owned and managed accounting
and consulting firms. For more information log on to:
www.punongbayan-araullo.com
31

smebillboard
Tradecon and FIP presents Philippine & Franchise Expo
Tradecon in cooperation with the Franchise Institute of the Philippines will stage the
“Philippine SME and Franchise Expo” that will be held at SM Megatrade Hall on October 28
to 30, 2011. The event aims to motivate and encourage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
through various talks that will enrich their knowledge and business acumen. Franchise
guru of the Philippines Armando “Butz” Bartolome leads the roster of speakers which also
includes the businessmen behind successful brands such as Mang Inasal, Binalot, Fiorgelato,
Baliwag Lechon, and Generica among others.
For more information, visit www.smexpoph.com or call 395-5137 or 395-5009.
Entrepreneur’s
One day with ME
The Ateneo Center for Continuing
Education and ACE Center for
Entrepreneurship and Management
Education, Inc. invite entrepreneurs
and those who want to
pursue further entrepreneurial
studies to their unique offering:
“One day with ME” (Masters in
Entrepreneurship). The course is
scheduled to run on 11th of October,
2011 8:30am to 5:30pm at the
Ateneo Rockwell Campus.
“One Day with ME” provides
future and rising entrepreneurs a
wide perspective of the critical entrepreneurial
issues. It will focus on
the development of the entrepreneurial
mind frame and the skills
needed to create value and bring
an organization to higher levels of
productivity, profitability, and professionalism.
The course will also
present the essential management
skills on functional areas such as
operations, finance, and human resource.
To find out more about this
training programs and other upcoming
seminar, visit www.cce.
ateneo.edu or call +632 830-2050/
+632 840-1742.
The Le Bistro Vert, a novel concept in casual dining
specializing in sustainable food, has recently launched the
Locavore Partner Campaign. Reena Francisco, owner of
Le Bistro says the move aims to bring together chefs, local
farmers, and producers of organic and sustainable produce and staples. Locavorism – which
means “eating only what grows around you” — in the restaurant, meant inviting local chefs
and pairing them individually with a local farmer/producer, with the challenge to create a
different gustatory experience for guests.
The campaign kicked off with a series : MEN AND THEIR PASSIONS with chef Manny
Torejon and Carlo Calma-Lorenzana. They’ve prepared different special organic rice menu.
Their dishes could be savored every Wednesdays of September and October.
Le Bistro Vert is located at Fraser Place, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. For
more information, call 403-1841 or visit www.lebistro.ph.
The vintage World War 2 jeep now has an electric
powered sibling. The twin Willys MB will be powered
by a four-kilowatt, 48 volt electric motor deriving all its
energy from eight six-volt batteries. When charged for
about eight hours, it can travel for 50 km up to 100 km,
depending on the terrain and number of passengers.
MD Juan Enterprises, the premier manufacturer of replacement
Jeep bodies and parts in the country and in
the world, collaborated with PhUV, Inc. to develop the
electric MB jeep, the body of which was made using
locally made dies and molds and manufactured in MD
Juan’s stamping plant.
Le Bistro launched
Locavore Partnerships
Willys MB Jeep gets an electric twin
32