Ecopreneurs - Planters Development Bank

A Plantersbank publication 

sme 

community philippines 

v0l 4 issue 2 2009 

inside 

* Save costs 

with Green 

Architecture 

* The Sustainable 

Business Wave 

* Downsizing with 

Dignity 

chit, 

reena 

& jeannie 

merge 

economy 

with 

ecology. 

ECO 

pre 

neurs

publisher’s 

note 

The Business of Going Green 

Without a doubt, the environmental crisis is affecting everyone, everywhere. 

Our activities on earth are changing the planet, often with 

disastrous results. The air in our cities is a mess, we suffer from too 

much rain in some areas and not enough in others, worldwide fish 

catch is declining, and precious resources are wasted at an alarming rate. 

The good news is that we, as individuals and entrepreneurs, can take action to 

reverse the crisis. All over the world, the number of businesses incorporating social 

responsibility and voluntary commitment to environment-friendly corporate governance 

is increasing. 

In this issue of SME Community Philippines, our fifteenth, we feature greenpreneurs 

Chit Juan, Reena Francisco and Jeannie Javelosa and their Environment and 

Community Hope Organization Store, a unique retail concept that specializes in 

homegrown, fair trade products and promotes activities to spread the earth-friendly 

lifestyle. 

We visit eco-initiatives that are turning everyday throwaway items into hip fashion 

accessories or tough, functional carryalls. And rediscover unremarkable plants, 

even weeds that can provide local industry with renewable sources of durable fiber. 

Of particular interest to us is the emerging benchmark in building design 

dubbed BERDE or Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence, which 

on release in 2011 is expected to revolutionize architecture, construction practices 

and property management in the Philippines. 

Through these reports, we hope to provide insights why ‘green is good’; how 

social mission can be effectively embedded into the company bottom line; and that 

fair trade and well-being are not only desirable but also achievable goals. 

We are at different stages of awareness and action, and whether you are about to 

take your first step, already involved or are an expert in the field, SME Community 

Philippines hopes this issue will have something for you. 

1 

VOL. NO. 04 / ISSUE NO. 02

staffbox 

2 

Win 

this! 

SME COMmunity PHilippines

contents 

SME FOCUS: 

18 

19 

20 

21 

s a l e s t r a i n i n g 

Tomorrow is Another Day (Not) 

By Adrian Miller 

management 

Effective Positioning: 

Beating the Big Guys 

m a n a g e m e n t 

Tough times call for top communication 

strategies, says marketing exec 

p e o p l e m a n a g e m e n t 

Treating the Retrenched with Dignity 

By Herbert M. Sancianco 

12 

ON PAGE 

cover story: 

Green 

“Innerpreneurs” 

Echo Store’s message rings loud and clear 

By Angela Blardony Ureta 

HOTLINE: 

05 SME Speaker Series is big hit 

among Baguio bizfolk 

23 

24 

25 

26 

review: 

t e c h & g a d g e t s 

Go Green for Gaia 

By edong mendoza 

b o o k 

Greening Up The Nat Geo Way 

By Joel P. Salud 

goodlife: 

Are you an Eco-Fashionista 

By Veronica Velarde Pulumbarit 

smes4sme: 

Paper or Plastic 

BIZBEAT: 

28 

Build Green & Save on Future Costs 

By NORMAN SISON 

10 

Eco-Products International Fair 2009 

Doing It the Green Way 

By Donna Rasalan Lampa 

11 

Weeds as seeds for livelihood 

By Rizalino Antonio 

M. Pulumbarit 

05 10 

3 

16 

Roundtable: 

It’s not easy being green 

By tirso san pablo 

18 24 28 


HOTLINE 

Senior Chinese bankers 

learn from Plantersbank 

A senior mission of bankers 

from Hangzhou, China 

visited Plantersbank Head 

Office recently as part of 

the Asian Development 

Bank (ADB)-sponsored 

study tour of financial institutions. 

Plantersbank chairman 

Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting 

(left) welcomed the 

delegation headed by Mr. 

Ma Shiyong (second from 

left, clockwise), chairman 

of the the Hangzhou City 

Commercial Bank of China 

upon their arrival. 

The delegation includes 

Mr. Jiang Bo, vice president 

of Hangzhou Bank, 

Mr. Ding Qi, director of 

the Administrative Office 

of the Hangzhou Stateowned 

Assets Supervisory 

and Administration Commission, 

Mr. Wang Yilong 

of the Hangzhou Bank Development 

and Research 

Department and Mr. Li 

Yangjian of the Hangzhou 

Bank Board Office. 

The Chinese bank mission 

came to study structure, 

regulations and corporate 

governance practices 

of the Philippine banking 

system. They also expressed 

special interest in 

Plantersbank’s successful 

model of privately-managed, 

market-driven SME 

finance. 

Also with the mission 

are Jonathan Starbecker, 

investment specialist of 

the Capital Markets Financial 

Sectors division, 

private sector operations 

department of the ADB 

and Yuanyuan Wang of 

the ADB - China Resident 

Mission. 

Plantersbank tops Philhealth Awards. Plantersbank 

was cited among the Top Collecting Banks under the 

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation remittance program. 

The health fund specifically cited Sta. Maria Branch 

which was the top collector of Philhealth remittances in the 

entire National Capital Region and North Luzon area, during 

its 14th anniversary celebration in Bacolor, Pampanga. 

Plantersbank Sta. Maria Branch assistant vice president 

Alice Legaspi (with trophy) appears in the photo with, 

from left, Balagtas senior manager Petite Dumlao, Dolores 

Branch assistant vice president Alex Liwanag, Philhealth 

president Dr. Rey B. Aquino and Philhealth first vice president 

Tito Mendiola. Plantersbank has been a consistent top 

performer under the Philhealth remittance program. 

4 

SME COMmunity PHilippines 

La Mesa watershed gets support. Plantersbank 

joins forces with nature conservation groups to protect 

critical water source areas of Metro Manila. Plantersbank 

recently announced its donation to Bantay Kalikasan for the 

protection and promotion of forest re-growth in the La Mesa 

watershed. Plantersbank chairman Ambassador Jesus P. 

Tambunting (left) and Plantersbank senior vice president 

Ana Rose T. Kwan turned over the check to La Mesa project 

manager Val Mendoza and Bantay Kalikasan’s Ana Junio. 

Located in Quezon City, the La Mesa watershed provides 

Metro Manila with a renewable source of drinking water, 

while its lush green landscape serves as wildlife sanctuary, 

carbon sink and recreation area for weary city dwellers.

SME Speaker Series is big hit 

among Baguio bizfolk 

Baguio City—The Plantersbank SME 

Speaker Series 2009 tour got off to a 

big start at the Pines View Hotel in 

this city on March 12. 

The Baguio symposium themed 

Leading Through Difficult Times: Why 

Just Survive When You Can Thrive 

featured motivational guru and entrepreneur 

Francis J. Kong as guest lecturer 

and drew over 200 SME clients 

and prospects from around Metro Baguio, 

even as far as Dagupan and San 

Fernando cities in Pangasinan and La 

Union, respectively. 

Mr. Kong’s talk focused on the 

development of a strategic mindset 

to help Filipino entrepreneurs cope 

with and recognize opportunities in 

a period of global recession. 

Plantersbank chairman Ambassador 

Jesus P. Tambunting took the 

opportunity to address concerns 

about challenges resulting from the 

economic downturn experienced by 

the country’s main trading partners. 

He pointed out that the onset of globalization 

during the 1990s shaped 

his view that doing business will 

always be challenging. The challenges 

will always be there, whether 

or not a recession hits the world 

economy, according to Ambassador 

Tambunting. 

Maintaining focus is a factor 

shared by Plantersbank and the SME 

clients who succeeded and thrived 

after the 1997 Asian financial crash. 

Ambassador Tambunting said “we 

should not allow the challenges to 

dominate the way we think. We have 

a choice,” he said, between getting 

bitter and getting better. 

He explained that the market 

economy operates in cycles and that 

as the global recession makes itself 

felt on the home front, entrepreneurs 

Symposium on leadership for difficult times at Pines View Hotel draws heavy turnout 

from Baguio SME community. (Inset) Resource speaker Francis J. Kong, enterprise guru and author. 

Ambassador Tambunting with Plato Wraps 

owner Kamela Seen and Plantersbank Corporate 

Communications first vice president Bobby F. 

Banaag 

Atty. Jose Alvarez, Hilda Emdizo, Joy Salvado and 

Nancy Bantog of the Rural Bank of Buguias. 

should learn to master their emotions 

and avoid impulsive action. He 

dedicated the SME Speaker Series 

Dr. Reinaldo Bautista Sr., Kristine Sameon, 

Maginoo Bautista, Dr. Matimyas Bautista, Lilia 

Bautista, Magiting Bautista of University of 

Baguio together with Russel Elliot of KAM Poultry 

and (second from left) Plantersbank chairman 

Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting. 

Ambassador Tambunting with Francis J. Kong 

for 2009 to the promotion of strategic 

thinking for business survival and 

future growth. 

5 


HOTLINE 

Corporate Social 

Responsibility initiative: 

‘Big players can learn a thing 

or two from SMEs’ 

6 


12 tips in creating 

a CSR program: 

• As a business entity, don’t make price as your 

differentiator. You should stand for something so 

people will remember you. What is your space in the 

consumer’s mind 

• Know your company’s story by heart. By doing so, it will 

be easy to determine your core competence and areas 

from where you can create sustainable CSR programs. 

• Don’t copy the CSR of other companies. If it is not 

aligned with the nature of your business, it won’t be 

sustainable. 

• You can integrate your CSR in your company’s supply 

chain, community or industry. 

• Work with partners. Tap community organizers, nongovernment 

organizations and local government units 

to help you with your CSR start-up. 

• Understand TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE. There are other 

layers or dimensions of profits apart from economic. 

A company should also have social and environmental 

profits. 

• For a CSR program to work, the CEO or business owner 

should LEAD IT and it must ring through the whole 

organization. 

• Encourage your employees to volunteer their time, 

money or services for the company’s CSR. 

• CSR should be a cause-oriented marketing effort. A 

good CSR will definitely increase your brand equity. 

Don’t be shy about communicating your CSR efforts. 

• Consider the sustainability of your CSR program by 

carefully planning, calculating costs and identifying 

returns. 

• Companies can opt for Corporate Citizenship instead 

of managing its own CSR program. By giving one 

percent of your income to Philippine Business for Social 

Progress or a foundation recognized by the Philippine 

Council for NGO Certification, you are already doing 

CSR. 

• Live your CSR: the CEO and his employees should “live 

it and be outlived by it.” 

“When it comes to CSR, 

many big corporations can 

learn a thing or two from 

the small ones.” Chit U. 

Juan, a founding member of 

the Association of Filipino 

Franchisers, Inc. (AFFI) 

and an entrepreneur with 

10 years of experience 

in doing corporate social 

responsibility for small 

and medium enterprises, 

emphasized during her 

presentation to SME owners 

and managers last March 

in Echo Store, Serendra at 

the Fort, Taguig City. 

The AFFI-initiated CSR 

session is aligned with 

Chit’s personal advocacy 

of establishing a common 

understanding of Corporate 

Social Responsibility in the 

SME community. 

Chit cited her 

consultations with 

fast-food service giant 

Jollibee, as proof to her 

above statement. She 

explained how Binalot’s 

award-winning Dangal 

at Hanapbuhay para sa 

Nayon or DAHON program 

prompted Jollibee to 

identify its own sustainable 

CSR program. Binalot’s 

DAHON provides a rural 

community with additional 

income from the sale of 

banana leaves, which the 

Filipino style fast food 

chain uses to package its 

meals. 

“Jollibee found a 

CSR program that is also 

supply-chain related,” 

Chit says, referring to the 

company’s recent efforts to 

directly source their onion 

supply from local growers. 

This practice provides 

local farmers with a steady 

market and ensures a fair 

market price for quality 

produce. In turn, what’s 

good for the farmers is 

beneficial to the fast food 

chain and its customers. 

The event provided 

participants opportunity 

to share experiences and 

lessons from CSR efforts of 

their companies. 

Carson Tan, CEO of 

water supply business chain 

Aquabest, proudly talked 

about their Employee 

Savings Fund program. 

“To encourage employees 

to build up savings, the 

company matches monthly 

deposits of not greater 

than P500 a month per 

employee, up to a hundred 

percent.” This fund gives 

employees the seed capital 

to start their own small 

enterprises. 

Domestic cargo and 

logistics firm V-Cargo 

promotes Gulong ng 

Palad—a scholarship 

program for automotive 

engineering, reforestation 

and 

Entre-ployee 

programs.

Lipa’s original Kape Barako joins mainstream 

Newcomer Café de Lipa 

has joined the competition 

for the hearts of Metro 

Manila’s coffee-drinking 

crowd. 

The Batangas-grown 

coffee chain opened its 

newest outlet in the metro 

in SM Mall of Asia to 

complement its first metro 

café at the nearby Petron 

commercial station along 

Macapagal Boulevard. 

Café de Lipa boasts of its 

heirloom blend made from 

choice beans of Philippine 

Liberica, known for its 

strong taste, powerful body 

and distinctly pungent 

aroma—the real kape 

barako, according to coffee 

grower and entrepreneur 

Jose H. Mercado of Lipa 

City, birthplace of the 

Philippine coffee industry. 

A descendant of the 

Macasaet clan, famous 

for planting the country’s 

first coffee trees during 

the 1800s, Mercado has 

plotted an ambitious goal 

of establishing 150 stores 

within 10 to 15 years. He 

hopes to build 5 stores in 

Metro Manila and by mid- 

2009, Mercado targets 

franchising his brand to 

hasten expansion. 

Mercado believes the 

brand should help the 

Café de Lipa coffee chain 

penetrate the mainstream 

café crowd. 

“The best way to enjoy 

barako is to have it black, 

without sugar. Before you 

take your first sip, you 

should inhale and savor 

its aroma, then sip—not 

gulp—and let its flavor and 

body linger in the palate,” 

Mercado advises. “If you 

appreciate this, you’ll 

never go back to drinking 

instant coffee!” 

Mercado recommends 

a mouthwatering selection 

of Batangueño pastries 

and savories to go with the 

barako blend, including 

tinapa and adobo paté 

in pan de sal, a sampler 

of tableya brownies, 

calamansi crunch and 

pilinut bars, tableya 

decadent cake and moist 

barako brownies. 

The Café de Lipa 

brand of roasted ground 

coffee has been served 

in restaurants and sold 

in local supermarket for 

years. This blend is a 

choice Philippine export to 

the United States, Canada, 

Singapore and the Middle 

East. 

No captions but use 

these images from your 

file. 

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bills 

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the convenience of paying 

your bills under one roof. 

It’s easy on your schedule 

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Pay your bills using 

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Stations in select 

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at any of our 69 

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nationwide. 

We accept payments for the following institutions: 

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Digitel 

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Infocom Nationwide 

Innove 

Meralco 

Philam Insurance 

Philhealth 

PLDT 

SME.com.ph 

Skycable 

Homecable Smart 

SSS 

Check your branch for local listings. 

7 


HOTLINE 

Not just tuna 

Work begins on GenSan’s first-ever I.T. park 

8 


General Santos City— The 

country’s Tuna Capital 

marked a new milestone for 

business with the groundbreaking 

of the Mabuhay 

I.T. Park (MITP), this city’s 

first-ever Philippine Economic 

Zone Authority-registered 

information technology 

park. 

Jan Ced, president of 

Mabuhay Technopark Corporation, 

said the MITP 

will pave way for GenSan 

becoming one of the leading 

information and communications 

technology 

hubs in the country. 

Located in the heart of 

the GenSan Central Business 

District and only a 20- 

minute drive from the Gen- 

San International Airport, 

the Mabuhay I.T. Park is 

projected to be the alternative 

for expanding I.T. and 

I.T.-enabled service companies 

in Metro Manila and 

Cebu. The recent MITP 

groundbreaking event adds 

to major business developments 

in the city, as it rides 

along with major construction 

and property developments 

being undertaken by 

Robinsons Land Corporation, 

Camella Homes and 

Communities, Sta. Lucia 

Land and soon, the SM 

Group. 

Scheduled for completion 

by the fourth quarter 

of 2009, the MITP will be a 

one-stop facility capable of 

carrying voice, video and 

data services and providing 

superior, reliable and 

secure network communications 

for technology and 

knowledge-based locators. 

The techno park will also 

offer incubation facilities 

for small and medium-scale 

I.T. and I.T.-enabled service 

companies. 

The MITP is expected 

to become GenSan’s showcase 

for technology companies 

and high-value business 

process outsourcing 

services like engineering 

and design processes, animation, 

software development, 

finance and accounting 

services and contact 

centers, according to a 

statement issued by developers. 

For more information, 

contact Mabuhay Technopark 

Corporation, Ced 

Avenue, National Highway, 

General Santos City 

at (6383) 301 0212 or visit 

their website www.mabuhaytechnopark.com 

.

izbeat 

Eco-Products International Fair 2009 

Doing It the Green Way 

By Donna Rasalan Lampa 

10 


The Eco-Products International 

Fair 2009 at the SMX 

Convention Center in Pasay 

City was an extensive 

showcase of environment-friendly 

product and services, offered not just 

in the Philippines but all over Asia. 

Reinlab Corporation’s Products 

and Services 

There may be a number of companies 

providing high-quality yet ecofriendly 

cleaning products to SMEs 

in the food and beverage industry 

already, but Reinlab’s cleaning products 

prove to be the better choice because 

they come with free training 

programs. 

General Manager Rommel 

Gerodias, also the chem whiz who 

developed the products, explains that 

this is very important to SMEs, such 

as, restaurants and repacking plants 

to meet strict sanitation standards. 

Customers can also avail of their 

complete sanitation services. Reinlab 

has been operating for less than five 

years, but it’s already servicing big 

industry players like Coca-Cola and 

Gardenia. Gerodias clarifies, however, 

that 40 percent of their clients 

are SMEs. 

Bio and Non-Bio Waste Separator 

[BNBWS] 

Thanks to this invention which won 

first prize at the DOST-sponsored 

National Invention Contest last year, 

the Filipino catchphrase “may pera 

sa basura” could never be truer. 

Engineer Dominador Rosales, 

inventor of the BNBWS system, explains 

that his machine not only 

separates biodegradable from nonbiodegradable 

waste instantaneously, 

but also makes it possible for 100 

percent of household waste to be reused 

and recycled. Everything from 

plastic to glass to metal and even 

wood residue—could be turned into 

profit, and at a pace and efficiency 

that’s never been achieved before. 

In fact, it should not take more than 

five minutes for household wastes to 

go though the entire process and be 

ready for selling. 

Rosales visualizes that return-oninvestment 

would take no more than 

two years, and since local government 

units will definitely benefit from 

a solid waste management facility 

using the BNBWS technology (some 

LGUs have expressed their interest 

already), getting the necessary permits 

should be a breeze. 

The BNBWS machine’s estimated 

cost is P5 million, while a typical 

3,500m2 solid waste management 

plant would require a capital of at 

least P20 million, excluding land 

cost. 

Valuejet Large Format 

Inkjet Printers 

The elections in 2010 will boost the 

local printing industry, but it wouldn’t 

hurt for printers of stickers, banners 

and outdoor advertising paraphernalia 

to care for the environment 

while producing campaign materials, 

would it 

Valuejet large format printers are 

priced between P1.2 to P6 million, 

which makes it more expensive than 

other models. But no other printer in 

the market can produce bright prints, 

24/7, for at least six months. Multistiq 

marketing executive Relly Bautista 

explains that these Japan-developed 

and manufactured printers use lowsolvent 

and soy-based inks that don’t 

easily clog and require minimum 

clean-up. It also boasts of a patented 

Wave Printing technology, which 

means that wavy lines are used instead 

of conventional horizontal lines 

in printing images. Since the colors 

blend better, the images produced end 

up looking more solid and vibrant. 

The printers are distributed in 

the Philippines by Mutoh Industries 

Ltd. The company also provides aftersales 

service and technical support to 

its customers.

BUSINESS 

OPPORTUNITIES 

 

WEEDS AS SEEDS 

FOR LIVELIHOOD 

BY RIZALINO ANTONIO M. PULUMBARIT 

Weeds as seeds for livelihood 

By Rizalino Antonio M. Pulumbarit 

Filipinos are known the world 

Filipinos are known the 

over for their resilience and 

world over for being resilient 

and ingenuous. Thanks 

ingenuity. Thanks to Filipino 

creativity, plants considered 

to Filipino ingenuity, something 

that used to be considered of 

common place or of little value are 

now potential raw material for highvalue 

exports. 

little value now has the potential to 

become an invaluable raw material of 

The water hyacinth—misidentified 

products for export. 

as water lily—is a common sight 

in 

Water 

creeks, 

lilies 

lakes 

are 

and 

a common 

rivers. 

sight 

This 

in 

floating 

Laguna 

species, 

de Bay. An 

introduced 

estimated 

from 

20 

percent 

South 

of 

America 

the lake 

as 

is covered 

an ornamental 

by water 

plant, lilies has (or become water hyacinths) a nuisance. that are For 

considered example, hyacinths to be ìweedsî now as cover they pose onefifth 

environmental of the surface problem of Laguna to aquatic de Bay. 

an 

species. Masses of The hyacinths lilies prevent prevent sunlight 

from from penetrating into the the water, water. impede They 

also watercraft clog the and lake clog and drainage cause canals. flooding. 

Fortunately, the government has 

found Laguna new, de productive Bay thus has uses to be for rid the of 

water lilies. plant, Fortunately, which are the now government 

developed has found as a new source and of productive fiber for 

being 

uses baskets for these (bayong), plants. shoulder They bags, are now gift 

being containers, developed wine as holders, raw materials and so on. for 

baskets According (bayong), to shoulder Aurora bags, de gift la 

bags, Rea, wine account holders, officer and so of on. the SME 

Development According to and Aurora Promotions de la Rea, of account 

Department officer of of the Trade SME Development 

and Industry 

the 

and (DTI), Promotions the water of lily the project Department is of 

Trade the Laguna and Industry Livelihood (DTI), Employment the water 

lily and project Accelerated is part of Program the Laguna (Laguna Livelihood 

LEAP). Employment and Accelerated 

Program The general (Laguna objective LEAP). is to clean 

up The Laguna general Lake objective and is transform to clean 

up water Laguna lilies Lake into and raw transform materials water for 

lilies community-based into raw materials enterprises. for community-based 

The project enterprises. will be implemented 

in the 76 barangays along the coast 

The project will be implemented 

of Laguna Lake as well as the nearby 

in the 76 barangays along the coast 

towns and barangays. Out-of-school 

of Laguna Lake as well as the nearby 

youths from these barangays will be 

towns and barangays. Out-of-school 

employed to clean the lake twice a 

youths from these barangays will be 

week (or eight times a month). 

employed to clean the lake twice a 

They will gather the water lilies 

week (or eight times a month). 

and begin processing them into raw 

They will gather the water lilies 

materials of products that can be sold 

and 

both 

begin 

locally 

processing 

and abroad. 

them 

The 

into 

bayong 

raw 

materials 

or basket 

of 

will 

products 

be promoted 

that can be 

as 

sold 

an 

both 

environment-friendly 

locally and abroad. 

alternative 

The bayong 

plastic or basket bags. will be promoted as an 

to 

environment-friendly alternative to 

plastic Project bags. Bayong 

A related A related SME SME development development initiative initiative 

in Laguna in Laguna is Project is ìProject Bayong Bayongî or the 

or Bayong the Bayong Development Development Livelihood Liveli- 

Project, where pandan leaves are 

used as raw materials bayong, bags, 

hood Project, where pandan leaves 

baskets, hats, mats, and other novelty 

are used as raw materials bayong, 

products. 

bags, baskets, hats, mats, and other 

Aside from water lilies, another 

novelty products. 

abundant resource in Laguna is the 

Aside from water lilies, another 

pandan or screw palm. This palmlike 

fragrant plant, is commonly used 

abundant resource in Laguna is the 

ìpandanî plant. Pandan, a fragrant 

for cooking. Now, it is also being 

plant, is commonly used for cooking. 

considered as a raw material for 

various 

Now, it 

products. 

is also being considered as a 

raw 

Pandan 

material 

plants 

for various 

are a major 

products. 

source 

of income 

Pandan 

for 

plants 

the 

are 

municipalities 

a major source 

of 

Cavinti of income and Luisiana, for the municipalities where there are of 

about Cavinti 800 and farmers, Luisiana, pandan where gatherers, there 

weavers, are about and 800 processors. farmers, pandan gatherers, 

Some weavers, of the and objectives processors. of Project 

Bayong Some is of to the develop objectives innovative of Project 

designs Bayong for is bayong to develop bags, innovative look for new designs 

for and bayong set up bags, a center look for where new 

markets, 

production, markets, and design set up a development, 

center where 

processing production, and design finishing development, will processing 

and finishing will be done. 

In the area of of food development, 

ìveggie noodlesî (or vegetable (or vegetable noodles) noo- 

be 

done. 

are dles) being are being considered considered as a as priority a priority 

project for for SMEs. SMEs. The The noodles will 

be marketed by the DTI as as a a healthy 

yet affordable food choice for for lowincome 

families, especially now now that 

project 

that the prices the prices of rice of and rice flour and are flour rising. are 

rising. The veggie The veggie noodles noodles will be will distrib- 

be 

distributed in all ìTindahan all Tindahan Natinî Natin outlets 

outlets nationwide. nationwide. 

DTI continues to to encourage local local 

consumers to to Buy ìBuy Filipino-Made 

Productsî as as a a way way of of supporting 

consumers 

SMEs. 

7 

11 

VOL. NO. 03 / ISSUE NO. 06 


12 


Reena Francisco, Chit Juan, Jeannie Javelosa

COVER STORY 

Green “Innerpreneurs” 

Echo Store’s message rings loud and clear 

By Angela Blardony Ureta 

Photos by Rick Lopez 

The Earth is imbued an infinite intelligence 

that allows itself to survive, provide 

and regenerate itself. And if part 

of this inexplicable intelligence is the 

ability to compel humankind to rethink 

its wayward, wasteful and destructive 

ways, then we can see that it is exercising 

this inexplicable power here and 

now. 

Ever since the warning bells of 

environmental degradation began tolling 

some five decades ago, visibly 

propelled by the publication of Rachel 

Carson’s “Silent Spring” in 1962 which 

was largely credited for advancing the 

environmental movement, we have not 

been lacking in men and women who 

dedicate themselves as witnesses for 

the beauty and integrity of life – with 

each generation inspiring the ones that 

follow to protect the living world and all 

its creatures. 

In what could be described as a 

slow and painful, yet significant process, 

what once was a greatly outnumbered 

and often ridiculed band of 

ecological warriors has grown into a 

band of over 100 million individuals 

worldwide, characterized by their own 

sub-culture and identified as a powerful 

marketing demographic. 

The term “cultural creative” was 

coined by sociologist Paul Ray and 

psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson, to 

describe a newly emerging segment of 

Western society that is driven by values 

that include altruism, self-actualization 

and spirituality. The behavior of a cultural 

creative is dictated by: authenticity 

(actions must be consistent with 

words and beliefs); engaged action 

13 


Only six months 

into our operation, 

the market came 

back with positive 

reaction. We were a 

little overwhelmed. 

The media was just 

as excited. 

14 


and whole process learning (seeing the 

world as interwoven and connected); 

idealism and activism; globalism and 

ecology, and the importance of women. 

Efforts to unite cultural creatives 

gave birth to a consumer demographic 

called Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability 

or LOHAS, a market segment attracted 

to sustainable living and green 

alternatives. Composed of a relatively 

upscale and well-educated segment of 

society, Dr. Ray correctly predicted that 

this market will “demand for products 

of equal quality that are also virtuous”. 

Last year, studies showed that the LO- 

HAS market was worth $540-billion 

worldwide. 

Innerpreneurship 

Understandably, these “virtuous products” 

do not roll out of a conveyor belt 

in a factory or are assembled by minors 

in a backdoor sweatshop, nor are sold 

by unscrupulous traders concerned 

solely with pecuniary gain. The demand 

for integrity birthed a new business 

model – “innerpreneurship”. Introduced 

by small business advocate Ron Rentel, 

“innerpreneurs” display the entrepreneurial 

characteristics of achievement, 

independence, risk-taking, nonconformity 

and obsession with opportunity, 

but go beyond generating money. Their 

primary objective is to generate personal 

creative, spiritual and emotional 

fulfillment, and to encourage social 

change. This embodies the model Bill 

Gates called “creative capitalism” at 

last year’s World Economic Forum, identifying 

it boldly as the solution to the 

world’s problems. 

Saving Mother Earth and solving 

the world’s economic problems are lofty 

goals, even for billion-dollar corporations. 

However, no matter how small or 

modest, the rapidly growing numbers of 

social enterprises are like sturdy bricks 

that line and pave the road to healing 

the planet and its people. Advocating 

for lifestyle change, this new breed of 

business owners offer alternatives to 

our existing modes of living. Without 

having to move out of the city or give 

up the perks of urban life, the average 

metrophile can still be ecologically motivated. 

The important thing is to change 

one’s consciousness into becoming a 

wise consumer. 

“We often tell people that we want 

everyone to follow our concept, and 

echo it over and over again. People 

have to purchase products and goods 

anyway—why not buy a double gift 

where you get something you need and, 

at the same time, help a community” 

enthuses Jeannie Javelosa, partner and 

communications officer of Echo Store, a 

new but fast-rising Filipino “innerprise” 

that offers products and services for 

sustainable living. 

The first concept store of its kind in 

the Philippines, “Echo” is an acronym 

for Environment & Community Hope Organization. 

Opened only last September 

2008 by kindred spirits Javelosa, Chit 

Juan and Reena Francisco, the fledgling 

enterprise does more than sell “virtuous 

products”; it is also an education center, 

a spiritual nook and activity hub for 

lectures and workshops that promote 

and support their vision. In one place, 

you can get everything you need to start 

you on your way to living a sustainable 

lifestyle, the owners point out. 

Baby steps 

“We are showing people how we can 

help the environment in baby steps,” 

says partner Chit Juan. “We know that 

this can be done by changing the kind of 

food we eat, giving people options about 

products that will help them change 

their lifestyle… Now where do you go to 

buy all these Echo Store is a one-stop 

shop. Someone can drop in and say ‘I 

need a katsa bag’, or need to buy a gift, 

something for me to eat, something for 

my face, my body, my house—they’re all 

here.” 

Life-affirming values comprise the 

foundation of Echo Store. “First the store 

has a philosophy. It stands on three

principles: nurture and sustain the Self, 

the Community and the Environment,” 

explains Jeannie. “This guides us when 

we look for our suppliers and products. 

Our products are organic, natural, community-based 

and good for the planet. 

The philosophy guides us right away. 

As a social enterprise, we look for suppliers 

who never had a chance to put out 

their products on retail, supermarkets.” 

Chit, former CEO of Figaro and currently 

co-chair of the Philippine Coffee 

Board, brings her business expertise 

into the triumverate as she handles marketing 

and organizational interface for 

Echo Store. “The established business 

organizations welcomed us because 

marketing is not their expertise. Their 

concern is mostly institution building. 

They just sell the end products of the 

communities in village trade fairs, tiangges, 

and flea markets where it could not 

get the premium it can demand.” 

‘Win-win for everybody’ 

“We don’t go into the developmental 

aspects of communities. Our strength 

is in bringing the products to the mainstream 

market,” adds Reena Francisco, 

who is on top of finance, operations and 

product development. “Social enterprise 

is really a new category in business. 

It’s not always about the money; 

you’re also looking at psychic income. 

It’s about people, profit and planet. It 

should be win-win for everybody.” 

As a retail outlet, Echo Store offers 

home decor, gifts, fashion accessories, 

books, music, food and beverage, as 

well as a wide array of health, wellness, 

body, beauty and nutritional products. 

While not all of them are exclusive to 

Echo Store, there is a personalized imprint 

to each item – be it the loving attention 

given by indigenous craftsmen, 

the hope emanated by women inmates, 

the pride exuded by community-based 

organic farmers, or the creative surge 

from independent artists, authors and 

musicians. 

“The products have stories,” says 

Jeannie, “there’s a meaning to each 

product. The added value for this is we 

want to create new consumers by informing 

them that there is a responsible 

way of being a consumer.” 

“Only six months into our operation, 

the market came back with positive 

reaction. We were a little overwhelmed. 

The media was just as excited. Organizations 

came wanting to work with us 

and suppliers also came asking to sell 

products here.” 

Sharing Echo Store’s vision are 

their partners, which include: Philippine 

Business for Social Progress, Rags2riches 

(which employs women from 

Payatas), the Correctional Institute for 

Women, Peace and Equity Foundation, 

Foundation for People Development, Filipinas 

Fair Trade Venture, Gawad Kalinga, 

Yabang Pinoy, Association of Negros 

Producers, Gifts and Graces Fair Trade 

Foundation, Alter Trade, Pinoy ME, and 

the Ayala Waste Market, among others. 

Together, they have created a network 

of fair trade opportunities for communities, 

cooperatives and even individuals 

engaged in small-scale businesses that 

meet the triple bottom line of social, 

economic and environmental profit. 

Echo Store is able to bring its advocacy 

to a broader spectrum by joining 

SME.com.ph. Powered by Plantersbank, 

SME.com.ph is a web community promoting 

growth and empowerment of 

SMEs in the country. For social entrepreneurs 

like Chit, Reena and Jeannie, it 

is very important to partner with a banking 

institution that shares the same triple 

bottom line objectives. 

“In business, we believe, you need 

to see a full year’s cycle,” Chit points 

out. “We need to see first how business 

can be sustainable for one full 

year, then we’ll know how to expand.” 

However, this does not keep them from 

tapping other avenues for bringing Echo 

Store to another level. “We’re stepping 

forward in a partnership with Shangri-la 

Hotel, which is at the forefront of greening 

their whole regional operations. This 

way, we can show tourists and transient 

visitors a little of the Philippines. It 

won’t be just another handicraft or souvenir 

shop. We’ll be promoting sustainability 

for local products and bring good 

exposure to the international market.” 

To find new products, the indefatigable 

trio is determined to scour 

the entire archipelago if need be. Chit 

recounts: “Reena and I were just up in 

Benguet, then she and Jeannie went 

to Bacolod to meet manufacturers and 

communities. After that, the three of us 

went to Davao with the NCCA to meet 

with traditional indigenous groups. Sustainable 

lifestyle encompasses a lot. It 

could also be sustainable for our culture, 

for our livelihood and for products 

that are only found in those areas.” 

Heart + Hardwork 

With all the heart and hard work they’ve 

put into Echo Store, the partners are 

have no doubt theirs is a winning “innerprise” 

– one which they believe holds 

the shared vision of many like-minded 

people who advocate and work for a 

world that is more equitable, cleaner, 

and collaborative, with healthier and 

environmentally-sound lifestyles. 

Echo Store is located at Serendra Piazza, 

Fort Bonifacio Global City. For more information, 

check out www.echostore.ph 

15 


oundtable 

16 


It’s 

not 

e a s y 

By tichot san pablo 

“It is not the strongest of the species 

that survives, nor the most intelligent 

that survives. It is the one that is the 

most adaptable to change.” 

— Charles Darwin 

b e i n g 

This insight is most relevant 

with today’s realization of 

the reality of global warming. 

Rajenda Pachauri, head of the 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 

Change (IPCC), has sounded the 

alarm on its dangers: “The picture is 

quite grim –- if the human race does 

not do anything, climate change will 

have serious impacts.” 

Worldwide concern 

Several major shifts in the earth’s 

climate have occurred throughout 

our planet’s history, resulting in 

the extinction of millions of plant 

and animal species. In contrast to 

these prehistoric natural upheavals, 

the present global climate change 

has been brought about by human 

activity. And humanity is now reeling 

from its effects. Achim Steiner, 

UN Under-Secretary General and 

Executive Director of The United 

Nations Environment Programme 

g r e e n 

© Prawny Dreamstime.com 

(UNEP), said: “The financial, fuel 

and food crises of 2008 are in part a 

result of speculation and a failure of 

governments to intelligently manage 

and focus markets. But they are 

also part of a wider market failure 

triggering ever deeper and disturbing 

losses of natural capital and naturebased 

assets coupled with an overreliance 

of finite, often subsidized 

fossil fuels.” 

Recently, UNEP launched a 

Green Economy initiative which will 

propose recommendations for making 

national economies more environment 

friendly, creating new green jobs and 

greening existing jobs. By combating 

climate change and re-investing in 

natural infrastructure, the initiative 

expects to realize economic, social 

and environmental benefits. More and 

more future jobs are expected to shift 

to environmental industries such as 

environmental infrastructure, clean 

and efficient technology, renewable 

energy, bio-diversity based products 

and services such as organic foods, 

chemical and waste management, 

and ecologically friendly buildings, 

construction and transport systems. 

What businesses can do 

Sadly, most businesses still see 

environmental initiatives as a business 

cost. However, this is expected to 

change, as more and more consumers 

consider corporate environmental 

policies in their buying decisions. 

This will put pressure on companies 

to go green. Moreover, companies 

that look at green initiatives as a 

business opportunity will have a 

distinct advantage over those that do 

business the traditional way. 

Business leaders must analyze 

which areas of their business 

have the greatest environmental 

impact. This will form the basis 

for prioritizing green efforts. What 

natural resources are being used 

Are there viable alternative sources 

How can goods and services be better 

produced How can the company 

save on energy What alternative 

packaging materials are available 

What recycling initiatives can the 

business implement 

Small and medium enterprises 

(SMEs), in particular, find it difficult 

to implement a major shift to green 

business. The transition need not 

be done in one huge step; it is much 

easier to implement small coordinated 

changes, such as: 

• Using recycled items such 

as paper, plastic, packaging 

materials, etc. 

• Managing company waste 

• Saving on electricity 

• Encouraging car pools, the use 

of mass transport systems and 

bicycles 

• Educating employees on the 

importance of greening 

• Coordinating with 

environmental organizations or 

experts

fast facts 

The success of an SME’s green 

initiative depends on its business 

leaders. Anna Clark, president 

of consulting firm EarthPeople, 

says, “Leadership is the key to 

the successful implementation of 

sustainability initiatives, no matter 

the size of the company. For SMEs, 

going green is largely a voluntary 

action dependent upon the vision 

and conviction of one or a few 

individuals.” She adds, “There are 

many methods but only one formula: 

leadership, and inquiring mind, and 

creativity. For those pioneers eagerly 

embracing sustainability, the payoffs 

of going green are significant and the 

risks are minimal.” 

What YOU can do 

The World Wildlife Foundation 

(WWF) website offers greening tips 

for individuals. Here are some locally 

applicable examples: 

• Conserve energy in your home 

o Use energy efficient CFL 

lamps; they last longer and 

consume less electricity 

o Use a pail and dipper (tabo) 

instead of the shower 

o Set your refrigerator 

temperature between 3-5 o C 

o Dry your clothes on the 

clothesline instead of using 

the dryer 

o Iron items of clothing in 

multiples, rather than a piece 

at a time 

• To buy or not to buy 

o Use reusable shopping bags 

o Buy products with less 

packaging to reduce the 

amount of waste going to the 

garbage 

o Buy recycled products where 

possible, such as recycled 

paper and toilet paper 

o Use rechargeable batteries 

rather than disposable ones 

o Give away unwanted 

furniture and clothes to 

people who can use them 

o Use biodegradable trash 

bags. 

o Do not upgrade your mobile 

phone and gadgets every 

year—wait until they are 

defunct 

o Deposit old mobile phones in 

e-waste recycle bins 

o Buy the most energy efficient 

electrical appliances you can 

afford 

o Choose environmentally 

friendly cleaning products 

o Consider buying secondhand, 

reconditioned 

furniture at thrift shops and 

garage sales 

o Pass on children’s clothes, 

cradles and other items to 

friends and family or donate 

them to a recycling project 

o Use cloth diapers instead of 

disposable diapers 

• Think before you travel 

o Drive less and share your ride 

with friends or colleagues 

o Walk or cycle for short trips 

o Take the train or bus 

o If you have the flexibility, 

work from home one day a 

week 

o When buying a new car, 

investigate more energy 

efficient or hybrid models 

• Modify your diet 

o Reduce the amount of meat 

you eat and try to buy better 

quality or organic foods 

o Drink tap water rather than 

bottled water 

o Avoid buying heavily 

processed food 

o Compost your kitchen and 

garden waste to develop a 

nutrient-rich fertilizer for 

your plants 

o Grow fruit and vegetables in 

your garden 

1954 – the year when the first 

solar panel was developed. A group 

of American scientists including Calvin 

Fuller, Gerald Pearson and Daryl Chapin 

developed a silicon solar cell with higher 

energy conversion efficiency of above six 

percent. They formed an array of several 

silicon strips placing them together to 

capture light energy. 

(inventors.about.com) 

150,000 – estimated 

volume of water in liters that could be 

saved in one year for every waterless 

urinal used. (inquirer.net) 

If humans need to drink 2.5 liters of 

water a day, that savings can supply 

drinking water for 5,000 years. 

8kg – the amount of carbon 

dioxide that can be absorbed by 1 tree 

in one year. A typical passenger car that 

generates 5460kg of carbon dioxide 

emissions in one year needs 683 trees to 

absorb its CO 2 emissions. (1e.com) 

P1,263,225 – the 

estimated amount of money that can 

be saved in one year if a company, with 

500 desktop PCs, turns off computers in 

the evenings of work week and during 

weekends. (1e.com) 

*Meralco charges P4.8 per kwh used. 

20 – the annual percentage growth 

rate of organic food production in both 

developed and developing nations since 

the 1990’s. (wikipedia) 

160,000 – the number 

of cut banana leaves used by Binalot 

fast food enterprise in a month, saving 

on styro foam. Through the company’s 

CSR initiative, Dangal at Hanapbuhay 

sa NayON (DAHON), a dedicated 

community is able to sustain and 

prepare their year-round banana leaf 

requirements. 

17 


SME FOCUS | SALES TRAINING 

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. 

Tomorrow is Another Day (Not) 

Certainly Scarlet O’Hara could 

bat her eyelashes and exclaim 

that “tomorrow is another 

day.” However, in this current 

economy, such blatant procrastination 

is not just dumb; it’s downright self-destructive. 

We have never experienced an economic 

period quite like this one where 

so many aspects of it are faltering. Companies 

are downsizing, budgets are being 

cut, and opportunities are being lost 

each and every day. Success now requires 

being smart, quick, and tremendously 

proactive. An attitude of complacency is 

no longer feasible for anyone who plans 

on making it through to the other side of 

this recession. 

Make Prospecting Calls 

Prospecting should be at the top of your 

“to do” list each and every day. While 

other aspects of your job are also important, 

prospecting is the task that has the 

greatest possibilities of bringing in money. 

So, make it your priority. 

Network 

Opportunities for networking abound 

- particularly during tough times. There 

are endless online and in- person events 

and get-togethers that can get you one 

step closer to a new client. Seek them out 

and make it a point to go to several each 

and every week. Help those you can with 

the contacts that you have and make new 

contacts with those you wouldn’t otherwise 

meet. 

Call Existing Clients 

You need to cross sell, up sell, and 

continue to remind your existing customers 

that you are still in the game. 

You’ve heard this all before, but now it’s 

more important than ever. Uncover every 

opportunity to serve your existing client 

base, and you’ll discover a multitude of 

new sales. 

18 


© Triggerjoy Dreamstime.com 

Develop Your Skills 

Resting on your laurels just doesn’t fly 

anymore. You better be up to speed on the 

latest technologies, software, and lingo. 

Are you falling behind Make it a point to 

keep learning and growing so that you’ll 

be ahead of the game. This isn’t the time 

to be deemed the old dinosaur who can’t 

use a computer. 

Procrastination isn’t a life sentence. 

You can change, and yes, the change must 

begin today. Once you begin to make the 

necessary changes, you’ll quickly find 

that you’re getting more done and making 

far fewer excuses for your lack of productivity. 

As the famous Roman lyric poet 

Horace said over two thousand years ago, 

“Carpe Diem” - Seize the Day!

SME FOCUS | management 

Effective 

Positioning: 

Beating 

the Big Guys 

© Cmcderm1 Dreamstime.com 

Undeniably, Small and Medium 

Enterprises (SMEs) 

at are their toes against big, 

established companies. Although 

SMEs have a more definitive 

niche market as compared to their bigger 

counterparts, it is undeniable that 

while big companies rake in customers, 

SMEs get a small, meager portion of 

the consumer pie. 

However, SMEs are in a unique, 

advantageous point. Alice M. Tybout 

and Brian Sternthan, in an article in 

the Financial Times’ “Mastering Marketing” 

series, identified four effective 

tools that prove that great things come 

in small packages. 

The Four D’s of Effective Positioning 

showcases the four goals that all 

SMEs can attain to gain footing in the 

industry despite their size. 

Brand Definition. Define the brand 

carefully as part of the market. W hat 

does your business intend to do If the 

company is into providing good food, 

streamline more by asking these questions: 

W hat cuisine should the business 

focus on W hat type of service would 

the business like to be associated with 

– fast food, restaurant or deli type 

Brand definition does not come easy 

though; it takes planning and constant 

restructuring to finally hammer down 

the specifications of the business. Once 

done however, it is easy to plot the next 

moves for company growth. 

Brand Differentiation. How 

does your business differ from the rest 

W hat makes your products unique 

This is where marketing of product 

features should be carefully examined. 

If you are into the restaurant industry 

with special focus on Japanese cuisine, 

how does your restaurant differ from 

other Japanese eating places You may 

consider selling the idea of guests seating 

in tatami mats or using organic vegetables 

in all your menus. The key is to 

clearly define the facet that makes you 

and your product rise above the rest. 

Remember though not to create too 

many differentiating features; less is 

often more. 

Deepening the Brand. To deepen 

the brand, the business needs to know 

much about the potential customers. 

W hat values are primary to them W hat 

do they consider of utmost importance 

when transacting business with you 

What will make them happy Once answered, 

these questions can prove to be 

veritable opportunities to deepen the 

brand relation of the business to its end 

consumers. 

Defending your Brand. Even if a 

business is well established, continual 

review should be made with regards to 

brand positioning as well as the relationship 

with the customers’ goals and 

objectives. This is especially true for 

smaller businesses competing against 

bigger, more potent companies. The 

business may need to subtly reposition 

its products and services from time 

to time so as to remain different and 

unique. The key is constant, low key 

changes; not too abrupt nor radical. 

Actively develop and introduce new 

features in the business, or else, your 

competitors will. 

Although small in size and scope, 

effective positioning can bring leverage 

to an SME and its selling ability. 

After all, its not about size; its about 

strategy. 

By: Therese M. Gutierrez 

Resource Book: Dickinson, Paul. It’s Not About 

Size: Bigger Brands for Smaller Businesses. 

Virgin Publishing Ltd.: London, 2001. 

19 


SME FOCUS | management 

Tough times call for top communication 

strategies, says marketing exec 

20 


Recession. Crashing markets. 

Rollbacks. Slowdown. Recurring 

headlines about the 

financial crises of the world’s 

advanced economies can alarm even 

the most complacent of a marketer. If 

the United States itself, the country 

many Pinoys consider ‘the land of milk 

and honey’, will come crashing down… 

what is bound to happen to the Philippine 

economy Tough Times. You can 

hear it in the tap-tap-tap of a homemaker 

calculating and trying to cut back on 

the weekly grocery. You can see it in 

the jampack of commuters opting to 

take the MRT instead of cars or taxis. 

As if the country doesn’t have enough 

problems, here come Tough Times. According 

to business analysts, our country 

will have minimal growth by 2009, 

tiptoeing on the thin line between recession 

and positivity. The marketer 

has every reason to be alarmed. 

But is alarm over tough times to be 

equated with axing budget for marketing 

and adspend Historically speaking, 

the answer is a resounding NO! 

The companies which survived and 

thrived during the Great Depression 

realized the fact that consumers didn’t 

stop spending; most just looked for 

better deals. The companies providing 

those better deals came out stronger 

after the Depression ended. Now, 

the same principle applies, better deals 

combined with better marketing and 

communication strategies can and will 

create demand even during the most 

difficult of times. 

In his talk at the recent AdCamp, 

Toti Soliongco, managing director of 

Momentum Philippines, discussed 

how tough times affect the consumer 

mindset, and what the new metrics are 

to reach them. “They are now valueoriented, 

and brand loyalty is hard to 

come by. It is more difficult for mass 

marketing to carry the message to each 

consumer segment.” So how should 

marketers address this Soliongco 

notes, “We must speak with relevance, 

speaking the consumers’ language, 

sharing their interests, being a part 

of their lives, and on their time, not 

ours. The EXPERIENCE imperative.” 

Quoting from Confucius, “I hear and 

I forget. I see and I remember. I experience 

and I understand,” Soliongco 

states that this is the time where brand 

activations set in. 

W hy brand activations “One-way 

brand communication is passe. Communication 

elements need to relate the 

brand to something the consumer cares 

about...whether it’s a value, a tradition, 

a desire, an inspiration.” Soliongco 

adds, “It’s a powerful marketing tool 

that: a) can improve the brand’s performance 

through heightened interaction 

with the consumer, b) can make 

the brand relatable, c) can create positive 

experiences and impressions while 

in control of the environment and the 

message and d) can help the brand 

provide unique and innovative multidimensional 

experiences.” 

Tough times means continued rise 

of traditional media costs. But with 

alternatives such as experiential marketing, 

there is no need for brands 

to stop communicating. Consumers 

don’t want to feel abandoned just because 

crises loom ahead. They look for 

brands worthy of their trust, brands 

sharing the same sentiments they have. 

As Soliongco said, “Give them top EX- 

PERIENCE bound to make them forget 

about Tough Times.”

SME FOCUS | people management 

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. 

Treating the Retrenched with Dignity 

It is no joke to see people being laid 

off. Economists in this country estimate 

at least 1.8 million workers 

will lose their jobs before the year is 

over. And this estimate is only the local 

work force. The thousands of Filipinos 

who are expected to lose jobs abroad as 

a result of the world recession is another 

sad story. 

Those affected by the global economic 

downturn have an uncertain future 

ahead of them. If one will believe 

that the tight economy will last until 

early 2011, then the thought of losing 

one’s job is heartbreaking and humiliating. 

Cutting staff is not a pleasant task, 

either. This I know as a consultant for 

21 


22 


companies that recently faced the tough 

choices of letting some people go to ensure 

business survival or closing shop. 

The trauma and uncertainty is very 

heartfelt by employees who have families 

to feed and kids to send to school. 

Hence, entrepreneurs need to make employees’ 

separation from their jobs as 

smooth as possible, giving those whose 

jobs are axed a graceful exit, thereby allowing 

them to move on with their lives 

and without ill feeling towards your 

company. 

Tell the truth 

W hatever the size of your company, 

it is important that the employees understand 

why the work force will be reduced 

and how large a head cut it will 

be. They have to appreciate that the 

reduction does not have anything to do 

with their track record. 

Times like this strongly call for dialogue 

with employees, so that they can 

express their sentiments about the situation. 

Talking is good, and listening is a 

virtue. This allows employees to prepare 

psychologically for the inevitable, 

should the axe fall on their jobs. This 

also provides them lead time to seek out 

and send their resumes to companies 

that are still hiring. 

Help employees prepare 

their resumés 

Many rank and file workers do not 

know how to present themselves on paper 

and make themselves appealing to a 

prospective employer. This is a service 

that you can readily extend to them. 

Focus on the expertise that your employees 

gained in your company. This 

will go a long way in helping market 

their services, especially if they gained 

novel or specialized skills. 

Prepare a letter of recommendation 

for each one so that the prospective 

employer can further appreciate how 

the laid off staff is valued by your company. 

Help them find new employers 

For the larger companies where at least 

100 employees get the pink slip, the task 

of writing to or calling up possible new 

employers for these people is recommended. 

If this proves to be too tedious 

for your human resource team, a viable 

option is to tap job fair organizers. Job 

fairs are either created by local government 

units, industry groups like the 

business process outsourcing (BPO) 

firms, or the fast food and retail service 

associations. 

Smaller-sized companies can also 

make an extra effort by networking 

with other firms within their industry, 

or by recommending their people to 

other industries that are still expanding 

their work force. 

Teach them how to manage 

their finances 

Whether a departing employee has 

been in the company for less than a year 

or several years, the separation package 

they will receive must be handled properly. 

Some companies have tapped the local 

academe or their bankers to provide 

departing employees with skills to manage 

their finances until they are able to 

land new jobs or go into small business. 

It is your social responsibility to 

help employees shift to conservative 

lifestyles and mindsets while they wait 

for better times to return. 

Help them secure a loan 

from the SSS 

Given their contributions to the SSS 

through their service period, it is a good 

idea that they be encouraged to apply 

for salary loans to tide them over while 

they are seeking out a new job. Payment 

of the loan can begin after they are gainfully 

employed. 

Propose entrepreneurship 

as an alternative 

It is a truism that many in the work 

force derive extra income from a sideline. 

Others do not realize that skills 

like baking, doing laundry and ironing, 

sewing, or mechanical expertise can be 

the starting point for self-employment. 

All they have to do is see the opportunity 

which they can explore and exploit so 

that they can earn more than the daily 

minimum wage. 

They need to clearly appreciate that 

starting a small business is a challenge, 

but a rewarding experience if done 

right. They need to be committed and 

passionate for attaining the success 

they dream of. As they say, “if you cannot 

find a job, create a job”. 

A small family operated barbecue 

stand in a good high traffic location for 

example can generate a daily gross sales 

of at least Php 7,500.00 and post a 30% 

net profit. 

Those who are going to be retrenched 

can either start up a business 

as a sole proprietor, or given their coworker 

friends, pool their financial resources 

together to form a partnership 

or even a formal corporation. 

If employees own some farmland 

in the province, particularly here in 

Luzon, they can consider returning to 

their country roots to grow rice, high 

value crops or be a commercial animal 

raiser. They can set up a stall in the 

nearest wet market to sell their farm 

produce and earn a lot more than their 

minimum wage that you pay them. Or 

they can directly supply an industrial 

consumer like the hotels and restaurants. 

As a finale, those companies who 

forecast that they can remain in business 

albeit in survival mode can assure 

that their former employees will be first 

in line for jobs when conditions improve. 

This will be a very comforting 

thought. 

Trust me. This will gain you a lot of 

good graces from the Creator above.

eview 

tech & gadgets 

Go Green for Gaia 

By edong mendoza 

Al Gore said it best, “Choosing between making money and saving the environment is a 

false choice. While not all environmentally-sound practices are the most financially viable, 

they let us exist on Earth just for a little while longer. Caring for the environment is a must 

for every individual and for every entity including businesses – there’s no excuse for it.” 

In keeping up with the spirit of Earth month we’ve come up with a list of things to help 

entrepreneurs in protecting Gaia, our Mother Earth. 

Green Mobile Solar Charger 

From P2,200 to P2,500 

Global warming is a reality, but instead 

of complaining about the 

blinding sunlight and the blistering 

heat, you can harness 

the sun’s power to juice up 

your portable devices. 

GreenMobile’s Solar 

Chargers can fill up your 

batteries for free! Simply 

let the panels bake under 

the sun for a few hours 

and plug in your device for 

instant recharging aftwerwards. 

Acer K10 LED Projector 

P24,900 

Projectors have come a long way since 

the ‘90s. Back then, they were unbelievable 

expensive, difficult to maintain, and 

were as big as coffee tables. Given the 

technological limitations however, these 

were actually forgivable flaws. 

Today however, we have the likes of 

the Acer K10– a small, sleek, and simpleto-use 

projector with all the basics covered 

and without all the unnecessary 

bells and whistles. 

First off, the K10 is literally a no-frills 

piece of equipment. You’ll be able to operate 

it in 3 steps: 1) plug it into an electrical 

socket, 2) connect it to a computer, 

and 3) turn it on. The K10 is plug and play 

compatible so that means Windows will 

automatically detect it and optimize the 

settings. 

Given that the K10 is more of a 

portable solution than a full blown 

projector, it’s not the best when it 

comes to image quality. The 100 

lumens rating is way below today’s 

standards and the colors look 

washed out. You’ll only be able to 

use it decently in a dark room. It’s 

perfect for presentations though. 

The bottom line here is that 

despite the K10’s shortcomings, 

it’s exactly what it’s supposed to 

be, a very portable projector that 

won’t give you back pains when you 

travel from office to office. It’s a 

must for marketing and sales personnel. 

Red Fox Wizbook 1020i 

P17,500 

Mini-laptops or “Netbooks” as they’re officially 

called have turned the computer world 

upside down. Their minimalist approach has 

spawned a following of millions and it’s a nobrainer 

to see why. A good example of this 

is the WizBook 1020i. It consumes less than 

1/3 the power needed to run an ordinary 

laptop and yet, its features allow you to accomplish 

a myriad of tasks from working 

with office applications and surfing the web. 

It’s also 1/3 the price of a normal notebook 

computer. 

Western Digital Passport 500GB 

P7,450 

Ridata 8GB Flash Drive 

P900 

Storing files is no joke. Archive rooms full of documents and compact discs cost a lot of money, 

and can harm the environment with the amount of paper and plastic put to not-so-good use. As 

a smarter alternative, you can back up data using portable hard drives like the Western Digital 

Passport. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors, too, for easy organization. 

For sharing smaller amounts of data, you can forget about burning a CD or DVD and 

instead use a flash drive. Both products consume less than five watts of electricity and go a 

long way to help reduce office waste. 

23 


eview 

books 

Greening Up The Nat Geo Way 

By Joel P. Salud 

24 


Inasmuch as books on 

safeguarding the environment 

are a dime a dozen in this 

day and age, there is nothing 

wrong with adding another one 

in the list, if, more than ever, it 

can open up worlds on how to 

accomplish this in very practical 

ways. This is where the book True 

Green: 100 everyday ways you can 

contribute to a healthier planet 

comes as a breath of fresh air to 

all greenies and planet lovers. 

Published by National Geographic 

and authored by Kim Mckay and 

Jenny Brown, True Green picks 

the problem like a seasoned 

locksmith by offering a hundred 

practical everyday ways to keep 

the planet strong on its toes. It’s 

a tough job in view of the planet’s 

rapidly changing climate—a 

sign, for most, that the Earth is 

not what it used to be, that the 

planet is in a fit of convulsion 

due to humanity’s lifestyle. But, 

as the foreword strongly asserts 

(written by Ian Kierman, AO, 

chairman and founder of Clean 

Up the World), “The good news 

is that we can do something 

about our changing climate”. 

The book comes in handcarry, 

coffee table form, with 

photographic art work that’s more 

than soothing to the eyes. Each 

page is laid out with a single 

entry on how to care for the planet 

using everyday things—throwing 

of paper, about the baby, “power 

shower”, sealing the cracks, 

using bright lights, among others. 

What is truly interesting about 

the book is that it seriously 

packs information about the 

environment. In The Sky’s the 

Limit (entry 92), the books says, 

“Probably the single worst thing 

you can do for the environment 

is to jet around for business and 

vacations. Air travel produces 

about as much carbon dioxide as 

each passenger driving a personal 

car with the same distance… A 

single, one-way coast-to-coast trip 

will dump an additional ton of 

CO2 and other greenhouse gases 

into the atmosphere. That’s double 

the emissions you’d release by 

driving cross-country in a carbonproducing 

SUV.” Let’s just hope 

they don’t mean going back to 

the four-horse-drive carriage on 

account that the thing produces 

not carbon dioxide but lumps of 

waste that give out methane. 

For Filipinos, however, much 

of the book’s practicality may 

not work as much as to whom 

this volume is really meant: for 

Americans. Take for example the 

68th entry, Lasting Glory. “Buying 

the cheapest toaster, washing 

machine, DVD player, light bulb, 

or battery is rarely the most costeffective 

option for your wallet— 

or the environment… Investing 

in well-designed, more durable 

items that can be repaired, 

upgraded, reused, and recycled 

saves money in the longer 

term…” With little improvement 

to cost of living allowance 

and per capita income in the 

Philippines—weighed on top by 

a looming global recession— 

much of the products in average 

Filipino households will probably 

remain cheap till the time the 

country gets its act straight. 

On the whole, the book is a 

shining example of what people 

who care for the environment 

would do and think of just to 

protect the planet. The Earth is 

on the throes of a fever, and by 

the time most of humanity will 

feel the ravaging effects of a 

global environmental downturn, it 

would all be too late. There is no 

doubt to the good intentions of the 

authors, and if we were to hoist a 

new generation of environmentfriendly 

people to take our 

place, it would be better off to 

have this book in our shelves 

for our children to enjoy today.

GOODLIFE 

Are you an Eco-Fashionista 

By Veronica Velarde Pulumbarit 

The bywords “Reduce, Reuse, 

and Recycle,” also known as the 

“3Rs of waste hierarchy,” have 

had a global impact on businesses 

and are echoed even in the lofty world 

of fashion. 

Top fashion names and style magazines 

today are telling consumers that 

it’s now hip to own eco-fashion items, 

as a show of support for the environment. 

Much to the satisfaction of planet 

crusaders, the strong response from this 

sector is a sign that eco-consciousness is 

here to stay. 

Reinventing aluminum 

One of the most popular items is the aluminum 

pulltab bags and purses made 

from recycled soda and beer cans. These 

bags were first developed by women’s cooperatives 

in Brazil and are sold online 

and in pricey designer stores. 

In the Philippines, aluminum pulltab 

bags are made by Santelmo Bags—a 

home-based business by Raquel Frondoso 

and her family. 

“My sister showed me a purse she 

bought online for around P15,000, I 

somehow had an idea how to make it and 

told her that we can make the purse and 

sell it here at a much lower price. There is 

an abundance of recyclable materials in 

the Philippines,” she says. 

Each handmade and recycled Santelmo 

bag has a hand-crocheted nylon 

lining. At first glance, buyers don’t even 

notice that they are made from used 

pulltabs. 

“It looks so classy and the metallic 

shine makes it eye-catching. It’s a good 

conversation piece. You get to talk about 

preservation and recycling,” she continues. 

At the moment, Santelmo bags are 

supplied only to renowned fashion designer 

Lulu Tan Gan’s L Manila store in 

Greenbelt 5 in Makati City. Here, highend 

consumers have taken notice of the 

bags design and environmental value. 

According to Frondoso, the bags are 

normally sold within the same day of 

delivery. As an entrepreneur, she is of 

course, happy that people are choosing 

eco-friendly products because they know 

they are doing something good for the 

environment. 

Frondoso would also like to add a social 

dimension to her business by working 

together with a group of women, 

mostly wives of fishermen in Calatagan, 

Batangas. “They need a source of income 

during the lean fishing season. It’s a good 

idea to be able to empower women and at 

the same time they can help us with our 

production. We are planning to train 

them to make the purses and then we can 

buy it from them.” 

Billboard tarps to fashion bags 

Jones Campos, a public relations executive 

and a former president of the Public 

Relations Society of the Philippines, has 

started a business turning recyclable materials 

into useful items. 

Campos, also executive vice president 

of Alaminos Farms, says “Having been in 

the public relations and advertising field 

for two decades, and having seen how the 

billboard or out-of-home business flourished 

through the years, I wondered, how 

are these tarpaulins disposed of” 

As the flea markets or “tiangges” 

started to carry bags made from recycled 

tarpaulin banners, Campos’ question 

was answered. He quickly decided it was 

time to get into that line of business. 

“I come from Alaminos City in Pangasinan 

where the famous Hundred Islands 

are found. I immediately saw a potential 

market among the island-hopping 

tourists who could use such tarpaulin 

bags for their wet clothes, or simply a utility 

bag for baon, clothes, accessories, and 

what have you. Aside from being durable, 

tarpaulin bags are simply functional and 

practical when you go to the islands,” 

Campos explains. 

He says that when he began the tarpaulin 

bag-making business two years 

ago, it was just a personal endeavor. 

Eventually, it became a livelihood project 

for his sewer and fisherman relatives 

in Alaminos. The income generated from 

bag making tides them over during lean 

months. 

Campos explains that his business is 

still in its initial stage and the marketing 

plans are not yet in full swing. He mainly 

sells his products to friends and acquaintances 

although he did manage to sell a 

huge number of “katsa” bags for an environment 

conference. 

His formula includes uniqueness, affordability 

and good design, among others. 

The products are priced fairly and 

kept very affordable. 

In the near future, he believes that 

more businesses will take the path towards 

helping save the environment. 

He says recycling is the “in” thing so we 

should be constantly thinking of ways to 

put our wastes to good use. 

25 


SMEs4 sme 

Paper or Plastic 

1 ton of bags = 17 trees 

20% get recycled 

Ingredients: wood, petroleum and coal 

Could biodegrade within a month, 

but—due to poor landfill design—actually decompose 

at about same rate as plastic 

Each bag leads to around 12.6 kilos of air pollution 

Generates five times as much solid waste as plastic 

Because of heft and bulk, requires more fuel getting 

trucked to the store 

1 ton of bags = 11 barrels of crude oil 

1% get recycled 

Ingredients: natural gas and petroleum 

Decomposes in 5 to 1,000 years 

Each bag results in 0.5 kilos of air pollution 

40% less energy to manufacture and 91% less energy 

to recycle than paper 

Up to 3% of the world’s plastic bags end up as freefloating 

litter, especially problematic in an archipelagic 

country like the Philippines 

Manufacturing process produces 50 times 

more water pollution than plastic 

The answer Neither 

Easily washes out to sea, where it clogs 

the stomachs of whales and turtles 

Skip the in-store moral dilemma and encourage customers to bring their own bags. 

Or, offer reusable bags made out of recycled or biodegradable materials at cost, 

the proceeds of which will be donated to charity 

(adapted from The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook) 

Green Entrepreneur Options 

“Green” shouldn’t mean “antibusiness”. It means the planet needs a sustainable alternative. 

Such alternatives mean new jobs, new companies, and entire new industries—not to mention old industries waiting for reinvention. 

26 


Back to the Land. There’s a premium market for coffee, fruit, 

root crops, honey, vegetables, fish and poultry grown safely and 

sustainably. Local restaurants and food processors will appreciate 

if you can guarantee quality produce in standard weights and labeled 

packaging. Your small farms can also produce compost and 

feed for other growers. Or leverage parts of your farm or resort 

property to get discounts on real estate taxes by maintaining forest 

or wetland preserves. 

Salvage, Restoration and Green Buildings. Go into the 

building salvage business. As old structures give way to new 

ones, local businesses can specialize in “deconstruction”—taking 

buildings apart piece by piece for salvage yards. The same crews of 

craftsmen can put specialized skills to work restoring or constructing 

new, green homes. Landscapers can expand their niche if they 

begin looking into design, construction and maintenance of green 

roofs for medium and high-rise buildings.

TAX CALENDAR 

MAY 2009 

4 Monday - LAST DAY OF 

FILING 

• Engagement letters and 

renewals or subsequent 

agreements for financial audit 

by independent CPAs for FY 

beginning July 2009 

5 Tuesday– LAST DAY OF 

e-FILING/FILING & 

e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT 

• 2000 - DST for April 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• Summary report of 

certifications issued by the 

President of the NHMFC 

(RA 7279) for April 2009 

8 Friday – LAST DAY OF 

SUBMISSION 

• Transcript sheets of 

ORB for distilled spirits, 

wines,fermented liquor, 

tobacco products, oil, 

automobiles, and cigarette 

paper for April 2009 

• SEC - AFS for FY ended 

December 2008 by 

corporations with SEC 

registration numbers ending 

in 6, 7 or 8 

11 Monday– LAST DAY OF 


e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT/ 

REMITTANCE 

• 1600 – Withholding VAT/PT 

for April 2009 

e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 

1602 - Withholding return on 

compensation, EWT & FWT 

for April 2009 (Group E) 

FILING & PAYMENT/ 

REMITTANCE 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for April 2009 (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) 

• 1606 – Withholding on 

transfer of real property 

other than capital asset for 

April 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• Transcript sheets of ORB 

for mineral products for 

April 2009 

• A sugar cooperative’s list 

of buyers of sugar for April 

2009, 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 

April 2009 

DISTRIBUTION 

• 2306 - Certificate of VAT/PT 

withheld for April 2009 

• 2307 - Certificate of 

creditable PT withheld for 

April 2009 

REMITTANCE 

• PhilHealth - ME-5 

contributions for April 2009 

• SSS - R-5 contributions for 

April 2009 

12 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF 

e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for April 2009 (Group D) 

13 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF 

e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for April 2009 (Group C) 

14 Thursday – LAST DAY OF 

e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for April 2009 (Group B) 

SUBMISSION 


December 2008 by 

corporations with SEC 

registration numbers ending 

in 9 or 0 

REMITTANCE 

• HDMF – M1-1 contributions 

by employers whose names 

start with letters A to D for 

April 2009 


e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for April 2009 (Group A) 

e-PAYMENT 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 

1602 - Withholding return 

on compensation, EWT & 

FWT for April 2009 (all eFPS 

groups) 



• 1702 & 1702-AIF - Annual 

ITR and AIF for corporations 

and partnerships for FY 

ended January 2009 

• 1704 - IAET for FY ended 

April 2008 

FILING & PAYMENT 

• 1707A - Consolidated CGT 

return for shares not traded 

in the stock exchange for FY 

ended January 2009 

REGISTRATION 

• Bound computer-generated/ 

loose-leaf books of accounts 

and other accounting records 

for FY ended April 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• PEZA - AFS filed with the 

BIR on April 15, 2009 by 

PEZAregistered enterprises 

for FY ended December 2008 

• PhilHealth - RF-1 remittance 

report for April 2009 

e-SUBMISSION 

• Summary list of machines 

(CRM-POS) sold by machine 

distributors/ dealers/ vendors/ 

suppliers for the TQ ended 

April 2009 

18 Monday – LAST DAY OF 

SUBMISSION 


January 2009 by corporations 

whose securities are egistered 

under RSA or SRC 


REMITTANCE 



start with letters E to L for 

April 2009 




• 2551Q - PT for TQ ended 

April 2009 


• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for April 2009 (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) 

DISTRIBUTION 

• 2307 - Certificate of EWT for 

TQ ended April 2009 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & PT 

for April 2009 (Group E) 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & PT 

for April 2009 (Group D) 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for April 2009 (Groups A, 

B and C) 

e-PAYMENT 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for April 2009 (all eFPS 

groups) 



• 2550Q - VAT for TQ ended 

April 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• Summary list of sales/ 

purchases by VAT-registered 

taxpayers (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) for TQ ended 

April 2009 

• Sworn statement of 

manufacturers or importers 

on the volume of sales per 

brand of alcohol and tobacco 

products for February - April 

2009 

REMITTANCE 

• HDMF – M1-1contributions 


start with letters M to Q for 

April 2009 


REGISTRATION 

• Manual books of accounts 

and other accounting 

records for FY beginning 

June 1, 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• BOI - Transcript sheets of 

ORB submitted by qualified 

jewelry enterprises for FY 

ended April 2009 

REMITTANCE 



start with letters R to Z for 

April 2009 

JUNE 2009 




REMITTANCE 

• 1702Q - ITR by taxpayers on 

FY accounting period for TQ 

ended March 2009 

e-SUBMISSION 



taxpayers (eFPS) for TQ 


FILING 


January 2009 by corporations 

whose securities are not 

registered under RSA or SRC 

REGISTRATION 

• Computerized books 

of accounts and other 

accounting records in CD-R, 

DVD-R or other optical media, 

and affidavit on the postreporting 

requirements for 

CAS for FY ended April 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• PEZA - ITR filed with the 

BIR on May 15, 2009 by 


for FY ended January 2009 

• Inventory list for FY ended 

April 2009 


FILING 

• Engagement letters and 

renewals or subsequent 

agreements for financial audit 

by independent CPAs for FY 

beginning August 2009 



e-PAYMENT/ 

PAYMENT 

• 2000 - DST for May 2009 

SUBMISSION 

• Summary report of 

certifications issued by the 

President of the NHMFC (RA 

7279) for May 2009 


SUBMISSION 


for distilled spirits, wines, 

fermented liquor, tobacco 

products, oil, automobiles, 

and cigarette paper for May 

2009 




REMITTANCE 

• 1600 - Withholding VAT/PT 

for May 2009 

FILING & PAYMENT/ 

REMITTANCE 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



FWT for May 2009 (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) 

• 1606 - Withholding on 

transfer of real property 

other than capital assets for 

May 2009 

SUBMISSION 


for mineral products for 

May 2009 

• A sugar cooperative’s list 

of buyers of sugar for May 

2009, 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 

May 2009 

DISTRIBUTION 

• 2306 - Certificate of VAT/PT 

withheld for May 2009 

• 2307 - Certificate of 

creditable PT withheld for 

May 2009 

REMITTANCE 

• PhilHealth - ME-5 

contributions for May 2009 

• SSS - R-5 contributions for 

May 2009 


e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for May 2009 (Group E) 


(Independence Day – 

observance of this holiday 

may be moved to June 8) 

e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for May 2009 (Group D) 


e-FILING 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F, & 



for May 2009 (Groups A, B 

and C) 

e-PAYMENT 

• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F & 



FWT for May 2009 (all eFPS 

groups) 



• 1702 & 1702-AIF - Annual 

ITR and AIF for corporations 

and partnerships for FY 

ended February 2009 

• 1704 - IAET for FY ended 

May 2008 


• 1707A - Consolidated CGT 

return for shares not traded 

in the stock exchange for FY 

ended February 2009 

REGISTRATION 

• Bound computer-generated/ 

loose-leaf books of accounts 


for FY ended May 2009 

e-SUBMISSION 

• Summary list of machines 

(CRM-POS) sold by machine 

distributors/dealers/vendors/ 

suppliers for TQ ended May 

2009 

SUBMISSION 

• PEZA - AFS filed with the 

BIR on May 15, 2009 by 


for FY ended January 2009 

• SEC - AFS for FY 

ended February 2009 by 

corporations whose securities 

are registered under RSA 

or SRC 

• PhilHealth - RF-1 remittance 

report for May 2009 

REMITTANCE 



start with letters A to D for 

May 2009 


REMITTANCE 



start with letters E to L for 

May 2009 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for May 2009 (Groups 

D and E) 



• 2551Q - PT for TQ ended 

May 2009 


• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for May 2009 (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) 

DISTRIBUTION 

• 2307 - Certificate of EWT for 

TQ ended May 2009 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & PT 

for May 2009 (Group C) 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & PT 

for May 2009 (Group B) 

REMITTANCE 



start with letters M to Q for 

May 2009 


e-FILING 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & PT 

for May 2009 (Group A) 

e-PAYMENT 

• 2550M & 2551M - VAT & 

PT for May 2009 (all eFPS 

groups) 



• 2550Q - VAT for TQ ended 

May 2009 

SUBMISSION 



taxpayers (non-eFPS 

taxpayers) for TQ ended 

May 2009 


manufacturers or importers 

on the volume of sales per 

brand of alcohol and tobacco 

products for March - May 

2009 

29 Monday– LAST DAY OF 



REMITTANCE 

• 1702Q - ITR by taxpayers on 

FY accounting period for TQ 


FILING 

• SEC - AFS for FY 

ended February 2009 by 

corporations whose securities 

are not registered under RSA 

or SRC 

30 Tuesday– LAST DAY OF 


e-PAYMENT/ 

PAYMENT 

• 1702Q - ITR by taxpayers 

on FY accounting period for 

quarter ended April 2009 

e-SUBMISSION 



taxpayers (eFPS) for TQ 

ended May 2009 

SUBMISSION/ 

REGISTRATION 

• Inventory list for FY ended 

May 2009 

• Sworn declaration of gross 

income received for the 

current year by professionals 

as of June 30, 2009 


automobile manufacturers, 

assemblers or importers for 

1st semester of 2009 

• Manual books of accounts 


for FY beginning July 1, 2009 

• Computerized books 

of accounts and other 

accounting records in CD-R, 

DVD-R or other optical media, 

and affidavit on the postreporting 

requirements for 

CAS for FY ended May 2009 

• BOI - Transcript sheets of 

ORB submitted by qualified 

jewelry enterprises for FY 

ended May 2009 

• PEZA - ITR filed with the 

BIR on June 15, 2009 by 


for TY ended February 2009 

PAYMENT 

• LGU – Payment of real 

property tax second 

installment for 2009 

REMITTANCE 



start with letters R to Z for 

Courtesy of Punongbayan and Araullo, the Philippine 

member firm of Grant Hornton International, a leading 

international organization of independently owned and 

managed accounting and consulting firms. For more 

information log on to: www.punongbayan-araullo.com 

27 


SMEs4 sme 

Build Green 

& Save on Future Costs 

By NORMAN SISON 

Photo courtesy of british embassy manila 

28 


Going green is in fashion these 

days, thanks mainly to Al 

Gore. But many businesses are 

becoming environmentally 

friendly because it could save on costs in the 

long run—with the threat of global warming 

being a plus factor. 

Ironically, it is cost that is also making 

businesses balk from turning a new leaf. “I’ve 

had clients wanting this and that, and then 

they scale down when they find out how much 

it would add to the building cost,” according 

to architect Bong Recio, whose firm was 

contracted to build Britain’s gleaming new 

embassy in Fort Bonifacio Global City. 

It also costs money for office buildings or 

factories that need to retrofit if, say, they want 

to install solar panels or install new plumbing 

to pipe in rainwater harvested on the roof for 

flushing toilets. 

That being the case, it therefore still makes 

more sense for businesses to build offices and 

factories with the environment in mind while 

they’re still on the drawing board. “While 

it may be even expensive to build green, 

businesses will save on expenses in the long 

run,” says Angela Ibay, the British embassy’s 

climate change officer. 

Completed several months ago last year, 

the new British embassy is a model of green 

building design. Outside, a sprawling steel 

trellis was installed for flowering vines that 

would in three years provide natural shade, 

as well as perfect cover to thwart unwelcome 

prying eyes from afar. 

Local plants were used in the landscaping. 

“We chose those that don’t need much water,” 

Recio points out. 

On the roof are four large solar panels that 

generate at least 10 percent of the building’s 

electricity. Also on top is a network of ducts 

that harvests rainwater for flushing toilets. 

It gets high tech inside the three-storey 

building. Walk into an empty office and a 

motion sensor switches on the lights – and 

off once you step out. “Sometimes, even when 

we’re working, the sensor is so sensitive that 

it switches off the lights if you’re not moving 

around enough for a few minutes,” relates Oya 

Arriola, the embassy press and political affairs 

officer, laughing. Technicians assured that 

those incidents were nothing paranormal. 

Being green need not be all high tech. 

Sometimes it just takes common sense. Enter 

the lobby, look up and you’ll find that it’s an 

atrium, with a skylight providing natural light 

to all the floors. Look right and you see a wall 

lined with tiles of mirrors, angled to bounce 

off light. 

Arriola explains that the green 

building design demonstrates the British 

government’s commitment to “walk the talk” 

in environmental protection. 

It is that kind of commitment that multisectoral 

advocacy group Philippine Green 

Building Council (www.pgbc.org) wants to 

grow in the Philippines, which, according to 

international experts, is very vulnerable to 

global warming and climate change. 

Reza Dadufalza, the British embassy’s 

trade and investment officer, stresses that 

green is good for business in the long run. “It 

will become more popular once the technology 

becomes more affordable,” she says. 

Council chairman Chris de la Cruz says 

the Philippines isn’t that far behind when it 

comes to environmental awareness. But the 

country is moving in spurts. He points to office 

buildings that claim to be green in one area but 

wanting in other aspects. 

“It’s a wonder why we cannot do it 

wholistically,” he says. “You get to save more, 

improve your bottom line, save on water and 

energy.” Green buildings also improve indoor 

air quality, he adds, promoting health and 

helping maintain employee productivity in 

the long run. 

Formed in early 2007, the council is a 

roundtable association of architects, engineers, 

eco-minded businesses, government agencies 

and individuals. The group is currently putting 

together a set of environmental building 

standards that will determine – with authority 

– if this or that building is indeed green. 

The new British embassy. A steel trellis was 

installed for flowering vines. 

Patterned after environmental standards 

abroad and tailored for the Philippine climate 

setting, the council hopes to finish work and 

have the guidelines – to be known as BERDE 

(Building for Ecologically Responsive Design 

Excellence) – out by 2011. 

It would be ideal if the standards were to be 

required mandatory by law and incorporated 

into the building code. But de la Cruz sees that 

it would be more successful for BERDE to be a 

“voluntary tool” or a benchmark. He expects 

protests or builders to simply ignore BERDE if 

it drives up construction costs. 

The idea, de la Cruz envisions, is for BERDE 

to add value to the building, thereby promoting 

design competitiveness and construction of 

greener and greener buildings. 

But for the meantime, de la Cruz 

recommends that businesses that want 

to go green consult their architects for 

recommendations before they break ground. 

They can also look up the Philippine Green 

Building Council for advice (email address: 

secretariat@philgbc.org) and they will be 

directed to the experts who are in the council. 

There are dozens of Internet sites with tons of 

green tips. 

In the end, if the world continues to bake 

and the climate becomes more erratic, we 

really don’t have much of a choice anyway.

Ecopreneurs - Planters Development Bank

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