Women at the Helm - Planters Development Bank

FEATUREC & L EnterprisesUltimate Visa CorporationSME FOCUSNon-discriminatory hiring practicesMonitoring social media presenceDesigner Metrics for SMEsWORTH READINGMust-reads for women entrepreneursA PLANTERSBANK PUBLICATION FOR ENTREPRENEURS VOL. 12 • ISSUE 03 • JUNE 2013Women at the HelmTheir accomplishments, their adviceDr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza of HBC, Inc.

A Salute to WomenThere are still a few things where the Philippines can beconsidered as being more advanced compared to manyother developed countries, and one of them is in the realmof gender equality in business. Whereas in other cultures,women who start successful enterprises or who rise to thetop of an organization may still seem less than ordinary,here it is not considered unusual at all. We are in fact, anation of women leaders, and it is something for us to beproud of.And so, for this issue, we take time out to celebrate thepower, perspectives, and personality that Filipinas bring tothe business.We interview the very successful founder of the HBCbeauty retail chain, Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza to charthow she transformed a small family business into anationwide enterprise. We also interview the heads of C&LEnterprises and overseas employment titan Ultimate Visa,both of whom personify women’s entrepreneurial prowess.For the methodical minds among you, our popular SMEFocus section opens with informal interviews of womenwho share their experiences in managing their SMEs.We also have a case study on a gender-responsiblesocial enterprise, as well as tips on how to make yourcommunications more gender-friendly.But regardless of your gender, we hope that you can enjoy thisissue and, as always, learn a few new things along the way.Ambassador Jesus P. TambuntingChairman and CEOPlanters Development BankSME | 1

SMEStaff Box | ContentsPUBLISHERPlanters Development BankEDITORIAL ADVISERVictoria Tambunting-AlfonsoEDITOR-IN-CHIEFBobby F. BanaagEXECUTIVE EDITOROlive B. RamirezCIRCULATION MANAGERJoy C. Ursua03 Around the World04 Newsline06 Bizbeat18 Cover Story HBC, Inc.22 Feature C&L Enterprises25 Feature Ultimate Visa Corporation28 Save Mother Earth Green roofing29 Lifestyle Good, clean fun, literally30 Worth Reading31 Tax Calendar32 BillboardEDITORIAL CONSULTANTArt IlanoASSOCIATE PUBLISHERLurisa VillanuevaMANAGING EDITORMaita de JesusEDITORIAL ASSISTANTPam Brooke CasinJR. ART DIRECTORKimberly Claire Bernardo08 SME Focus:ManagementHuman ResourcesCase StudyTechnologyFinanceCommunicationTaxationGRAPHIC ARTISTJihan Denise MallongaIllustrations by Jihan Denise MallongaWrite to us!Send us a line or two atinfo@plantersbank.com.ph and bethe lucky feedback sender to WINthis exclusive “I love SMEs” mug.SME | 2

SMEAround theWorldAround the WorldBy Pam Brooke A. CasinUnited Kingdom:Digital identity ofSMEs has impact oncustomer's perceptionAn independent research commissionedby TalkTalk Business last month showsthat small changes to a company's digitalidentity, which includes e-mail and webaddresses or phone numbers, could result in more business opportunities for SMEs.The study also underscored the importance of SMEs being online with 80% of consumersexpecting smaller businesses to have a website. Nearly half of consumers said they'dprefer to use a website as the first “point of call” to find out more information on a smallbusiness with the co.uk web suffix as the most reliable and professional.E-mail addresses likewise, are also crucial in creating the right impression to consumers. Sixtythree percent of respondents said they form an opinion about a company based on its e-mailaddress format alone. The format 'fiona.black@' garnered top scores and deemed the mostapproachable while generic 'info@'-type addresses were considered least approachable.Meanwhile, the most popular type of number was a local landline with 46% ofrespondents choosing it over freephone numbers. Six percent of consumers opt for amobile number, believing it would offer a quicker response.Charles Bligh, managing director of TalkTalk Business, said, “In the light of thisresearch, SMEs clearly need to give serious consideration to how they are managingtheir digital identity... Those SMEs that still have not taken the digital plunge need toconsider the huge business opportunity they are missing.”India: Future of SMEs inHyderabad promisingThe future of SMEs in Hyderabad looks promisingaccording to representatives from differentindustries in the city, owing to the recentspate of policy changes in various levelsrecently implemented by Hyderabad's localgovernment.State government representative M Srinivasulu said, “Despite some ups and downs inthe market, SMEs in the state have managed to survive. We are working to providethem with more support in the future. State government has already approved 179technologies under the ‘cluster development’ scheme for which loans will be providedwithout any collateral security. I hope it will boost the confidence of the youngbusinessmen.”They have also underscored their SMEs' readiness for an industrial leap at the ongoingEngineering Expo 2013 in the city. Y. Srinivas Rao, deputy director of Defence Researchand Development Organization, also said that since SMEs are a vital sector in their area,they should utilize their knowledge in developing innovative products for the state.Indonesia: Bali to buildcenter for SME productsTo facilitate promotion and marketing,Bali's provincial administration isgearing up to establish a center worthRp 4 billion where SMEs can showcasetheir products.Dewa Patra, head of the provincialagency for cooperatives and SMEs, saidthat the development of the center wasa central government program. “Weplan to build the center in Denpasarto make it more accessible for all,including tourists,” Patra said, hopingthat the facility would start operationby early 2014.The center is poised to display variousbest products from local SMEs suchas traditional fabrics and clothes,handicrafts, and food. It will also housea facility to allow online marketing ore-commerce.In addition to funding and theapplication of technology in theiroperations, promotion and marketinghad always been the main problemshampering SME development,Patra said.“This SME center will be one of thesolutions. Any potential customerscoming to the center will be given theproducers’ contact details,” he ended.SME | 3

SMENewslineAPEC Financial Institutions dealingwith SMEs meet in SingaporeRepresentatives from different financial institutions from eleven APEC-membereconomies recently gathered in Singapore for the 10th Annual Meeting of APECFinancial Institutions dealing with small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Representingthe Philippines is Planters Development Bank (Plantersbank) headed by its chairmanand CEO Ambassador Jesus P.Tambunting. The 2-day summitfocused largely on how financialinstitutions can further improveSME financing in the region dueto the growing number of SMEs,many of whom are not able togain access to financing. Hosteconomy, Singapore, reportedthat SMEs currently accountfor half of Singapore’s grossdomestic product and two-thirdsof their workforce. As in othercountries, a common problemfaced by SMEs is the difficulty ingetting credit because lendingto SMEs has always beendeemed risky. In an interview,Ambassador Tambunting said,“We have to be financiallystable, we have to be profitable.Supporting SMEs is considereddifficult, costly, and risky but ourexperience in the last 40 yearsproved that the SME business isa viable and sustainable sectorfor financing.”Last year, the Philippines playedhost to the annual meetingwith Plantersbank taking thelead being the lone Philippinerepresentative to the APECSME. Next year’s summit willbe held in Taiwan.SME Interactive Web Solutions, Inc. the country’s lead IT solutions providerfor small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has recently added to its line ofnetwork and services with their recent partnership with Weepay PaymentProcessing Corp. (WEEPAY) and Cashsense. Through WEEPAY, SMEInteractive Web Solutions, Inc. will offer Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals andan e-Commerce payment gateway facility to its merchant clients. Thisservice is expected to help increase their sales, eliminate risks due to theftand errors, and the option to transform their web page to a revenuegeneratingchannel.The partnership with Cashsense, on the other hand, will bring in theneeded support for online SME merchants to increase their on-line sales bygiving their consumers the option to make over-the-counter payments atany Cebuana Lhuillier or 7-Eleven outlet.IT solutions forSME Merchants“We intend to provide SMEs with the needed IT solutions to enable theirbusiness to operate more efficiently and thereby become more profitable”,says SME Interactive Web Solutions, Inc. managing director Ma. Angela T.Padilla. “The partnership with WEEPAY and Cashsense will further help ourmerchant SMEs grow their business through online and over-the-countertransactions”, adds Padilla.SME | 4

Plantersbank is model CSR BankPlantersbank was recognized as“Model Bank for CSR Stage 5” duringthe recent international seminarworkshopon InstitutionalizingResponsible Corporate Citizenship inDevelopment Financing Institutionsheld in Manila under the auspices ofthe World Federation of DevelopmentFinancing Institutions (WFDFI) andthe Washington-based Center forInternational Private Enterprise (CIPE).This is the highest SME-centeredCorporate Social Responsibility levelin recognition of the Bank’s work inpromoting and supporting the SMEsector and for its Triple Bottom Linemodel—integrating private businessobjectives with social developmentgoals and environmental responsibility.The model is upheld in the CorporateCitizenship Manual for DevelopmentFinance Institutions recently publishedby the Association of DevelopmentFinancing Institutions in Asia and thePacific (ADFIAP). The seminar-workshopwas attended by 20 institutions from14 countries in Asia and the Asia-Pacific region to promote, develop,and institutionalize best principles andto practice how DFIs should actualizetheir mandate of providing financialand technical assistance for sustainabledevelopment.Salary loan benefit forSME employees.Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) seeking to provideadditional benefits for their employees can now offer“Plantersbank Handy Salary”, a no-collateral, multi-purposeinstallment loan that employees of companies can avail viasalary deduction. With the Plantersbank Handy Salary Loan,SME owners can provide their employees with a salary loanbenefit at no extra cost to their company because Plantersbanktakes care of the funding. Administrative tasks are alsominimized because processing and releasing of loans will behandled by Plantersbank as well. Employees can enjoy thefollowing advantages: Instant cash loan worth P10,000 to P 500,000 Flexible installment plan choice of 12, 18, 24, 30 or36 months Fast approval of 3 to 5 days from submission of loanapplication Affordable amortization with Plantersbank’s friendlyinterest ratesNo collateral needed!To know more about Plantersbank Handy Salary, call (+63)884-7600, email info@plantersbank.com.ph or log on to www.plantersbank.com.phGenSanVSM RealtyCorporation is“Best Developer”in MindanaoLong-time Plantersbank client, GenSanVSM Realty Corporation, was conferred“Best Developer in Mindanao” by theHome Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig Fund) during the Fund CoordinatorsClub Conference held recently at SydneyHotel, General Santos City. GenSanVSM Realty Corporation was recognizedfor its outstanding performance andcontribution in delivering at least 1,000quality homes and generating housingloan borrowers with a total performancerating of 99% for efficient collection,quality of loan mortgages and paymentof loan obligations. Owners Mr. andMrs. Victorio D. Sexcion have beenclients of Plantersbank since 1995.Their very first low-cost housing project,VS Homes, in General Santos City wasfunded by Plantersbank.In celebration of “SME Month” this July, Plantersbankwill hold the 2013 Manila leg of the SME SpeakerSeries on July 25, 2013 at the ballroom of TheMandarin Oriental in Makati City. The PlantersbankSME Speaker Series will feature Smart Gilas and multititledcoach Chot Reyes in a half-day talk on “Creatinga Winning Organization”.Reyes will talk aboutstrengthening business throughleadership and teamwork. Hewill also present insights onhow to create and build awinning team, integrate winningplans into the business, andinstil a winning mindset in theorganization. Aside from being abasketball coach, Reyes is also anentrepreneur. He is the directorand founder of Coachcom Inc. andtogether with his wife, owns thePhilippine franchise of the famoussalon, Essensuals Toni and Guy.Now on its sixth year, the SMESpeaker Series is just one ofPlantersbank’s programs tohelp strengthen the country’seconomic backbone, the SMEs,through capacity building.The series has since beenconducted in Baguio, Cebu,Bacolod, Cagayan De Oro,and Pampanga and featuredthe country’s top business andmotivational speakers.SME | 5

BizbeatNews and trendsof interest forlocal SMEsBy Portia SilvaMobile ads to boost SME successWith the availability of affordablemobile phones and the expansion ofmobile services and users in the country,mobile advertising is highly consideredthe cheaper and the more convenientadvertising platform for SMEs.This steers business owners awayfrom the traditional mediums ofadvertising posed in television,radio, and print. In a report sharedby Bela Gupta D’Souza, head of theDigital and Advertising departmentof mobile content provider companyEntertainment Gateway Group (EGG),businesses should take advantageof the higher consumer responserates brought about by mobile ads.Internationally, mobile advertisers findthat the market responds to mobileads by as much as 5% more. D’Souzaalso emphasized that the Philippinesaccounts for 10% of all SMS sentglobally with users checking theirdevices within 90 seconds of reach,which are both positive indicators thatmobile advertising can bring growth tolocal businesses.Mobile advertising is also beingconsidered for other kinds of businesstransactions such as productsand services payment, consumerinteraction and market conversion.DTI shifts back to ‘clustering’ for SME growthThe Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) SecretaryGregory Domingo confirmed that they have reimplementedthe “industry clustering” approach in thecountry for SME development. This approach, which waslifted from “The Competitive Advantage of Nations”by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter.It groups together businesses of similar natures in onegeographic area to strengthen its competitiveness againstother trades.The revival of this trade plan stems from very low interest ratesand decreasing Chinese investors, which then depletes thePhilippines' access to the world's factory.SME | 6

Previously, the department introduced the “One-Town,One-Product” (OTOP) approach that proved to be lesseffective in the labor-intensive nature of majority of SMEsin the country. The OTOP approach, which Thailand usesfor its own SME development, was implemented during theArroyo administration.Market competition, financial problems amongSME issues in Asia PacificMajority of SMEs in the Asia Pacific region including thePhilippines have been struggling because of key issuesidentified by industry experts during the 27th Confederationof Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI).Likewise DTI Cebu business developmentchief Elias Guia Tecson echoed thesame sentiments and proposals byAbraham. He pointed out that PhilippineSMEs make up to 62% of the totalemployment in the country and 35.7%of value-added contribution to theeconomy which is why it is pertinentto give them access to more flexiblefinancing schemes and businessopportunities here and abroad.New electricity distributionscheme to benefit SMEexportersThe Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) said that small and mediumenterprise (SME) exporters will soonbe able to choose their power supplierthrough the Retail Competition andOpen Access (RCOA) scheme by theDepartment of Energy (DOE).The scheme is seen to benefit SMEexporters since it will let them choosea supplier with the most reasonableelectricity rate resulting in lowering theircost of doing business.The RCOA caters to contestablecustomers or electricity end-users witha monthly average peak consumption ofat least one megawatt for the preceding12 months.Certain problems of business owners in this area are thosethat involve competition, manpower, operating costs, lackof opportunities, depleting cash flows, and bank financing.CACCI SME Development Council chairman George Abrahamrecommended that SMEs should learn how to handle marketchanges and forge healthy relationships with other merchantsso they can compete against industry leaders.Abraham further encouragd the SME board to establishan efficient financing system within the union, to help puttogether readily available government resources, and tohelp encourage SMEs to be proactive in trade fairs andindustry shows.According to DOE, a contestablecustomer must register with thePhilippine Electricity Market Corporation(PEMC) before commercial operationsstart on June 26. The migration to openaccess is mandatory for all entities in thelist of contestable customers prepared bythe Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).There are 818 and 91 firms in Luzonand Visayas respectively which canparticipate in the retail market.The RCOA scheme is only available toLuzon and Visayas at the present, butthe DOE said that the Interim MindanaoElectricity Market (IMEM), which isbeing set up to address power shortagein Mindanao will start operations inSeptember this year.SME | 7

SME FocusManagementCHERRY SALAZARPresident, GA PrintingMERLEE JAYMEChairman and Chief Creative Officer, DM9 Jayme SyfuMYLENE ABIVAPresident and CEO, Felta Multimedia, Inc.Finalist, 2009 Entrepreneur ofthe Year PhilippinesCHIT JUANSocial entrepreneur, coffee advocate, green crusaderPresident, ECHOstorePresident, Women’s Business CouncilShe's in charge!Both nurturing and empowering, women areproving that their way of doing business can leadto formidable accomplishments. We’ve gatheredfour of the top women entrepreneurs in thecountry and asked them about their business,what women’s advantages (and disadvantages)are in the corporate world, and any tips theyhave for aspiring women business leaders.1. What would you say is your biggestprofessional accomplishment thus far?Cherry: GA Printing was the first to go digital in the commercialoffset printing market in year 2004. We needed to provethe superiority and the benefits of digital printing to ourclients. At that time, the prevailing mindset was to associatedigital printing with desktop publishing—somethingone could do at home … something that tended to beSME | 8

unprofessional and amateurish. We showed clients that wecould merge the convenience and speed of digital printingwith the quality associated with offset printing.Merlee: After 14 years in big network agencies, I finally had the ballsto create my own: DM9 Jayme Syfu. It’s an agency with myown rules, my good friends, and clients we actually choose.As DM9’s CHAIRMOM, my role in the agency is not farfrom being a mother to my kids. I try to inspire everyoneto achieve our vision that “small CAN be credible”. Thatwe can dream bigger and accomplish what other agencieshave not. From creating the work process to evaluatingemployees, to making creative benefit bundles, or tosimply transforming the workplace into a fun place.Mylene: I introduced LEGO Robotics for elementary andsecondary schools to encourage students to be our futureengineers, scientists, and inventors for a more progressivePhilippines. I established the Philippine Robotics Olympiadand the Philippine Robotics Society in 1999 over12 yearsago, and the LEGO Robotics program is continuing togrow in the Philippines. FELTA trained Vietnam on Roboticsand Early Childhood Education.Chit: Putting coffee on the national agenda. Next up is putting womenempowerment through social entrepreneurship in coffee.2. Has being a woman been a disadvantage inany way when doing business?Cherry: Women are natural "multi-taskers", we can do somany things at the same time. Being a mother, wife,businesswoman, advocate and leader is a tough act.Women can adjust to business situations, and use ourcharm and grace during negotiations.Merlee: Advertising is still pretty much a man’s world. Locallyand globally. Funny, that there are so many familiar scenesin Mad Men that still happen today—to think that settingwas in the '60s!Even if statistics show a good number of womensucceeding in the corporate world, we still can’t say thatwe had it easy. We had to fight every step of the way. Wehad to prove our worth every single day. There were stillmore top positions being offered to men than to women.Along the way, we also had to face harder choices:professional success or personal fulfilment. People say thatif you want to seriously succeed in Advertising, media, orin marketing, you have to think twice before starting afamily. For me, I decided to have both. A good career anda family.Mylene: Women are generally more “feeling” and moreintuitive when it comes to client relations.Being a woman has been an advantage when dealing withtop clients, who are mostly male. I have found them to bemost helpful especially in referring GA to their businessassociates and friends. Perhaps because I don’t pose athreat to them, clients usually receive me kindly.Also—and this is critical to businesses which involve visualcommunication—women pay more attention to details.Chit: Not at all. Being a woman has been helpful in gettingmen (in male-dominated industries) to listen to new waysof solving challenges.Being a woman helps organizations attend to the "devil inthe details."3. Your advice for aspiring women business leaders.Cherry: Advice #1: First and foremost, you must have a goodbusiness plan—with clear vision of where you want to goand how you want to achieve that objective. Being awareand knowledgeable of the latest trends and movementsare equally important. Making a sound business plan isone of the most difficult tasks of management but, onceset, implementation becomes easier. If you want to seeyour company grow beyond its limited capabilities, ensureputting systems and processes in place.Advice #2: Cultivating, nurturing, and growing a steadybase of clients is a major key to financial stability. Sixty to70 per cent of our clients have come from referrals. Youneed to deliver to existing clients for them to refer you toothers. GA grew from referrals. Maintaining a good nameand reputation makes it easier to get more clients. Alwaysbe aware of your clients’ needs and provide solutions afterlistening to their concerns.Know your business. Use your numbers as your reportcard. The numbers will tell you objectively how you haveperformed. If you have data about your business, analyzeit and use it to guide your actions.Merlee: In all 23 years of my working life as I climbed thecorporate ladder, I’ve learned that:a. You have to believe in yourself.b. Never underestimate your power as a woman.Somehow, there are things you’re good at that menare not. Negotiating skills, self-deprecating humor,multitasking, entertaining presentation skills, and manymore. Hone them.c. As Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook CEO, one of the highestpaid women in the world) would say, “The most importantcareer decision you’ll ever make is choosing your lifepartner”. Find someone who would always be there tosupport your dreams.Mylene: Continue to be passionate with your business. Donot be afraid to enter the "Man's World" as you can besuccessful in that field. Be prayerful and continue to showgood business ethics to your partners and employees. Embraceyour sexuality as women can be the best negotiators andmanagers. Do not lose your sense of humor, laugh and smile,as it prevents wrinkles. Beauty is inside and out.Chit: Live your passion. Have a goal and mission. Let both leadyou to the business you will embrace as a career, as anadvocacy, and as a sustainable enterprise.SME | 9

SME FocusHumanResourcesHow not to discriminatewhen you’re hiringBe fair and square to get the right people in your team!By Portia SilvaScreening and selecting your office staff should alwaysbe treated as serious business because the hiring processis considered the gateway to the success of anentrepreneur. Employers are flocked by job seekersgrabbing every possible opportunity since careerads are made available almost anywhere: fromthose published in national broadsheets to thoseposted via the internet. That is why employersare also burdened by the responsibility tocarefully collect then select which individuals toinvite for an interview.Until employers finally find the “perfect fit”for the company’s openings, they are obligedto entertain applicants regardless of physicalappearance, age, gender, race, religion, andother personal preferences for long as thesecandidates meet the minimum skills required of thejob. Some companies however fail to ensure equal workopportunities for potential employees, consequently (andperhaps, unconsciously) violating The Philippine Labor Code onethical hiring practices.Dissecting the grounds of employmentdiscriminationUnder the Philippine Labor Code, it is unlawful for employers andcompanies to reject or reduce employment status of their staff dueto certain invalid preferences entailed by the post. They are hiringand promotions that are largely based on tangible qualificationssuch as attractiveness, facial proportions, and skin color. Improperhiring practices can also be observed when businesses declinecandidates loosely on their perceived personal well-being like beinga single parent, being a person with disability, or having histories oftreatable medical conditions.The Labor Code specifically works in tandem with Republic Act No.7192, otherwise known as the Women in Developing and NationBuilding Act, which focuses on gender equality asserting women’srights in being employed alongside their male counterparts.While these laws and rights exist to assert equality in all jobopportunities here in the country, most employers are still inneed of labor law information and orientations. Unknown tomany, discrimination in hiring practices can be detrimental tothe corporation’sfinancial returns aswell as to the team’sproductivity. On theflipside, it can alsobe advantageous forthe corporation to beselectively choosy ifcarefully evaluated.The good andthe bad ofdiscriminationThe negative implicationsof employment discriminationcan reap adverse effects for theemployer and can possibly affect theexisting workforce’s perception of thecompany. Listed below are among someof the bad outcomes produced bydiscriminatory practices when hiring.SME | 10

1. Employers can miss out on people who canpotentially be assets to the enterprise.Business success can start at the recruitmentphase. But when the employer automaticallycrosses out candidates that do not meetspecific, and oftentimes shallow requirements,the enterprise might be in jeopardy. Hiringshould be more of skills-based and capacity,and less of appearance, gender, or religion.2. There is the danger of ending up witha team who thinks similarly, somethingthat will possibly rule out the beauty ofinnovation within the company.Having a team that works agreeablycan put any boss at peace. This,however, also means that there willbe very little or no conflict at all—something that can mean that fresh,out-of-the-box ideas will be put tothe grave.3. Discriminatory practices in hiringcan put the company’s reputation ina bad light and, at the same time,can cause its current members tofeel unmotivated.When a company becomes knownfor their preferences in hiringemployees, there is a tendency forclients and customers to be turnedoff by such practice. For example,if a company only hires womenof a certain stature and beauty,female clienteles who do not fit thebill might hesitate to avail of theirproducts and services. In the samemanner, if the company has current“misfit” staff members who observediscriminatory practices in theorganization, these individuals willnot feel as committed and loyal totheir employer.On the other hand, there aretimes that discrimination in theemployment process is intendedto improve the overall wellbeingof the company. Positivediscrimination can be strategicallyimplemented to lead towardaffirmative action. Here are someexamples to illustrate this point.1. Avoiding staff witha staggering history ofunemployment will prove to bebeneficial for the business.Having someone on boardwith an unimpressiveprofessional backgroundmight backfire on youas an employer. Thosewho weren't employedfor a very long time canbe detrimental to theorgranization's valuesin terms of the greatwork it hopes to provideand the quality of products itpromises to deliver.2. Candidates with extreme healthconditions such as morbid obesity canbe ruled out if applicable to the jobopening being promoted.Company values exist to guide itsmembers toward the end goal. If thegoal includes having healthy staff forhigher work productivity, then hiringextremely obese individuals can bevalidly ruled out.3. Job titles that rely heavily ontechnical skills must be allotted forpeople with technical skills.To exhibit positive discrimination,these qualifications must be basedmostly on experience and capability,and again not on gender, age,or appearance.Reducing discrimination inthe hiring processThe employment process all boilsdown to the objective of having thebest people on board for the specificposts in an enterprise. To be able toscore the right individuals, employersmust learn how to reduce, if noteliminate, discrimination when lookingfor candidates.1. Do not ask for photoattachments in resumes to avoidinstantly judging the applicant byhow he/she looks. While candidatesmust put premium in presentingthemselves, pictures can say verylittle about a person’s capacity.2. Lessen the weight on physicalappearance by creating aquantitative evaluation sheet thatwill help assess the candidate basedon the quality of answers andperspective he/she provides.3. Do not require birth dates or anyother indicators of age. Employershave a tendency to assume thatolder applicants may have moreprofessional experiences than theiryounger counterparts.4. Let the work experiences,performance, skills, and otheraccomplishments of the candidatespeak for itself. If you needto clarify certain items in yourcandidate’s resume, then do soduring the interview.5. Form a diverse panel of interviewerswhen screening a candidate to weigh inon different opinions and evaluations.Having more than one screener will alsohelp avoid any biases for or againstthe applicant.SME | 11

SME FocusCase StudyGender-fairnessvs. gender equalityin the workplaceBy Art IlanoPolemic Enterprises* has enjoyeddecades of peaceful labor relations,which was an unusual feat inthe often tumultuous electricalsubcontracting industry. OwnerThelma Wenceslao,* known as LolaThelma, attributes this to a genuinesensitivity to the needs of theiremployees. “Sometimes it takes amother’s touch,” says the 70-year-oldfounder who adds that she treats allof her employees like family. Becauseof this, their employee turnover ratewas among the lowest in the industry,and many of their original employeeswere still with them.But what Lola Thelma considers as thecompany’s crowning achievement wasits pursuit of gender-fair policies inthe workplace.“Gender fairness, not genderequality,” emphasizes Thelma.“Gender equality assumes that bothmen and women can do the samejobs. That’s not realistic.”In fact, at Polemic Enterprises, jobsare categorized as being eithermasculine or feminine—somethingthat initially horrifies visitors whoinstantly assume that the company ispromoting a sexist culture.“On the contrary, awareness of theessential differences between menand women is what makes genderfairness possible,” explains LolaThelma. “If this means acknowledgingthat men are better suited forphysically rigorous tasks while womenare better suited for detail-work, thenso be it.”This can be seen in their workflow charts, where tasks such as“Electrical Inspection” and “VisualInspection” actually have gendersymbols for Female on them, whilemore physical tasks such as “WireStripping” and “Packing” havegender symbols for Male.Having said that, however, LolaThelma quickly emphasizes thatnothing is stopping men and womenfrom trying out the others’ jobs.“Empirically, women are better atdetail work. But every so often,we find a man who happens toexcel here as well. So we definitelyencourage him to work at the detailorientedtasks. And the same goesfor women. Sometimes we getwomen who are stronger than themen, and they’re happy doing morephysically taxing work.“The symbols on our charts actuallydenote dominance rather thanbeing strict rules. Inspection work iswomen-dominated, while physicalwork is men-dominated.”Perhaps the gender-fair system canbest be seen in their maternity-leavepolicies. The company gives pregnantemployees the option to take a fullmaternity leave of nine months toa year while still receiving twentypercent of their pay.At first glance, it looks likea formidable cost item for amanufacturing firm. But LolaThelma sees it otherwise. “Theleave is an option, and it makessense because when a woman ispregnant, there are days when sheis unable to perform optimally,which is not good for a qualityorientedbusiness,” she says.“It’s also possible that she wouldsuddenly become absent, whichwreaks havoc on our scheduling.“However, by making the leaveoptional, we put the burden ofrisk on the employee’s hands. Ifshe chooses not to take the leave,then the responsibility for beingpresent and performing well ishers. She better perform or not atall. Either way, employee presenceand performance is now morepredictable, leading to better qualityscheduling and shifts management.”It is this awareness of genderdifferences that make PolemicEnterprises an example of howgender fairness is different fromgender equality, and why it can begood for business.*All names of characters and businesseshave been disguised to ensure privacy.SME | 12

SME FocusFinanceDesigner Metricsfor SMEsBeyond just monitoring sales and profit, you can learn a whole lot more about your business bydesigning your very own custom metrics.By Art IlanoIf you’re an entrepreneur, it may already be almostinstinctual for you to take a look at your sales figuresand calculate your profitability.That’s the easy part. The hard part, it turns out, isfiguring out “What else should I be looking at?”You don’t need an MBA, though, to figure out whatmetrics and numbers to check. That’s because it all boilsdown to knowing exactly what you want… and knowinga little bit about human behavior. The strategy—and themetrics—will follow.What do you want?You probably want to do a whole lot of things foryour business. You want it to be profitable. You wantit to have a large market share. You want customersatisfaction. Repeat sales. The best quality products.Excellent services. A healthy cash flow. The list goes onad infinitum.SME | 14

The good news: you can get everything that you want…eventually. But because SMEs have limited resources (bydefinition), it first becomes an issue of priorities. Youhave to know what is most important to accomplish atthe moment. Then that’s where you focus your metrics.As the person on top of things, your job is to digestthe business situation and decide on what your prioritythrust should be for now. Perhaps (as an example) itis the stabilization of your cash flow—maybe the 15thand 30th of the month has always been a source ofstress, and you want to fix this before proceeding withanything else.You can only get a predictable cash flow if youhave predictable sales. So how do you get a morepredictable sales pattern? This is where the strategy partcomes in.One possible strategy: find a way to make your businessfit into a subscription model. Subscription implies aregular, periodic cash flow. Perhaps you can arrangefor a regular auto-debit from your clients’ credit cardsor bank accounts. This way, you get to benefit from avirtually habitual buying behavior.Fine. So what metric will help you implement such astrategy? Well, we can start with the simple: number of netsubscriptions gained. You may want to set a target that’sbased on how much cash flow you need. For instance,“Gain 1,000 subscribing clients by the end of the year.”Now that you have your strategic objective, you cannext translate this into an implementation timetablethat you can monitor via metrics. How? Perhaps set atarget of, say, gaining 100 net additional subscribersper month. Henceforth, you evaluate your performancebased on how well you achieve this goal.Okay, that was easy. Now let’s get into a bit more of a challenge.Monitoring product qualityIf you manufacture products, then you will have toknow a bit about how to evaluate quality in youroutput. This typically involves spotting defects and,generally, minimizing the number of defects per volumeof output. Large-scale manufacturers tolerate justfractions of percents in defects. Smaller manufacturers,unfortunately, do not have the automated processestypically needed to attain such near-perfection. You can,however, aim for minimizing defect rates as a goal.Start by clearly defining what a “defect” is. This meansthat you have to set standards for your output. Thisis best done for you by a manufacturing expert, suchas an engineer. Once that set of standards have beenestablished, you can start monitoring by having aquality checker go through a checklist and determiningthe number of defective products made. Henceforth,every time a defect is spotted, the tally is upped and theprocess is re-studied and improved, with the objectiveof preventing that defect from happening again.Monitoring service qualityUnlike products, service quality is more difficult tomonitor. For one thing, if you yourself try to avail ofyour business’s services, chances are that you’ll getexcellent service—because your staff will be afraid ofgetting the boss mad. This means that monitoring willhave to happen even when you are not around.But services tend to be very private affairs between yourservice crew and the clients, so one option is to haveyour own clients do the evaluating for you. You seethese in the form of Customer Satisfaction Rating cardsthat restaurants regularly hand out, for instance.When designing such rating cards, make sure to createprovisions to allow them to quantify their answers. Thisis often done via Likert scales, which are scales that gofrom 1 to 10, 0 to 100, and so on. Scales are importantbecause it’s your chance to get hard numbers aboutcustomer experience.The challenge: it is difficult for customers to rate yourperformance on a standalone basis. For instance, whatwill their basis be for saying that you’re an 8 out of10? It becomes way too arbitrary. The secret weaponthat you can use: instead of asking your clients to rateyou alone, ask them to rate you as well as your closestcompetitors. This way, you can measure the “qualitygap” between you and your competitor, rather than justyour rating alone.For instance, if competitor X was given a rating of 75while you were given a rating of 80, then your qualitygap stands at +5. Your objective may now be to increasethe gap to, say +15. So, you will henceforth regularlyassess your quality ratings and have targets per period.For instance, perhaps by the following month yourcompetitor is rated at 72 while you get an 82, leadingto a quality gap of +10. Note that gap analysis doesn’tmean that your competitor’s quality is deteriorating(you have no control over that). Rather, your clients areautomatically adjusting their rating scheme to fit theperceived gap between you and your competitor. Andthat’s really what you’re after.Designing metrics for monitoring and pushingperformance need not be a difficult science. All it takesis a very clear idea of what you want to accomplish, aswell as a street-smart approach to determining whichnumbers make the most sense for you to monitor.SME | 15

SME FocusCommunicationWatch your language!A checklist for creatinggender-neutral communicationsBy Karen Anne C. LiqueteMen are from Mars. Women are fromVenus. Yet, in the world of work, allcommunications must be perceived asequal. How then do you go about writingand speaking to all kinds of corporate lifeforms without offending or upsetting anyone? Here are some quick tips.Use Non-Discriminatory Language.Avoid the use of sexist language, i.e.words that show gender bias. Forinstance, someone who presides overa meeting, committee or board is a“chairperson” and not a “chairman” or“chairwoman” (yes, gender sensitivityshould work both ways). Use“Sir/Ma’am” in a salutation for anemail if you are unsure of the receiver’sgender. But do not say “Ma’am, Sir”(itis incorrect to do so unless you want totake meal orders for the day!).In printed communications, do notassume that your addressee is male. Thus,“The manager should try to motivatehis people” can be changed to “Themanager should try to motivate people.”Remember to refer to women and menin the same way. Consider the following,“Mr. Ely Pante, the lawyer and Ms. ChicaGo the lady doctor gave a speech.”“Lady doctor” should be replaced by“doctor” since gender is not a factor inbeing able to perform a given action—like giving a speech.Use Gender Neutral Job Titlesor Descriptions.Back when women were still entering theworkforce, feminine variants for certainpositions were used. In this day and agewhen occupations now cater to all kindsof workers, non-specific job referencesare standard. Here are some examples:BiasedBusinessmanCareer girl, Careerlady, Career womanSaleslady, SalesmanSteward, StewardessWorkmanDelivery boy,Delivery girlLandlord, LandladyServicemanWaitressPolice man,Police womanGender NeutralBusiness executive, EntrepreneurCareer Professional, Manager,ExecutiveSales clerk, Sales rep, Sales agentFlight AttendantWorkerCourier, MessengerProprietor,Building ManagerService representativeServerPolice OfficerUse role references with caution.Keep your speech and text free of termsthat focus unnecessarily on gender,especially when discussing roles andfunctions:BiasedCorporate WifeHousewife,HousehusbandSelf-made manCommittee man,Commitee womanSpokesmanHostessMiddlemanFront manFaculty wifeMan and WifeGender NeutralCorporate SpouseHousemakerSelf-made person, EntrepreneurComitee memberSpokesperson, represetativeHostGo-BetweenFront, FigureheadFaculty SpouseHusband and WifeUse The Right Group References.When referring to a group ofpeople to the exclusion of allothers, great care needs to betaken so that the use of languagewill not be misinterpreted. In thesetimes, people, organizations, andspecial interest groups place greatimportance on how they arebeing addressed:BiasedWorking Man,Working WomanThinking manMother tongueFrenchmenMan, mankindFellowshipAvoid stereotypes.Veer away from words that implycharacteristics or adjectives favouringone gender over another:BiasedMaiden nameMaster of ceremoniesMan enoughManhoodMan hoursWorkmanshipGender NeutralWage earner, Labor forceThinking person, thinker,intellectualNative languageThe FrenchHumankind, humanity, humansCamaraderieGender NeutralBirth nameHost, emcee, moderator,convenorStrong enoughAdulthoodStaff hours, hours of workQuality construction, expertiseKeep these tips in mind and you will goa long way towards ensuring that yourcommunications are gender-neutral, safeand friendly!SME | 16

SME FocusTaxationAre you upfor a tax auditinvestigation?By Charity MandapAs one of the primary agencies mandatedby the government to implement its inherentpower of taxation, the Bureau of InternalRevenue (BIR) continues to introduceinnovative processes aimed at ensuring ourcountry’s ultimate goal of fiscal equilibrium.With the abovementioned responsibility inmind, coupled with the fact that it is notuncommon for us to hear news concerningthe BIR’s failure to hit its supposed collectiontarget for a specified period of time, it seemsthe BIR has resolved to address whatevershortcomings it may have had in the past byimplementing policy transformations andemploying vigorous efforts in performing itsassigned tasks.In line with this mandate, the Office of theCommissioner of Internal Revenue issuedRevenue Memorandum Order No. (RMO)4-2013, which outlined the BIR’s tax auditcriteria for taxable year 2012. With theissuance of RMO 4-2013, the BIR seems tohave set the bar a notch higher by having thesaid order issued at this early part of the year,and more importantly, by clearly identifyingthe specific class of taxpayers that shall moreor less undergo tax audit investigations.Even as RMO 4-2013 specified thatall taxpayers are considered possiblecandidates for tax audit, prudencedictates that taxpayers belonging to thosecategories or classes specifically identified inthe issuance have more reason to be extracautious and must therefore ensure theircompliance with the necessary reportorialobligations and tax payments.Following a series of declarations by the BIRCommissioner and even the Secretary ofFinance, the country’s tax governing bodynow directs much attention to practitioners,professionals, and sole proprietors who fallwithin the predetermined criteria: a. incometax due is less than P200,000 per annum;b. gross revenue is less than 40 percentcompared to the previous year’s reportedgross revenue; c. tax payment for each taxtype is less than 35 percent compared to theprevious year’s tax payment.A deeper consideration of the aforementionedcriteria would show that the BIR seems to haveset a benchmark not only for the tax paymentsof professionals and sole proprietors but alsofor their respective taxable incomes. In otherwords, once the taxable income declared bypractitioners, professionals, and sole proprietorsfalls approximately below P700,000 for taxableyear 2012, such taxpayers run a greater risk ofbeing subjected to tax investigations.RMO 4-2013 further identified the industriesthat shall be prioritized by the differentRevenue District Offices of the BIR inconducting tax audits for taxable year 2012.Among those included were importers,manufacturers, wholesalers, and/or retailers ofwrist watches and jewelry. Obviously, the BIRis now going after taxpayers involved in thesale and distribution of luxury items, which asidentified in this case include high-end wristwatches and pieces of jewelry that only theaffluent can afford to purchase.Operators of hotels, motels, pension houses,lodging houses, inns, dormitories, boardinghouses, and those engaged in the real estateindustry are also included in the BIR shortlist. Itwould seem that all those taxpayers involved inthe hotel industry, or provide accommodationsto guest and/or boarders, are now enjoined toorganize their respective accounting recordsand prepare themselves for audit.Petroleum and/or gasoline dealers, whichnecessarily includes those stations that providerepair and maintenance services, are likewiseincluded in the RMO 4-2013 shortlist. It isexpected that the BIR shall further enhancethe conduct of its surveillance and stocktakingcapabilities involving the aforementionedtypes of taxpayers in view of the recent claimsof rampant oil smuggling in Subic and ClarkFreeport Zones.The list of taxpayers provided under RMO 4-2013likewise includes schools (particularly those thatcater to foreigners), review centers, contractors,retailers and wholesalers. It is noteworthy thatschools and training centers that offer Englishcourses, which are currently very popular amongKoreans, were expressly mentioned.Other taxpayers/industries listed in RMO4-2013 mainly involve those that are engagedin businesses that may have something todo with information technology, servicecontracting, leisure, and extravagant lifestyle.Among the industries explicitly identified bythe BIR are:a. restaurants, fast food chains, cateringservices, bars, coffee shopsb. hospitals, clinics, medical/dental laboratoriesc. establishments/clinics for beautyenhancementsd. manufacturers/dealers of beauty andhealth supplemente. amusement/entertainment/event centersf. advertising agenciesg. business process outsourcingh. e-commerce industryi. manpower and other recruitmentservices agenciesj. other industries peculiar to the area ofjurisdiction of the district officeFinally, RMO 4-2013 further mandated that BIRpersonnel prioritize the conduct of tax auditinvestigations of the taxpayers who fall belowthe established benchmark of tax complianceand those who maintained an ending inventoryvalued at 100 percent or more of suchtaxpayer’s gross sales. In this regard, industriesin which the BIR has previously set thecorresponding benchmarks of reported taxableincome or even tax payments such as thoseinvolved in the stock market trading must makecertain that their accounting records are intactand reliable so that in the event that they donot meet the benchmark, they shall be able toestablish and prove the reasons for such failure.Truly, taxpayers may view the BIR as anadversary, which can cause them a lot ofstress, and of course additional expensesespecially when they conduct tax auditinvestigations. However, taxpayers musttry to understand that the authority of theBIR to conduct audit and ascertain thatthe correct and proper taxes are paid alsoensures that the government will have thefunds to finance its expenditures; in otherwords, taxes are really the lifeblood of thenation. Hence, the best thing that taxpayerscan do is not to hope that they be sparedfrom the conduct of audit investigations, butensure that they have compliant, adequate,and dependable accounting records.The author is a Tax Manager withPunongbayan & Araullo’s (P&A) Tax Advisoryand Compliance Division. P&A is a leadingaudit, tax, advisory and outsourcing servicesfirm and is the Philippine member of GrantThornton International. For comments andinquiries please e-mail Oliver.Beltran@ph.gt.com or call 886-5511.SME | 17

SMECover StoryHBC:Givingeveryonethe rightto bebeautifulBy Portia SilvaThe woman behind the highly successful personal andbeauty care chain Hortaleza Beauty Center (HBC, Inc.)happens to be a Doctor of Medicine by profession anda woman entrepreneur by practice. Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza is undoubtedly a strong force to be reckonedwith, but within minutes of small talk and courteousintroductions you realize too that this mother of four’simpressive run with HBC, Inc. can be largely attributed toher genuine concern for the market and her desire to shareher life’s blessings.Dr. Hortaleza’s first hand at doing business was at thetender age of 13, when she had to clock in hours at herfather’s shop. There she was tasked to monitor and reportall the financial activities of the thriving family business offood manufacturing and distribution. Doing numbers wassomething she admittedly enjoyed, but the whole practiceof business seemed daunting to her at that time. “Growingup, my father expected that all of his children will take arole in managing the business, and years of practice willeventually lead to expertise in that particular industry. WhileI was deeply interested in the math aspect of the business,I wasn’t so sure at that time if I could build an enterprise ofmy own,” she candidly quips.Dr. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza with HBC's slew of beauty products made especially for FilipinSME | 18

Things took for an interesting turn whenHortaleza met her husband, Dr. Rolando, whilethey were still studying medicine at the Our Ladyof Fatima University. Both were aspiring medicalpractitioners who had more than remarkableexperiences in running a business; both husbandand wife possessed the drive to plunge head oninto the world of entrepreneurship.Shortly after getting married, they venturedinto their first business together in 1985, whenthe Hortalezas put in 12,000 pesos for themanufacturing of nail care products, to be madein their very own Valenzuela home. Eight yearsafter, the young couple inherited six physicalstores from Dr. Rolando’s parents. This saw thebirth of the most reliable source of salon toolsand accessories now known as HBC, Inc.The business of beautyDr. Hortaleza has always considered personalcare and beauty products as everyday necessities.What sparked her interest to invest in thesecategories are actually the limited variationsmade available to the market, plus the drive tostraighten people’s misconception that wanting tobe beautiful automatically translates to being vain.“Back in the days, consumers had a tendency toequate wanting to be physically beautiful withbeing shallow. Our company wishes to correct thisconfusion. HBC, Inc. believes that when a womanfeels beautiful and takes the time to take careof herself, it only pushes her to feel good aboutherself and achieve admirable things.”True to its goal, HBC, Inc.’s fastest movingconsumer products are under the categories haircare, skin care and color cosmetics targeted atfemale consumers aged 16-60. The company’sofferings are strongly backed by Dr. Hortaleza’sthorough medical knowledge, which is put togood use in the business’s product developmentand selection. “Because we live by our vision of‘Giving everyone the right to be beautiful,’ HBC,Inc. aims to offer the widest range of value-formoneyproducts in the health, beauty, personaland home care categories,” the Chief ExecutiveOfficer of the now multi-billion peso beautycompany shares.Strength in numbersNow with 225 branches nationwide andeffectively engaging international markets inSingapore, U.S.A. and the Middle East, HBC, Inc.os.Found nationwide, HBC's 225 branches give everyone the right to be beautiful.SME | 19

SMECover StoryInto the futureWhen asked what she wants thecompany to further achieve in thecoming years, Dr. Hortaleza confidentlyresponds with, “To create more jobsand opportunities for Filipinos.” How?Primarily through the many classesand trainings developed under thegroup of companies’ Corporate SocialResponsibility arm, the Ang-HortalezaFoundation Inc. (AHFI).Dr. Hortaleza explains the benefits of Body Recipe's Papaya Facial Wash to one of HBC's sales personnel.demonstrates an aggressive expansionof a homegrown company in just aperiod of 20 years. A strong testamentof this growth is the introduction ofthe company’s exclusive brands in 2002called Beauty Exclusives, which rangesfrom tween brand Allue (named afterDr. Hortaleza’s first born) to vitaminenrichedcosmetics under the brand SanSan (Dr. Hortaleza’s nickname).“I have put together a team dedicatedto product development called the NewProduct Committee. These hardworkingindividuals do all the market researchand analysis, as well as helping withthe science behind our products. Oneof the company’s goals is to continuallyexcite our consumers with innovativepersonal necessities and I believe that’sone recipe for the company’s success.Having an exclusive line of brands is alsoan edge that HBC has.”Being a hands-on entrepreneur is noeasy task, but Dr. Hortaleza explains thatthis is the only way to make a businessprosper. Her efforts in doing personalrounds within the departments of thecompany make her up-to-date with thecompany’s developments in every stepof the way.In 2011, HBC, Inc. acquired localpharmaceutical retailer SaveMore DrugInc. to further respond to the growinghealthcare needs of its customers.The acquisition also led to generousconvenience sections and personal carealleys, two things that ultimately markthe improvement of HBC, Inc.’s offerings.Additionally, SaveMore Drug Inc. has sincebeen renamed to HBC ShopMore, withwhich HBC’s pharmaceutical productofferings are known.Despite the growing assets of thecompany, Dr. Hortaleza reveals that theyhave yet to explore the benefits of bringingthe business in the digital sphere. “Withup to 80 percent of our clientele spendinghuge amounts of time using the internetand with most of these people haveaccounts in various social networking sites,we really need to strategically map out ourmarketing activities online,” she says.Bringing their offerings online will also aptlyaccompany current company campaignsand activities such as the HBC MakeoverVans roaming around various barangaysin the metro. This is part of the company’sproducts and services promotions in givingeveryone the right to be beautiful.“If you’re blessed with so much in life,I believe it’s only fitting that you giveback and help others stand on their owntwo feet. We conduct beauty trainingsfor people who are interested in doinghome services. We provide them withthe tool kits, the materials and mostimportantly, the skills to survive in thiscompetitive industry. Self-reliance is animportant value we teach our trainees.We envision our graduates as stewardsin promoting local entrepreneurship andbeing proud about what they do.”Aside from livelihood trainings, AHFI isalso a strong supporter of educationby providing scholarship grants andother types of educational assistance todeserving candidates. In addition, theFoundation has always been committedto community outreach activities, childhospitalization programs and publicservice campaigns. To date, AHFI hasbeen serving for 16 years having helpedup to 25,000 graduates.Business-wise, Dr. Hortaleza hopes toheighten HBC, Inc.’s earnings up to 2.7billion by the end of 2013. This, she says,is possible with the extremely positivegrowth the company has seen in thefirst quarter of the year. She shares,“The company has so many plans topursue other channels and rake in moresupplies for our in-store offerings toreach the target this year. 2012 hasproven that we can continually growas a retail company and we’d like tostay relevant in the next five, ten, evenfifteen years.”SME | 20

Beautiful inside and outThe businessperson whodescribes herself as “simple,jolly and full of laughter” likesto spend her free time at homereading inspirational and selfhelpbooks by authors JohnC. Maxwell and Bo Sanchez.In the mornings, the doctorentrepreneurloves to bike aroundtheir village using what she labelsas her “bicycle with trainingwheels.” After which, she headsto a nearby Church to hear thedaily Mass.“I’m an extremely happy person,inside and out. I really make timefor myself and my family becausethose two are not something youshould exchange for work. Life isfast, life is beautiful — these arethings that I’ve learned over thecourse of my career. We shouldbe really able to prioritize andmanage our time wisely.”Dr. Hortaleza also points outthat most working peopletoday forget the importance ofwork-life balance — somethingthat she constantly advises herchildren Allue (28), Alfonso (25),Alexone (21) and Allen (20).While she approves of puttinggreat value in hard work, shealso wishes to remind others thatworking smart is oftentimes themore appropriate route to take.Over the years, Dr. Hortalezahas defined what grace underpressure means: a womanentrepreneur on the top ofher game, a mother who looksafter her family, a well-roundedindividual who takes time tobreathe and enjoy life. Andwhat beauty is most admirableabout Dr. Hortaleza is how shecontinues to grow beautifullyinside and out.HBC Corporate Center is located at548 Mindanao Avenue corner QuirinoHi-way Quezon City. Visit theirwebsite at www.hbc.com.ph.HBC is also an award-winning company, with severalOutstanding Filipino Retailers recognition from the DTI andPhilippine Retailers Association.PHOTOS BY JOJO GLORIA | HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY RUEL PAPAHBC's fastest moving consumer products are under the skin care and color cosmetics categories targeted at female consumers aged 16 to 60.SME | 21

SMEFeatureA heroinecomes to lifeBy Kristine S. GonzalezA heroine stands up for her dreams. In thefairytales of old there’s always a prince tothe rescue. Which is why, it’s refreshingto see a lady with all her vulnerabilityand uncertainty, shine her light and fierycourage to keep what is rightfully hers andprotect those she loves.Leila Daligues of C&L Enterprises has aquiet and soft demeanor that can foolanyone to believe that she is a delicatelittle flower. But behind the gentleexpression, the mom of three (all girls!)is made of steel and holds the recordas the number one distributor of SanMiguel Beer in the Cordillera region.Unforeseen path“I dreamt of being a banker,” saysLeila. She saw herself in the corporateworld, wearing a suit, high heels, andglamorously polished. After graduatingfrom college, she was all set to embarkon that journey when the universesuddenly derailed her.“The afternoon before my trip, dadasked if I wanted to go into business. Isaid maybe I could do both. He told meto choose,” she says. C&L Enterpriseswas born with a popular soft drinkbrand that she and her father, the lateMayor of San Gabriel, brought to theregion. “Six months later, San Miguelapproached us. They offered to makeus a wholesaler; P1.50 discount per caseat that time in 1998,” Leila laughs. “Itevolved from there.”At 21, she became a distributor ofbeer—driving to barrios, talking to maledominated establishments, and pushingfor a product that was not patronized inthe area. Displaying a maturity that wentbeyond her sheltered upbringing, sheplunged into the duties of driver, sales,and marketing force, all at the same time.“I didn’t have the money, so my parentsloaned me the initial P300,000 capitalfor the bodega and the jeep for thedelivery. I had to show dad that I coulddo it,” she smiles. She paid everycentavo back.Trials of the journeySan Gabriel was not a town with closeties to its fellow archangel. San MiguelBeer was far from the leading brand andthe competing brand had the throne.With her dad as the mayor, Leila couldhave had it easy. But this was not thecase and her father never used hisposition to help her along. Instead, hechallenged her to turn the tides and shelearned the hard way: work, sacrifice,and more hard work.“For five years, I did the routes,no absence, rain or shine—eventyphoons. I was aiming to accomplishwhat I set out to do,” she says. Notimpossible for the Scorpio lady whonarrowly escaped meeting her maker.One day, she was driving to check ifthere was an outlet at the top of themountains and Leila fell in a ditch.The jeep she was driving spun threetimes. Thankfully, she came out ofit unharmed.For a time, it seemed that the heavenshad given her the happy ending alllittle girls wish for. She married, hadLeila Daligues of C&L Enterprises is proof that one can achieve hC&L Enterprises' humble and quaint office quarters.SME | 22

SMEFeatureDivine feminine“If you’re a San Miguel dealer, it’simportant to comply with the collaterals,the measurement of your holding unitsbased on your volume, etc. It’s a biginvestment,” says Leila. C&L was startinganew and Plantersbank was there tohelp her grow the business. “Ever since Istarted to handle it myself, it just grew,”she says, still surprised that her hardwork and own brand of magic paid off.Together, C&L Enterprises and SanMiguel conquered the region with salesestimating to 42,000 cases a month.“There’s pressure, but with a lot of help,we hit the targets,” she says happily.Women are blessed with the innerstrength to create and transform; it isnature who has willed this so. For Leila,her story has led her to become mistressof her own destiny. She has gonebeyond the princess role to emerge aheroine—a queen in her own right. Ofcourse, having a beer named after anarchangel can help.C&L Enterprises is located atLeg-leg Bacnotan, La Union. They canbe reached at (0922) 826-3640 and(0908) 862-0357.C&L Enterprises and San Miguel have conquered the Cordillera region with sales estimatingto 42,000 cases a month.SME | 24

SMEFeatureMore often than not, we hear of flyby-nightstaking advantage of Filipinohopefuls in search of a better fortuneabroad. These “sharks”, as the industrylabels them, are known to siphon moneyfrom their client—hoarding outrageouslylarge sums and vanish into thin air,leaving their victims with two choices:either to learn from the experience,move on and turn such adversity intoopportunity or wallow in despair forlengths of time.Janet Altamarino of Ultimate VisaCorporation was a victim of suchdubiousness. But what could have beenthe most catastrophic episode in her life,she turned into a mine of opportunitiesand an avenue to give back.She realized that it was a necessary evilshe had to go through to establish abusiness that would soon help countlessFilipinos in fulfilling their dreams. Shedesigned her business in such a waythat their clients’ trust and confidenceare built in them. Trustworthiness,after all, is essential in a business whereconfidentialities are to be disclosed. Shehas been there. She knows quite wellhow it is to be swindled, and it is hermission not to let it happen again.Ultimate VisaCorporation:Your gatewayto the worldBy Reynard L. OngTeaming up with her friend, Atty.Jonnah John Ungab, Janet startedUltimate Visa Corporation in January2009 in Cebu. “At that time, I did allthe work—from the assessment ofapplicants to documentation to filing...everything,” Janet relates.Three months later, the business grewforcing us to transfer to a better locationin the city and to add more offices. Thebusiness just kept growing and growingthat today, we have about 60 to 80employees with offices both in Cebuand Manila,” she says.SME | 25

SMEFeaturePHOTOS BY JOJO GLORIA | HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY RUEL PAPAJanet Altamarino with her team of dedicated employees.More than just processingof visasUltimate Visa is beyond paperwork. Theyoffer first class visa and immigrationassistance increasing the applicant’schances in obtaining a visa. They provideconsultancy services as well as freeassessments for different types of visas,but what sets them apart from otheragencies is their ability to connect andunderstand their clients’ needs.According to her, the very highpercentage of approved visas is dueto truthful documents that are dulyaccomplished and well-presented. Sheoutrightly debunked the myth of theneed to feign wealth producing a hugeshow money in their bank accounts aswell as pretending to be affiliated withbig organizations just so their visas couldbe granted easily.Janet also attributes her company'ssuccess to Plantersbank. It turned outthat Ultimate Visa's new office areahad been adjacent to Plantersbank. Thismeant convenience of transactions withthe bank at any given time of the day.“Plantersbank made things easier for us.They were able to accommodate andaddress all our concerns,” she says.The setup was also beneficial to clientswho may have the need of withdrawingmoney to process their payments,primarily because they don't have to leavethe premises and worry about carrying alarge amount of money in public.The staffUltimate Visa has four in-house lawyershandling all legal concerns. They likewisemaintain a pool of highly trainedresearchers who are tasked to keep upwith immigration trends as well as thelatest developments in immigration andvisa laws.They also house a strong marketing arm,exhausting all possible media to promotetheir services, and independent agentsroaming around the city looking forpotential clients and business partners.They have also penetrated socialnetworking sites such as Twitter andFacebook. But best of all, they haveclients doing the marketing job forthem. According to Janet, people havelearned about the business throughword of mouth—credible testimonialsfrom clients they have served andworked with.Getting due recognitionSince its inception, both UltimateVisa Corporation as well as the keypersons in the company have alreadybagged quite a number of awards foroutstanding performance in visa andimmigration assistance.Recently, they were named Best VisaAssistance Company at the 33rdPeople’s Choice and Seal of ExcellenceAwards Philippines and Most TrustedImmigration Services Provider at theGlobal Management Excellence Awards.Meanwhile, Janet was cited MostOutstanding Filipino Achiever of 2012by Star Brand Philippines and WomanSME | 26

Achiever of the Year 2012 atthe Business Achievementand Recognition Awards. Herbusiness partner Atty. Ungabwas named Business Achieverof the Year 2012 also by BARAin the individual category.The woman behind thebusinessBut who is Janet Altamarinoreally? Perhaps a lookback into her beginnings isnecessary to shed light on herbusiness' success.A graduate of MassCommunication from St.Theresa’s College in Cebu,Janet begun as a PLDTemployee, later trying herluck in another industrywhere she held a managerialposition which prepared herfor a much bigger role.She wears several hatssimultaneously—as mother,boss, mentor, colleague,and friend. Amazinglyhowever, in spite of all theroles mentioned, she stillmanages to make time foreach one. Janet puts it simply“...it’s just a matter of timemanagement. Time shouldbe spent wisely so that you’llhave time for everythingincluding yourself no matterhow much work you have todo in a day.”A business of this scale withoffices remotely locatedfrom each other ideally callsfor delegation, but Janetpreferred manning thebusiness herself. Every twoweeks, she flies back andforth between Cebu andManila immersing herself inUltimate Visa’s day-to-dayactivities and make's sure thatshe’s part of every decision.Fueled by her passion to help,she would go through thetrouble of meeting a coupleof clients herself to see howthey fare and perhaps assesshow she can be of furtherassistance to them. Thisdisplay of benevolence is evenextended to her employees.Defying the status quo, sheemployed people who arein need, not looking intothe printed credentials butthe potentials that can beunleashed. There was aninstance that she hired theentire family ignoring whatUltimate Visa Corporation can be found online at www.ultimatevisa.com.other businessmen say aboutthe problem of connivanceseeing that each one hassomething to contribute.For her, it’s a matter ofperspective. If you think badthings will happen, it will.Thus, she tried to maintaina positive attitude towardeverything. Borrowing fromNapoleon Hill, “Whatever themind of man can conceiveand believe, it can achieve.”She notes, “I hardly saw anychallenge in managing bothmy business and my personallife.” Not even gender.Though some might considerwomen as the weaker sex,she believes otherwise.For Janet, women can beat par with men in manyrespects. The medieval notionof stay-home women doingnothing but household choreshas become extinct. Modernwomen are empowered bythe knowledge they possessespecially at this day and agewhere access to informationhas become very convenient.Women can definitelycompete in various arenas. Itonly takes courage to makethe first step and willingnessto learn the trade, she says.“It is up to a woman todiscover her role based onher strengths and follow herintuition as to which path shehas to take toward her goal.After all, technical matterscan be learned. We shouldhave an endless craving forlearning. I, myself, listen to thestories of successful peopleevery now and then becausethey are the best sources ofinformation... I learn fromtheir mistakes in the sameway that I learn from the rightthings that they do.”The futureJanet has high hopes forUltimate Visa. She envisionsher business as the bestimmigration and visaconsultancy firm, pridingitself with personalizedservice at a reasonable price.And she has every intentionof realizing this dream.In fact, she and her teamare incessantly findingmore ways to better servetheir clients. Currently,they are diligently workingon their accreditation forworking visa and othermatters pertaining to legalassistance and trying tobroaden their reach, byeyeing offices abroad.“There are even instanceswhere we transact businesswith our foreign clientswithout us seeing them orthem visiting our office.All correspondences andconversations are done onlineor by phone,” she mentions.At the end of the day though,Ultimate Visa thrives on thesuccess of the people theyhave helped and worked with.And Janet is more than happyto know that her companyhas nurtured, given hope,and transformed lives throughgiving what is due to peoplewho deserve better beginningsand fresh startups.Ultimate Visa Corporation islocated at G/F JSP Building,General Maxilom Avenue cornerEchavez Street, Cebu Cityand at UG28 Cityland PasongTamo Tower, 2210 Chino RocesAvenue, Pasong Tamo, MakatiCity. They can be reached at(6332) 233-4113 to 14 and (632)822-7603. Visit their website atwww.ultimatevisa.com.SME | 27

SMESave MotherEarthHow green roofscan improve thecity’s healthWith the increasing problem of pollution, green roof technology comes inwith a promise of help.By Portia SilvaTourists who visit the Philippines oftencomplain about the polluted andcongested cities of the country, whichsometimes overthrow the reality thatthe country can offer so much more. Infact, the Department of Health recentlywarned both visitors and residents ofMetro Manila about the higher risks ofobtaining non-communicable diseasescaused by air pollution. This problemwas further probed when the WorldHealth Organization confirmed thatthe overall air quality in Manila remainsbelow its mandated standard leveldespite government efforts to improvethe situation.In the walls lining up EDSA forexample, patches of plants have beeninstalled to combat air pollution. Mostof the public walls in Makati, Taguigand Ortigas cities have been coveredwith eco-friendly paint that presumablyhelps absorb air pollutants in smallamounts. But these installations stillneed to be replicated both by officialsand individuals to make greeningsuccessful in this day and age.For husband and wife tandemChristoph and Agnes RanzingerCalda the solution is to build a100-square-meter green roof thatoverlooks a portion of their Mendez,Cavite farm. The Razingers, whoare active advocates of a clean andgreen environment, brought homethis concept from Germany wheregreen roofs are apparently a hugeecological trend. Finally decidingto build their own in 2006, theRazingers’s green roof is a largesprawl of beautiful flowers and anexquisite selection of plants thataccomplishes two things: increasegeneration of fresh air and beautifythe couple’s rest house.The green roof effectGreen roof technologies have longbeen popular in modern Europeancities for its economical andenvironmental purposes. Picturea traditional green house with itsblossoming flowers and severaltypes of plants, only this time thewhole patch of greenery is situatedat the top of a building or a house,strategically perched on the rooftopor roof deck.What is it made up of? The severallayers of a green roof provide properdrainage systems with the use of awaterproof membrane. The selection offlowers and plants largely depend onthe roof’s components and its capacityto host which kinds of soil, crops, etc.This type of roof also essentially reducesenergy costs because of its naturalinsulation properties since it can reducethe cooling abilities of an infrastructureby up to 90%.Although the green roof revolutionhas yet to kick in the local market,the Razingers believe that Filipinoswill soon take the necessary steps topatronize the system in the name ofcreating more livable and breathablespaces in the cities. It is all aboutknowing what the system can do foryou and how you can implement thearchitectural structures of a greenroof properly.Join the green revolutionGreen Roof Philippines, a group ofarchitects and environmentalists,says that green roofs come inall sizes, depending on the floorplan of the infrastructure. Anyroof made out of metal, tiles orshingles can be turned into agreen roof as long as the righttypes of plants are selected visà-visthe client’s roof capacity.Extensive types of green roofrequire plants with shallowroots while intensive types canaccommodate almost every plantand grass available as the latter’ssoil is thicker and more consistent.Maintenance of the green roof isalso quite easy as it’s just the sameas looking after an ordinary garden.Green Roof Philippines shares thathaving a prosperous green roof isas easy as remembering these threeimportant components: Wateringfor hydration, Weeding for a wellmanicuredpatch and Trimmingfor cleanliness.SME | 28

SMELifestyleGood, clean fun, literallyBy Mary Grace RosasHeeding the allure of the South is nevera total experience without the holisticrejuvenation brought by the resorts ofPansol, and currently the one to beatis Sol Y Viento Mountain Hot SpringResorts. Under the helm of Sol Y VientoHotels and Resorts run by the Universityof Perpetual Help System, is a leisurecomplex skillfully run in Calamba Laguna.Once a retreat venue for the school, theplace is perfect for healing the mind, body,and the spirit. It sits on a hill, overlookingLaguna de Bay and the enigmatic Mt.Makiling. One can never go wrong indeciding to pay this resort a visit.Communion with natureAs the name implies, Sol Y Vientoharmonizes its guests with the sun andthe wind of the Southern highlands. Witha sweet mishmash of natural treasure,the resort acquaints its guests not onlywith the refreshing combination of earthand sky, but also the revitalizing prowessof mountain spring water. Uniquelydesigned swimming pools, nestled rightamidst the mountain range and the baycompels guests to swim for hours!For more challenging dips, guests cantest the various springs with temperatureintensity rising from what is perfect fordelicate skin to something more befittingbold and determined skin.With the water coming from themountains, frolicking in the springs’warmth not only brings enjoyment, butmental calmness and physical healing.Sol Y Viento satiates foodies out ongastronomic quests with the in-houseCafé Sabroso where guests can indulgein authentic Laguna cuisine, famouslocal dishes and a variety of fusioncuisine; as well as the Chill-Out Barthat offers house-blended cocktails anddrinks to be indulged along with theawe-inspiring panorama.Relaxing abodesNow, how about sleep? Definitely, theresort provides the best snooze one canget in Pansol. With its upcoming 132stylish guestrooms overlooking the bayand ideal houses for large groups likeconferences, company seminars, andoutings, as well as families looking forquarters homier than the suites.The 16 Cabana Suites suits the taste offamilies who long for private relaxationwhile taking a rejuvenating dip at theindoor natural hot spring Jacuzzis, whatmore can you ask?Affordable rooms for groups perhaps?Sol Y Viento also has that on its menu:Team Rooms with 36 rooms perfect forstudents or barkadas looking for excellentaccommodations at a decent price.Outside the bustleSol Y Viento is not only for relaxing, it is asuitable venue for meetings that requirethe peace and quiet of the mountains.Its eight function rooms can host groupmeetings, seminars, and trainings thattypically accompany corporate outings andwhole family trips.These sophisticated facilities lendmodernistic appeal worthwhile for teambuildingactivities, as well as privatecelebrations without compromising theneed to be surrounded by nature’s beauty.All in one goEverything you need to know about Pansolresorts and more is offered in Sol Y Viento.There is indeed no reason to think twice ingetting on the road for this hideaway. Afterall, what is an hour drive in exchange forthe warmth and embrace of Sol Y Viento?Sol Y Viento Mountain Hot SpringResorts is located at Kilometer 55Makiling Heights, Pansol, Calamba,Laguna. They can be reached at0917-5684294 and (049) 545-0052.SME | 29

SMEWorth ReadingOn TopHere are some books to keep you, ladies,smart, sassy, and ahead of the business pack.By Pam Brooke A. CasinThink: Straight Talk for Womento Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World (Hardcover)Lisa BloomPhp 1,170In this book, Lisa Bloom makes asomewhat startling observation—whilewomen and girls today excel in educationat every level, they obsess on celebritymedia and while they perform muchbetter than their male counterparts, theyspend countless hours contemplating plastic surgery.Fearing that women are on the verge of spiraling down into anation of “dumbed-down, tabloid media obsessed, reality TVaddicts”, Bloom has proposed this basic countermeasure: Think.In her book, Bloom outlines ways the society, particularlywomen, have fallen off the intellectual course and points outhow damaging this has been on many levels. Of course, she alsoprovides solutions for “Reclaiming the Brain God Gave You” andtaking control of one's mind and life. Think is a smart, provocative,and educational book that will make you realize your worth, yourcapabilities—it will also make you start thinking again.Girl on Top: Your Guide toTurning Dating Rules intoCareer Success (Paperback)Nicole WilliamsPhp 640Now here's a book that tells you practicaland witty insights on how to turnwomen's infamous dating rules intoguidelines and tactics that can help yourise from the ranks. Here, Nicole Williamsintroduces 20 tried and tested dating rulessuch as “Don't Give Away the Milk for Free” and “Don't Waste thePretty” into cool strategies applicable to one's workplace.She also tackles everything from having the money talk with yourboss to leaving your prospective employer wanting for more ona job interview. Peppered with keen insight and candid pieces ofadvice, the book promises to “teach you how to recognize thegood guys from the bad, win the kudos of those who matter, andcreate the career of your dreams.”The Girl's Guide to StartingYour Own Business (Paperback)Caitlin Friedman and KimberlyYokoPhp 640Aimed toward self-employed businesswomen, Caitlin Friedman andKimberly Yoko's book offers tips andsolutions on how to handle a rangeof workplace issues—how to write abusiness plan, how to secure funding,and how to hire and fire employees.With extensive experience in public relations, marketing, andconsulting fields, the authors dish out practical information thatwould aid women in their pursuit to establish and manage soundand smart businesses. Engaging, their advice is written throughentertaining tips, lists, and quizzes—sure to appeal to womenwho are dreaming, or have already started, their own businesses.100 Great Businesses andThe Minds Behind Them(Paperback)Emily Ross and Angus HollandPhp 699This book explores the journey ofentrepreneurs, geniuses, and self-startersof this generation. It covers severalsuccess paths and brilliant strategiesof said entrepreneurs and how they'vemanaged to bring their own style andpersonality in the businesses and products they create.Aspiring business-savvy ladies can definitely turn to this book forstories of successful women tycoons and leaders of our time—themother that launched Baby Einstein, Oprah and how she wentfrom person to empire, Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics,the pioneers of Juicy Couture, and Barbie creator Ruth Handleramong others.Grab this book and know just what it takes to rise to the ladderof success.ALL BOOKS AVAILABLE AT FULLYBOOKED.SME | 30

SMETax CalendarJULY DEADLINES1 Monday – LAST DAY OF SUBMISSION• Sworn declaration of gross income received for the current year byprofessionals as of June 30, 20132 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF SUBMISSION• PEZA - ITR filed with the BIR on June 15, 2011 by PEZA-registeredenterprises for FY ended February 2013• Engagement letters and renewals or subsequent agreements for financialaudit by independent CPAs for FY beginning September 1, 20135 Friday – LAST DAY OFe-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 2000 - DST for June 2013SUBMISSION• Summary report of certifications issued by thePresident of NHMFC (RA 7279) for June 20138 Monday – LAST DAY OFe-SUBMISSION• eSales report by taxpayers using CRM/POS and other sales machinewith TIN ending in an even number for June 2013SUBMISSION• Transcript sheets of ORB for distilled spirits, wines, fermented liquor,tobacco products, oil, automobiles, and cigarette paper for June 201310 Wednesday – LAST DAY OFe-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 1600 - Withholding VAT/PT for June 2013• 1606 - Withholding on transfer of real property other than capitalassets for June 2013FILING and REMITTANCE• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for June 2013 (non-eFPS taxpayers)• 1603 - FBT for CQ ended June 2013 (non-eFPS taxpayers)e-SUBMISSION• eSales report by taxpayers using CRM/POS and other sales machinewith TIN ending in an odd number for June 2013SUBMISSION• Transcript sheets of ORB for mineral products for June 2013• A sugar cooperative’s list of buyers of sugar for June 2013, togetherwith a copy of certificate of advance payment of VAT made by eachbuyer appearing on the list• Information return on releases of refined sugar by the proprietor oroperator of a sugar refinery or mill for June 2013DISTRIBUTION• 2306 - Certificate of VAT/PT withheld for June 2013• 2307 - Certificate of creditable PT withheld for June 2013REMITTANCE• PhilHealth - ME-5 contributions for June 2013• SSS - R-5 contributions for June 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 1 or 211 Thursday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - 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VAT for TQ ended June 2013SUBMISSION• Summary lists of sales/purchases by VAT-registered taxpayers (non-eFPStaxpayers) for TQ ended June 2013• Sworn statement of manufacturers or importers on the volume of sales perbrand of alcohol and tobacco products for April to June 2013FILING• SEC - AFS for FY ended March 2013 by corporations whose securitiesare not registered under RSA or SRCREMITTANCE• SSS - R-5 contributions for June 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 7 or 830 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 1702Q - Quarterly ITR for TQ ended May 2013e-SUBMISSION• Summary lists of sales/purchases by VAT-registered taxpayers (all eFPSgroups) for TQ ended June 2013SUBMISSION• Inventory list for FY ended June 2013• PEZA - ITR filed with the BIR on July 15, 2012 by PEZA-registeredenterprises for FY ended March 2013REGISTRATION• Computerized books of accounts and other accounting records in CD-R, DVD-R or other optical media, and affidavit on the post-reportingrequirements for CAS for FY ended June 201331 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF e-SUBMISSION• List of regular suppliers of goods and services by the top 20,000 privatecorporations and top 5,000 individual taxpayers engaged in businessor practice of profession for first semester of 2013SUBMISSION• BOI - 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Withholding VAT/PT for July 2013• 1606 - Withholding on transfer of real property other than capitalassets for July 2013FILING and REMITTANCE• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (non-eFPS taxpayers)e-SUBMISSION• eSales report by taxpayers using CRM/POS and other sales machinewith TIN ending in an odd number for July 2013SUBMISSION• Transcript sheets of ORB for mineral products for July 2013• A sugar cooperative’s list of buyers of sugar for July 2013, togetherwith a copy of certificate of advance payment of VAT made by eachbuyer appearing on the list• Information return on releases of refined sugar by the proprietor oroperator of a sugar refinery or mill for July 2013DISTRIBUTION• 2306 - Certificate of VAT/PT withheld for July 2013• 2307 - Certificate of creditable PT withheld for July 2013REMITTANCE• PhilHealth - ME-5 contributions for July 2013• SSS - R-5 contributions for July 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 1 or 211 Sunday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (Group E)12 Monday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (Group D)13 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (Group C)FILING• SEC - AFS for FY ended April 2013 by corporations whose securities areregistered under RSA or SRC14 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (Group B)SUBMISSION• PEZA - AFS filed with the BIR on July 15, 2012 by PEZA-registeredenterprises for FY ended March 2013REMITTANCE• HDMF - M1-1 contributions by employers whose names start withletters A to D for July 201315 Thursday – LAST DAY OFe-PAYMENT• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (all eFPS groups)e-FILING• 1601C, 1601E, 1601F and 1602 - Withholding return oncompensation, EWT and FWT for July 2013 (Group A)e-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 1701Q - ITR for self-employed individuals, estates and trusts for TQended June 2013• 1702 and 1702-AIF – Annual ITR and AIF by corporations andpartnerships for FY ended April 2013• 1704 - IAET for FY ended July 2012FILING and PAYMENT• 1707A - Consolidated CGT return for shares not traded in the stockexchange for FY ended April 2013REGISTRATION• Bound computer-generated/loose-leaf books of accounts and otheraccounting records for FY ended July 2013e-SUBMISSION• Summary list of machines (CRM-POS) sold by machine distributors/dealers/vendors/suppliers for TQ ended July 2013SUBMISSION• PhilHealth - RF-1 remittance report for July 2013REMITTANCE• SSS - R-5 contributions for July 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 3 or 419 Monday – LAST DAY OF REMITTANCE• HDMF - M1-1 contributions by employers whose names start withletters E to L for July 201220 Tuesday – LAST DAY OF FILING and PAYMENT• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (non-eFPS taxpayers)e-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 2551Q - PT for TQ ended July 2013DISTRIBUTION• 2307 - Certificate of EWT for TQ ended July 2013REMITTANCE• SSS - R-5 contributions for July 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 5 or 621 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (Group E)22 Thursday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (Group D)23 Friday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (Group C)24 Saturday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (Group B)REMITTANCE• HDMF - M1-1 contributions by employers whose names start withletters M to Q for July 201325 Sunday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (Group A)e-PAYMENT• 2550M and 2551M - VAT and PT for July 2013 (all eFPS groups)e-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 2550Q - VAT for TQ ended July 2013SUBMISSION• Summary lists of sales/purchases by VAT-registered taxpayers (non-eFPStaxpayers) for TQ ended July 2013• Sworn statement of manufacturers or importers on the volume of sales perbrand of alcohol and tobacco products for May to July 2013REMITTANCE• SSS - R-5 contributions for July 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 7 or 828 Wednesday – LAST DAY OF FILING• SEC - AFS for FY ended April 2013 by corporations whose securities arenot registered under RSA or SRC29 Thursday – LAST DAY OF e-FILING/FILING and e-PAYMENT/PAYMENT• 1702Q - Quarterly ITR for TQ ended June 201330 Friday – LAST DAY OF REGISTRATION• Computerized books of accounts and other accounting records in CD-R, DVD-R or other optical media, and affidavit on the post-reportingrequirements for CAS for FY ended July 2013• Manual books of accounts and other accounting records if using newbooks for FY beginning September 1, 2013e-SUBMISSION• Summary lists of sales/purchases by VAT-registered taxpayers (all eFPSgroups) for TQ ended July 2013SUBMISSION• Inventory list for FY ended July 2012• PEZA - ITR filed with the BIR on August 15, 2013 by PEZA-registeredenterprises for FY ended April 2013• BOI - Transcript sheets of ORB by qualified jewelry enterprises for FYended July 201331 Saturday – LAST DAY OF REGISTRATION• Manual books of accounts and other accounting records if using newbooks for FY beginning September 1, 2013REMITTANCE• SSS - R-5 contributions for July 2013 of employers with SSSidentification numbers ending in 9 or 0• HDMF - M1-1 contributions by employers whose names start withletters R to Z for July 2013SME | 31

SMEBillboardProudly Philippine-made Ehje’s Peanut ButterOne peanut butter brand that is fast becoming a household favorite is Ehje’sPeanut Butter. Made from quality choice-peanuts, this local brand has wonthe discerning palate of many Filipino peanut butter lovers who for the longesttime have patronized foreign brands. Available flavors are Creamy, Crunchy, andCoffee. They also sell sugarfree peanut butter and peanut butter for Kare-Kare.Ehje’s Peanut Butter is available in all SM Supermarkets nationwide, in a numberof Julie’s Bakeshop branches, Mang Tinapay, and a number of local bakeries.For more information and for orders, call (+63917) 833-3453, (+6349) 502-3476, or e-mail ehjes@yahoo.com.Peugeot showrooms open in Cebu CityGateway Motors Group, the authorized Cebu distributor of Peugeot, recentlyinaugurated 2 Peugeot showrooms, proof of the continued boom of the autoindustry in Cebu City. Their showrooms are located at the North ReclamationArea and SM City Cebu. For more information, you may call (032) 505-2888.25th Buy Pinoy Exporters Fair (BPEF)The Buy Pinoy Movement Foundation, Inc. is holding the 25th Buy Pinoy ExportersFair (BPEF) on August 15 to 18, 2013 at the SM Megatrade Halls 1 & 2. The fourdayfair will gather the country’s exporters and suppliers and will showcase a widerange of locally made products such as apparel, shoes, handicraft, food, fashionaccessories, furniture, and gift items.For more information about the 25th BPEF, you may call (02) 834-2712; (0908) 820-7071 or e-mail secretariat@buypinoymovement.org.TripAdvisor recognizes Cebu’sMövenpick HotelPremier resort Mövenpick Mactan Island Cebu wasrecently awarded the 2013 Certificate of Excellenceby TripAdvisor. This prestigious award is only given tothe top 10% of businesses listed in TripAdvisor makingMövenpick a top choice among other premier hotels andisland resorts in Cebu. Officially launched last December2012, Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu is a fivestarbeachfont resort that combines a truly indulgentlifestyle experience with superb facilities. For inquiries andreservations, call (+6332) 492 7777, e-mail Resort.cebu@moevenpick.com or visit www.moevenpick-cebu.com.SME | 32