Annual General Assembly of PIADI Multipurpose Cooperative

Speech on the Occasion of the Annual General Assembly  of  the  Piadi Multipurpose Cooperative  During Its Luncheon Fellowship at 1200 on Sunday April 26,2015 at the Marco Polo Hotel

Greetings to the Members of the PIADI Multipurpose Cooperative

I characterize my presence today as Guest of Honor and Speaker in view of my position now as  President of the Philippine Printing Technical Foundation (PPTF)running to  its  Fifth Year (to which I owe my debt of gratitude to the PPTF Officers, Trustees and Members for the continuing trust  notwithstanding my limitations) nostalgic.

I could vividly recall the honor that was bestowed upon me twenty (20) years ago by PIADI during the year 1995 when Book Development Act or RA 8047 was passed during June,1995 when I was appointed by His Excellency President Fidel Valdez Ramos to become a member of the Governing Board of the National Book Development Board where I eventually became the Chairman as an offshoot of my election by the Members of the Governing Board.

I was then in my late Forty’s (40s) and now in the Seventies (70s) the age when we are nearing to see our Creators.

Levity aside, if my recollection serves me right your Chairman Lads Aviola then   was being groomed likewise to be a member of the National Book Development Board to represent the printing industry( as per recommendation of SenatorAquilino Pimentel( but the same did not materialize due  to certain political obstructions.

In fact during the intervening years the PPTF closely and consistently interacted with Chairman Lads predominantly at the Makati area over dinner with the usual intercession of Past President and concurrently First Vice-President or Vice-President for Internal Affairs George Lora (who is concurrently the Chairman of the Domestic Shows and Seminars whose continuing interest has been the unification of the industry).

During dinner our normal topic is enhancement of the training program and unification of the industry.  It is consistent with the vision of PIADI to be a “contributor and leader in increasing awareness and empowerment among the cooperatives toward improving the quality of life in the community.

Based on such interactions I would receive testimonials that the members were receiving economic returns from their respective investments far greater what the banks and/or financial institutions would offer thus the noble goal of improving the quality of life appears having been adequately met.

In fact because of the unity engendered by effective leadership it should be Lads delivering the speech instead of us.  I would vividly recall during my initial years on working on two prohibitory guidelines if one were to enter business.

Firstly, never enter into a business which you are not familiar with. Secondly never enter into a partnership (as trust and confidence to one another is hardly attained thereto)

Allow me therefore to attempt to show chronologically the evolution of the printing shows that partnership under Philippine setting could be an elusive dream;

1. The following have been the exhibit dates,venues and sponsors, subject to verification:

A.1.1 During1970  the first Printing Trade Mini-Expo as sponsored by VOTRA Phils;

A.1.2 On 1971 Printing Exhibit was held in the presence of W.J. Suter, Mr. & Mrs. Harper  and Hans Menzi;

A.1.3 In 1991, a printing exhibit participated in by the Printing Industry Association of the Philippines (PIAP) and Philippine Printing Technical Foundation to showcase the latest machine of the industry.   This exhibit has become to be known as Printech.It has become a major project, a must attend trade show for local printers who intend to modernize, at the same time a source of revenue to sustain and administrative expenses;

A.1.4On September 12 to 15,1993, another Printing show was held at  DonBosco Basketball Court,Makati City;

A.1.5On September 11 to 14,1996,another Printing Show was held at  SM Mega Trade Hall,Mandaluyong City with then Judge Merriam Defenssor Santiago and now Senator Merriam Santiago as the guest of honor;

A.1.6 On September 15-18, 1998 another Printing show was held at the Megatrade Hall,Mandaluyong City;

A.1.7On September 13 to 16,2000Printech Manila was held at the Philippine Training Center(Philtrade) with then PP Frank Fe, Gov. Bimbo as participants of cutting the ribbon;

A.1.8On September 23 to 25, 2005, Print Philippines was held at  Philtrade with personalities like Senator Richard Gordon, John Choa, James Chiu, Atty. Jose AgatonSibal, and PP George Lora during the cutting of the ribbon ceremony;

A.1.8.1 During the same date Print Excellence 2005 was held at the  DonBosco where Plant Visit took place with  John Choa, James Chui as some of the present;

A.1.8.2 Thereafter a plant visit took place at the Rockwell with Martin Yabut, John Choa, James Chui as some of the personalities present;;

A.1.9On July 21 to 26,2006a printing show was held at the Plenary Hall,Bangko Central,Davao City;

A.1.10OnSeptember 7 to 9, 2006, a Print Philippines under PIAP was held at the Philtrade;

1. Due to the request of PPTF not to participate for 2006 Print Philippines due to the hosting of FAPGA on December 10, 2006 it was considered by PIAP  that PPTF was  withdrawing from the partnership thus PIAP exclusively sponsored  Print Philippines from then on;

B.1 During the intervening period PPTF joined Global Link and Print Center for Print Excellence where PPTF withdrew subsequently;

B.1.1 PPTF partnered with Fiera Manila but the partnership did not last long.

B.1.2 OnAugust 21-25, 2013 Printech Philippines, PICC took place;

B.1.3.Consistent with the volatility of entering into a partnership, the printing show instead of being jointly undertaken they  were held separately and sponsored by different printing association thus time utilized,effort exerted, money spent are repeatedly wasted incurred  at the expense of exhibitors and stakeholders. PPTF believes that this is not healthy aside from being wasteful.

1. The following activities are attempt by PPTF to unite with PIAP;

C.1In the quest of PPTF through Pres. Buhain for unity   PIAP/PPTF General Membership Meeting was held at the Manila Polo club  in the presence of then President of PIAP RonySy among others on January 2013;

C.2.On May31, 2013 PPTF and PIAP conducted joint meeting with representation from Pres. Buhainand Pres. Sy at the PPTF Office for the purpose of unification;

C.3 On February 7, 2014 PPTF and PIAP held a joint meeting with Pres.Ybud and Pres. Buhain at the Club Filipino again for the purpose of unification;

C.4 On March 20, 2014 PPTF and PIAP held a joint meeting at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in the presence of Pres.Buhain and Pres. Ybud for the purpose of unification but PIAP Secretary General claimed that PPTF should not be conducting printing shows as being violative of PPTF Bylaws thus putting an end to efforts to unify.

C.5 During the year 2014 PPTF initiated a signature campaign for a joint exhibition to lessen the expense of exhibitors and suppliers to no avail;

C.6 This year 2015 PPTF once more extended its hand  but was rejected by PIAPthus PPTF would be pursuing a Printech Exhibition on September 4-8, 2015 at World Trade Center which we are appealing the members of PIADI to attend.

1. The foregoing would truly be suggestive the desired partnership until now remains as empty dream;

On some positive developments, allow me to cite the following:

D.1 On June 25,2014 the PPTF initiated the roadmap study of the printing industry with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry(DTI), University of the Philippines Institute for   Small Scale Industries(UPSSI)  and Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) Small Enterprises Research and Development Foundation(SERDEF);

D.2 On August 1, 2014 PPTF was similarly invited on  the deliberation of  another roadmap  but thereafter the plan to share with one another did not materialize;

D.3. On October 20,2014 PPTF sent legislative proposal entitled “ Professionalizing the Printing Industry and Establishment of the Modernized Printing Schools in the NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao which was accepted by the Senate through Senator Escudero and to the House through Congressman Singson;

D.4. PPTF was able to cause the reregistration of the Print Industry Board Foundation Incorporated or  PIBFI dated May 26, 2014 whose objective is to have “an aggrupation of print, graphic arts and industry-related associations under an umbrella organization to serve as the spokesman of the industry not only within the confines of the Archipelago but also in the regional community(consistent with the ASEAN Integrated Community  ) and also in the international community for the primordial goal of uplifting the printing and graphic arts industry locally, regionally and internationally”;

D.4.1 Presently the PIBFI is comprised of the following member associations:

D.4.1.2. Philippine Printing Technical Foundation or PPTF;

D.4.1.3. Association of Lawbook Writers of the Philippines or ALBOP;

D.4.1.4.Screen Imaging and Digital Graphic Association of the Philippines (SIDGAP);

D.4.1.5. Association of Paper Traders Association or APTA:

D.4.1.6. Filipino Chinese Printing Association or FILCHI;

D.4.1.7.Print industry Association of the Philippines used to have representations under PP Tansipek and PP Sy;

D.4.1.8. During the recent PIBFI meeting dated March 4, 2015 at Timberland Heights San Mateo Rizal, we have listed down the other associations which we would be inviting to form part of PIBFI.

1. The PPTF under your humble representation was likewise  elected as the ASEAN Print Ad Interim President  and that PPTF with the endorsement of PIBFI would be holding the Second (2^nd) Asean Training Program, Organizational Meeting, Country Reports, Resolutions and Strategic Planning this coming June 20 to 23, 2015 at the Sequoia Hotel;

E.1 We appeal for the members of PIADI to attend the Training Program.

1. ASEAN Print is comprised of representations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar;

1. PPTF with the support of the member associations of PIBFI shall be holding the Printech 2015 on September, 2015 of World Trade Center;

1. During the occasion of my birthday March 13,2015 PIBFI Chairman Emeritus James Chiu submitted the completed manuscript the book entitled “History of Printing in the Philippines”;

H.1 It is an attempt likewise to diagnose the flaws of the local printing industry.

1. PPTF “credible leadership” was chosen as private sector representative  observer by Apo-Neda  in  awarding bidding of security printing jobs.

1. PPTF through PE Brizuela and Pres. Buhain that converted FAPGA from a sedentary body into a proactive body through the approval of the proposed FAPGA Constitution and By Laws  based on the draft presented by the Philippines through PPTF last 2008 and which was finalized on November 13, 2014;

1. Recently PPTF has interaction with TESDA for the purpose of seeking accreditation from the latter  to be authorized to issue  certification of competency  after undergoing a particular training course;

K.1 Should that scenario take place PIBFI the umbrella body would corroborate with PPTF in training the trainors;

K.1.1  It is short of saying that PIBFI would be coordinating body with PPTF as the training center;

K.1.2. We would like to distribute the copies of the speech delivered on June25, 2014.

1. Thank you very much for the opportunity to showcase what PPTF is doing for the upliftment of the industry,

L.1 Thank you very much.