The glowing pictures of possibilities are in our economic indicators. For SMEs and those wanting to start a business this could be the year.


Creating a business this year will be buoyed by supportive business environment. But a caveat, business is business there is always risks and for SMEs the risks are high and so the challenge is to manage and navigate carefully.

One event that will help you navigate in this challenging business environment is Kabuhayang Pinoy Expo slated this May 5-7, 2010 at Trinoma Mall. Around 60 businesses will showcase their products and services in this very strategic event and venue.

If you want to plan a business, here is one event you should not miss.

If you are an SMEs wanting to break into the consciousness of the public, you are highly encouraged to take part in this event.

We will be having a Business Seminars offered for free but first you have to register. The business seminars are in a format of a how to guide in starting a business from discovering if you have what it takes to registering and making it legal up to expanding your business.

Honestly knowledge is nothing if you do not know how to use it or will not use it. In the upcoming Kabuhayang Pinoy Expo we will focus on the action part of the business. We will also focus on inviting right market besides the already big market that frequent the venue to transact with the exhibitors.

Overall, we are expecting a great event better than last year but still true to the reason why the event came to life – promote SMEs and make starting a business easier and simple.

Magandang Kabuhayan Pinoy ang naghihintay sayo ngayong taon!




The increased arrival of foreigners in our ports and international flights last 2010 augurs well for our 2011.


It means there is confidence in our country. Now that simple but essential steps are being taken by the government, the outside world is taking notice.

The 3.45 Million foreigners that enter our main ports and the 6.4% or 3.59 Million passengers in our International Flights are indicative of a rosy year for us in 2011.

So what now?

I think that speaking in the exhibition and convention industry; we must make well and increase our events this year. Also, I read some interesting new products created by new organizers in the exhibition and convention industry; I pray that they become successful.

In our office, busyness is very prevalent. The skills of the members are also up a notch. Therefore we are ready to grab the opportunities and even create opportunities out of the positive things that are slowly taking shape in our country.

The recent Boracay controversy where a foreign couple was videotaped copulating in the beach is something that we should all be alarmed.


Yes, we wanted to increase our tourist visitors. We also acknowledge that Boracay is the most famous tourism spot in our country that it generates 650,000 tourists a year or about 22 percent of the total visitor traffic of the country. However, the disrespect to public sensibilities and moral values that our country upholds must be over economics. I fear the day that we have achieved economic progress but lost our souls.

In the theory of broken windows, practiced and made famous by then New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. A small wrongdoing not corrected will become a monster as time goes by. What Guiliani did was correct it immediately like repairing and apprehending people who broke window glass in an area in New York. When the public saw that there is police enforcement and broken windows are repaired immediately, the perpetrators suddenly disappeared and peace and order was restored in that particular area.

I say we do the same in this Boracay incident, act quickly and make strict enforcement of no sex on the beach rule. There are more important things that economic growth that is living decently.

It is good news that the “Pocket Open Skies” Policy is on full swing. The policy will most probably  take place in NAIA in Pasay City, Laoag International Airport (Ilocos) , Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark, Pampanga), Puerto Princesa International Airport (Palawan), Subic Bay International Airport, Kalibo International Airport (Aklan), Mactan International Airport (Cebu), Davao, General Santos, and Zamboanga.


The effect as said by the proponents is more direct flights from International Carriers straight to those above mentioned local airports.

This action will hopefully increased tourists arrival, lower airfares (not that it has not gone down through the years) and improvement on services offered by airlines to the passengers (this I am keeping my fingers crossed).

A packed exhibition

The government plans to attract 3.3 Million tourist visitors in the country this year. Compared to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia the target we set is small. However, since we are starting with a new administration and the issue of continuity is always a problem in our government I can say that the target is a decent one.


Now, if we are to focus on the 3.3 Million visitors I would suggest that we go for businessmen and investors to be the large chunk of this pie. These two segments can greatly benefit our economy because they have the spending power.

If all of us agree on this, the question now is how do we achieve it?

I say we must do big changes in our peace and order and promote to the world that it is safe here. Second, we must support our MICE industry. Let us create mega learning conventions and mega expositions. Last but not the least; let us focus on the first A in the 5As of Tourism that is ACCESS. We must open NAIA 3 for International Travel and eliminate all unnecessary taxes that make travelling in our country more expensive than going out of than going out of the country. Our secretary of tourism promotes Open Skies and hopefully the positive things about this policy will redound immediately.

3.3 Million Tourists for this year will be meaningful to our country they are quality tourists. It is time for a fresh start; let us cross our fingers for our country.

The smoke of the revelry welcoming the New Year has settled. The big tasks of making things a reality lies in our hand. In the events management, particularly exhibition the task of creating and offering a new and improved products start.


It is a difficult process. Even though there are available data of the past performances. The event management team must again come together and allow the creative juices flow in order to create something from without and assure that there is value on what was created.

Also, the exhibition team must consider the 3 Cs in crafting the new trade event. The 3 Cs are the Company, Client, and Competitor. This three dynamic elements changes and an near accurate reading of this 3 elements is critical in determining the success of the expo.

As an event’s organizer, I am very positive that this year is a good albeit challenging year. I see that new players will emerge and new concepts will be launch. But that is life and as organizers all we can do is to better ourselves and compete with ourselves the only competition that we must strive to seriously taken on.

Last November 23, 2010 the Final Technical Meeting for the upcoming Philippine Physical Therapist Association (PPTA) National Convention, slated December 4-5, at Traders Hotel Pasay, was conducted.


It is a fun exercise.

The meeting is fun in the sense that all the planning that everyone discussed and agreed upon is already coming to its end – and boy an end that everybody is very excited about.

It is a dry run.

The meeting is a dry run of all the details things that must never be overlooked. All the salient points that must be noted and delivered during the actual event are discussed and re-discussed.

The final meeting for the PPTA working group took place in Traders Hotel and we are just very happy to be part of it, all the hard work is slowly in its final finishing touches ensuring that SUCCESS is not a distant dream but a reality that is about to happen this week.

by Rafael Santos


Mega Balikbayan OFW Expo is more than meets the eye.

In fact MBEX- Mega BalikBayan OFW Expo 2010 is a single event, as what it looks like, but if you’ll just dig on it, there are lots of rooms for opportunities, name it, we have it. It features business firms; either small-scale or large scale ones from different industries of different specialties. Even this enthusiast amateur business-minded guy (me) wants to be part of it; it triggers my adrenaline rush to go all the way at its full speed. Some might say that I must be kidding, but wisecracks aside, hmmmm... maybe a bit, just to step aside from intensity. That’s what it feels like when you are truly passionate not just to what you’re doing, but also to where it might take you along the long, winding road to success. It must have been an entrepreneurial mindset guys, so don’t limit your thinking. In business redundancy is better than plain profitability, always on a positive note, meaning adherence to moral beliefs is a must.



So what are you waiting for hop in this great roller coaster that is about to hit the city called Mega Balikbayan OFW Expo, happening this December 10-12, 2010 at Megatrade Halls, SM Megamall.

The Philippine Physical Therapy Association (PPTA), Inc. shall hold its National Convention this December 4-5, 2010 at the Traders Hotel, Pasay City, Philippines.


The much awaited annual convention offers a lot of learning seeds for all the attendees that will surely upgrade and enhance their knowledge and professional skills in their continuous effort to become an excellent global physical therapist.

Some of the convention sessions are “Filipino Physical Therapists in collaborative practice” (working with an NGO, in a corporate ergonomics program, in sports injury management, and advocacy), “Culturally congruent care in physical therapy”, Physical therapy services: Universal Health Care and Philhealth”, “Professionalizing home care PT practice”, and a lot more informative and skills oriented topics and workshops.

“Our aim for this year’s convention is to broaden the reach and maximize the potential of the Filipino physical therapist”, said Ms. Gayline Manalang Jr., President of the PPTA. “We want to build a stronger practice of the profession in the Philippines, and this is one step towards that vision.”

Co-presented by Signature Healthcare, the PPTA 2010 National Convention is expected to gather around 300 physical therapists and students of physical therapy from institutions all over the country. Showing their support to the Filipino PT as Major Sponsor is TGS Healthcare Solutions, with Gold Sponsors being Avant Healthcare Professionals, Ultimate Care Inc., and Health Carousel Philippines. Media partners are Businessworld, Business Mirror and Philippine Star.

The event is managed by EX-LINK Management and Marketing Services Corporation. For inquiries about participant registration, call EX-LINK at Telephone No.643-3887 or 640-1280. Further details about the PPTA and its upcoming convention are available at www.philpta.org.

Today’s tourism congress only validated the impact that tourism industry can do to eradicate poverty in our country.


In the report given by Ms. Ma. Cherry Lynn Rodolfo, Economist, University of Asia and Pacific she reiterated the MULTIPLIER EFFECT of tourism to 2.5% per tourist that visits our country.

Mr. Khoo Swee Chiow, one of the speakers in the congress shared his testimony of how beautiful the Philippines is. He is a Singaporean who toured the Philippines by using kayak. He showed different pictures and the audience in the tourism congress is in awe.

There is so much to be done in order to realize this potential which we have been harping around for so many years and to different government regime that led this country. Sadly, the movement forward is nowhere to be seen.

Senator Dick Gordon made a very interesting point when he said in this important gathering, “ Lahat tayo ay magagaling, ang problema lahat tayo ay magagaling”.

What ails our industry is not the lack of talents and capabilities, instead we are hampered by all wanting to be leaders and nobody wanted to be relegated as followers.

Let us get our acts together, our potential is just there waiting to be harness to improve the lives in our country.