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PRA Advocacy Issues – 2007
1.
Music Copyrights / FILSCAP
The PRA is negotiating with the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or FILSCAP for better rates for PRA members. Since the issue of legality and legitimacy has been settled, the PRA is amenable to paying reasonable royalties to FILSCAP. Proposed rates have been presented, but have yet to be approved by both sides.
In the meantime, the FILSCAP has again resumed its aggressive stance against retail stores and malls.
The FILSCAP is demanding payment of royalties/dues from retail stores and malls for playing music within the store/mall.
2.
Shoplifting Advocacy
With the growing incidence of external theft/shoplifting in retail stores and malls with estimated losses reaching 2-3% of sales, it has been agreed upon by the PRA Board that a study on local retail shoplifting be made with the end in view of supporting a bill that will put some teeth on local theft law, specifically shoplifting.
The PRA sees this as one of the deterrents to external theft.
3.
Credit Card/Price Tag Law Advocacy
The PRA is requesting the DTI for a review/amendment of the Price Tag Law since the law prohibits dual pricing.
Retail establishments have repeatedly called the attention of DTI that it is anti-consumer and anti-business.
Since majority of consumers use plastic money for purchases, the PRA has requested the Credit Card Association of the Philippines and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to decrease merchant service/finance fees, if not omit it altogether since it is being shouldered by retail establishments. Those who cannot shoulder the merchant service/finance fees because of slow retail turnover or small sales revenue, are forced to pass this to consumers thus the difference in credit card price and cash price.
4.
HR Networking Advocacy
The Labor Force Survey of the National Statistics Office reports that in 2006,
38% of the Services Sector is employed in Retail/Wholesale.
This accounts
roughly to 4 out of every 10 employed individual is in retail/wholesale.
With
such a huge group, PRA has decided to organize the HR heads of its member
retailers to lead in the formulation of programs and projects that will benefit retail
professionals and their respective retail organizations.
This group believes that
the growth and stability of a retail organization rests on the well-being of its
professionals.
5.
Coin Recirculation Campaign
Coins for change are an important part of the retail business. The lack of coins in
the past is one case of consumer complaints against retailers. The Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas (BSP) has come up with a nationwide campaign entitled
“Tulong
Barya para sa Eskwela” with the objective flushing out coins in the communities
by mobilizing
all partners and civic-minded people/organizations in the
community to gather
coins and at the same time generate funds to the benefit of
the public schools.
PRA as a stakeholder, encouraged its members to help inform the public and
mobilize support for the campaign. Specifically, to encourage member-retailers
to participate in the said activity either as (a) collection and exchange centers or
(b) exchange centers only.
6.
Retail Careers & Services Jobs Fair
The retail sector contributes an average of 12-15% to the country’s GDP and is
one of the country’s biggest employers. With an average growth rate 10-15%, the
retail sector remains a strong and influential sector to reckon with, and a market
that continues to grow and keep up with the challenges and demands of an
increasingly sensitive and demanding consumer market. As such, PRA launched
its Retail Careers & Services Jobs Fair aimed at getting prospective employees /
qualified individuals to join the growing retail industry and at the same time help
contribute to the government’s employment campaign.
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