(Source: Businessworld | 23-24 December 2016)
The Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the “association of associations” in the country, recognized Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal-Limjoco, currently the vice-chair of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) as 2016 PCAAE “Association Board Member of the Year” awardee during its gala dinner and awards night at the PICC recently.
The award is bestowed upon a member of the Board of an association or of a membership organization who has demonstrated outstanding service to the association community and country, to the practice of association good governance, and to the ideals and advocacy of the PCAAE by volunteering time, talent, and resources as a Board member.
Ms. Sibal-Limjoco was cited, among others, for her achievements in PRA as having been in its Board since 1976, as a three-termer president and as one of the major proponents in bringing the Asia Retailers Conference and Exhibition here in Manila in 1993 and the Asia-Pacific Retailers Convention and Exhibition in 2015.
She is also presently the vice-chair of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) which she helped organize in 1995 and is now recognized by other world franchise associations. She is considered as the first ever Filipino and first Asian to earn the title “Certified Franchise Executive.”
Because of her advocacies at PFA and PRA, the franchise industry has now become a preferred investment option, contributing US$ 13.6 billion or 30% of retail outputs as of 2014. With an expected 20% growth until 2016, franchising has created more jobs and businesses, making the Philippines a franchising leader in Asia.
