THE Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) sets out to honor more Filipino achievers in the retail industry in 2010 with the addition of more awards categories that reflect the innovations and changing nature of the business.
Golden ABC CEO and PRA President Bernie Liu cited during the recently held 13th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year Awards Night the inclusion of more categories such as one in foreign retail to recognize the Filipino talent in managing foreign and global brands.
In a masquerade ball-themed evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the PRA, the national association of major retailers and shopping centers in the country and the Department of Trade and Industry, revealed the country’s top retailers and malls for 2009.
Eighteen winners, which received the coveted OFR awards, were Kultura Filipino (Most Promising Retailer); Flawless (Services – Small Category); Aficionado (Specialty Retailer – Small Category); Toby’s Sports (Specialty Retailer – Medium Category); St. Joseph Drugstore (Regional Retailer, Luzon); Julie’s Bakeshop (Regional Retailer, Visayas); Loalde (Cebu Regional Retailer); Fino (Fashion Shoes and Bags Small Category); Bench Body (Fashion Apparel, Small Category); Memo (Fashion Apparel, Medium Category); Binalot and Potato Comer (Food Retailer, Small Category); The French Baker (Food Retailer, Medium Category); Goldilocks Bakeshop (Food Retailer, Large Category); Our Home (Category Killer); Island City Mall (Shopping Center of the Year ,Regional); Bonifacio High Street, (Shopping Center of the Year, Medium Category Hall of Fame); and SM Megamall (Shopping Center of the Year, Large Category).
Highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 5th PRA President’s Award to John Gokongwei, Jr, JG Summit Holdings Chairman Emeritus as ‘Champion of Retail Entrepreneurship.’ A special award was presented to Jose V. Rosario of the iconic Manila C.O.D. as one of the founding fathers of the PRA and a past president of the PRA for his contribution in expanding the association from the original Chamber of Philippine Department Stores to the present Philippine Retailers Association (PRA). Rosario broadened the base and sphere of influence of the PRA and made the PRA the voice of the Philippine retail industry.
For winning in international competitions, the PRA also presented Plaques of Recognition to Ayala Malls, which won two Gold Awards in the 2009 International Council of Shopping Centers Asia Expo; SM which received the Best of the Best Award and the Gold Award from the 2009 Retail. Asia Top 500 and the first FAPRA award for the Philippines for retail innovation and market In leadership; Mercury Drug and Rustan were honored for winning the Silver and Bronze Awards respectively in the 2009 Retail Asia Top 500.