PRA honors retail achievers at 20th OFR-SCY Awards
Reflecting the exceptional growth of the Philippine retail market, the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) honored top retail achievers during the 20th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year (OFR–SCY) Awards last July 26, at the grand ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City.
Open to all Filipino homegrown retailers, the 20th OFR–SCY Awards encourages Filipino retailers to adopt world-class standards and practices in order to be globally competitive. The award recognized outstanding Filipino retailers who have epitomized the model of a successful retailer in terms of growth and good ethical practices.
The awards night, attended by VIPs and industry stakeholders — from retailers, mall and shopping center operators to traders, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers — is a considered the country’s “Oscars of the Philippine Retailing” that is organized by the PRA, the recognized national association of top retailers and suppliers in the country.
CATEGORIES & CRITERIA
Shortlisted finalists competed in the following categories: Full Line Department Store, Hypermarket, Supermarket, Fashion - Large/Medium/ Small (Apparel and Shoes & Bags), Food Retailer Services, Home Improvement
Center, Most Promising Retailer, Specialty Retailer, Regional Retailer, Foreign Brand Retailer (Apparel and Shoes & Bags) and Shopping Centers of the Year.
Entries were judged according to a determined set of criteria. Outstanding
Filipino Retailers – Product (30%), Operations (20%), Sales and Marketing (20%), Social Consciousness/Environment (20%) and Reputation (10%). Foreign Retail
Brand – Foreign Brand Popularity (30%), Total Number of Stores (20%), Gross Sales (20%) Store Operations (20%) and Reputation (10%). Shopping Center of
the Year – Marketing and Promotions (25%), Sales (20%), Operations (20%), Environment (20%) , Reputation (10%) and Social Consciousness (5%).
BOARD OF JUDGES
In charge of selecting outstanding entries from the roster of finalists was the panel of judges. The Board of Judges was led by DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez (chairman) and PRA President Atty. Paul A. Santos (Co-Chairman). Other judges include PRA vice chair emeritus Samie Lim, PRA Chairman Lorenzo Formoso, PRA vice chair Frederick D. Go, Jorge T. Mendiola, Mars C. Chua, Ma. Alegria S. Limjoco and Roberto S. Claudio, Hubilla Design Group president Johnny Hubilla, SMCI Retail Consultant Mary Margaret C. Martinez, E-learning Edge, Inc. president Hans Eric Roxas-Chua, independent retail trainer Francisco T. Dela Cruz and Consultus managing consultant Gerlie Taylor.
ROSTER OF WINNERS AND HALL OF FAMERS
After careful deliberation, several outstanding finalists earned the distinction of joining the esteemed roster of winners for the 20th OFR–SCY Awards. They are: Metro Department Store (Full Line Department Store), SM Supermarket (Supermarket), Specialty Retailers composed of Wilcon Depot (Mega), South Star Drug (Large), Titan (Medium), Zenzest (Small) under Services Category, Mont Albo Massage Hut (Small) and Sunnies (Most Promising Retailer).
For Foreign Brand Retailers, winners were Specialty Retailers Toys R Us (Mega), Daiso Japan (Large), GNC (Medium); Dorothy Perkins (Medium), Lacoste Footwear (Medium), Food Retailers 7-Eleven (Mega) and Dairy Queen (Large), Herschel (Most Promising Retailer) and Regional Retailers Cebu Home and Builders (Visayas) and Toyota Cagayan (Mindanao).
For the Shopping Center of the Year, category winners were The District Imus (Small), SM City Naga (Medium) and Ayala Center Cebu (Large).
Within the winner’s circle, five gained a spot in the Hall of Fame – a special honor given to a retailer who has won two consecutive years or three times within a five-year period. This year, the brands that bagged the award and entered the Hall of Fame were Surplus, Onesimus, Vikings Luxury Buffet, Uniqlo and Ace Hardware.
WILCON DEPOT FOUNDER TAKES HOME 12TH PRA PRESIDENTS AWARD
Main highlight of the evening was the PRA 12th President’s Award, bestowed by the PRA Board to Wilcon Depot Inc. Founder and Chairman Emeritus William T. Belo for his invaluable contribution to the growth of the home building retail sector. Recognized with the title “Patriarch of Home Building Retail,” Belo joins the elite list of personalities who were previously recognized and who have made an indelible mark and contribution to the growth of the Philippine retail industry.
Previous recipients of the President’s Award include Henry Sy (Father of Philippine Retailing), Fernando Zobel de Ayala (Pillar of Philippine Retail Development), Jorge Araneta (Pioneer of Philippine Retail Entertainment), Socorro Ramos (Matriarch of Philippine Retailing), John Gokongwei Jr. (Champion of Retail Entrepreneurship), Amb. Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. (Father of Luxury Retailing), Mariano Que (Father of Health and Wellness Retailing), Samie Lim (Pioneering Pillar of Franchising), Teresita Sy-Coson (Philippine Retailing’s Woman Visionary Leader), Dr. Andrew Tan (Pillar of Mixed-Use Developments), and Lucio Co (Patron of Micro-Retail Entrepreneurship).
PRA Secretary General Evelyn Balmeo-Salire recognized how the annual award serves as PRA’s way of inspiring industry players to recalibrate their operations to be globally competitive. “Retailers have become more aware of the stringent criteria for evaluating and judging the candidates and they know that when a company is awarded, they are truly world-class. This is why in the many years that we have been presenting the awards, the number of nominees, including self-nominations, has consistently increased,” Salire stressed.
The PRA Executive Secretariat is now accepting nominations and applications for the 21st OFR-SCY awards. For inquiries, please call the PRA secretariat at 6874180/81 and 687-4985. Look for Norie Martinez or BM Miranda, e-mail ncm_philretailers@yahoo.com, asecgen@philretailers.com,ebbs@philretailers.com, or visit the website www.philretailers.com.