Red and orange

Did you know 1: SM’s house brand of shoes, Parisian, have found their way to the Himalayans.

The supply comes from Bhutan nationals studying in the Philippines.

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Did you know 2: Red and orange are popular colors among restaurants because these stimulate appetite.

Expect a lot of flies though because red and orange are also their favorite colors.

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Did you know 3: In a recent livelihood visit to Bangkok, Mindanao-based local government officials were shown projects which the Thais learned from the Philippines and the end products of which they are now exporting to the Philippines.

The tour guide summed it up this way: "Thank you, thank you for teaching us and thank you, thank you for buying from us."

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In the deal between Clark Development Corp. president Emmanuel Angeles and Mondragon Leisure & Resorts Corp. chairman Antonio Gonzalez, Tony Gonzalez’s role in running the casino within the former Mimosa Leisure Estate will be strictly one of a professional manager.

Tony Gonzalez, who built the Tupperware business in the country, couldn’t do any worse. On a weekend, Manny Angeles would have been able to count the number of people in one floor – 200, tops, for a space that could easily accommodate 2,000.

As everybody knows, CDC terminated Mondragon’s long-term lease for Mimosa Leisure Estate due to unpaid back rentals. Mondragon also had a difference of opinion with the casino licensor, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

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It looks like TLC Beatrice Foods chairman Loida Nicolas-Lewis will push through with the Cagayan de Oro plant ahead of the one in Naga. The problem is Bicol doesn’t have enough pigs meeting global weight standards (120 kilos instead of the Filipino preference of 90 kilos).

The plant is seen as a pilot for Bureau of Animal Industry director Jose Molina who wants to gradually push the internationally accepted pork cuts sizing within the local industry.

At the very least, these cuts could be exported – if we can bring down our prices to competitive levels.

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Bank notes: Strange as this must sound, the Export and Industry Bank, Inc. board chaired by Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. welcomes written nominations for candidates to the board.

The nominations, which can be made by the bank’s stakeholders – these include not just the investors but bank clients and employees as well – must be submitted by July 11, two weeks from now.

Exportbank will hold its annual stockholders meeting on Sept. 12.

As everybody knows, the bank has doubled in size with its acquisition of Urban Bank, Inc. Fact is, the bank is doing well enough that it is ahead of its schedule of repaying the creditors of Urban Bank.