Mama’s girl

The fight between Bernadine Siy and her brother, George Siy, could just as well be a battle between Northwestern University and Wharton Business School.

Ms. Siy currently has the upper hand because, being single, she lives with her mom (the widow of Ramon Siy Lai), who, of course, carries the swing vote.

Unsuccessful mediators, who have tried to get the two siblings to kiss and make up, include SGV chairman Cesar Purisima and Laya Mananghaya & Co. chairman Jaime Laya.

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Of course, that delegation from Fushan, Shandong province in China paid a courtesy call on Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. president Robin Sy last Tuesday.

The delegation, which will be in town until today, is on the look out for a joint venture or straight loan to expand its fresh noodle industry. Right now, 40 percent of its total production ends up in Chinese deli stores in the Philippines.

Ironically, Mr. Sy just returned from a five-day visit to China.

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Did you know 1: Microsoft Phils. is considered a representative office, albeit a large one with more than 50 employees.

Under this set up, sales are booked from Microsoft’s Singapore office.

This means the Philippine office headed by general manager Kevin Hou can declare revenues of only up to 105 percent of its total expenses, a nice excuse to pay its employees fat salaries and to charge everything to, uh, representative expenses.

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Did you know 2: The 20th Manila F.A.M.E. for foreign buyers opened and closed last week with its organizer, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, still without a boss.

Angelita Madulid is caretaker, not even the officer-in-charge.

Then again, Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas II might not consider helping exporters as important as shadowing President Macapagal-Arroyo. Fact is, the Philippines was one of only two countries (the other one was Myanmar) during the recent investment promotion sideshow at the ASEAN meeting in Bali which didn’t have a trade and investment booth.

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Bank notes: Standard Chartered Bank president Simon Morris lobbied to be assigned to the Philippines and inherited a problem that started during the term of his predecessor, Annamarie Durbin (who now runs the Thailand office).

Mr. Morris’ problem is former vice-president Manuel Baviera, who is suing the bank for investment losses of close to $4,000 (never mind that the bank followed Mr. Baviera’s instructions on what investments to go into).

And get this. Noel Baviera wants a settlement of P20 million, not just the peso equivalent of $4,000.