Fooda Saversmart opens fifth branch

CEBU, Philippines -  Aiming to have a more upscale look, Fooda Saversmart opens its fifth branch today,  December 8, in Barangay Kasambagan, the second biggest Fooda outlet next to Consolacion Hypermart.

The new supermarket occupies the former Island Market situated at F. Cabahug Street, Brgy. Kasambagan.

Raphael Ngochua, marketing manager of Fooda Saversmart Corporation, said that the company decided to expand the space to accommodate more products and invested much on its interior design to achieve the high-end look.

He assured though that even with the improved interiors, prices will remain at retail rates.

He added that the location and design are primarily intended for high and middle-class markets who are mostly residents in Kasambagan and Mabolo.

Since the nearest supermarket in the area is inside a mall, he noted that Fooda Kasambagan is an ideal place to go to given the proximity and convenience of the outlet.

The new outlet covers an expanded international section, grocery area, dairy section, dry goods and wet section, beverages, and other sections offering a wider variety of products.

Fooda Kasambagan also has 100 parking slots, 12 checkout counters and spaces rented out for commercial establishments such as Rose Pharmacy.

Ngochua admitted that the company is eyeing other locations to open more branches but will still be within metro Cebu.

He cited that they want Fooda to be known as a supermarket with good service, great value for money and affordability.

“We guarantee we’ll here to stay amid the presence of bigger players in the industry. We aim to offer excellent service and provide a wider selection of groceries at the most affordable prices. We are always trying to improve ourselves and to make shopping as convenient as possible for our customers,” he stated.

Apart from its plans of expansion, he further noted that the company aims to compete with existing players by differentiating and diversifying itself from the usual supermarkets.

Ngochua joined Fooda Saversmart in 2005 and started with the ads and promotions department.

Fooda opened its first branch in General Maxilom Avenue in 2002 which was followed by Fooda Guadalupe in 2005, Consolacion Hypermart in 2007 and Fooda San Nicolas last year.

Fooda Consolacion, which covers 5000 square meters, is still considered the biggest branch while Fooda Kasambagan is about 2612 square meters.

To date, the company has 900 directly-hired employees.

Phl transparency ranking reflects upbeat economy

The improvement in the Philippines’ ranking in the 2012 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is reported to mirror a positive impact on economic growth and upbeat investment climate.

In the recent press statement of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), Philippines now ranked 105th out of 174 countries which is 24 notches higher from its rank in last year’s CPI report. 

Out of 10 countries in the Southeast Asian region, on the other hand, Philippines had also moved up from 7th place in 2011 to no. 5 this year, overtaking Indonesia and Vietnam.

The CPI is an annual survey conducted by Transparency International which is a global civil society organization that advocates good governance and fights corruption.

The organization enlisted the key drivers contributing to the change in public perception that included impeachment trials, declaration of SALNs, the transparent process of the Chief Justice replacement, the first year of the new Ombudsman, and the general openness of the administration in the quest for a transparent government.

“We would add that strides made in the areas of procurement reform and budget transparency have also contributed to the improvement of public perception in the fight against corruption. We have long felt that greater transparency will lead to greater trust in the government and economy by the business community and investors,” Guillermo Luz said, who is the NCC private sector co-chairman.

Apart from the absence of corruption scandals, the notable increase in the number of prospective bidders who are mostly comprised of first-time bidders in public works contacts and public-private partnership projects further indicated the improved pace of governance.

NCC also noted that 2012 has been the third consecutive year when a budget would be passed on time, thus preventing opportunities for corruption which were mostly driven by re-enacted budgets and were observed as practiced by the previous administration. 

Evident to the budget transparency is the availability of data on the websites of the Department of Budget and Management and Budget ng Bayan.

Luz cited that the latest CPI ranking showed the serious thrust of the Aquino administration for more transparency and curbing of corruption in all fronts of the bureaucracy.

Acknowledging the country’s performance is still below the median in the global list, he noted that the Philippines should continuously focus on the reduction of red tape in the government to sustain or increase its ranking.

“Our current score of 34 out of a possible top score of 100 also underscores how much more work we have ahead of us. About 70% of the world’s economies score below 50 on the 100-point scale, illustrating that corruption is a global problem,” he added.

In order to lessen the vulnerability to corrupt practices, NCC also aims to continue to aggressively work with the government to streamline and improve bureaucratic processes such as the ease of doing business indicators, the business permits and licensing system with LGUs, and the performance governance system with national government agencies.

The 2012 CPI listed Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia as the perceived most corrupt countries in the world while Denmark, Finland and New Zealand ranked as the least corrupt.  (FREEMAN)