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SIX Cebuano companies are finalists for the 2009 Outstanding Filipino Retailers Award.
Em Sicatin of the Philippine Retailers Association named the companies as Junrex Cellphones, Loalde, Thirsty Fresh Fruits and Juices, Cafe Laguna, Colonnade Supermarket, and Julies Bakeshop.
Sicatin said the award is much coveted among retailers as it means they have been recognized as one of the best retail companies in the country.
The 13th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year (OFR/SCY) Awards is the ?Oscars? of the Philippine Retail Industry.
A joint project of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) and the Department of Trade and Industry, it is headed by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.
The award seeks to recognize the country's retailers who are models of a successful retailer in terms of growth and good ethical practices.
?OFR was launched in 1997 and every year we give recognition to retail companies who excel,? Sicatin said.
The final judging was previously scheduled on Oct. 8 but was moved on Oct. 21, said Sicatin.
?We have Bing Limjoco who's the chairman of Franchise Corp., Jorge Mendiola of SM Retail Corp., and DTI Secretary Favila or his representative Director Victorio Mario Dimagiba as one of the of the judges,? he said.
?It is a great honor for Loalde and the distinction as finalist alone is reward enough for all our staff and company personnel who epitomize the Filipino ingenuity,? Loalde president Chris Aldeguer said in a statement.
Loalde, which falls under the category of fashion, will be judged through the quality of its product, operations, sales and marketing, social consciousness, environment and reputation.
Jun Yap of Junrex Cellphones said that they are honored to receive the citation again this year and now as finalist.
?We were also a nominee last year but not a finalist. Now we are even more honored to have been recognized as a top Cebuano retailer who made it as one of the finalists,? Yap said.
Yap said being one of the finalists is an affirmation that what they are doing is right and that they are even more challenged to do better every year and live up to their standards as far as retailing is concerned.
?We were in the top eight last year and now we climb to top number five for Cebuano retailers. Hopefully next year we can make it even on a higher rank. I told my staff that we will continue the good things that we are doing and I challenged them to keep it up,? Yap said.
