Warm greetings!

This is to inform all pawnbrokers about our National Convention and Election on December 2, 2007 (Sunday) from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at Quezon City Sports Club, E Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Quezon City.

We are urging you to attend this meeting so we could inform you about the following:

1. Recent developments about the Documentary Stamp Tax issue.

   As you maybe aware, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has started collecting the Documentary Stamp Tax fee and the CPPI has been giving advises to its member-pawnbrokers on this matter.

   But are you also aware that:

   1. There are conflicting rulings on how to implement/collect the DST being imposed by some if not most RDOs?
      
   2. A significant number of pawnshops are contemplating of closing shop because of the DST?
   3. There are certain areas in the Philippines that the BIR RDOs do not have an idea about the Documentary Stamp Tax issue?
2. Details of the imposition of Revised Rules and Regulations on pawnshop by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and its effects

   In the last Mid-Year Conference, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deferred the presentation of the Revised Pawnshop Rules and Regulations to further fine-tune the areas that they consider necessary to change and strengthen.  In line to this, they shall be presenting to us details on how they would be enforcing the rules and regulations like:

   1. Imposition of penalty fees
   2. Pawnshop closure
   3. Issuance/Non-issuance of License (new player and/or branches)
   4. Standardizing the pawnshop operation
3. Programs that will improve the pawnshop industry that we would like to pursue in the Year 2008

We are also incorporating short business seminars in this event, which we believe would give us significant insights on how to create a vibrant pawnshop business.  Other details of this conference are attached with this letter.

Please find time to attend this convention so we can have a comprehensive discussion with you about the matters that affect the pawnshop industry.

We may be faced with a lot of challenges.  We maybe directly competing with each other, but there are times that we are called to band together to keep the pawnshop industry alive.

Thank you and we look forward to your unrelenting support.

Very truly yours,

Luis I. Ablaza, Jr.
President

The Chamber of Pawnbrokers of the Philippines, Inc. (CPPI) sponsored a whole day seminar entitledStrengthen Your Pawnshop Business as part of its continuing education program.  The seminar held at Quezon City Sports Club in E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in Quezon City served as an avenue in introducing aneffective marketing policy in the work place and to help the participants in brand aiding their pawnshop business.

It was an interactive seminar wherein the delegates were engaged by the resource speaker, Mr. Marc Thomas Ablaza, an executive of Ablaza Pawnshops and Vice President for Internal Affairs of CPPI, in an open discussion about the different aspects of running a financially stable business.  It was a “this is what a like to do, I hope it would materialize” and a lot of ideas started pouring out not only from the resource speaker but also from the delegates themselves.  Mr. Ablaza prepared a point by point handouts that were given to the delegates as their guide not only during the seminar but also in conducting their day-to-day business.

A lot of questions were addressed like: why do I need to create my own brand?, how should I create my own brand?, how should I use my own brand? Challenging business concerns were tackled and the delegates got the opportunity to zero-in to what is hampering the growth of their businesses.

The eighty delegates, consisted of pawnshop owners and employees, did not only learn about image building and marketing their businesses; they also acquired practical knowledge and methods on how to thrive in this timeless business that can compete with a branch/franchise of a very famous fast food chain in terms of profit.

Group photos were taken and certificate of attendance were given to the delegates at the end of the day.

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