Franchising news

Franchising 1: The most popular booth – probably because it was the only new concept around – at last weekend’s Philippine Business Fair 2004 must have been Krispy Kimpao (imagine a siopao, buchi, and empanada rolled into one).

Owner Krispy Kimpao Deli, which is headed by Hans Kenneth Tan, generated 800 serious inquiries for franchising during the three-day business opportunities event put together by the group of Cinco Holdings president Jose Magsaysay Jr.

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Franchising 2: Now that it is nearing its critical mass of 60 outlets nationwide, Fiorgelato owner Ricky Cuna is thinking of expanding overseas. Initially, Mr. Cuna is thinking of neighboring countries through franchising, of course.

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Franchising 3: The car wash boys of Clean Car Global Inc. have about covered all the upscale malls in Metro Manila. The next priority locations being eyed by country manager Marvin de Silva are all those Makati buildings with several floors of basement parking.

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Filipinos – and these include US-trained businessmen – are very kind. Why, we even applaud the Caucasians who fumble and mangle Pilipino. (Nobody claps when an Asian comes up with the same cute act).

In the home countries of these Caucasians, Filipinos wouldn’t get that same kind treatment. Why, they would either be ignored or laughed at if they spoke the native language badly.

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Internal Revenue Commissioner Guillermo Parayno Jr. has been collecting more taxes in part because he’s got good people under him who know their jobs in and out. Even better, they know how to deal with aggravated taxpayers (read: nice but firm, understanding but not foolishness allowed).

Some of the good guys are Pasig-based revenue district officer Raul Vicente Recto, assistant revenue district officer Romulo Aguila Jr., and revenue examiner IV group supervisor Jaime Fernandez. Mr. Aguila is a lawyer-CPA while Mr. Fernandez is a CPA.

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A major sponsor of yesterday’s excruciatingly long televised Oscar awards (read: close to five hours) was Government Service Insurance System, which claimed that its computerization program is now complete and that salary loans can be processed within four hours and retirement and other claims can be processed within eight hours.

As everybody knows, GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia hasn’t been popular with some sectors in recent months. One cause of friction is the decision of Mr. Garcia to drastically reduce the amount of reinsurance business that foreign companies can make from government-owned and controlled companies.