The two-day National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2022 of the Philippine Retailers Association opens on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, at the SMX Convention Center of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

THE Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) sees a rebound of the country’s retail trade, also because of digital trends and innovation.

This, as the PRA opened the two-day 28th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2022 (NRCE 2022) at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Thursday, with the theme “Retail: Ready, Reset and Grow.”

“After two years, we are very thrilled to see everyone again face to face as we bring back the National Retail Conference and Expo Asia to live staging and physical format,” said Rosemarie Ong, PRA president and Wilcon senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. “We, the retailers, are testament that tough times don’t last. We are now slowly getting back on our feet and rising back once again.”

However, she explained that while businesses are slowly recovering, they should never be complacent as they all have to be ready for a new environment. This, as consumers have embraced online shopping as part of the new normal.

“The retailers must balance these things while serving our customers; to be able to stay competitive, being sustainable and, at the same time, assuring that our businesses are profitable and thriving,” Ong continued. “As an industry, retail is fast evolving into a better and bigger landscape and is opening new doors for opportunities through technology and innovation.”

The conference featured several sessions on the latest trends in e-commerce; the new roles and opportunities of brick-and-mortar businesses; how businesses can better serve customers in the new normal; retailers’ latest efforts on sustainability; and enhancing the customers’ experiences be it online or physical stores.

Donnie Tantoco, NRCE 2022 overall chairman and Rustan Commercial Corp. president, also agreed with the assessment that the pandemic has changed the way retail businesses are managed.

“We are here today not only to reconnect with one another but also because of how the past three years reshaped our identity, our view of the world, how we as retailers see ourselves in our values and most importantly, the trajectory of our retail journeys and lives. I believe all of that has evolved and changed,” Tantoco explained. “We are here to learn and grow. We are happy to present you great speakers who have the gift of foresight. They do not pretend to know the future, but they are darned good at their craft and have this skill of connecting these concepts for all of us,” he added.