THERE’S talk Sumitomo Corp. is looking at lakeside property in Taguig to put up an industrial park.

Given the number of hectares required, the Japanese conglomerate, which has strong Philippines ties with the family of San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, is  probably looking at government property  managed by the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

The Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (Affi) has a lay-away plan for overseas workers thinking of retiring sooner than later.

It works pretty much like a homemaker’s lay-away plan for furniture and appliances. The Affi member and the would-be franchisee agree on the price of the franchise and the franchisee remits regularly to the Affi member until the franchise fee is fully paid for.

Mind you, this lay-away plan doesn’t cover the entire investment cost of setting up a business. For example, there’s still the rent to be paid (read: at least six months in advance plus security-deposit plus, if you’re located in the food court, your share in maintaining common tables and chairs).

DID you know 1: Since his appointment this year as president of  Trade and Investment Development Corp.  of the Philippines, which is better known as the Philippine Export-Import Bank, Francisco Magsajo has been aggressively marketing what his company has to offer (read: basically export insurance) to various exporters’ groups and financial institutions. 

Not surprisingly, Chito Magsajo has recently touched bases with the Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB) currently chaired by Alfredo Yao. Magsajo once headed the CTB during his stint as president of RCBC Savings Bank.

DID you know 2: The Development Bank of the Philippines has a credit facility for individuals and local-government units, which want to get into the Department of Trade and Industry’s  “one town, one project” bandwagon. 

Since its launch in December 2007, the bank has already released P18 million in loans. Of that total, the initial P2 billion was equitably distributed among the country’s  17 regions.

Another  P10 million is currently being processed for six projects in the National Capital Region, Iloilo, Leyte,  Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.

DESPITE the flak he’s getting for swine loans, Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp. president Nelson Buenaflor has something to be proud of. 

He’s come up with and has successfully implemented an upgraded version of Grameen banking, with a single-digit default rate among urban women-borrowers. Why, some Asian and African countries have even asked him how they, too, can use his lending model in their own countries. 

Here’s how it works. About five borrowers in the same neighborhood are cosignatories to a small loan with an interest that “5-6” operators cannot match.  One borrower is chosen as team leader, who must open a bank account. Quedancor deposits the approved loan amount to this bank account.

On a weekly basis, the team leader collects the loan amount that must be repaid from members and then deposits the amount in the designated Quedancor account. 

When the loan is fully paid and good credit standing is established, Quedancor is willing to process another loan for the group, this time for a bigger amount.

THE Gotianun-led Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) said its net income for 2007 grew 95 percent to P1.7 billion from P872 million a year earlier as sales improved to nearly 50 percent.

Pepsi, property firms last week’s top gainers

PEPSI-COLA Products Philippines Inc., which had its market debut on February 1 on the first board of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), closed the week ended April 4 at P3.25 after hitting P3.30, its highest since February 20, and dropping to a low of P3.15.

THE country’s oldest conglomerate Ayala Corp. is investing in new high-growth sectors and has identified the offshore and outsourcing (O&O) market as an area with potential for significant growth.

LED by an increase in revenues generated from its natural gas-fired power plants, Lopez-managed First Gen Corp. (First Gen) reported Friday that its net income increased by 14 percent to $104.7 million last year compared to the previous year.

 n LAST week: The PSE index fluctuated a lot last week as it registered both gains and losses. But at the end of Friday’s trading, the index managed a 27.02-point gain or .91-percent up week on week to close at 2,983.04.

THERE’S talk Sumitomo Corp. is looking at lakeside property in Taguig to put up an industrial park.