SCMAP Perspective is our fortnightly column on PortCalls, tackling the latest developments in the supply chain industry, as well as updates from within SCMAP. On this column, Henrik Batallones wraps up 2024 with a look back at another banner year for the organization.
Broader and better
It’s the end of yet another year, which means it’s time for this column to look back at the last twelve months for the supply chain sector in general, and for us at SCMAP in particular.
It has been a pretty eventful year, even though to some extent we have been spared the worst of the uncertainty and disruption we have seen over the last few years. 2024 seems to be the year when we’ve finally shaken off the last of the “pandemic mindset” – I say this knowing that the threat of COVID-19 hasn’t exactly gone away, but it is pretty much under control now, so we’ve now got the energy to focus on other things.
But the conversation in our sector has also shifted a bit. Within our organization we still talk about lowering logistics costs and making the sector more competitive, of course, but as we better understand the long-term impact of our profession on the communities we live in and work with, we are able to take these considerations and put them in the middle of the discussion. Talk around sustainability, for example, had always been in the fringes, but no longer. The same goes for discussion of how supply chain management can improve not just conglomerates, but also sectors we don’t immediately think of, like agriculture and small businesses.
From my personal perspective, it has definitely broadened the range of topics I can write about in this column, for example. The same goes for the events we mount and the initiatives we take part of. A few years ago we were very much involved in the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom multi-sectoral initiative, recognizing the role of supply chain and logistics in ensuring the whole Philippines is fed properly. This transitioned to our role in several food logistics initiatives spearheaded by the government. In addition, this year is when our role in enabling the end-to-end retail ecosystem is recognized, through our participation in the Section G partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Retailers Association.
This broader range has also meant supply chain practitioners have a greater yearning for knowledge, and are more than keen to learn more about what’s changing in their work – and how that impacts what they already know. For us, this saw more of our events held on site, building on the establishment of our Member Meets series of events last year. We also conducted our first site tour alongside the 2024 SCMAP Supply Chain Conference – by the way, undoubtedly our biggest yet – when some of our delegates visited the PETValue bottle recycling plant in General Trias. Further benchmarking opportunities are provided by the launch of the first ever Supply Chain Philippines Excellence Awards, recognizing initiatives in digitalization and sustainability. We have also expanded our partnerships with events outside of the country, bringing our members closer to world-class industry insights.
In addition, efforts to further build formal supply chain education continue, from our ongoing certificate course offering with De La Salle University, to the strengthening of our partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to expand tech-voc learning opportunities for logistics workers.
This broadening also meant we are more open to collaborating with stakeholders and even competitors, recognizing that our collective expertise can be of everyone’s mutual benefit, while also recognizing the boundaries that need to be respected within our own companies. We at SCMAP are happy to have provided a venue for these collaborations, with some of our members already discussing efforts to lower costs and improve competitiveness as our supply chain landscape continues to change.
We look forward to building these initiatives in the years ahead. To prepare ourselves, we at SCMAP have been working to make sure our organization remains fit for purpose and is responsive to the needs of our members and the industry we support. For instance, the terms of our Board of Directors now run for two years, to ensure continuity in our programs and initiatives.
I am also happy to announce that in the new year, SCMAP’s Board of Directors will see a mix of established names and new blood to bring new perspectives and tried-and-tested methods to our organization. Electing for continuity, our Board has once again chosen Nestlé Philippines’ Dennis Llovido as president; XVC Logistics’ Pierre Carlo Curay as vice president; and 2GO Group’s Sharon Musngi-Ngo as secretary. Filling out our other officers are Maersk Contract Logistics’ Jennifer Alcano as treasurer and San Miguel Yamamura’s Jose Marvin Casipe as auditor, both also part of our previous BOD.
Joining us as directors are Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines’ Roland Bernardez, Unilever Philippines’ Eymard Reyes, Unilab’s Michael Marquez, PLDT’s Michael Pascua, and Procter & Gamble’s Nikko Puzon.
Together with our secretariat and with all our members’ support, we at SCMAP hope to be of continued service as the first movers of Philippine supply chain in the new year and beyond. But first, we have to burn off all that we ate over the Christmas season, so from us to you, may you have a prosperous and meaningful new year ahead.