• President Aquino meets with Singaporean hotelier in Malacañang
• Presidential Transition Committee met Friday to consolidate its report

Also present during the courtesy call were Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal, Jr., Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., and Finance Undersecretary Ma. Lourdes Recente.

Chua is a shareholder of Beeworks, which in 2012 signed an agreement with Jollibee Foods’ Golden Plate subsidiary to bring the Philippine fast-food giant to Singapore.

Beeworks, which Chua cofounded in 2012 with two other veterans of the lifestyle and hospitality industries, controls 40 percent of the joint venture called Golden Beeworks. Golden Plate owns the remaining 60 percent stake in the company.

Some 200,000 Filipinos are working or living in Singapore.

In March 2013, Jollibee opened a branch in Lucky Plaza at Orchard Road, which is a favorite hang-out among Filipinos.

Founded by Tan Caktiong and his family, Jollibee is the largest fast-food chain in the Philippines, operating a network of more than 750 stores across the country. A dominant market leader in the Philippines, it enjoys the lion’s share of the local market that is more than all the other multinational brands combined.

The company has also embarked on an aggressive international expansion plan in the United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei, firmly establishing itself as a growing international quick service restaurants player. PND (as)

“In its first meeting today, the Presidential Transition Committee (PTC) focused on ensuring that the transition reports of all departments, agencies, bureaus, GOCCs, and other instrumentalities under the Executive Branch are submitted and consolidated by end of May. This will give the incoming administration ample time to review these reports before assumption into office,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement on Friday.

The PTC, created through Administrative Order No. 49 that was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday, met on Friday afternoon.

“As directed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., the most senior career official will be designated as Agency Focal Person for the whole duration of the transition process leading to the inauguration of the incoming President on 30 June 2016,” Coloma said.

“According to ES Ochoa, the PTC is prepared to work with, and meet with the transition team of the incoming President,” he added.

The PTC is chaired by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. Its members are the director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority, the respective heads of the departments of Budget and Management, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Public Works and Highways, and the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

It is the overall and central coordination committee of all executive departments, agencies, bureaus, government-owned or -controlled corporations, and other instrumentalities as regards the various aspects of the transition to the new administration.

The committee will also oversee the preparation and implementation of the government agencies’ transition to the new administration, to ensure the continuity and maintain the efficiency of government services.

President Aquino had earlier committed to the “smoothest transition possible.”

“I talked to Mr. Bong Go to relay to Mayor Duterte that an Administrative Order (AO) is being drafted designating the Executive Secretary as head of the transition team. I further offered that the Cabinet stands ready to brief his team on any and all of their concerns. Lastly, we are committed to effecting the smoothest transition possible,” President Aquino said in a statement on Wednesday. PND (kt)