The Men Behind Calata Corporation

Joseph Calata is known as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the best performing Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the stock exchange. His 10-year-old company recently gained a market capitalization of P4.3B, making himself worth P2.62B and earning him the title of, not only the youngest CEO of a listed company, but also the youngest billionaire in the Philippines at the age of 31.

Calata Corporation is popular for its competitive strengths in terms of its comprehensive range of products, aggressive distribution strategies and established work processes. But of course, Joseph Calata is not alone as he has a team of veterans to back him up.
Benison Paul De Torres is Calata Corporation's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and chief operating officer. He has been with Calata Corporation since November 2011. He graduated from the Philippine School of Business Administration (PSBA) with a Bachelor's degree on Accountancy.  From 2004-2006, he was the auditor for Sycip, Gorres, Velayo and Co. He also assumed the position of Financial Services Manager of Prime Outsource Corporation.

Since November 25, 2011, Attorney Jose Marie Fabella served as Calata Corporation's corporate secretary. He is part owner of Fabella Law Office which specializes in the practice of corporate and securities law and is currently a corporate secretary and legal counsel to various companies. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and after passing the bar exam in 2005, he immediately engaged in the practice of law by joining several law offices as an associate lawyer.

A master's degree holder of Business Administration and Economics from Harvard Business School and Ateneo de Manila, respectively, Baltazar Endriga serves Calata Corporation as one of the directors.  He is not an amateur with handling companies, as he was president of the Meridian International College of Business, Arts and Technology.  He was also a board member of Miriam College Foundation and Management Association of the Philippines. Baltazar Endriga earned his bachelor's degree in commerce at the University of the East where he graduated as Magna Cum Laude.

Jaime Laya, who graduated as Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor's degree in accounting and ranked eighth in the 1957 CPA board exams, is also one of the directors of Calata Corporation.  He acquired his Ph.D in Financial Management at Standford University and was awarded the Doctor of Laws at Philippine Women's University and Doctor of Humanities at Mindanao State University. He holds important positions on various companies such as the Chairman of Philtrust Bank and director of GMA Network.

Former ambassador, Jose Zaide, also joined Calata Corporation's board of director since November 2011. He served as ambassador of the Philippines to France and a delegate to UNESCO. He is an awardee of the German Grand Cross as well as the Austrian Grand Cross for distinguished service. Jose Zaide received his bachelor's degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University. At his spare time, he writes for Manila Bulletin's column titled "Below the Line."

George Nave, who spent 41 years as a Mechanical Engineer as well as a professor in National University, is also included as one of the board of directors for Calata Corporation. He graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineer and placed first at the Mechanical Engineer board exam in 1971. He was vice president and regional cluster director for San Miguel Purefoods Company, Inc. from 2004-2008 and was president of the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. from 2002-2004.
Calata Corporation is indeed handled by veterans, and with these gentlemen under the company, it is safe to say that it is clearly in good hands.

Calata: Soil Testing Facilities to Aid Farmers

According to a study by the Population Resources Bureau that more than half of the total of poor Filipinos depends on agriculture. Most provinces are still abundant with agriculture and depend on it to fend for themselves, which is why one can say that the Philippines is an agriculture-dependent country. It is also stated that food crops, especially rice and corn, continue to be the major contributors to agriculture's gross value added and have become the major source of growth. That being said, farmers should be extra careful with their harvests.

However, recent findings show that the use of incompatible farm materials such as fertilizers have resulted to high expenses but reduced harvests for farmers. This can also lead to irreparable damage to the soil. This can be a problem not only for farmers but also to everyone since we all depend on what our farms produce.

Joseph Calata, the 31-year-old CEO of Calata Corporation, aims to help farmers solve this problem by means of a soil testing facility. This technology will help prevent farmers, specifically rice and corn farmers, from using fertilizers that are not compatible with their farms that may lead to the aforementioned problems. With this, farmers can expect to generate more savings and raise their income through wisely using their farm inputs.

This act shows that Calata is trying to show leadership on his chosen field as he tries to help others under agriculture, including farmers, by familiarizing them on how to use modern agricultural technology. This may be the first time that farmers will be exposed to such technology and would be a great help for their production. The best part about this service is not only will there be soil-testing facilities in all of Calata's stores, but also farmers can use them for free.

The 10-year-old Calata Corporation started with a traditional store and grew to become a big enterprise thanks to Joseph Calata who aimed to computerize their sales and accounting which is one of the reasons that led to the success. Recently, his company became the biggest IPO (Initial Public Offering) in the Philippine Stock Exchange with its sky-high shares that brought it to reach a market cap of P4B. It also became the biggest distributor of agricultural products in the country.

This action by Joseph Calata does not only show that he strives to be a leader in the agricultural industry for the benefit of his slowly growing company, but he also wants to do this in a way that would help other industries as well, whether they be big or small.

Joseph Calata And His Agriculture Business

Josh Calata implemented modern methods in agriculture. He is the chairman and CEO of Calata Corporation, a family owned business. He began his career in 2001, and played a big part in applying technological advancement in the agricultural industry. He created a great method in managing the farm by applying technological advancement.

In addition, this new method improved the exchange with agriculture manufacturers. Josh Calata then started earning revenues after a few years of managing the family business. Many claimed that this young businessman had no difficulties in getting his well-polished shoes in the fields just to see the farmers. Another thing that came easy for him was selling agrochemicals and other farming products. In spite of all these accomplishments, the young businessman was also interested in making his way all over the nation.

In due time, Josh Calata became one of the most recognized distributor of agriculture products in the nation. Introducing the modern method was a very wise action. He knew that applying technology will effectively help gain more sales. To build high income rates, a good and well-planned strategy program must be considered.

The advanced technique established in the farm industry gave him further success. Because of the well established methods used, the corporation became one of the world's leading company in agriculture products. To date, the company has more than 2000 employees and offers more employment. The youthful entrepreneur is also busy with other business opportunities outside the agricultural business.

The business was originally supervised by his parents. The young businessman started his way through the industry as an ordinary worker. Through this method the company became well-recognized in the farming industry. Today, the company is still growing.

Furthermore, the corporation is the supplier of many companies such as San Miguel Corporation, Bayer, and other well-known trades. The youthful entrepreneur aims to serve agriculture workers through the continuous development of food trade. Furthermore, he also has great faith in the company and promotes excellence with the belief that everything is possible.

Joseph Calata is the young business tycoon who brings technology and research to farming and agriculture industry. Which in turn created a better type of networking with agricultural suppliers and farmers.

-Alison Ward

Buy Property Abroad: Guam

If you are to buy property abroad there is a need to follow a methodical and systematic process, carried out with careful analysis, planning and execution. But, most homeowners are often overpowered by their emotions rather than their rational considerations, which in turn allow them to make impulsive purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, the ramifications of these actions could be serious. The inability to take appropriate real estate purchasing methods often lead to the procurement of a property without habitation license, refusal of utilities, unable to put the property for resale, poor house construction that may lead to accidents and worst having the house demolished.

The mistakes that one make when he or she buy property abroad could result to legal troubles, stress and uncertainty that could stretch in the future results that any prospective homeowner would not like to experience. Purchase a property overseas heedlessly and you would definitely regret your actions later on. To avoid these mistakes from firing back at you, getting things done properly could mean doing things one step at a time and doing a lot of property-related researches. If you're able to get these things right, you'll certainly enjoy your overseas home without worrying about legal troubles in the future.

It certainly is tempting to look for property investments while you're in a holiday, and it certainly makes sense to buy a property in a place you know and fond of as opposed to purchasing a property in an unknown territory. But, it should also be taken into consideration that holidays are not the right periods for property hunting since you're probably not on your rational mind to do such activity, which means you have to see to it that you would set aside schedules to carry out your property-hunting visits. It is also advisable to search in different locations for varying real estate investments for comparisons that would help you with your decisions. A noteworthy location and property investments that you might want to try are the homes for sale in Guam.

The costs of homes for sale in Guam are comparatively lower than in other countries, though the biggest cost could be accounted to the real estate agent, between 4% to 10% of the value of the property which would be paid by the seller, while the buyer would shoulder all the other fees including the title insurance, recording fees and the escrow fee. There are no constraints in terms of foreign property ownership; however, Guam laws allow foreigners to own only one owner-occupied property under their personal names if they are not citizens of the USA or if they do not have any plans of acquiring permanent residency in this US territory.

Let's just say that you finally found your dream house in one of the homes for sale in Guam, the next thing that you would have to do is to check if there are associated issues with the property you like to purchase that could posit future problems on your side. The first action that you have to take is to have the property inspected and surveyed in order to analyze its physical condition and know if there are structural problems such as subsidence or if roof replacements are needed, which will cost extra finances for you later. Once you are assured that there are no issues associated with your prospective property, the next things that you have to attend to include some form of a title, written documents of who owns what, and series of contracts that fall under two categories: first is the preliminary contract that contains the owners commitment of selling the property and the buyer's commitment to purchase the property along with some form of deposit, and secondly, the completion of the closing contract that would finalize and set the deal. From here, it is apparent that there is a need for you to employ the services of a personal legal representative and not the one suggested by the selling agent in order to ensure that your interest would be represented fairly, the property bounds are clearly outline and you won't be suffering from ownership disputes in the future.

If you would be purchasing a property, for instance in Tamuning, and your main purpose is to use it as a profitable investment, then you should focus more on its financial elements. If you intend to earn an income through rentals, you must look at the local rental market in order for you to properly outline the returns that you should expect. It is also advised to take a consumer research to have an idea about the rental occupancy rate in the area of your prospect property as oppose to nearby locations that offer same property investments as well as the costs of utility bills, taxes and housekeeping to make realistic estimation whether you would profit from such property or not. All in all, purchasing property overseas has many drawbacks and requirements; however, these things should not hold you from owning a property as the rewards you would receive are far greater than the drawbacks you are likely to experience.

If you have the intent to buy property abroad, you might want to check the homes for sale in Guam. The total cost of property investments in Guam, may it be in Tamuning or Tumon, are very competitive compared in other countries. Once you've decided to make a purchase, be sure to follow a methodical and systematic process in order to avoid legal troubles in the long run.

-Alison Ward

Buying Property Overseas: Safety Tips To Make The Most Out Of Your Money

In these hard economic times, many people are betting their finances to buy overseas property. Whether you are buying for leisure or investment purposes, the last thing that you would wish is to end up spending your money for a worthless piece of property. If you are able to pull off this pursuit properly through sufficient and well-rounded research, a property overseas would surely prove to be a good investment property that would provide you uncapped returns. In order to safely purchase a property abroad, you might want to consider some tips provided below.

The first thing that you have look at is if you're legally allowed to own a property in the country of you choice. It must be taken into account that some countries have strict laws concerning foreigner property ownership in their lands, while there are other countries that implement some form of limits on the kind of property ownership that foreigners could have. For instance, if you would like to buy a Guam house for sale that you really like, you must be aware that Guam laws only permit foreigners to own one owner-occupied property under their names. You might also visit the relevant country's embassy or consulate as the people there could provide you all the information you need regarding acquisition of property in their country ranging from taxes to working permits.

It also pays to have a seasonal check on your prospective property; what might appear as a good summer house may not be an ideal place during cold seasons. To do this, you could rent a place near your prospective Guam house for sale so that you could get the actual feel of the tenable living in the area, and doing this would also help you assess the transportation links, leisure and shopping destination in the place. In addition, this is also the perfect time to look at the planning permission rules implemented in the area because you might actually need permission before you could carry out a renovation to the property, or their can be restrictions about what you can do to the property once you are residing there. You could also talk to expats who already own a property in the area as they have the inside information and knowledge that you could use to establish your decision.

Before you make your purchase, it would be wise to set up a bank account in the country where you will buy a property and if possible acquire all the necessary clearances associated with the money importation and inclusive fees so that you won't have trouble with your finances once you transfer in the area. Be sure to keep a contingency fund as a part of your general financial outlay because this would help you in future repairs for you property. Suppose that you've already decided to purchase the Guam house for sale that you've been saving for long, you should consider employing the services of a legal representative who could speak English and knows the laws in the country where you would make your property purchase as this is a means to protect you legal interests and that you won't encounter legal disputes in the future.

You should also make sure that the property you are about to purchase has no legal problems and has a clear title. Meaning to say, the property seller has the right to sell. If you're about to buy overseas property from a real estate company prospectus or those houses that are not yet built, be sure that the contract includes insurance and indemnity clauses that would protect you in case worst comes to worst. If you're planning to borrow money to purchase the property you like, be sure to indicate it in your contract and include an "opt out- clause that would protect you in case the loan you made is not obtained or sanctioned; as much as possible though, it would be more advisable to pay the property from your own savings so that you won't experience any hassles. Once you acquired the property, pay your taxes on time because some countries implement laws where the government could seize the property if the owner failed to pay his or her taxes.

These are just some of the many important things that you have to take into account once you decide to purchase property overseas. The main point that you should understand from the abovementioned tips is to be very cautious, make sure that you know the country well before you make your purchase and never give in to sales pressure. Similar to all the major decisions that one makes, the proverb patience is a virtue also applies to the process of purchasing property overseas. By adhering to these guidelines, you could safely purchase a property abroad, regardless if you are after a property to retire or perhaps a rental investment that you could use to earn profits from.

If you would like to buy overseas property you must take into account that such activity is not a quick thing to accomplish. There are certain laws that you have to understand to avoid legal disputes, and there are myriads of factors that you have to consider. Whether you intend to purchase a rental investment abroad or perhaps the Guam house for sale that you actually like, you should be prepared financially, mentally and physically.

-Alison Ward