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Cebu furniture exporters got a marketing boost yesterday when the Cebu provincial government offered to help them promote their products abroad.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia told exporters, during her speech at the opening of the Cebu X international furniture fair, that she planned to bring them in her out-of-the-country visits to help promote the furniture industry.
Garcia lauded Cebu furniture exporters for their strong willpower to stay competitive despite the weakening of the US market, the exporters' main trading partner.
Eric Vincent Casas, president of Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF), said the announcement of Garcia is a welcome development as the organization opens its doors to alternative markets.
Casas said the governor offered to bring them along during the scheduled visit of the province to Slovenia in Eastern Europe on May 2008.
?It (Slovenia) is one of the fastest growing furniture importers in Europe. We may have business-matching opportunities with companies there,? he said.
CFIF executive director Ruby Salutan said Garcia encouraged them to build a close relationship with the province.
?We, as members of the chamber, are very open to that. At present, we don't have any active program with the province in promoting the (furniture) industry,? Salutan said.
Asked if the province promised any financial assistance for exporters, Casas said: ?They have not really articulated it but just providing the platform (for us to promote our products) is more than enough for exporters.?
Garcia, who visited the various booths of 85 furniture exporters, lauded the ingenuity of the Cebuanos in coming up with products made of indigeneous materials.
?This has always been my challenge to CFIF. If they cannot find good materials, go around Cebu and (you) will see locally sourced materials. You can even help local communities,? Garcia said.
Casas said CFIF will push through with strategic development seminars this year to address several needs and issues facing the industry.
He said the world market now looks at the environmental factor of pieces produced.
Casas said they will carry out several product, material and design development seminars this year to help fellow exporters.
Total project cost of the program is P7.5 million, with P4 million to be sourced from an approved P4 million grant from the export development fund.
The P3.5 million will be raised by CFIF, said Salutan.
The group is also seeking for ?1 million funding from a European agency to finance a project which uphold eco-friendly and sustainable practices and products.
