Development of furniture export plan proposed

MANILA, Philippines – A task force composed of major stakeholders and key players in the furniture export industry is needed to craft and implement a five-year sustainable strategic marketing plan meant not only to promote local products abroad but also market the country as a preferred investment site.

The public-private sector task force is recommended to be chaired by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and headed by DTI senior undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino and Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr.

Rashmi Tolentino-Singh, vice president for industry relations of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP), said the task force is intended to foster cooperation among stakeholders in the implementation of an action plan that could fast track the recovery of the sector.

“It will help expand the scope of what we call exports. The thrust is export promotions but export is just the other side, because when they (buyers) meet us abroad, we can also bring investors to invest in the Philippines. We are like ambassadors of the country because we always go out,” she explained.

In a report, Singh said they could encourage foreign investments in the sector through joint ventures and exclusive production facilities, among others.

She said the export marketing action plan of the sector identified the different markets with active Asian markets as top priority, particularly China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India (including the Maldives and Mauritius) and Japan.

Other priority markets were the Middle East, United Kingdom, Singapore, United States, Brazil, Russia, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and Germany.

Singh said increased penetration to these target markets could be realized through participation in trade shows as a Philippine pavilion and joining incoming and outgoing trade missions especially to high development areas with no trade shows.

She said the plan also aimed to open a one-stop Export House in Manila, Cebu and key cities to showcase products and facilitate requests for creative services, and grow the Philippine-based international shows Manila Now, Cebu X and Manila FAME.

The furniture industry ranked fourth among the country’s biggest dollar earners, generating $270 million in 2007.

Other top exports included electronic products, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, coconut oil, and ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships, latest government data showed. – Philexport News and Features