TRADE AND COMMERCE

27th PHILIPPINE FURNITURE FESTIVAL, 12 November 2004, SM MEGA TRADE HALL

IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE INVITED AS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER IN THIS PRESTIGIOUS GATHERING OF FILIPINO FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS.

THIS EVENT SYMBOLIZES THE COMMITMENT OF THE CHAMBER OF FURNITURE INDUSTRIES OF THE PHILIPPINES TO UPHOLD ITS MISSION OF PROMOTING THE LOCAL FURNITURE INDUSTRY IN COORDINATION WITH SIMILAR EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY YOUR SUPPLIERS, SPONSORS AS WELL AS KEY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES (PDDCP), A TECHNICAL ARM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY. ESSENTIALLY, GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE INCLUDES IN PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS DESIGN RESEARCH AND PROMOTION. DEVELOPMENT OR IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTS AND PACKAGES ARE BASED ON MARKET REQUIREMENTS AND MANUFACTURER’S PRODUCTION CAPABILITY. I AM IMPRESSED THAT DESPITE THE MEAGER BUDGET OF PDDCP, IT WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE EXPENSIVE FURNITURE AND FURNISHING FORECASTS TO PROVIDE LOCAL MANUFACTURERS NEW TRENDS, FADS AND MOTIFS. (TRULY, DTI THROUGH ITS TECHNICAL ARM, THE PDDCP, DESERVES A COMMENDATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE.)

BUT IT IS THROUGH THESE EFFORTS THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT AND YOUR INDUSTRY WERE ABLE TO DELIVER WHAT IS NECESSARY TO BOOST THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY… A CLEAR INDICATION THAT SUCCESS IS NOT FAR FETCHED, HOPEFULLY, OUR ECONOMY WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE A TURN AROUND ESPECIALLY IF THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR CONTINUE TO COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.

I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY GENERATED ABOUT $278 MILLION IN EXPORT SALES IN 2003. ALTHOUGH THIS FIGURE IS MUCH LOWER THAN THE EXPORT SALES OF 2002 (AROUND $318 MILLION), I AM STILL HOPEFUL THAT 2004 WILL SEE A MARKED IMPROVEMENT. I AM EQUALLY HOPEFUL THAT DESPITE THE UNFORTUNATE EVENTS UNRAVELING BEFORE US, BOTH HERE AND ABROAD, YOUR INDUSTRY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO FURTHER MAKE FILIPINO FURNITURE PRODUCTS COMPETITIVE AND DEMANDABLE IN THE WORLD MARKET.

LET ME, THEREFORE, EXTEND MY DEEP SATISFACTION AND APPRECIATION FOR THE VALUABLE WORKS OF THE CHAMBER OF FURNITURE INDUSTRIES OF THE PHILIPPINES (CFIP) THROUGH ITS OFFICIALS, PAST AND PRESENT, ESPECIALLY TO MR. NICOLAS K. DE LANGE, THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED ORGANIZATION AND PROMOTION OF THIS PROJECT.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY, YOU FORM PART OF THE ECONOMIC BACKBONE OF OUR COUNTRY AND AS SUCH YOU DESERVE ALL THE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT. IN FACT, YOUR INDUSTRY IS A VITAL PARTNER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN PURSUING ITS GOAL IN GENERATING JOBS FOR OUR COUNTRYMEN. (I WAS TOLD THAT SOME 481,500 WORKERS DIRECTLY AND 300,000 INDIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY).

SO TO ALL OF YOU … KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THE ENTIRE FILIPINO NATION IS PROUD THAT LOCAL FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS ARE ABLE TO COMPETE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET, PARTICULARLY IN THE US, JAPAN AND GREAT BRITAIN WHERE 75% OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED.

TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER, WE DEPEND ON YOUR SKILLS AND YOUR INTEGRITY. I THEREFORE ENJOIN YOU TO REMAIN COMMITTED AND PASSIONATE TO YOUR INDUSTRY AND CONTINUE PROVIDING WORLD-CLASS FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINO!!!

THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING.

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