Cebu Furniture Exporter Shows Brave Front

Cebu Furniture Exporters have been battling the strengthening of the peso that’s hitt the export industry but that did not prevent 85 exhibitors from joining this year’s 19th Cebu Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (Cebu X 2008) by the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF).

Lorenza Boquiren, chairperson of Cebu X 2008, said Cebu’s furniture industry remains resilient amid the numerous challenges it is facing, and even emerges as a leader for innovative ideas.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, for her part, said Cebu X 2008 is “especially significant” for a Cebu Furniture Exporter when viewed in the light of what is happening in the National Capital Region of Manila.

“We’re once again sadly demonstrating to the rest of the world our self-destructive propensity- we shoot ourselves on the foot. And yet as Metro Manila is mired in rage, indignation, and unproductive behavior, over here in Cebu, we the Cebuanos are showing the country and the rest of the world that we can move on and we can move forward,” said Gov. Garcia.

She acknowledged that the Cebu furniture industry has been beset by difficulties.

“But what did Cebu furniture manufacturers do? Go out into the streets, wave red flags and shout hot angry words that would always remain as words? No.

The Cebuanos choose to concentrate on things that are lasting and important. We Cebuanos have chosen to work and work hard. When the rest of the country would rather choose to be mired in despair, we would rather embrace the invincibility of hope and this is what our 85 brave exhibitors had exhibited in their products today,” she said during the opening of Cebu X March 6.

This year’s show highlighted what a Cebu Furniture Exporter can do with breakthrough design and innovative material applications - with the use of shells, paper mache and other local materials.

Pete Delantar, president of Nature’s Legacy Home and Garden a Cebu Furniture Exporter and one of the exhibitors, showed Gov. Garcia eco-friendly items that were showcased during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards last month. He was proud to say that all the materials used-- dry leaves, dead twigs and barks-- came from the towns of Compostela and Balamban.

Gov. Garcia pledged her full support and said the government is closely looking at these efforts in the private sector.

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