RP to host furniture gab

The breakthroughs and critical factors affecting the trade and export of furniture of APEC developing economies will be discussed at the forthcoming APEC Furniture Symposium to be held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Nov. 26-27.

This was announced yesterday by Jose Leo P. Caparas, president of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Phils. (CFIP).

The symposium which is being funded by the TILF special account for the APEC central fund, is being jointly organized by the Furniture Industry Board Foundation Inc. (FIBFI) and the Board of Investments (BOI).

Activities, on the other hand, are being organized and managed in cooperation with authorities from the host country, the Philippines. Inquiries may be coursed through the CFIP secretariat (631-28-34) and 632-9007).

The symposium, Caparas said, aims to provide SMEs in the industry with first-hand information on the problems of the sector and other practical measures that will lead to higher investments and growth in their respective economies.

It also hopes to enable the participating economies to learn industry methods adopted by developed economies which can be used as models to achieve breakthroughs in their business operations.

At the same forum, particular attention will be given to forging stronger partnerships between government and the industry throughout APEC, creating an APEC-wide cross-sectoral network whose experience and counsel can be drawn upon by developing member countries, Caparas added.

Country reports on Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand will be presented during the two-day event.

Local and international experts will discuss various topics such as "The Global Furniture Industry Outlook;" "The Strategic Business Options Under Global Recessions;" "Information and Technology: Opportunities and Threats for the Furniture Industry (E-Commerce);" "Eco-Labeling: Issues and Concerns" and, "International Labor Practices for Globalization," among others.