In a resolution, MCCI called for the collaboration among the private and public schools, the LGUs to craft an enhanced and effective course in designing.
A significant number of MCCI's member industries are into furniture export making, fashion accessories, and other home furnishing products being sold in the global market.
The planned collaboration that the MCCI would like to pursue is a dynamic interaction among the LGUs, schools and industry sectors in terms of sharing expertise and resources in order to come up with a more responsive and relevant curriculum to be offered to students in high school and college.
"Considering that human resource is the most potent resource of every organization, the need for better education and training is essential in order to equip the future generation of the required skills to propel the Philippine economy and to enter into the global market with high competencies," the resolution reads.
Creativity of design has been the Philippine's sustaining edge in the fierce competition of world furniture trade. In fact, Cebu is tagged as the furniture capital in the Philippines, because of its strength in designing.
However, this advantage is being threatened because of continuous pirating of designers by other countries.
Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF) president Michael Basubas, said that pirating of designers from China-based companies is now one of the problems faced by the struggling furniture sector.
A lot of designers have jumped-off to China, and other countries due to attractive pay that Philippine-based companies could not afford to counter, Basubas said.
Cebu's edge in furniture design, as well as fashion is further strengthened as few Cebuano designers are able to penetrate the elusive Hollywood market, like Kenneth Cobonpue whose family owns the Interior Crafts of the Island Inc. that made the design for a Hollywood couple's child crib. Cebuana Monique Lhuillier is now one of the hottest fashion designers in Hollywood.
Earlier, the Department of Trade and Industry announced that it is going to push a program that will give birth to a stronger "creative industry" in the Philippines.
DTI undersecretary Zoraida Amalia C. Alonzo said that DTI will be closely working with the Department of Tourism (DOT) in intensifying the formation of creative industry in the Philippines.
She said DTI would need the help of the DOT in developing this kind of industry, so that design capabilities and creativities of Filipinos will also be well promoted in the world.
Alonzo emphasized that Cebu has a lot of creative people that should be developed well.
"Cebu has majority of the creative people in the Philippines. This is a highly-priced commodity, this should be nurtured and developed very well," she stressed.