Cebu exporters to join Manila FAME expo anew

CEBU, Philippines - Big exporters in Cebu and Manila are working together to survive amid the difficult global market environment by holding its second Manila Now, CebuNext, and Bijoux Cebu, show altogether on March 14 to 17 at the SMX Expo in Manila.

This is the second time that the four shows have co-located. They first did so in October last year when the target of 2,500 visitors exceeded, as nearly 4,000 local and international buyers came, and posted sales amounting to US$1.3 million.

Called as the Manila FAME show, led by the Center for International Trade, Expositions and Missions (CITEM) hopes to attract more buyers, as this is the show of the “best” export quality products from the Philippines.

“Manila FAME in March is being curated by Budji Layug and Kenneth Cobonpue two of our most internationally established and recognized furniture and interior designers” said Rosvi Gaetos, Executive Director of CITEM.

According to Gaetos, the overall look of the show will be edgy and design-oriented to support the new product innovations and developments on the exhibition stands that all buyers will be excited and thrilled for the show.

“The March shows in Manila fall during the Asia Pacific Spring Round of exhibitions focusing on the furniture and home décor industry. Ideally timed between the regional ASEAN events, and the mega Chinese furniture shows, we expect an influx of international furniture and homestyle buyers from all over the world, to be in Manila from 14 – 17 March,” said Christina Gaston co-chair of the Manila Now and CEBUNEXT exhibitions at Manila FAME.

Explaining why there will be such an emphasis on the furniture and home décor sector at the March FAME event, “This is the first time that Manila and Cebu have come together during the important spring buying season for our industry, and the feedback from our international buyers has been more than positive. They love the Filipino design capability but it was becoming harder to fit the two shows in Manila and Cebu into their busy schedules. They really appreciate our efforts to make things easier for them,” she added.

Back in 2010, CEBUNEXT introduced the Kagikan Project where a group of young international artists, with heritage links to the Philippines, were invited to participate in a program that became an important feature at the show generating a lot of interest and re-enforcing Cebu’s place as a design destination for the furniture industry.

There was such positive response to this project that the designers have been invited back to produce a special setting at Manila FAME in March. The young designers are now known as EPOCH, and this will be a highlight feature at the show.

International designer Josie Natori has also been involved. He has evaluated product designs to ensure that the show theme, ‘Beyond Artisanship,’ was applied across the sectors. The event is to be a showcase of Filipino creativity and craftsmanship, applied to pieces that are manufactured to global standards.

Whilst the Philippine furniture industry has its roots in artisan workshops, recent years have seen it combine that ethos with modern techniques and machinery, so that now it can produce in small or large quantities, to globally accepted standards.

“Our capability to design furniture on a broad spectrum from traditional, through transitional, to highly contemporary, means that we are able to compete with the best from Europe and Asia”, said Eduardo Zuluaga, also Co-chair of Manila Now and CEBUNEXT at Manila FAME. “Our manufacturers will be out in force at Manila FAME to demonstrate these strengths” he added.

Despite the financial challenges in the global market, more than 1,000 buyers, of which 560 are from overseas, have already pre-registered for the March show. Buyers’ registration is open online until 6th March at www.nextonenow.com. If the on line deadline has expired, visitors can also register on-site at SMX Expo during the show. (FREEMAN)