Furniture makers seek government support to boost exports

March 7, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The furniture sector is seeking support from the government to position the country as a key player in the international market.

“Our goal is to reposition ourselves back, not only here in the domestic market, but also the international stage,” Erwin Tan, overall exhibition chairman of the Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS) told reporters yesterday.

To bring back the glory of the furniture industry, the sector will be needing government support.

“We just hope that they will support us more, open up the doors for us, especially in the international scene,” Tan said.

He said it is very expensive to bring shows like the PIFS abroad.

“But with the government there, it’s going to be easier for us. They have all the connections, they have all the resources, so we really need their support,” he said.

While the European Union’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus allows beneficiary countries like the Philippines to export goods to the bloc at zero tariff, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said this benefit is not being utilized by the country’s exporters.

“For me, we should recover it (market).  We’re losing to our neighbors,” he said.

Tan said the industry, which is currently working with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Tourism, is looking to strengthen the collaboration for the sector to grow and thrive.

He said the industry has a positive outlook on the sector’s growth this year as the construction business is booming.

“All the projects that have been put on hold are now ongoing. So we feel bullish about it and that is why we try our best to improve the outlets or the shows like what you see now because we want to entice them and we’d like to let them know that there are a lot of things that they can get out of the country like locally made products,” he said.

This year’s edition of the PIFS being held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City until tomorrow, has more than 100 participating exhibitors.

It is expected to have around 15,000 attendees such as homeowners, architects, interior designers and business professionals.