QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – Under the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Sikat Pinoy brand, the Philippine holiday décor sector recently conducted its first stand-alone decoration and gifts fair to capture the domestic market.
“This exhibit has taken a different shape. The use of a décor transcends the manufacture of Christmas trees. Filipino creativity and fine craftsmanship will give artisans of Christmas Décor Producers and Exporters Association of the Philippines (CDPEAP) plenty of opportunity to additionally develop a large range of decors for other festive occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Easter,” DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (BDTP) Rhodora M. Leaño said.
“With these reinventions, CDPEAP’s scope of operations will excite local designers and events organizers in conceptualizing approaches that will address the needs of their clients in a more customized manner, and ultimately generate more businesses,” Leaño said.
Leaño noted that the continuing erosion of traditional international markets of holiday décor products resulted in decreasing revenues, downsizing of operations, and in certain instances closure of several companies that are highly dependent on selling products abroad.
She added that the DTI through the BDTP together with CDPEAP organized this fair to assist the ailing Christmas décor sector and find domestic and sustainable market for its products.
Entitled “Celebrate! Decorate! Philippines’ Dreamland: World of Décor”, the fair ran from 26-28 June 2014 at the lobby of the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), Gil Puyat Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City.
Aside from setting up an exhibit to highlight their innovative products, creative materials handling, and manipulation of decors for home, Christmas, and other celebrations, the fair also held a product-sourcing mission for big and institutional buyers of holiday décors to offer various packages.
Leaño said holiday décor sector is composed 2000 producers consisting mostly of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that directly and indirectly employ 250,000 people, including regular workforce, sub-contractors, suppliers and processors of materials, and logistics and marketing personnel.
She also said that they are looking at providing decent jobs that will allow the sector’s labor force to work not only seasonally but continuously throughout the year.
CDPEAP President Rosario Perez-Dy noted that relying on exports is not enough to sustain a holiday décor company. So, they thought of tapping the local market since the local economy is good. Currently, most of their exports go to the United States and Russia.
Dy noted that the 20 exhibitors are active members of the association, and are owners and designers of their own company. Some members are suppliers of local retail stores such as Kultura, and have created visuals for big department stores like SM Shoemart and Store Specialists.
Dy also said that they expect to gather orders from local buyers and establishments during and months after the fair. Likewise, they are working on product development in preparation for this year’s Manila FAME October edition.
