The Cebu Gifts Toys and Houseware Manufacturers and Exporters (Cebu-GTH) is optimistic of a green program, called SMART Cebu, which is initiated by a consortium of European and Philippine organizations for the sector.
Ramir Bonghanoy, Cebu-GTH president, said that the SMART Cebu project would generate more sales for the sector because of the high demand for greener products in the international market.
The project called SMART Cebu or SMEs for environmental Acccountability, Responsibility and Transparency project aims to train entrepreneurs to adopt cleaner production methods and help them gain better access to the European market.
According to a statement, the project will cluster SMEs into nucleus or small groups per industry association to undergo trainings from at least 14 representatives from the sector called counselors, who are trained by experts.
These 14 counselors will then be tasked to train the 50 nucleus groups with 2,600 members.
The program which started last February will be completed in February 2013.
It is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and costs around P75 million.
“The over-all aim of the project is to foster an increased competitiveness of SME's in the three sectors of furniture, gifts and housewares and fashion accessories while supporting sustainable production and consumption principle,” said SMART Cebu in a statement.
Bonghanoy said the project would help Cebu industries enter a new and fast growing market segment in Europe, which focuses on green and sustainable projects.
“This is ideal for Cebu because our skills and materials are abundant here”, Bonghanoy said.
He added that this initiative will provide a new foundation for Cebu's industrial growth and secure a new image for Cebu as the Green Export Capital of the Philippines.
Amina Yoosuf, one of the trainers from Sri Lanka, said they were training at least 14 counselors, who will train the 50 nucleus groups.
German expert Micheal Niemcyzk, the Clean Production expert, said the training would teach the participants to save on power, which would benefit their company in the long run.
After the sustainability trainings, designers and marketing experts would also teach workers how to effectively create products and sell it to the international market, said Angela Pauline, Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) President.
The project organizers include Cebu FAME, CFIF, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and Cebu-GTH.
EVENTS
EFFECTIVE TRADE PARTICIPATION OF A TRADE MISSION
Date : |
September 28, 2010,Tuesday |
Time : |
10:00AM to 5:00P.M. |
Venue : |
Marco Polo |
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Lahug., Cebu City |
MANPOWER DEVELOPEMENT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR GTH
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September 22 & 23, 2010 (for the first batch)
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Time : |
8:00AM to 5:00PM |
Venue : |
to be announced |
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participation fee : Php 500.00
Good for 4 Topics
RSVP Contact the Jupiter Orzales at 255-2797 / 254-9259 |
Cebu GTH Secretariat TEAM BUILDING
Date : |
August 30 , 2010, Monday |
Time : |
09:00 AM to 05:00 PM |
Venue : |
Costabella Beach Resort |
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Mactan, Lapu-lapu City |
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