This was disclosed by Philippine Chamber of Handicrafts Industry (PCHI) president and Alriver owner Albert de Rivera, in a press interview. He said the showroom is set for opening last week of September.
He said that sales of exportable handicraft items make up a very tiny percentage of the handicraft industry’s total sales. But their experience in local trade fairs since last year has shown a growing market waiting to be tapped.
De Rivera said tapping that market will keep the industry’s thousands of workers busy during the slack season and serves as a shock absorber to exporters during global trade slumps like the trade crisis last year.
"We can save jobs and stay in operations by building a domestic market base," he said, echoing the theme of the Buy Pinoy Movement.
De Rivera said his company has been opening its display center to distributors, foreign buyers and institutional dealers of gift and holiday items for the past four years, and a bigger showroom to include a wider variety of the best Philippine made holiday décor items will be opened next week.
"The permanent showroom is the handicraft industry’s follow-through activity in promoting the Buy Pinoy movement. It was inspired by the initial success of three-day Buy Pinoy Exporter’s Fair held at the SM Megamalls in mid-August where we participated in," he said.
While exporters’ fairs give local and foreign buyers a taste of the best Filipino manufacturers can offer, the permanent showroom gives wholesalers a year-round place to shop and buy for their clients, he explained.
For details, write to marketing@alriver.com.ph.