Pinoy apparel retailers to barge into world scene via Indonesia show

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino entrepreneurs in the garments industry, now facing stiff competition from foreign brands in the domestic market, will get a chance to make it to the international scene through the Fashion Brand Pavilion at the Indonesia Franchise Show on Sept.  12 to 14 organized by Kadin-Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Philippine Fashion Brand Pavilion was made possible through the coordination of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) and the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Center for International Trade Exposition and Mission (CITEM).

“The DTI, through CITEM’s ‘Brands in Motion,’ in cooperation with the PFA and PRA, has organized the Fashion Brand Pavilion as strategy to export Philippine fashion store brands. In view of the Asean integration, there is a need to strengthen the local brand network. PFA takes the lead to go on the offensive in penetration of the Asean market,” PFA and PRA chairman emeritus Samie Lim, the universally acknowledged “Father of Philippine Franchising”  emphasized.

“With foreign brands such as the Uniqlo, HM, Forever 21, eating into our market and more will be coming year after year, the PRA and PFA joined hands to help promote the local garment industry,” explained.

To make it inclusive, a Catalogue of Fashion Brands will be published, similar to the Korean Food catalogue sponsored by the Korea Agriculture Department.

“In the spirit of bayanihan or working together, Filipino fashion entrepreneurs will be working as one to become globally competitive,” Lim added.

PRA president Lorenzo C. Formoso is happy to commit the group’s resources to the project. He is hopeful that the other retail sector will have similar program so the country will be able to showcase the best of Philippine products for the coming Asia Pacific Retailers Convention & Exhibition (APRCE) that will happen from Oct. 28 to 30, 2015.  This will be a gathering of retailers and mall owners from 17 countries in Asia Pacific.  The conference is expecting to have 3,000 delegates.

CITEM is working with the garment and textile board to move up the value chain.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Alfredo Yao congratulated the concrete action taken by the PRA and PFA.

“We aim to become a country known for export of fashionable garment brands and accessories,” Lim stressed.

Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), is encouraging the group’s members to franchise their stores as a strategy for garment manufacturers to export as a whole store, range/category of branded products, rather than just be contracted makers of few items of other international brands.

The Philippine Fashion Pavilion in Indonesia will be composed of nine booths: Mint, Rusty Lopez, Bench, Karimadon, Plains and Prints, Onesimus, Anemony, Figlia and Sofab.

PRA vice chairman Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal- Limjoco will personally lead the team and be at the booth to promote the retail and franchise industry in general and the APRCE 2015 in particular.  There will also be pavilions for Malaysia, Singapore Franchise Pavilion, AS Louken Brand Pavilion, China, Japan, Korea.

Lim will deliver a presentation on the topic “Creating the winning formula to compete with global franchise.”  He will talk about the cooperation among Asean member-countries and sharing resources and best practices, collaboration and synergy as the winning formula to compete in the world market.

“We would like to thank Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo for making this milestone activity happen. This is the start of concrete program to help Filipino entrepreneurs enter the international market,” Lim further added.