Cobonpue to provide trainings for Cebu's out-of-school youth

CEBU, Philippines – Famous furniture exporter Kenneth Cobonpue will be providing training and employment opportunity for out-of-school-youths in Cebu, through his company Interior Crafts of the Island Inc.

Cobonpue, in coordination with Filo D' Oro Upholstery Subcontractor Development has commissioned at least 10 out-of-school-youths to make upholstery requirements for the company, the latest is the order RugNets from well-known fashion designer Giorgio Armani.

This special subcontractor system of Cobonpue is supported by the German Development Service (DED) in cooperation with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the specified Strategic Corporate-Community Partnership (SCOPE).

About 10 out-of-school boys are now housed at the Filo D' Oro mini-manufacturing center located at the Cobonpue's ancestral house property in barangay Lahug.

According to Eleoterio Bravo, the officer-in-charge of the Filo D' Oro facility, the boys are endorsed from partner religious organizations, like the Focolare organization, and "Bukas Palad" religious community.

Bravo said the facility is planning to increase the number of boys to be trained, so that they can continue to go to school while taking the free-of-charge training at the facility, properly compensated based on the minimum wage standard.

The boys are taught to sew, and make customized upholstery requirement from Cobonpue's personality clients around the world.

"Today out-of-school boys, professionally trained in upholstery, earn a living by producing high-quality pillows and cushions for a demanding export market," Bravo said.

Aside from Brad Pitt, and other Hollywood personalities who clients of Cobonpue, the company's furniture are also being used in several Hollywood blockbuster movies, such as Made of Honor, Ocean's 13, Couple's Retreat, Spread, and CSI: Miami.

Amid the difficult market in the furniture export sector, Cobonpue said companies have hope in sustaining their furniture export business, as long as they will hit the sophisticated and high-end market segment in the world.

As long as the "Kenneth Cobonpue" brand still the "darling" of the wealthy clientele of furniture pieces around the world, especially in Hollywood, a growing number of out-of-school boys (aged 16 years old to 24 years old) are bound to be given hope to continue their studies, and eventually find permanent and lucrative employment, or establish own small business in the future.

"You can't do something out of charity and expect it to live on forever. In the end to make it viable, it always has to become a business," Cobonpue said.

Cobonpue's effort to enterprise development is gained the attention of DED's SCOPE program, an innovative approach to core business aligned Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - mutually beneficial and sustainable. (FREEMAN)