Exporters' depot pushed as premier shopping stop

CEBU, Philippines - Geared towards pushing the newly opened “Tindahang Pinoy” as an official tourists’ stop in Cebu, the Cebu Gifts, Toys and Housewares, Foundation Inc., (Cebu GTH) is set to sign a series of memorandum of agreements (MOA) with travel and tour organizations in Cebu.

GTH president Ramir Bonghanoy said that although a verbal agreement have already been made between GTH, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) and the Department of Tourism (DOT-7), as well as the private tourism stakeholders in pushing the “Tindahang Pinoy” as a premier shopping stop for tourists, the agreement should be officially sealed in the next few days.

Initially, GTH will sign a MOA with the Cebu Association of Travel Operators (CATO), Cebu Association of Tour Guides (CAT-G), including hotel and resort operators, and other travel and tour groups.

“In principle we have already forged an agreement already with some groups, it’s a matter of making it official and formalizing everything,” said Bonghanoy.

At present, “Tindahang Pinoy”, located at the Bridges Town Center in Mandaue City, houses over 20 exporters, mostly members of the GTH, however, Bonghanoy said he hopes to also invite more exporters of fashion accessories, and even furniture makers to showcase their products in the exporters’ depot.

With this, Bonghanoy said exporters’ hope to breathe while it continues to suffer from the severe slack in demand in the global market.

“For the past years, tourism, a potential market of Cebu-GTH, has registered a positive growth. This industry has contributed significantly to the economic growth of the country. While challenges in the global market and domestic fronts have been encountered, it can be said that the industry’s performance for the past years has set it on track to achieve its goal in becoming a powerful economic growth engine for generating jobs and creating activity in the country,” said Bonghanoy in his speech during the official opening of the “Tindahang Pinoy” facility.

He said the store, which has the capacity to accommodate at least close to a hundred export companies, aims at hitting two markets at the same time, which are the tourists and the domestic market.

Unlike in the past, that export quality goods were too elusive for the domestic market to access, due to some buyers’ strict rules, this time, exporters are going out of their way to serve the potential domestic market to get export quality products with lesser price levels.

In Cebu, GTH, the fashion accessory exporters have been making products for renowned brands such as Hermes, Ferragamo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, Liz Claiborne, among others.

However, products of these signature brands are sold in thousands of dollars in the international market.

At “Tindahang Pinoy”, quality products at the level of signature brands are priced affordable. Cash and carry products including home furnishing and fashion accessories, range from P100 to as high as P500.

One of the showcased products during the opening of the facility is the Hermes console table made for Hermes by Bonghanoy’s company, Bon Ace Fashion Tools. (FREEMAN)