Zambales furniture makers fight to save industry
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales: Members of the furniture industry in Central Luzon have called for a selective logging ban as raw materials get scarcer and prices higher.
Jess Lunario, a supervisor of Walch Furniture and Home Furnishing in this town, told The Manila Times that raw materials for their products became scarce after destructive typhoons hit Central Luzon last year, followed by the total log ban policy.
He said that the price of lumber rose from P18 per board feet to about P70 this year owing to scarcity of wood and other materials.
“Our productivity has declined because of our failure to meet customers’ demands because we don’t have enough raw materials,” Lunario said.
Another reason, is the implementation of the expanded value-added tax law, which is “choking” the thriving industry, he said.
“Some of our suppliers have already jacked up the prices of varnish and upholstery supplies. The problem is we cannot pass on the additional cost to our costumers anymore. If we did, our sales may drop deeper and deeper,” he said.
Pampanga furniture manufacturers, citing the same reasons, added they haven’t recovered fully from devastation brought by the Mount Pinatubo eruption 14 years ago.
Anthony Joseph Torres, marketing manager of the family owned Furnitureville Inc., based at Betis, Guagua, Pampanga, said that the idea of raising prices is tempting under the EVAT system.
But it will hurt their sales and customers.
However, some furniture makers in Pampanga, the furniture capital of Central Luzon, seem to have a solution.
“We must innovate and try other ideas especially in these trying times,” says Reggie Lastimoso, the owner of Country Accents Furniture in Bacolor, Pampanga
Jess Lunario, a supervisor of Walch Furniture and Home Furnishing in this town, told The Manila Times that raw materials for their products became scarce after destructive typhoons hit Central Luzon last year, followed by the total log ban policy.
He said that the price of lumber rose from P18 per board feet to about P70 this year owing to scarcity of wood and other materials.
“Our productivity has declined because of our failure to meet customers’ demands because we don’t have enough raw materials,” Lunario said.
Another reason, is the implementation of the expanded value-added tax law, which is “choking” the thriving industry, he said.
“Some of our suppliers have already jacked up the prices of varnish and upholstery supplies. The problem is we cannot pass on the additional cost to our costumers anymore. If we did, our sales may drop deeper and deeper,” he said.
Pampanga furniture manufacturers, citing the same reasons, added they haven’t recovered fully from devastation brought by the Mount Pinatubo eruption 14 years ago.
Anthony Joseph Torres, marketing manager of the family owned Furnitureville Inc., based at Betis, Guagua, Pampanga, said that the idea of raising prices is tempting under the EVAT system.
But it will hurt their sales and customers.
However, some furniture makers in Pampanga, the furniture capital of Central Luzon, seem to have a solution.
“We must innovate and try other ideas especially in these trying times,” says Reggie Lastimoso, the owner of Country Accents Furniture in Bacolor, Pampanga
posted by jhecs at
5:02 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home