CFIF general membership meeting, poll a success

If the attendance to the 36th General Membership Meeting (GMM) on July 20, 2010 is indicative of the future of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc. (CFIF) as a group, then things are turning out for the better. The number of people who came to the GMM reached 112, exceeding our expectations. The convention hall at the Maribago Blue Water Resort and Spa was filled by members and partners of CFIF.
Sen. Sergio Osmeña III gave the keynote address, which tackled the present state of the Philippine furniture industry and the future scenario for the sector under the new administration.
The senator also opted to open himself to questions, which the members took advantage of by raising issues and concerns that pertain to their operations. These issues included the value-added tax (VAT) and assistance from government for the export sector.
Right after Osmeña’s talk, CFIF President Angela Paulin gave a report on programs, projects and activities done in the previous year. Her speech highlighted organizational changes in the Secretariat, the CEBUNEXT 2010, the Materials Library, the Sectoral Export Marketing Plan project, SMES for environmental Accountability, Responsibility and Transparency (SMART) Cebu project, the TMAPs seminars and other trainings.
Ms. Paulin also urged all member-companies to be more active in the Foundation because the status of CFIF mirrors the overall state of the industry.
After the reports of the president and the treasurer, CFIF conducted the election of its Board of Trustees.
The new Board of Trustees for fiscal year 2010-2012 are:
• Maria del Carmen Cancio of Axent Wood Corporation
• Pete Delantar of Nature’s Legacy Eximport Inc.
• Venus Genson of Venus Craft Corporation
• Cristina Lo of Coast Pacific Manufacturing Corporation
• Evelyn Selma of Stonesets International Inc.
• Clayton Tugonon of Classical Geometry Export Trading

The Foundation invited all members to the CEBUNEXT launching on August 19, 2010.
Meanwhile, CEBUNEXT 2010 Exhibitors went home after in high spirits after receiving their refund of their participation fee to the show. The refund was made possible by the financial assistance of more than P4 million from the Export Development Council.
Teamwork within the Secretariat made the whole activity a success. But the support of the event’s sponsors made everything easier. The event’s sponsors are: Maribago Bluewater Resort, Delta Air Lines, Cebu Web Services, Cebu Marriott Hotel, ChinaTrust, PAGCOR, PLDT-SME and DBR Advertising.