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A broader look at today’s business Sunday, March 9, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 148
GREAT PHL FURNITURE, BUT SKILLED HANDS IN DECLINE www.businessmirror.com.ph
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P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 16 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
CONTEMPORANEO Design is among the 180 local exhibitors participating in the 2025 Philippine International Furniture Show, which highlights local craftsmanship and seeks to strengthen the country’s furniture industry on the global stage through collaboration and industry events. JOHN EIRON R. FRANCISCO
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By John Eiron R. Francisco
HE Philippine furniture industry is bouncing back from the global pandemic and keeping pace with market trends, as ongoing construction projects signal a growing demand, according to an industry expert. “The industry is actually recovering, but because of what happened globally, it was really difficult for everybody,” said Philippine International Furniture Show Chairman Erwin Tan in an exclusive interview with the BusinessMirror during the opening
ceremony of the 2025 Philippine International Furniture Show in Pasay City on Thursday. Tan noted that as construction projects pick up, previously halted industry activities are resuming, with more homeowners now investing in and building their homes.
THE 33rd Philippine International Furniture Show officially opened on Thursday at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, led by Chairman Erwin Tan and key industry partners, including the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers and the Department of Tourism. Running until March 8, the exhibition features 180 local exhibitors nationwide under the theme “Philippines: An Archipelago of Design.” JOHN EIRON R. FRANCISCO
A recent exhibition at SMX Mall of Asia has drawn attention to the state of the Philippine furniture sector– highly regarded in some places, but needing a reboot and rebranding to showcase, as one leader puts it, a “much improved version of what we have now.” SYNERGY OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE:
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“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase that the furniture industry in the Philippines is thriving,” he added. According to the Philippines Furniture Industry Research Report 2024-2033, the Philippine furniture market was valued at $780 million in 2023. The industry
is projected to experience substantial growth over the next decade, with an expected market size of $1,715 million by 2033, driven by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2 percent. The report attributes this growth to the increasing number of furniture manufacturers and retail
outlets, rising urbanization, and expanding e-commerce platforms. The demand for housing has been a key driver, with home furniture leading the market in 2023, followed by office, hotel, and industrial furniture.
Fewer young workers
DESPITE these positive develop-
ments, Tan highlighted a major concern: the aging skilled workforce and the declining interest of younger generations in craftsmanship. “There are so many other job opportunities available—call centers, retail, and corporate positions—so fewer young people are pursuing furniture-making,” Tan explained. This trend, he said, is concerning, as the industry’s goal is to “preserve this craft and pass it on to future generations.” Beyond its creative and fulfilling nature, furniture-making also offers financial stability, Tan emphasized. Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 57.2380 n JAPAN 0.3869 n UK 73.7454 n HK 7.3647 n CHINA 7.9036 n SINGAPORE 42.9586 n AUSTRALIA 36.2374 n EU 61.7369 n KOREA 0.0395 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.2639 Source: BSP (March 7, 2025)