Have you ever seen a lounge chair that has no screw and has no nails? An eco-friendly, biodegradable, knocked-down chair using corrugated board as back support instead of the traditional wood? And what is unique and distinctive about this chair is that its contour is the shape of the body of a dinosaur.

I saw such a lounge chair at the CITEM MANILA F.A.M.E. International on April 18, 2009 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. It’s called the Dino Lounge Chair. Leni Abella, Executive Vice President of PHILEXPORT whom I met at the CITEM fair, showed me the chair. Both Leni and I sat on the chair to test its strength and its comfort feature. Not only is the chair comfortable – it is so stable, solid and sturdy despite the fact that the back support (detachable from the foam) is corrugated board normally used for packing. What a fantastic chair! The chair, a knocked-down furniture using sustainable material, is very easy to assemble. And more… the Dino lounge chair is a novel conversation piece… an art piece that can either be used as a décor when not in use or it can also be used a wall mural.

The Dino Lounge Chair is a convincing mute testimony of the innovativeness of our Filipino designers
working at the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Dino Lounge Chair was designed by Rowe Arenas Requejo, a 41-year old lady from Sta. Cruz, Laguna who grew up in Iloilo City. A senior industrial design specialist of PDDCP, Rowe’s forte is furniture designing. Rowe is design consultant specializing on the use of local raw materials like anahaw, pandan leaves, buri, bamboo, manila palm, coconut and vines. What inspired her to suddenly switch from the use of local raw material to corrugated board to create the Dino Lounge Chair is probably because of the impulsive nature of women to try the untried. Rowe has immensely enriched her skill and exposure in designing by her wide-exposure in other foreign countries as well as her many years spent with SMEs based in different provinces and regions in the country.

Rowe loves industrial designing. Otherwise, she would not have stayed for many years with PDDCP. To date, she has been with PDDCP for twenty (20) years. Rowe could have joined other private entities offering high monetary benefits. But she did not. Rowe’s heart is for the SMEs that could not afford to pay exorbitant fees for design services. There are many Rowe’s in our midst - those who are working in government agencies who have found great joy in sharing their God-given talent and time to help/assist others. To the Rowe’s in this world, its service before riches. They just go about their work to help others unmindful of the numerous opportunities to enrich themselves passing them by. Their passion for selfless service is indeed laudable.

Have a joyful day!