Cebu City– The confederation of Philippine exporters in Cebu (Philexport-Cebu) has completed a P20-million Sector Export Marketing- Plan (SEMP) aimed assisting five priority export sectors in the province.

The five priority sector organizations identified are Gifts, Toys and Houseware-Cebu, Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc., Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters-Cebu, the Cebu Health and Wellness group, and the Seaweed Industries Association of the Philippines.

PhilExport-Cebu Executive Director Fred Escalona said the SEMP has pinpointed the supply and value chain of the business as serving a very critical role in sustaining the growth, profitability, competitiveness
of these sectors.

“Inbound logistics has to be very efficient. Every delay causes prices of products to increase the cost of doing business, where in the end we lose our competitiveness,” Escalona said in a recent interview following a meeting between Philexport-Cebu members and the Bureau of Customs to discuss export-related issues.

The SEMP, which is the result of a collaborative effort developed by foreign and local experts in the local export industry with the support of CBI-Netherlands, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), provides an intensive marketing strategy for said identified priority sectors.

“The SEMP serves as a blueprint for exporters in different sectors,” said Escalona, adding that players, through SEMP, can now establish their own research and development team to focus on the market intelligence and development of products for the right market.

“All member companies of Philexport- Cebu can draw their own market intelligence through the SEMP blueprint,” he said.

CBI-Netherlands has committed to deploy experts on this project, and has worked hand in hand with local experts in the exports industry here, providing comprehensive market intelligence and valuable advice and technical guidance.

“Knowing the right product for the right market will help exporters further recover from the losses they incurred during the height of the global financial crisis,” Escalona said.

He added that each market may need different type of products, or the same market may not have the same product interest preference, as trends are moving so fast.