Shells ban to sink industry: group

Monday, June 20, 2011

MEMBERS of the Cebu Gift, Toys and Housewares Foundation Inc (Cebu-GTH) warned that the total ban on exportation of shells, corals and shell products proposed by Sen. Jose Miguel Zubiri would greatly damage the creative sector and lead to job losses and business closures.

Cebu GTH president Ramir Bonghanoy said during the group’s general membership meeting last Friday that Cebu is one of the areas in the country that uses shells as major material for export products.

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He said Zubiri’s recommendation will hurt the export industry, which is still recovering from the global economic downturn.

“Shells are the only materials that we have competitive advantage over our competitors,” said Bonghanoy, the owner of Bon Ace Fashion Tools.

He said majority of Cebu GTH members use shells, particularly mother of pearls, in making products for export. Cebu GTH has 106 members.

Bonghanoy said the proposed ban on shell exports may also disrupt the supply and value
chains of the sector and displace a large number of skilled workers.

“The government should realize that the ban would affect skilled workers. Shell craftsmanship, in most cases, is an acquired skill. This is a kind handed from generation to generation,” he said.

Bonghanoy said a GTH member can use an average of one ton of shells a month.

“The ban would affect those who are doing legitimate businesses. We are asking that business should be maintained as usual since we are abiding by regulations since time immemorial,” he said.

In a position paper, members of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) Cebu said “the total ban on the export of shells, corals and other shell products would simply do more harm than good as a total ban would be too sweeping an option to take as it will result in a major economic loss in the form of export revenues as well as the loss of vital livelihood for the poorer sector of our society.”

Aside from intensifying police power to ensure the country’s natural resources will not be exploited, Philexport Cebu is also asking for the establishment of a database of endangered species and glossary of scientific terms, preferably in the vernacular, as reference for operatives and stakeholders.

They also called for the setting of standards for harvesting of sea shells, corals and marine life and a total ban on the exportation of raw shells with no value added.

The group is also asking all shell and shellcraft exporters to be involved in replenishment and sustainability programs for varieties used for their products.

According to Philexport Cebu, Cebu has been exporting an average of 25 tons of shells and shellcrafts per day in the last three to four years. The group said this translates to an annual income of P37 million, which offers livelihood and business opportunities to a number of fishermen, shell dealers and shellcraft manufacturers.

Major markets for shells and shellcraft include USA, Hong Kong, Korea, China, UK, Italy, Poland, the Netherland and Spain.