Saturday, October 07, 2006 Foreign-funded project gives group more funds
A foreign-funded project has donated P1.5 million to improve the capabilities of toy, gift and houseware manufacturers in Cebu.
The Philippine Enterprise Acceleration Linkages (Pearl) 2 project of the Canadian International Development Agency (Cida) wants the Cebu-Gifts, Toys and Houseware Manufacturers and Exporters Inc. (GTH) to use the funds to help its members.
Pearl 2 had earlier extended Cebu-GTH financial assistance of P2.5 million to enable the organization to strengthen its membership. The Cida project also conducted trainings for Cebu-GTH officials as well as those of other business support organizations.
Cebu-GTH president Jenefer Cruz attributed the organization’s recent successes, including the establishment of its own office, to Pearl 2.
For 15 years, Cebu-GTH shared an office with its mother organization, the Confederation of Philippine Exporters (Cebu) Inc. Recently, the group set up its own office at the second floor of Amway Building.
Also with the help of Pearl 2, Cruz said Cebu-GTH was able to gain back the confidence of the sector and grow its membership base to 80 from 25 in 1995.
The organization also increased its income, allowing them to rent an office of its own.
“We have been occupying office at the Philexport-Cebu. Now, we have our own,” he said.
Cruz said on the side of the blessing of Cebu-GTH’s new office that the organization aims to grow its membership base by 10 percent every year until all the players in the sector, estimated to be between 150 and 200, are part of the group.
Pearl 2, through its sectoral enhancement component, has been providing technical assistance Cebu-GTH and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enhance their capacity to help members that are mostly small and medium enterprises. (JBN)
