Eco-friendly products pushed for Asean mart

PHILBEX Cebu exhibit opens at SM Trade Hall. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

For Philippine products to compete in an integrated regional market, they will have to be environment-friendly, cost-efficient, resilient and readily available.

Jon Richmond Ang, marketing director of Worldbex Services International (WSI, said Philippine products would have to compete with those produced by other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members.

He encouraged exhibitors at the 12th Philippine Building and Construction Exposition (PHILBEX), which opened yesterday at SM City Cebu, to showcase globally competitive products that were developed using green technology.

“We want the Philippines to be ready to welcome and compete with fellow Asean products. They should be resilient, green, cost-efficient and readily available,” Ang said during the opening.

Francis Dy, CBM chairman; Lucelle Mercado, Cebu City Administrator; Joseph Ang, Worldbex Services International founding chairman; Levi Ang, co-founder of Worldbex Services International; and Ma. Teresa B. Chan, CCCI president, cut the ribbon for the opening ceremony.
(CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

About 130 contractors, architects, interior designers and developers are  participating in the four-day event. About  15 percent are international exhibitors.

“Quite a few international firms  have already entered the country,” he said, noting the heightened competition.

“Filipinos need to know how to develop and showcase their products. They also need to know how the market thinks of the products,” he said.

Among the products on display are building materials and security and fire equipment. Services include mechanical, interior design and architectural services.

The 12th PHILBEX – Cebu will run from Aug. 6 to 9 at SM’s  Trade Hall Center./ with PIT Intern Mariel Grabillo