CEBU CITY, Philippines - Fifty furniture companies showcased their products at the recently held 21st Cebunext 2010 Furniture Exhibition.

The event, organized by the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF), aims to attract more buyers to revive the local furniture industry.

CFIF President Angela Paulin noted that furniture companies in Cebu are still not out of the woods since the global economic crisis, citing a decline in orders from Europe and the United States.

Last year, Paulin said only 4 container vans of furniture were shipped out to Europe and the US.

After exporting 14 container vans of furniture in 2006, she said shipments have dropped to 11 container vans in 2007 and 8 in 2008.

"There was a slight activity during the last quarter of last year. We were able to pick up orders, but it doesn't mean we are already out of the woods. We still have to maintain our cautious optimism," Paulin said.

CFIF has said that it may take 2 to 3 years for the local furniture industry to fully recover. Given this, the group urged companies to continue innovating to remain competitive.

The labor department in Central Visayas, for its part, sees the exhibition as a welcome development to the furniture industry.

But if there are still no orders coming in, regional director Elias Cayanong said the event may just be "a show, not a business." Report by Carine M. Asutilla, ABS-CBN Central Visayas