NORTHERN MINDANAO – Cagayan de Oro-based Interior Designer Nicole Cabanlet has successfully graduated from the OBRA Design Masterclass Program of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Program of the Philippine Trade Training Center – Global MSME Academy (PTTC-GMEA) on March 8, 2024.

The OBRA Design Masterclass Program for the Furniture Industry is a specialized furniture training program that is designed to empower and uplift local talents within the furniture and creative industries.

Ms. Nicole Cabanlet takes a pose with her world-class furniture design during the Philippine International Furniture Show at the SMX Convention Center, Manila on March 7-9, 2024.
Photo: Nicole Cabanlet

It is set to put the standards of Filipino furniture design to the next level by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technologies, sustainable materials, and innovative creative processes.

The program comprises of three phases: designer’s phase, program consultancy phase, and designing for the market phase.

As one of the 57 scholars of the OBRA Design Masterclass, Cabanlet additionally showcased her innovative and world-class furniture designs under Nicole Cabanlet Designs in the Philippine International Furniture Show at the SMX Convention Center, Manila on March 7-9, 2024.

The Philippine International Furniture Show is a premier and exclusive furniture expo in the country that connects local and international furniture designers, manufacturers, and exporters.

The furniture show was presented by DTI and PPTC-GMEA and supported by Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) Inc. (CFIF) Inc.; Pampanga Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc. (PFIF); and Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (CFIP).

Early this year, Cabanlet successfully brought the sustainable products of Indigenous PH in international trade expositions such as Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany and Maison et Objet in Paris, France.♦

Date of Release: 12 March 2024