Philippines gun industry sees positive growth

DAVAO CITY — Gun manufacturing players noted a positive growth of the industry in the export market.

Amscor chair Demetrio Tuazon at The Marco Polo Hotel’s Club 888 forum said they saw a 30 percent growth in the world market.

Amscor is a Philippine-baseD gun manufacturer whose products are also exported abroad where its biggest market is the US.

Tuazon said that of their $10 million revenue in 2006, the US market is about $6 million.

The Philippine market he said is very slow with only about 10 percent and the past six months was a bad time for the industry in the country.

“The imposition of the gun ban in time for the May elections contributed a decline in our sales here,” he said.

Tuazon however cited that they export about 20,000 pistols to the US and they consider America as their strong market.

He said Amscor is also doing good business in South Central America and they are looking at Europe as their other market.

Although he said that the “paltik” industry is a lucrative business. They maintain their operations as a legal manufacturer and distributor of guns.

He said they are not advocating people to buy guns but for those who feel the need to have one then they are welcome at Amscor provided that they follow rules and regulations.

Amscor, which opens a store in Davao City, is scouting for a shooting range where people are taught proper firing as well as sports activity.

Tuazon said they are in the process of identifying the area which they are closely coordinating with the other existing firing range operators of the city. (PIA XI/prixdbanzon)