World Fair Trade Day Celebration 2006 Calls on
Local Consumers to Go! Fair Trade!
Fair Trade Organizations all over the globe mark the second Saturday of May as World Fair Trade Day. The entire month of May is also celebrated as World Fair Trade Month. Events and activities that seek to raise public’s consciousness on Fair Trade products, principles and policies are held in unison, carrying a common call. The global theme for the year is “Fair Trade Organizations Now!” The theme speaks about the movement’s intent to widen the network of groups pushing and advocating for Fair Trade, emphasizing the urgent and stronger role that they would have to take.
Together with the rest of the worldwide Fair Trade Movement, Fair Trade Organizations in the Philippines celebrated World Fair Trade Day with the main celebration and the complementing regional celebrations focusing on an inviting theme-- Pinoy! Go Fair Trade! The theme localizes the global theme and elaborates the movement’s strategic direction of generating Filipino consumer support on Fair Trade initiatives and creating a vibrant domestic market for fairly traded goods.
Philippine World Fair Trade Day Celebration
at International Food Exhibition
Same as last year, the National World Fair Trade Day Celebration was observed alongside the country’s biggest food fair—The International Food Exhibition, an annual event being organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) of the Department of Trade and Industry. IFEX is regularly held at the World Trade Center in Manila.
For this year, the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. co-sponsored IFEX with a Fair Trade Special Setting that occupied 64 sq/m of the exhibition area. Twenty one Fair Trade partner-producers and partner-organizations from Pampanga, Guimaras, Aklan, Socksargen, Bohol, Samar, CARAGA, Cebu, Zambales and Metro Manila were also included in the Fair Trade Producers’ Zone. World class quality products like fruit jams and jellies, organic rice and sugar, sweets and delicacies, processed meat and fish, dried fruits, ice cream, sauces and spreads, as well as canned vegetables and bottled seafood were showcased in the zone. The producers, both at the exporter and retailer sections of the fair, taste-tested to domestic and international buyers, not just their products’ refreshing variations and healthy ingredients, but also the idea that it is possible for Filipino enterprises to be globally competitive and yet uphold strong social and environmental commitments. An exclusive Fair Trade Producers-Buyers’ Lunch, which was organized by APFTI during the event also allowed the producers to introduce their products’ strong points and to interact with a number of international and domestic buyers. For the entire event, the producers received a favorable buyers’ response and registered a total of P1,160,240.00 in cash and negotiated sales.
To highlight the celebration of World Fair Trade Day, a cultural show and a program that launched the Fair Trade Mark and the Fair Trade Advocacy Video were held. During the program, the producers in the Fair Trade Zone were individually acknowledged. The celebration emphasized the need for local producers to unify on a common goal of practicing and promoting the Standards and Principles of Fair Trade in their enterprises and communities.
Local World Fair Trade Day Celebrations in
Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Ilo-ilo and Zambales
Member-organizations of the Philippine Fair Trade Forum (PFTF) also held their respective local celebrations of the World Fair Trade Day. Fair Trade colloquia, video presentations, motorcades and concerts were conducted to involve more actors in the Fair Trade advocacy. PFTF members tapped the church, national and local government units, business and not-for-profit groups, the youth, students and academic institutions on these regional celebrations. The Network of Fair Trade Shops, a definite outlet for Fair Trade products, was also launched during these events.
In Cagayan De Oro, a Fair Trade Orientation was conducted, followed by a motorcade and the re-launching of Salay Handmade Paper Industries, Inc.(SHAPII) as Cagayan De Oro City’s first Fair Trade Shop. In Cebu, Southern Partners and Fair Trade Center led the celebration with an orientation, a motorcade and a cultural concert at St. Theresa’s College. SPFTC’s People’s Fair Trade Shop was re-introduced, this time emphasizing their unique stature as a Fair Trade Shop. Strategically located in Osmena Boulevard, the shop made available fairly priced goods sourced directly from SPFTC’s partner producers and farmers. In Davao, KATAKUS launched their shop that carries intricately designed paper hand-made by rural women in Panabo, Davao Oriental. An orientation and a multi-sectoral discussion were also held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel. In Zambales and Ilo-ilo, a similar Fair Trade orientation was carried-out through the initiatives of PREDA Fair Trade and Panay Fair Trade Foundation respectively.
Yamang Mindanao Brings Finest Mindanao Products Closer to Local Consumers and Buyers
Yamang Mindanao, the first Mindanao-wide trade fair co-organized by APFTI, gathered not less than 65 SME’s (majority of which are APFTI partner-producers) from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and the ARMM. The three-day event, which was held at the KCC mall in General Santos City from July 15-17, was co-organized by APFTI in partnership with various government, private, non-government and people’s organizations such as the Department of Tourism, the Department of Trade and Industry, The Local Government Unit of General Santos, and The SMED Council.
Mindanao food and crafts manufacturers exhibited and sold their products to the local consumers of the now rapidly urbanizing General Santos City. APFTI also optimized the opportunity and invited institutional buyers based in Europe and Manila. The producers also had the chance to meet and to interact with these buyers during the Buyers’ and Exhibitors’ Night. Seminars on Mindanao-relevant topics such as tapping opportunities being offered by the European Union, Organics Certification, exporting value-added marine products, and food safety management were also offered to the participating SME’s. To complete the experience, a fashion show was also carried out to showcase Mindanao’s traditional fabrics like the inaul, t’nalak, ramie, corn husk and abaca cloth.
The event allowed Small and Medium Enterprises in Mindanao, particularly those who do not have the capability to participate on Manila-based trade expositions, to link with bigger institutional buyers, and on the other hand, Yamang Mindanao gave buyers a chance to tap the innovativeness, the quality and the social message of the products which have been developed under DTI’s One Town One Product Program and APFTI’s Fair Trade Enterprise Development Program.
PEACE Project in Agusan del Sur Wins Panibagong Paraan
The Promotion, Enhancement of the Arts, Crafts and Environment (PEACE) in Agusan Del Sur, a joint project of the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade Incorporated (APFTI) and the Tao Foundation can now be realized. PEACE won a spot in the Project Grant Competition of the World Bank’s Philippine Development Innovation Marketplace, popularly bannered as Panibagong Paraan.
From more than one thousand entries from all over the country, 87 finalists were given a chance to exhibit their concepts to the jurors and the public in a two day fair that culminated with the announcement of the 59 winning projects.
PEACE in Agusan del Sur received a 1 million peso grant from AUSAID and PACAP that could start up a series of activities that will allow indigenous and marginalized rural women, men, youth and elderly in different parts of Agusan del Sur to make use of their traditional arts, crafts and materials in uplifting their economic condition. The line-up of activities includes the establishment of common service and manufacturing facilities, entrepreneurship trainings, product development and design consultancies, and participation on trade fairs. The project will start on July 2006 and will end on June 2007.
Buy Local, Buy Fair:
Consumer Awareness on Fair Trade Gets Tri-Media Coverage
In order to gain popular and widespread consumer support for Fair Trade and fairly traded products, APFTI and the Asia Fair Trade Forum (AFTF) launched an extensive Media Campaign in Metro Manila. The Consumer Awareness Campaign, which is supported by Oxfam-GB East Asia, carried the campaign message; Buy Local, Buy Fair. The campaign targeted strategic print, web and broadcast media units.
The Buy Local, Buy Fair campaign kicked-off during the month of May, particularly highlighting the activities during the celebration of World Fair Trade Day. A press conference was held at Kapihan sa Sulo, Sulo Hotel and during the International Food Exhibition at the World Trade Center.
Ms. Claribel David, APFTI’s Board Member and an officer at the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), acted as the spokesperson for the campaign. Ms. David appeared on ANC Money (on cable TV, ABS-CBN News Channel) and talked in a number of radio interviews (DZMM, DZRH). The Fair Trade Advocacy Video was also shown at cable channels like Living Asia and Isla. As a result of press conferences and press briefings conducted, (Kapihan sa Sulo and IFEX) a number of feature and news stories also landed on leading dailies, web publications, news and lifestyle magazines. These articles narrated inspiring stories of Fair Trade practitioners and introduced the concept, location and impact of The Network of Fair Trade Shops.
Establishing A Filipino Fair Trade Label:
APFTI Starts Series of Consultations
Simultaneous with the establishment of specialized Fair Trade Shops and the intensification of the consumer awareness campaign on Fair Trade, the formation of a National Certification Body that will audit and will provide the Fair Trade Label, can ensure sustainable market access for Fair Trade adhering enterprises and organizations. The Fair Trade Label, in particular, has been seen as a device that will hasten the creation of a domestic market for Fair Trade. The mark will give a guarantee to local consumers that the products carrying it were made under environmentally and socially responsible conditions. It will also provide an assurance that organizations and enterprises with the mark actually give significant contributions in improving the lives of
producers and workers, while protecting the environment and sustain ably using the natural resources.
The Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. has been acting as the facilitating body in the formation of the National Fair Trade Certification and Labeling Body. It conducted a consultation with the 19 member-organizations of the Philippine Fair Trade Forum. The Forum re-affirmed the need for a National Fair Trade Label and gave additional inputs on the Standards and Indicators presented, specifically on the areas of gender equity, cultural identity and working conditions.
To make the FT Standards weighty of the following characteristics: Widely-accepted, Government Recognized, Accessible and Full of Integrity -APFTI also sought the advice of government and private certification bodies through a consultative meeting that tackled not just the merits of the Standards and Indicators but the possible course of action that would be required to set up, to get government and stakeholders recognition, and to finally get widespread consumer demand for the Fair Trade label. The Second Consultative Meeting involved representatives from the Bureau of Products Standards, Social Accountability International, Analog Devices and the Organic Certification Council of the Philippines.
On the third round of meetings, APFTI consulted Consumer Groups and the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP) of the Department of Trade and Industry to solicit the necessary consumer perspective on the Fair Trade Label.
Producer Groups in Aklan Commit to Espouse Fair Trade
Hugod Aklanon, Pina Mantra and Aklan Food Processors, three of the biggest producer organizations in the province of Aklan signified their interest to adopt Fair Trade as their organizations’ advocacy. Together with APFTI, they explored possible activities that will deepen their understanding of Fair Trade and made a detailed action plan to promote Fair Trade in their locality.
Hugod Aklanon also looked into the possibilities of setting up a Fair Trade Shop that will carry the products of Fair Trade adhering member-enterprises. They also brainstormed about other advocacy activities that they can do to raise the consciousness of local consumers on Fair Trade.
Representatives from the three organizations then underwent a Fair Trade Auditor’s Training in preparation for the member-audit that they will be conducting to check the awareness and adherence level of their members.
Dare to Be Fair Exhibit at the Stairway Gallery
Gathers Stakeholders
APFTI, in cooperation with Happy Earth and Non-Timber Forest Products-Exchange Program (NTFP-EP) held a month long exhibit of Fair Trade Products at the Stairway Gallery in Kamuning, Quezon City. The exhibit, which ran during the entire World Fair Trade Month of May, particularly emphasized the social and environmental impact of buying and supporting products that were made under conditions compliant with the Fair Trade Standards. Government, socio-civic and labor groups, women and differently-abled organizations, the media and APFTI partner-producers attended the opening night.
APFTI Undertakes Food and Crafts Product Development in Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, and CARAGA
A significant number of new food product and crafts design variations, as well as new packaging and labeling design improvements were developed by APFTI under its Integrated Enterprise Development Program during the first quarter of 2006.
For the food product development, APFTI sought the expertise of Ms. Nelmarie De Leon (Northern Mindanao), Mr. Burrwood Brian Gehrke (Leyte), and Ms. Mara Posecion (Iloilo). These seasoned food technologists have undertaken on-site food consultancy to APFTI’s partner producers and have looked into the aspects of improving the food products’ shelf-life, ingredients, and nutritional value. They also gave inputs on how to improve the enterprises’ manufacturing practices.
Ten-Twenty Nine (10-29), APFTI’s pool of designers, handled the prototyping of new designs for its partner-producers involved in crafts production. Ms. April Rose Frigillana of 10-29 has developed 40 new designs for the handmade paper, accessories, bags, house ware and light furniture producers from Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental.
In Leyte, Ms. Aiwa Nicolas also produced 40 new designs for 5 craft makers in the province.
In the production and prototyping of new designs, APFTI designers (10-29) have been following a manual that took a participatory and on-ground approach to design development. A thorough company assessment was being conducted prior to the preparation of design brief and prior to the production of new designs. They have been checking on the materials, artisan’s skills, and the available equipment of the producer. They have also been considering other aspects of the enterprise such as the producer’s business direction and current marketing strategies. Designer’s supervision on the process of prototyping the design was also ensured. At the end of the program, the designer was expected to render at least 8 product prototypes for each producer.
For the quarter, APFTI also developed the packaging and labeling designs of food producers from CARAGA, Cagayan de Oro and Aklan. Jody Reyes, APFTI’s technical assistant, rendered 9 new label designs for each producer in those areas.
APFTI Gives Production and Marketing
Courses to Partner-Producers
APFTI, with its pool of consultants and trainers, delivered for the quarter tailor-fitted trainings on production and marketing to partner-producers under the Integrated Enterprise Development Program (IEDP).
The trainings held in Marinduque, Butuan and Ormoc focused on topics geared towards improving the production capacity, techniques and practices of partner-producers in regions 4, 13, and 8. Marketing and product conceptualization courses, on the other hand, were delivered to partner-producers on the trainings that were held in Samar, Cagayan De Oro and CARAGA. A course on business planning was also given to partner-producers in Aklan.
Ms. Dulce Dionisio, an XTC member and a professor at AMA University, conducted a seminar on “Material Requirements Planning (MRP)” to the 10 food and crafts producers from Region 4. As the final training course offering of the Integrated Enterprise Development Program, MRP provided ways on how raw materials supply can be harmonized with the enterprises’ production processes through effective forecasting and planning.
For CARAGA food producers, Ms. Alice Pineda gave a seminar/write shop on “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Compliance and Documentation.” The training emphasized the importance of the process control system (HACCP) in preventing food health hazards associated with the ill preparation and unchecked production of food products. The seminar has been very beneficial especially for those producers already preparing for the export market. HACCP certification is a crucial exporting requirement.
For Region 8 (Samar and Leyte) crafts producers, Ms. Heide Cerdenio of 1001 Strategies, gave a seminar on “Harnessing indigenous materials and employing creative techniques on the manipulation and treatment of the materials”. The training emphasized to crafts producers, who have been using raw materials like, old wood, rattan splits, pandan, coco sheath, sea grass, nito and tikog, the importance of upgrading their products’ life cycle, range and value.
A related training course was given to another set of producers in Region 8. Ms. Majella Tresvalles delivered a seminar on “Developing Products that Sells and Stays in the Market”. With a mix of food and crafts producers from Samar attending, the training introduced the local and international trends for food and crafts products. It put emphasis on how trends can affect the sale-ability of the products and its chances in penetrating new markets.
In Northern Mindanao, trainings on “Strategic Marketing” and “Vison, Mission and Goals Setting” were given to 10 partner-producers from Iligan, Cagayan De Oro, and Lanao del Norte Mr. Michael Canares, a business professor and training consultant who is based in Bohol, gave inputs on how to create a marketing plan that go in-line with the Vision, Mission and Goals of the organization.
For CARAGA, Ms. Lovinia Esguerra of the Association of Training Institutions for Foreign Trade in Asia and the Pacific (ATIFTAP) prepared the 20 partner-producers from the region on their participation to Yamang Mindanao Island Trade Fair, through a seminar entitled “Effective Trade Fair Participation”. The seminar discussed the preparatory activities, exhibition management skills, cost-calculation and negotiation techniques that are needed in order to generate an affirmative trade fair participation outcome.
Meanwhile, an introductory course on “Business Planning” was given to 15 partner-producers in Aklan by Ms. Yolanda Alim, an organizational development and business consultant based in Jaro, Iloilo and Ms. Regina Gaza, APFTI’s Area Consultant. As a fraction of the set of trainings to be delivered under IEDP, the initial discussion dwelled on the creation of a viable marketing and production plan for food and crafts producers in Aklan.
Market Access Opportunities: APFTI and Partner-Producers Participate in Local Fairs
APFTI facilitated in the participation of its partner producers in the various government and private sector-initiated trade fairs. Besides co-organizing the International Food Exhibition 2006 (where a Fair Trade Setting and a Fair Trade Zone were arranged) and the Yamang Mindanao Island Trade Fair, APFTI also took part in these local expositions: The National Trade Fair (NTF 2006), The Foreign Chambers Trade Fair (FCTF 2006) , and in the Higanteng Bazaar Mula sa Rizal (Province of Rizal Foundation Day).
Thirty-three APFTI partner-producers qualified for the National Trade Fair 2006 held at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall last March 13-19, 2006. APFTI subsidized the participation of current and previous APFTI food and crafts producers from Bulacan, Rizal, Marinduque, Aklan, Bohol, CARAGA and Cagayan De Oro.
During the Foreign Chambers’ Trade Fair, an event organized by the European Chamber of Commerce and Industries, also held at the Megatrade Hall from April 21-22, 2006, a Fair Trade advocacy booth was set up. Partner-producers from Rizal, Marinduque, and Aklan also exhibited their products at the Fair Trade Zone.
The Rizal Exporters and Manufacturers’ Association, Inc. (REMAI) spearheaded a month-long Provincial Bazaar at the Gateway Mall, Araneta Center. APFTI, with its close coordination with REMAI sponsored a Fair Trade Booth and assisted these Rizal partner-producers in merchandising their products.
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