2nd Quarter 2007

Iloilo OTOP and Fair Trade Fair highlights best Ilongo products

In celebration of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Week, in Iloilo City, APFTI led a weeklong One Town One Product (OTOP) Iloilo and Fair Trade Fair that ran from July 9 to July 15, 2007, at the Activity Center of SM Iloilo. With 12 of its partner producers participating in the fair, APFTI took the opportunity to align the direction of the fair to the goals of Fair Trade. The organization set-up a Fair Trade-themed central display and held orientations about the advocacy among producers, consumers and trade officials from the province.

APFTI Executive Director, Rommel Agustin, also joined the press conference and communicated the organization’s call for social and environmental justice in trade. APFTI also occupied an advocacy booth that promoted Fair Trade principles among local consumers.

Together with the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Council and the Iloilo Producers Association (IPA), the activity provided local manufacturers with a platform to expose their products to local consumers, thus, creating production, trading and consumption chains within the local level.

The fair generated a total of P 672,000 in cash and negotiated sales. Ninfel Pasalubong Center registered the highest figure, selling a total of P97,178 worth of dried fish and marine products.


Northern Mindanao producers join Kagay-an Festival 07

Sixteen APFTI partner producers joined Northern Mindanao SMEs in a week long fair at Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City, on August 23-29, 2007. Dubbed as “Kagay-an Festival 2007,” the fair highlighted the food and handicrafts products from the 5 provinces of the region. APFTI facilitated the participation of 16 producers from Bukidnon and Iligan, which carried the outputs of its Integrated Enterprise Development Program (IEDP), particularly, the new designs rendered under the product development component of the program.

APFTI partner producers sold P 272,340 worth of products during the fair. Among the food producers, the perfectly sliced banana chips of NM Foods registered the highest cash sales. For crafts, BS Crafts’s sinamay and tikog bags, gathered considerable orders. The following also participated in the fair: Ardaiel Calamansi, Faj Butter Cookies, Silverlights Patatas, Loulen’s Food, and Tita Viz Finest Pies, RM Rattan Furniture, Dire Husi Tribal Crafts, Sunflower Chantilly Bars, Ruban’s Squid Crackers and Vjandep Pastel.

Together with Northern Mindanao-based Fair Trade advocate, Salay Handmade Paper Industries, Inc. (SHAPII), APFTI maximized the opportunity to campaign among local consumers the value of supporting enterprises within the region, that by doing so, they can make an impact on the quality of life of small producers and their families. For years, APFTI has been working closely with public and private sector institutions to stir up local consumption of products made by community enterprises within the locality.



APFTI supports OTOP Luzon Island Fair

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) partnered with APFTI in holding the 2nd OTOP Luzon Island Fair, at SM Megatrade Halls 2 and 3, on August 8-12, 2007. The fair gathered OTOP products from small and medium enterprises in the 8 regions and 37 provinces of Luzon. One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines seeks to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs across the country with LGUs of each city and municipality identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service that the town can produce with a competitive advantage.

The OTOP program supports community enterprises (MSMEs) in manufacturing and marketing distinctive local products that use indigenous raw materials and capitalize on local skills and talents. Seeing congruence in objectives, APFTI has been supporting and maximizing OTOP-fairs as avenues for the organization to resonate its campaign among local consumers. For this fair, an advocacy booth was set-up to showcase some products from its partner producers and to present the standards of Fair Trade.



APFTI showcases strategy among BDS providers at SME Expo 2007

With the call: “Let your purchase make a difference,” APFTI joined the community of business development service (BDS) providers in a 4-day fair held at SM Megatrade Hall 1 and 2, last July 19-22, 2007. In celebration of SME week and with the theme: “Ang Galing Mo Pinoy! Go Negosyo!,” the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (SMED) consolidated various government, private and non-profit business service providers in an exposition that made SME development programs from these various institutions popular and accessible to the public, particularly among emerging producers and enterprises.

In an advocacy booth, APFTI presented its programs and services. The strategy of looking into the enterprise’s viability and sustainability issues while aligning their practices to Fair Trade received commendation from visitors, particularly among institutions that promote social responsibility among business entities. New networks within the community were established and opportunities to partner with government and private institutions were explored.


APFTI explores project opportunities in Aklan, Iloilo and Capiz

APFTI’s Program Development unit held a 4-day study mission in the provinces of Aklan, Iloilo and Capiz, from July 9 to 13, 2007. The group visited producers, facilitated focused group discussions, and networked with government and non-profit organizations.

With the provincial officers of DTI and area managers of Bayan Foundation, APFTI explored possible areas of complementation and collaboration. ABS-CBN’s Bayan Foundation has been extending micro-finance and capacity building activities to community enterprises and home-based producers in these provinces. The group visited Bayan’s pool of producers in the fields of basket weaving, abaca slippers production, and crabmeat processing. In the same light, Bayan looked into the possibility of extending their financing programs to some of APFTI’s partner-producers. The group visited HAMPCO and Rosa Foods in Aklan, and Bread and Butter in Iloilo.

Through sectoral discussions, Bayan presented their programs and services and explained the procedures on how to avail them. While acknowledging the promise of potential partnerships, APFTI Resource Mobilization Manager, Arnel Astillero, however, stressed the need to first organize and consolidate Bayan’s home-based producers before APFTI can finally intervene on their product development and marketing concerns.


Caraga food and craft producers enhances competitiveness through IEDP

The Integrated Enterprise Development Program (IEDP) commenced in Caraga through the trainings, product development, and market assessment activities conducted by APFTI for the benefit of 11 food producers and 6 crafts manufacturers enrolled in the program.

Product Development for Crafts

Caraga handicrafts producers underwent APFTI’s design development program. Two designers were sent to enhance the designs and make them competitive in domestic and global markets. The outputs for the engagement will initially be shown at the upcoming Buy Pinoy Exporter’s Fair. Caraga Handicrafts, Adolph Coco Beads, De Lara Agsam Novelties, Top Zion, RJ Wood Arts and Crafts and Wild Trend Woodcrafts participated in the activity.


Training on int’l trends in crafts

Forty producers and workers in the handcrafts industry of CARAGA, participated in a 2-day training on “Design Trends and Directions in Crafts”, held last August 23-24, 2007, in Butuan City. As a component of IEDP, the training involved key persons responsible in the design development of the region’s emerging crafts industry. The region’s small crafts producers have been instrumental in utilizing the area’s vast supply of indigenous vines and twigs. Celeste Peralta, product buyer and designer, gave the participants common and recurring buyer preferences in trading crafts for both mainstream and niche markets. To maximize the opportunity, she also visited selected production sites and advised the producers on creative techniques that they can adopt to consistently improve their designs.

Food product improvement and label design development

APFTI’s technical unit underwent a one-week product assessment and packaging/labeling design development to improve the aesthetic value of the products of 11 producers in Caraga. Targeting markets outside the region (Butuan, Agusan del Norte, and Agusan del Sur), the 11 producers collaborated with APFTI’s in-house designer in making cost-efficient and visually appealing labels.

And to further look for ways to maximize the products’ marketing potentials, APFTI Marketing Supervisor, Jennifer Garana visited the producers and assessed possible marketing channels and opportunities, where the products of the region would most likely fit. With the assistance of APFTI’s food technologist, the producers developed 9 new food product ideas. Food consultant, Divina Alcasabas, visited 5 enterprises and advised them on ways to improve their products. She focused on sensory appeal, formulation, manufacturing and cooking processes. At the end of the engagement, new products and formula variations were introduced.

Joy Table Sauce explored the potentials of developing a spaghetti sauce out of the company’s existing banana catsup. The consultant also looked into the possibility of coming up with a vegetable-fortified canton noodles for Marjeck; 3-in-1 corn drink for Sunrise Corn, canned bangus for Jose Amparo Fish Farm, and calamansi concentrate for Lily’s Food. To maximize the on-site visits, the consultant took the opportunity to orient the workers on the basics of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Food safety training

Attended by 45 participants from the food manufacturing industry in CARAGA, the training on Food Safety Management, otherwise known as ISO 22000, tackled the basic conditions that must be met in food product preparation to guarantee the end product’s optimum safety and quality. Held last August 21-22, 2007, in Butuan City, APFTI consultant and food expert, Luz Lizada identified priority areas wherein an enterprise could focus on, in order to attain satisfactory product safety and quality, despite the limited facility and inadequate resources


South Cotabato producer org sets direction

APFTI facilitated the formation of Producers-Processors Association of South Cotabato (PPASCo), an organization of food and handcrafts producers, mostly enrolled in its Integrated Enterprise Development Program (IEDP). In a two-day capacity building seminar, held last August 1-2, 2007, APFTI consultant Jyon Hontanosas, in partnership with DTI South Cotabato Provincial Office, assisted PPASCo in formulating an annual development plan that can put direction and focus to the group, putting considerations to the improvement of the internal capacity of the association and to the identification of external issues that affect the conditions of small producers.


Oxfam Club brings HK students to Cebu communities

The Cebu Fair Trade Network (CFTN), Southern Partners and Fair Trade Corporation (SPFTC) and APFTI, in coordination with Oxfam Hongkong, brought Hong Kong high school students to farmers’ and workers’ communities in Cebu City. The week-long exposure and immersion mission, held last July 31-August 6, 2007, provided the students with a picture of the current state of farmers and urban poor workers in Cebu. It also familiarized them with the efforts of SPFTC and CFTN in addressing the inequities being encountered by small producers, through the practice and promotion of Fair Trade.

Through the activity, the students experienced the day-to day life of farmers and urban poor communities, as they had the chance to actually interact and live with them for a week. They also had the opportunity to see and track down the value chain of the products being produced by these local communities. At the end of the activity, the students interrelated the act of consumption to the conditions of marginalized communities and individuals. The group surfaced the contributions that they can do in making the systems of production and trading, relatively equitable.



Cooperatives undergo business-planning write-shop

APFTI Consultant, Penpen Libres, conducted a four-day write-shop and planning session to address the directional concerns of its partner cooperatives, enrolled under the In-Depth Coaching Program (IN DEPTH). The training was held last August 13-14, 2007 in Butuan City. The IN DEPTH Coaching Program is an enterprise development program that provides one-on-one mentoring to entrepreneurs and addresses specific and time-bound enterprise concerns.

Using a “theory-practice” approach, the planning session tackled methodologies in making and harmonizing the company’s marketing, production, management, financial and sustainability plans. APFTI partners, FEDARCCO, CMPC and Habitat, involved their key personnel in the training.


APFTI starts IEDP in Antique, Catanduanes, and Sorsogon

APFTI’s advocacy unit held a series of Fair Trade Advisory courses in the provinces of Antique, Catanduanes and Sorsogon, in the month of September, to mark the start of the Integrated Enterprise Development Program (IEDP). As an initial course, the advisory provides a detailed discussion on how to fit the standards and indicators of Fair Trade to each client’s production and trading conditions. It seeks to deepen the client’s appreciation on social and environmentally sound production and trading practices, as it relates these practices to the enterprise’s viability and efficiency considerations.