Pictures from World Fair Trade Day Celebration

kumustahan...

waaahhh....

Miss ko na ApFTI!


napadaan lang!

Taking you inside APFTI

Wanna know how APFTI office looks like?  Here are some of my stored pics that i got from our first task; visual merchandising! as an OJT students.

 

Conference Room/ Showroom:

 

 

 

 

Up to the 2nd floor:

 

 

 

Now you all know what APFTI products most likely are!

 

~Lynette Cham 

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Manila Fame Int'l and IFEX experience

Manila Fame International

Manila Fame International is an annual event that runs tradeshows for home furnishings, house wares, holiday decors, and fashion accessories in the Asia-Pacific region.  The event, happening twice yearly, consolidates the traditional to contemporary designs making known the Filipino creativity and craftsmanship.  Booths were being set-up by different producers and companies showcasing their very own products and uniqueness.  

APFTI was located at the house wares pavilion.  The booth made use of a gazebo-centered style, cornering it with different producers.  The color schemes are of citrus shades.  It showcases different hand-made products like bags, frames, notebooks, decors etc.  Among the raw materials being used are the sinamay, abaca fibers, tigok, buri, gold leaf etc. 

During the ingress, raw materials and productions were being gathered.  Contractors assembled the booth plan and later, visual merchandising of the products was being done by the APFTI crews. 

The Event…

The event started at 9 am and ends at 6 pm.  Slowly, the hall was being filled by numerous buyers locally and internationally.  As one of the APFTI crews, we just observed the flow of the event, sometimes staying at our booth, and most of the time wandering around to see the wonders of different creations. 

The House wares and Home furnishing halls presents furnitures, lighting fixtures, and home decors.  It usually showcases different products like bags, frames, chimes, vases, twigs, holders, clothes, and many more, all using native materials and different processes and finishing.  Among the raw materials commonly seen are the sinamay, abaca fibers, tingting, wood, raw tela etc.  Meanwhile, among the processes being used were weaving, pressing, and knotting.

 At the Christmas village located at hall 3, unique pieces are brought out creating a joyful atmosphere of every occasion and celebration.  It can be noticed that most of the things are of glitters and joyful pastel colors.

The Fashion hall located at hall 4 consists of chic collections of fashion accessories and complements from mostly jewelry to bags to shoes made from exotic natural materials.  Most clustered type accessories reflect a traditional yet refreshing style.  Among the sets are of necklaces made out of pearls, wooden beads of different sizes and forms, and laces of different kinds. 

     The Egress…

            During the egress, it is somehow saddening to see a one-day-built booth being disassembled again.  The event had brought a different kind of atmosphere in the field of designing, creativity, and global marketing.  Witnessing various materials and products evolving from traditional to modern ways is simply amazing and refreshing as an industrial design student.  However, it basically reminds us of the innovating world we have today and keeping up with the trends to maintain or improve our stand as a company, a designer and an individual.

 

International Food Exhibition

            The IFEX Philippines being held annually at the World Trade Center showcases the country's food industry to the global market.  It gathers the region's food manufacturers and exporters.  It was being done on the main hall of the World Trade Center.  Some of the best selling products of the IFEX Philippines were fresh and frozen fish, meats like ham and sausages, fresh fruits and vegetable beverages, coffee and cocoa, cookies and crackers, cereal preparations like polvoron and cake and etc. 

      The Ingress…

            The ingress of the IFEX was a tiresome day for all of us.  It almost took a whole day not only for the contractors but also for the whole APFTI crews to set up the booth and the fair trade zone.  Visual merchandising and booth layouts were being arranged to have a common look for one company.  The APFTI made use of mostly orange shade of color as this portrays food.  The fair trade zone was formed by the two acrylic walls of flowing water giving the natural and serenity effect.  Though the original design wasn't followed much, the whole overview of the booths was nice and different compared to the other booths and zones, as also commented by some people.

      The Event…

            The IFEX offers many food lines such as fresh and frozen fish, meats like ham and sausages, fresh fruits and vegetable beverages, coffee and cocoa, cookies and crackers, cereal preparations like polvoron and cake and etc.  Specific Filipino products such as bagoong, taba ng talangka, laing, different marinades, banana chips, dried mango and fruits, and etc were also sold.

            Different booths were being created as this gives emphasis to the food products being displayed and sold.  The event started at 10 am and ends at 7 pm.  Asides from observing from our booth, we mostly roam around to try on new foods and also to take note of different approaches in booth designs. 

            Aside from APFTI, there are numerous companies with different food lines and booth designs.  One of the examples is VuQo where their product line is of alcoholic drinks such as mango and black plum wine, and cranberry vodka.  Their booth was a bar type and the sounds were lively of house and techno ones.  The crews were also dressed up according to the setting.

            Another is the VCO brands where they sell different cream and lotion product lines made out of Virgin Coconut Oil.  The booth was of organic and nature approach and the color schemes such as green and blue reflect a natural setting. 

            IFEX foods, of course, are deliciously being catered to the guests and the buyers.  With lots of free tastes all around, one will surely enjoy being at the event!  The foods prove that the country offers a good source of fresh and processed products, ethnic foods, and authentic Filipino dishes that international and local buyers kept on searching for. 

      The Egress…

            The egress once again proves to be the time where all the efforts being put to the booth design and the set up where now disassembled.  Same with FAME, it is a time of reflection of all the things learned from it and the experience of being able to execute our booth design at an international event. 

            It is really amazing on how Philippines can be creative also at the field of foods.  I really did enjoy my stay at IFEX and FAME for it contributed to my new discoveries of different things in the field of design and awareness. 

      Studies…

            The Manila Fame International and IFEX caters to different buyers globally though most targets international buyers.  Most of the time, bulk orders is a requirement of trading and exporting. 

            The market today is in for a lot of competition globally.  One might find that it is rather few and that the exported products of the Philippines are mostly food items and handicrafts as this serves the very own trademark.  Other than that our economy is fueled not by exports but by investments and sadly OFW remittances. 

            Consumers usually chooses the line of products that they want to purchase as sometimes, the brand and the country made from gives dignity and prestige to the buyers.

            In terms of the quality, I think that the Filipinos are approaching the good name due to the help of technologies and economic profits. 

~ Lynette

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Manila Fame Int'l Pics

 

 

 

 

The ingress of Fair Trade Zone:

 

~ Lynette

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our last day

*sigh* finally, it's our last day here in APFTI. i don't know whether to be happy or not. happy because our 120 hrs. writing practicum is over (all we need to accomplish is the manuscript and it will all be over), sad because we will terribly miss APFTI, or quezon city in general.

here are the things that ill miss in apfti.. Huhu...

1. our breakfasts every morning with tita marlyn, mam ester, sir mervin, tito jun, mam charisse...

2. kulitan with sir mervin..:D

3. discussion and brainstorming with sir vince..hehe...

4. the 'sosyalang' events...

5. lunch at kuya angeles' canteen...

6. laptop which i used throughout my days in apfti...(grabe! parang pilay na pagong kabagal pero utang ko naman sa kanya ang buong apfti life ko...hehe...)

7. our cubicle...

8. the freebies (food, souvenir items na binigay ni mam ester (thanks po!) and the internet to the max!!!haha!!!churi po!)

9. the warmth and kakulitan ng APFTI family...:D

well, more than the things that i'll miss and the memories i'll always keep with me (yuck, drama) of course, the most important things are the those i've learned. what matter are the things that i'll bring with me forward, rather than the things that will be left behind di 'ba... well, in that case, sobrang dami. what makes our stay here extra special are not the things that we learned regarding our fields but the ones na hindi namin maaaral if we had our practicum somewhere else. the advocacy, the exposure, the stories, the principles will all be kept in my mind. i may forget the tastes, texture, and colors of the products whose history i've learned, but their story will always be my inspiration para hindi tumawad (haha!!)... kidding aside, yeah, those stories will always inspire me.

also, this practicum made my views on writing different... because i'm used to writing fictions, it was quite different for me when asked to write stories about true people. i was pressured and honored at the same time. Sabi nga ng prof ko, 'you write not what you want to say, you write what your readers want to know.' sobrang applicable sa mga ginawa namin dito, lalo na sa monologues. una ko talagang kinonsider yung mga possible things that the readers, or audience of our works would want to know about the lives of these people we wrote about.

so now, here i am, looking at the clock, counting the minutes left before we leave.

APFTI...salamat!

- mafe

pamamaalam

Ang nakalipas na isang buwan ay puno ng mga alaala...

Salamat sa mga taong aking nakadaupang-palad

Salamat sa kaalamang inyong ibinahagi sa akin

Salamat sa pagkakaibigan natin

Maliit lamang ang mundo...

Magkikita pa rin tayo.

Salamat APFTI

-Leslie

Abangan: Fair Trade Monologues!

On my first few weeks at the office, I find it a little bit hard for me to report and go to work... The changes in the environment, dealing with the people of Quezon City hasn't really sunk into my mind and found myself vulnerable into a lot of things. My expectations didn't meet my standards towards to this idea that is what I have on my mind with regards to a student on OJT particularly a design student like me. That's why I took me like how many weeks before I finally was able to settle myself. Few weeks after, the very much anticipated Manila FAME exhibit arrived. The event was very remarkable to me. In that experience, it opened my mind into a lot of possibilities… I honestly felt and learned a lot there compare to the scene of being stocked inside the office cubicle…

 

xoxo

miko lee

---

Real people. Real questions. Real answers. Share what you know.

write...write...and write...

maghapong nakikipagtitigan sa hindi pumipikit ni nagpapakita ng antok na monitor ng computer...

maghapong inilalapat ang mga bigat ng dulo ng bawat daliri sa mga mumunting parisukat na pindutan ng keyboard...

maghapong tinititigan ang hindi mabilang na mga letrang bunga ng bawat pagtipa ng mga mabibigat na dulo ng daliri sa bawat mumunting parisukat na pindutan ng keyboard...

maghapong naghihintay sa anyaya ng pinto ng cr nang sa wakas ay magkaroon ng pagitan ang nag-iinit na pang-upo na matagal-tagal ring nalalapat sa hindi makapagreklamong upuan...

maghapong natututo, naiiyak, natatawa, nagkakainspirasyon sa mga kwento ng bawat may-ari ng maliliit na negosyong ginagabayan ng APFTI...

maghapong pagsusulat. maghapong pag-aaral. maghapong riyalisasyon ng mga kwento ng mga taong hindi ko kilala pero unti-unting nagiging parte ng aking buhay.

- Mafe (click here to visit my blog)

Bongang MANILA F.A.M.E.!

Start ung MANILA FAME last April 18 to 19 and it was a big and one of the "sosy" exhibition that we've went through. and shempre, the best part of it is nabigyan kami ng chance na maging part with APFTI as exhibitors.

the first 2 days before the event was a busy one para sa mga contractors kasi kami ung magdidisplay ng mga products from different Producers na hawak ng APFTI. The primary target  of the organization that reflects what APFTI really is that evry product that was viewd in our show room is 100% fair trade product and pinagmamayabang namin na kami ung isa sa mga ngmamarket nito.

thrughout the event, marami ding mga clients and some are foreign clients na nagvisit and nagclose ng deal. this is one of the memorable events na naging part din kami. kahit na mejo nagkaproblema kami s isang assignment..... we have to submit a Market research.. and we find out na mashadong maingat ung ibang mga companies sa mga  property nila, meaning tablado kami sa kanila..

anyway, i'm excited sa darating na IFEX this may.. sana mas maging busy kami in a way na mahahasa kmi sa iba't ibang projects na ipagagawa nila sa min..

Joey

---

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yehey!

Haha! Hindi ko inakala na hanggang dito sa APFTI ay mabibitbit ko ang pinakamamahal kong Icebag! (Mabuhay ka Ma’am Lallie!) Isa nga ito sa mga tunay na humasa sa aking kakayanan sa sulating pan-teatro. (at humasa sa akin sa puyatan! Haha)

Ang Icebag ay isang serye ng dulang kumakatawan sa buhay at kulay ng Peyups Los Baños. Taglay ng bawat monologue ang damdamin, takot, tuwa, kaba, depresyon, obsesyon, at lungkot na nararanasan ng bawat estudyante ng unibersidad. Sa ngayon, nakaabot na kami sa ikapito.(humanda kayo pag dating ng Icebag8)

Dito sa APFTI, kami ni Mafe ay naatasan ngayon na gumawa ng mga monologues na tumatalakay sa buhay ng mga manggagawa at mamimili. Isa itong pagpapatuloy sa ginagawang kampanya ng organisasyon para sa Fair trade. Ang gagawing presentasyon ay para sa magaganap na World Fair Trade day. Ipinagdiriwang dito ang malawakang pagtataguyod ng fair trade sa bansa at maging sa buong mundo.

Ngayon ay pinaghahandaan namin ang pagko-konsepto at pagsulat ng Fair trade Monologues (Sorry Eve Ensler!)

Kaya naman ngayon pa lang ay nag-iisip na kami dito ni Mafe ng premise. Hindi lang yun. Pati goal ng characters at ang kanyang motivation. Iniisip na din naming ang mga twists na mangyayari. Sinong artista? Kami! Haha joke lang!

SALAmat sa ENG105 ni Ma’am Bucoy! Magagamit na namin to ngayon sa real world.

-leslie

What I ought to know

For a week, I am constantly sitting in this swivel chair, thoughts running inside my head as the hands of the clock continue their ticking sound. I am indeed running with time, thinking of better ways on how to consume my fifteen days in a worthwhile manner.

For a week, I am in a constant face-to-face encounter with this monitor, my fingers working like gaga over the keys of this board. Loads of writing stuff to do that would bear what I have learned for almost 14 years inside the so-called classroom. I hope this one makes me a lot better.

Brochures, leaflets, pamphlets—they are my certified friendships for a week now. I spent my hours in the morning with them, and sleep at night with them beside me. Everyday, another information is being revealed to me about them. Surfing the net—the encounter is inevitable.

For a week, I have known what I ought to know. I guess this sounds true because I am handling the task of writing about APFTI where I am working at. The constant encounter made my realizations wider and my knowledge broader. Those were reflected in what I write and how I live as of this moment as a part of the advocacy.

APFTI, thanks for the encounter. Thanks for the experience.


-leslie

Pics Pics Pics (FAME)

Here are some pics that i got from the Manila Fame International during the ingress and the Fame days itself  cool transition!

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The Manila F.A.M.E. Experience

Manila F.A.M.E. is now over..it's really a one of a kind experience for me..I have been to exhibits to Worldtrade and it really amuses me pero what's different about this is we helped in arranging the exhibit. Mixed yung naramdaman namin during the event, saya, pagod, excitement and our eyes were somewhat opened in a way na we were exposed in the real world of designers wherein you face different people, or should i say, different clients, producers, etc..We also experienced a lot like when we were looking around the exhibits and we were wearing our exhibitor's i.d., those who are assigned in the different booths were really looking at us and are suspecting us as spies.hehe! They really intend to keep their designs to themselves, anyway, yun naman talaga ang work natin, to be original and ang mission natin is for our designs not to be pirated by others. So, our supervisors advised us to change our id's as visitors and we did when it was time for our market research.. This time, they weren't eyeing on us na but when we asked questions, they didn't want to answer us, confidential daw yung mga infos even if we introduced ourselves as design students.. Thenm I realized, it is really a tough world out there, you have to be unique and full of new ideas in order for one to suceed in this career path..

Anyway, those are my realizations during the event, and i still am hoping to learn more..

-julie guerrero

left

it's the 23rd of april. well, it's the start of the week-long celebration of Aklan Fiber festival. of course almost all of the people in the office have to be there (in aklan). i never expected the office to be this empty, though. i mean, only me and leslie at the 2nd floor with only sir Arnel. Then Mam Emma in the adjacent room. Well, Sir Mervin was here a while ago, but he vanished (hehe... i think he had to go somewhere). the UST practicumers were here as well, but i learned that they were told to do their tasks at home since they'll be working on packaging designs...so, at the end, it was really me, leslie, and sir Arnel at the second floor. Then Mam Emma in the adjacent room...Haaayyyy...i wonder how fun it is to be in Aklan right now and see all those exhibits. *sigh with misty eyes*

well, there are things we have to do other than daydream about Aklan (*sigh*)... we still have to continue working on the new brochure and write stories about the producers. it is a wonderful job, being able to read the stories of success and endurance experienced by these clients. each has stories of difficulties, obstacles, shortages, and of course, winning. i'm learning a lot here. i may not know it, but i might be picking up some useful business advice here unconciously...

i wonder how beautiful the designs exhibited are in the fiber festival (noooooo!!!! how am i going to stop this???!!!!)

- mafe (click here to visit my blog)

Timmi, sana ipinasok mo ako sa bag mo!

Bakit hindi marunong tumanggi sa galaan itong si Timyaw na kaibigan ko mula UPLB! Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit sa kabila ng nagaganap ng practicum niya sa X10 events ay nakuha pa niyang magkunwaring babysitter ng kanyang pamangkin at lumipad papuntang Aklan! Nakakainis! Ang tamad mo talaga gurl! (hehe) Nakakainis dahil hindi naman iyan ang itinuro sa atin ng ating mga guro. Nagtitiwala sila sa atin pagkat tayo ay mga Iskolar ng Bayan!

angst. angst at angst pa! (wahaha)

Ang totoo niyan, naiinggit lang ako! (wah! peace Timyaw!) Kasi ngayon na ang pagsisimula ng Aklan Fiber Fest!

Karamihan ng mga tao dito sa opisina ng APFTI ay marahil abala dahil sa pagdiriwang na iyon. Kaya naman, naiwan ang iilan dito kabilang na kami ni Mafe! Kasama na din namin ang mga natitira pang obligasyon para sa practicum na ito! Masaya dahil kasama namin si Sir Mervin! (haha! dugong elbi!) Sa lahat ng aming ginagawa, pinaghuhusay naming talaga!

Nawa ay maging matagumpay ang pagdiriwang sa Aklan! Mas masaya kung kasama kami dyan! (haha!)

Pasalubong po! (charing!)

Timmi! Dapat ipinasok mo na lang ako sa bag mo!

Noodles and brochures...match?

Number one goal for the whole duration of practicum...conceptualize and do new materials for a new brochure...

That was what sir vince gave us as our first and foremost responsibility for our practicum. You would think it's that easy. Well, brochures always contain single to two sentenced definitions of things. Most of the time, the stuff are in bulleted forms. So you think that it's really one hell of an easy job. Well, i used to think that way, too. You know, when you're walking around a mall and agents are giving you brochures of housing churvas and whatevers. It's seldom that i read them. So when sir Vince talked to us about doing that, i thought of how our brochures should be as attention-grabbing as possible and as worthwhile to read, meaning, it has to be brief, concise, clear, yet, it should be able to cover what APFTI is about.

However, as a creative writer (i write short stories and plays), i find it hard to capture a lot of idea in one sentence. Imagine how i cringed when i tried to write APFTI's advocacy in a single sentence. Yeah, that's how hard it is. Maybe, the fact that i am used to writing creatively (where i am used to describing things detail by detail) quite worked for my disadvantage. I wonder if it would be easy for Mr Shakespeare to conceptualize materials and right words for a brochure given his wordy and dramatic way of writing. Maybe Hemingway's staccato technique in writing might work, wherein his sentences are short but always show action. Well, i can't tell.

The large scope of APFTI's advocacy is truly not that easy to be expressed in a limited number of words. Their goals and aspirations truly motivate me to write more. But i've got to do what i have to do. Right?!

Leslie and i have been indulging ourselves with packs and packs of yakisoba and pancit canton for two mornings now. I hope that helps. In thinking about what to put on the brochure, that is.

*sigh* Being in APFTI is becoming more of a challenge to my writing skills but the things i'm learning are all worth it. :)

- mafe (click here to view my blog)

Kainan na!

Oo. Gutumin akong tao. Parang sakit ko na nga ito-- sakit sa bibig. Busog naman ang tiyan pero ayaw huminto ng aking bibig sa pag-eehersisyo. Sakit na din sa bulsa. Hindi ko man lang namamalayan, wala na pala akong pera! Naikain ko na! Ang masaklap nito, hindi ko alam kung saan napupunta ang kinakain ko. Hindi man lang tumataba ang buto ko! (UUyyy...gifted)

Kaya naman ang unang hinanap ko dito sa ciudad ay ang mga pinakaSULIT, pinakaMALAPIT, at pinakaMASARAP na kainan. (Wow! bagong bersyon ng Ang PInaka. Alis dyan Pia Guanio! : ) Kahit magkandaligaw at sumuot sa mga hindi kilalang eskinita dito sa ciudad, hindi kami tumigil ni Mafe sa pag-iikot. Ang aming unang natagpuan, ang Silogan ni Kuya na may tv at may asong matahol doon sa Road 1 ata yun(?) Madami naman ang kanin nila! Mabigat na din sa tyan. At dahil mahilig naman ako sa Tapsilog, ayus na din. Ang presyo? Dito naman lahat nagkakatalo. 40 pababa. Solb na din. Bonus pa ang malamig nilang tubig.

Pangalawa naman ay ang kainan sa tabi ng opisina ng APFTI: Ang kainan ni Kuyang mahiyain na nakikipagkilala kay Mafe (haha!) At ni Ogie na rakistang mahilig sa TYpecast! (Yahoo! Rock on!) Hmmm...dahil malapit siya sa opisina at hindi na namin kailangang maglakad pa ng malayo, Astig na din! At dahil madalas pang pinapatugtog ang maingay na Typecast, Astig na din! Ang presyo? 40 lang din, busog ka na! Malamig din ang tubig.

Eto ang panalo sa lahat. Sa kainan sa hindi kalayuang lugar sa kabilang kalsada, kung saan ang rice toppings ay nagkakahalaga ng tumataginting na 25 pesos! Ang ulam, lutong bahay! Hindi prito ha! Kung kanin ang pag-uusapan, Solb na solb! (haha! nakakagutom) Dito lang ako nakahanap ng ganito! Walang sinabi ang Papus ng Yufielvi!

Akala mo isang magaling na kritiko sa pagkain o!? (hehe) Minsan... habang kumakain... nabulunan ako! Panandaliang nahirapan sa paghinga. Bumara sa aking lalamunan ang ilang butil ng kanin. Naluha ang aking mga mata sa hindi inaasahang kaganapang ito. Naghabol ako sa paghinga. Dali-daling pumasok ang masaganang hangin sa aking ilong at naglakbay ito sa buo kong katawan. Hanggang sa marating nito ang aking utak! At bigla kong naisip ang mga taong responsable sa pagkaing nilalasap ko ngayon... (Wow! hanep sa segue!)

Bakit nga ba sa presyo na lang lagi nagkakatalo ang mga bagay? Bakit sinasabing sulit kapag mura? Bakit?

Isipin ko na lang ang mga magsasakang nagtanim ng palay para maging bigas at kanin na siyang kinakain ko ngayon. Kung ilan ulit na nabilad ang pagal nilang katawan sa bagsik ng araw at ulan. Isipin ko na lang ang mga nag-alaga ng manok na pinanggalingan ng itlog sa aking tapsilog. Isipin ko na lang ang mga nag-alaga sa baka, manok, baboy para may karneng nakahain. Isipin ko na lang ang mga nagtanim ng puno ng mga prutas na kinakain ko. Isipin ko na lang ang nagluto ng kinakain ko ngayon. (Ang dami palang dapat isipin)

Kapag naisip mo na, masasabi mong sulit nga talaga! Dahil sa isang plato ng pagkain na nakahain sa iyo, ilang buhay ang dumaan diyan. Dugo at pawis lang ang puhunan. Ikaw? Uupo na lang.

Sila kayang mga manggagawa? Iniisip nila kung sulit ba ang inilaan nilang sakripisyo at pagod sa kakarampot nilang kita?

Sana lahat na lang na kainan may Fair Trade Seal. Para sulit talaga!

" Before you've finished your breakfast this morning, you'll have relied on half the world."

-Martin Luther King

-leslie

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Leslie in the City

At last! I’m on with the hurly-burlies of the so-called CIUDAD. I’ve spent most of my life’s time in the tranquil town of Biñan in Laguna, and spending my three most recent years in the lush green fields and canopy of Los Baños where I’m living by the name of being an ISKOLAR NG BAYAN. Thanks for the UPLB ComArts curriculum for giving me a permissible excuse for going in the Metro. Thanks for the 120 hours of Practicum in my major field, which is Writing, and another 120 hours for Speech and Theater practicum. I am in my grandest vacation, spending the whole two months of summer away from home! Haha!

It was really a chaotic first day. Traveling from south to north was no joke. It was a scorching hot Sunday afternoon when my mom and I ventured the journey to QC. While everyone’s going gaga for Pacman’s fight over Sison, I was on the bus, mustering all the courage I need before living a life in CIUDAD. The next encounter was with a swindler cum taxi driver who charged us with a hundred-buck-five-minute ride. I’m an advocate of peace so I kept myself cool as possible, but I’m not naive, so he better be ready for the next encounter. Haha!

Another thing is that the temperature here in CIUDAD seems to rise in continuity—unbearable I guess. For three days, I haven’t got a good-night sleep. May be the cause of sudden throb in my temples.

So what is in store for me in three weeks time? Are my bubbles bursting already?


Life in CIUDAD became worthwhile when Monday arrived, and I came to realize my purpose in here. An orientation about APFTI, the NGO I am currently working at for my practicum was given by Sir Ronald. Finally, I had a grasp of the things I am about to do for the next three weeks. But wait, there’s more. Having the knowledge of what the organization really is inspired me to work, realizing that it was such an honor for me to become a part of the campaign for fair trade. I have found the essence of the chaos I went through.

One step at a time, the process of learning is becoming more exciting. Yesterday, we (Mafe and I) had the opportunity to experience the Manila F.A.M.E. at the World Trade Center. The impact of the event was so strong. I was moved. The whole event is a showcase of what Filipinos are capable of doing—the crafts that only gifted hands can do was magnificent. Products from all over the country was put together in one place for the whole world to see that the Philippines is home of pure ingenuity.

Behind the spectacle, there lies a query that bothers me. Who made these amazing items? What life are they living? How did they do these items? As an advocate of fair trade (Well, I consider myself now) I do hope that these crafts were made from the adherence of the principles of fair trade. I can’t stand it, thinking that when a foreign buyer looks at a piece of capiz chime, he is actually looking at an eight-year old child, deprived of the joys of his childhood for making that piece of craft to help augment his family’s income. Behind that piece of craft lies the truth—a slice of life that Filipino producers possess.

So why do care now of the heat, overpriced taxi fee, and hurly-burly of the so-called CIUDAD? Seeing people of APFTI working for the common goal of promoting fair trade makes me proud and say that it is all worth it!


-Leslie

Memoirs of an Abaca Bag...

You never know what a time as short as three days could do to your life. Imagine a weekend in your life, in this case, a friday, a saturday and a sunday. Friday: you do your usual routine in school, go home after class, bum around at home, and sleep when you get tired (of not getting tired.) Saturday: either you have class at school or you go to the mall and hang around with some friends or you bum around at home, keep the temperature of the television rising and sleep when you get tired (of not getting tired.) Sunday: you go to church(?), go to the mall, or bum around at home and sleep when you get tired (of not getting tired.) When you've done all these things and the monday comes, you feel that nothing happened within those three days. it seemed so short and wasted.

Luckily for me, i just spent one of the most educating three days of my life. It was last Monday when me (mafe) and leslie went to the APFTI office for the first day of our practicum. Sir Ronald gave us an orientation (an overview about the organization). I realized that there are much more to be learned from one piece of an abaca bag than how much it costs. A jar of bagoong encompasses more lives than we can imagine.Behind a nito basket are the loss and triumph, hope and despair, persistence and resignation, laughter and tears of all the people who poured out all they could give for that one piece of a tray. A mat depicts a culture, a belief, a set of values, a group of people we don't even recognize and we don't even bother think about.

Yesterday, April 18, we went to the Manila F.A.M.E. held at the World Trade Center. The exhibits were so amazing. While i was inside, it was as if i entered an entirely different world. A world where artistry matters, creativity directs lives, and living means honing your skills. Everything was spectacular. But because i was quite aware of the stories of each item displayed there, i couldn't help but think of what lies behind that spectacle. International buyers were walking to and fro, touching and feeling the texture of the items, filling their eyes with the colors and elegant designs. i wonder if they even realize that once they touch a bag, they are actually touching the very hands of the people who made it and as they look at the designs they are actually looking at the very eyes of those who spent an entire day staring at that item. I was astonished at how a piece of abaca bag bridges the gap between the poverty that the producers endure and the wealthy lives of the buyers.

There was an abaca bag that caught my attention in one of the booths. Now i wonder, what do three days mean to the father, or mother, or daughter, or son who made it.

- mafe

Hey, ojt apfti :)

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FIRST TASK-VISUAL MECHANDISING

After the orientation of Sir Vince, he already gave us our first task, which is visual merchandising. We have to arrange the showroom. Because when we arrive there. The show room doesn't look like a showroom at all. Sir Vince gave us big boxes of handicraft product and he said that we need to present the product in a much pleasant way that it can attract the attention of the people. We are all excited about the first project because it's our first task and we can already use our creativity. We design the room as a team. I helped Joey in building the racks and sorting the different kinds of handicraft products. Julie and Lynette designed the corner of the room and the sorting of the different kinds of bags. We all help in arranging the food products.

            It was fulfilling moment for us because when we saw the outcome of what we have done. I turned out fine, and the best part of it is that it is appreciated by our mentors..

 

johndale

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First assignment:visual merchandising

The first assignment that we got was visual merchandising or arranging the products so that buyers may see and appreciate them more. We were assigned to arrange the showroom at the ground floor and we were really excited when we got the assignment. We first sorted the products by class, material, etc. We were not able to do some sketches, we proceeded with the actual work because for us, experiencing and arranging the products in real life is really different from sketches, you can see there and then what is wrong and missing. It took us the whole day to finish the task but once we saw the output, the feeling is unexplainable. ot was fulfilling.

APFTI

 

Apfti is a fair trade organization wherein they help small businesses grow and be exposed by training them and supporting their needs.  The orientation day gave us the whole overview of what APFTI really does and about our experience in having our ojts there.  Having the chance to work at APfti is interesting.  Not only does it offer you first-hand knowledge and experience about handicrafts, fair trade organizations, international trading affairs, designing opportunities etc.. it also challenges your capabilities towards imporving yourself in terms of design aspects and work etiquette.  Not to mention, the people there, our "colleagues" hehe, are very friendly, bonded, and makulit.  As of now, i'm looking forward to the Manila FAME event! Can't wait!

 

 

The Visual Merchandising Experience

 

The first official work day, we were tasked to do visual merchandising wherein the conference room of APFTI was filled with handicrafts to produced a showroom style integrated with their conference room.  4 of us got to work (me <Lynette> , Julie, Joey, and Johndale)  Let me give you an overview of what the "Before" looks like.  It is kind of messy (hehe), the products we're disorganized (haha yikes) and the area was really into being a conference room.  In short, the room was really actively used!  

 

After Sir Vince handed us boxes of handicrafts, we quickly got up to work.  Our objective was to set the products into categories by their materials, aesthetics, and "collections".  The bags we're grouped with accessories, the bean-bag chair, magazines, a small round table, and throw pillows we're situated at the corner of the room (my fave make-over spot), the displays and pots we're organized on a stands by the window, and the food products we're arranged in the side of the room.  As a result, Sir Vadz told us that out of 4 ojt batches, our make-over visual merchandising was his most favorite! haha whew! that's really nice to hear and it is so worth it!  =) hehe

 

what i used to see in TV, arranging the interiors of a house, i now had experienced it first-hand, first official day palang! hehe and it was really fun doing that! especially with my partner, Julie, and Joey and Johndale.  if i have time, i would post the "before" and "after" pics of the conference room / showroom. =) GB

 

 

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Hands-on

Actual Prototyping is the next activity that i was asked to do. It was only me kasi Mico was absent. So i had to do the work alone, Sir Nolan gave me a picture of the product that I am going to do. It was a candleholder tapos ung stand nya is made of twisted designed wrought iron. It was not really that challenging for me kasi madali lng sya. All I have to do is insert wooden beads in the frame. Kaya lng the problem is, maliit ung hole ng beads so I had to drill it para lumaki ung hole. And then I have to cut it in half kasi it wont fit dahil nakaweld ung frame, so walang end. After which, I have to tie around an Abaca string (if i remember it right) on both ends of the beads, so parang accent sya. So, that was all i have to do.. And from this activity, I learned different processes, including ung mga pagsolve sa mga simpleng problems, like drilling the bead hole para lumaki sya and ung paghati sa beads to attach it on the frame. The importance of planning the product design influence all areas of production. Kaya dapat careful tayo sa pagdesign because it has to be workable. Sometimes it would cost higher if the product would require an equipment to work on it. So what's important is, dapat alam din natin ang mga different processes and materials so that we could apply it on our design. Plus other necessary materials, like ung mga adhesives, and cutting tools..etc. There was one adhesive product that they use as substitute for Mighty Bond, I forgot the name, it was hard to remember. But the advantage on this is, mas mura sya, really quick drying, and it has a needle-size nozzle (so madali sya i-apply for intricate designs), and it doesnt stain on the product (kasi ung mighty bond namumuti) pati ung bottle, it doesnt dry-up kung maiwan syang bukas on open air. Kaya its really convenient to use and for a lower price. So I inquired about it kung saan sya nakukuha, if ever im going to use it, kasi Mighty Bond really cost alot. So this activity really exposed me in the area of production, and also the worker's concerns. I also tried weaving, pinasubok ako ni ate, it was easy at first pero when its getting longer nakakapagod sya kasi masakit na sa kamay ung paghawak ng string, and imagine that they would have to weave all day long just for one medium sized candle holder! Kaya I was so amazed on their perseverance to finish it. Kaya saludo ako sa mga weavers! They were so great and mababait din sila lahat sakin! They were very patient on teaching me! =)

The next activity I did that afternoon is sorting orders. Sir Nolan asked me to sort orders for Germany kaya he gave me all necessary informations. Meron syang binigay na product reference and other informations. All I have to do is input all of this in the computer, compressing them into one file, organizing each product with certain infos like Product code and Quantity, and also its image. So, it would be easy for them to refer on a single file. This helps a lot, lalo na in time managing. Kasi if your product infos are all jammed up, it consumes time pa finding for a single information. Kaya its better if you put them all together..

So, thats it for the day...hoping for another exciting activity! =)

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our first activity workin in APFTI

our first activity workin in APFTI

"Visual Merchendise". un ung first activity na inassign sa amin nila Sir Vince. Honestly masaya sya kahit apat nalang kami kasi inassign cila marie and mico sa FFTV sa kabila to have their seperate work from us.

kahit na apat kmi ok lng. tingin ko sakto lang kami sa laki ng kwarto and sa dami ng gagawin namin. bale ang assignment is Visual Merchendise. we have to display the resent products na nakatambak, ung isa sa storage and ung iba magkahalo ung food products and ung display; we have to arrange it and make it presentable para sa darating na manila fame (un ung pagkakaintindi ko.)

so after ng meeting start na agad kaming apat. hindi na kami nakapagsketch, direcho na agad kami sa pagaarrange. automatically na nagteam-up cila julie and linette and partner ko c johndale.

nagawa namin ng maayos ung conference room and natuwa naman kami kc naappreciate nila ung out come nung trabaho.

acctually, nung binigay sa min ung 1st activity, bigla kong naalala ung kinukwento ni mam Sunico sa marketing class dati that there was a group of students that was given a room-full of indigenous materials and they have to work and play them to create different products. well, and difference lang sa min is inarrange namin into a presentable room for the products. pero ung knowledge and skills na nakuha namin is all the same. especially ung team-up, and being resounceful is the big factor na naexperience namin.

natapos din namin ung work ng 5:00pm and ng out na kami ng 5:55. konting ayos nalang and highlights sa mga products ok na.

sana magustuhan din nila mam Jen and Sir Vads ung work namin. kc natuwa cila ate and Sir vince sa out come..

anyway, i hope na mas magiging challenging and interesting ung mga susunod na activites.

-Joey

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First day of work

The first task that we are asked to do is costing. we are taught to add up the area of the frame on which it is going to be weaved. And from there i was refreshed with my Math skills! If it wasnt for the formula that Sir Nolan handed, we would go nuts! However, we learned that the cost of weaving is computed P5 per square centimeter. And as total, a jar or vase would roughly cost 15-45 pesos. That alone is for the weaving, the others materials and processes are also to be computed and added to the weaving cost that we made.

In this experience I learned the importance of pricing of a product. The exact computation and the fair price given to a product. The right cost of materials, production, transportation(delivery) and all other concerns. This all contributes to a fair market. The product should always serve fairly as it is priced.

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First day of work

The

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fair ware: someday they'll be better designers

University of Sto. Tomas (UST), for the third year, sent 6 industrial design students to our office for an On-the Job Training.

Hopefully, the 2 months program will equip them with new knowledge and skills necessary in product development and design, visual merchandising and product research. But above anything else, our organization would like them to widen their perspectives and to somehow change the way they view things---that on top of achieving their personal career goals and acquiring superb technical skills, they should go back to the very basic question--"who will benefit from the products that they designed?, that in the process of producing, patronizing, and consuming, what's really at stake?

We want them to become better designers. Designers with a social and environmental perspective, a mindset that puts creativity and innovation to appropriate use.

Strategic Rationale:

APFTI recognizes that the youth sector plays an important role in mainstreaming the practices and principles of Fair Trade. With that, the organization’s Accelerated Market Access for Community Enterprises (AMACE) necessitates the formation of a Fair Trade Youth Network that would spawn youth advocates that can possibly take vital roles in the advocacy of Fair Trade. The youth sector can act as a campaigner, coordinator, and possibly act as a co-participant in the various Fair Trade initiatives in the Philippines.

Specific Objectives:

1) Involve the industrial design students to the advocacy of Fair Trade, by giving them a chance to directly work on APFTI’s programs and services, addressing the needs of its partner-producers, particularly on the aspects of product development, visual merchandising and market research.

1.1 Influence design students to integrate social responsibility in the practice of their craft, and introduce to them alternative career paths, such as that of designing for Fair Trade producers and organizations.

1.2 Facilitate the formation of an academe-based Fair Trade Design group that will conduct awareness-raising activities to their campus and will link up with other student groups (from other fields), which are already involved in Fair Trade.

2) For APFTI to completely adopt a pro-active learning culture by securing its ties with academic institutions, and gaining new-fangled information from students on the organization’s areas of specialization (for this activity, focusing on the aspect of product development and design.)

Fair Share for Bicol: UP Diliman Fair

UP Ibalon (Bicol), UP Catandungan (Catanduanes) and UP Saro (Camarines Norte), three of the university-based organizations of students coming from the Bicol Region (an APFTI AMACE project area) resolved to consolidate their booth allotments at the UP Diliman University Fair, creating a 3m x 9m Fair Trade Zone, wherein products from producers in Bicol Region were sold. The booth also featured a photo exhibit of the post-calamity situation in Bicol and presented and disseminated various Fair Trade advocacy materials.

Interconnecting Previous Advocacy Efforts in the University of the Philippines to the “Fair Share for Bicol” Activity

The booth served as the launch pad wherein the products of Fair Trade producers were introduced to the UP community through a retail selling activity. This is the initial attempt to do such. The actual idea of bringing-in items from community enterprises in the countryside and selling the items to UP students has evolved from a series of activities previously conducted in UP. The activity was not a result of a swift decision to barely sell some items in a crowd-drawing event (such as that of UP Fair) in a campus, but instead, the initiative was a result of the uphill process of creating awareness, generating involvement, and spontaneously allowing the youth to take direct action.

The following activities paved the way for the selling exercise to take place:

February 2006: Kalinangan ng Komunidad: Fair Trade Lifestyle Exhibit and Orientation at the College of Social Work and Community Development: the one-week display and the two-day orientation solicited the interest of a group of Community Development students to explore and study the advocacy.

August 2006: Fair Business, Fair Market: Youth Discussions on Fair Trade (UP Balay Kalinaw): With youth organizations from other universities, Community Development Students decided to focus their Communication and Development Plan (a class requirement in CD125) to Fair Trade. The group voluntarily attended the forum. As an output, they resolved to come up with a Fair Trade awareness-raising plan specifically targeting the UP community.

November 2006: Fair Share, Fair Deal (UP CSWCD): The Community Development students, who attended the Balay Kalinaw forum, crafted and implemented a plan for a one-day complementing forum on Fair Trade where they invited 10 UP-based provincial and regional organizations. They capitalized on the premise that empathy could immediately be spawned from the students who came from the localities that have been described in the presentation and orientation (APFTI’s project areas). As an output, the regional organizations decided to explore the idea of networking with APFTI partner producers on some of their campus-based or province-based activities and looked into the possibility of bringing products from their provinces to specific events in the university. The 3 Bicol Organizations implemented their plan and allotted their booth allocations to the UP Fair to stand as a Fair Trade Zone that will sell Bicol-made Fair Trade products.

Activity Highlights:

The activity targeted to accomplish 4 basic things: create awareness on Fair Trade and Fair Trade products within the UP community, measure the youth’s reception and perception of the products made by community-enterprises, and involve the members of the 3 Bicol organizations in the advocacy.

With these objectives, the following points that the activity generated could be highlighted as:



Message Delivery: More Simple and Graphic Yet Still Precise



The booth’s concept and design were products of incessant meetings and brainstorming with the student organizations involved. The groups wanted to convey a positive yet accurate image of the Bicol Region, something that complemented the advocacy’s thrust to show empowerment rather than to plainly seek sympathy.


With the theme,“Fair Share for Bicol: Your Responsible Purchase Can Rebuild Lives”, the selling mission gave emphasis on the idea that by choosing and by buying products from responsible small producers in this calamity-stricken region, consumers can contribute in providing sustainable livelihood to communities, thus, hastening the rehabilitation and recovery of the region.

The concept of Fair Trade was introduced in a simple, probably slightly graphic and obvious manner-- the booth hollered with the banner that consumers could indeed help communities by buying the products produced by enterprises in Bicol. With images and stories of post-calamity Bicol still fresh on people’s mind, the booth has an element that apparently appealed on the emotion. Yes, it did play on the drama of the tragedy but it did not dwell into that. It offered an alternative to mere pittance and to plain donation boxes. The message gave recognition to the Bicolano’s perseverance to emerge out of the tragedy through the hard work and creativity evident in the products.

The products were staged in a manner that people would get to appreciate the craftsmanship and creativity intrinsic to the products. The sellers (students) were also oriented about the product’s origin, and with their latent familiarity to the materials and the ethnicity of the items, they shared some personal insights about their provinces’ generation-old industries.

With a number of food and crafts concessionaires in the UP Fair, there was a deliberate attempt to make the “Fair Share for Bicol” booth different. APFTI and the student organizations succeeded in making the booth stand out from the rest. With inputs from interior design and tourism students from the organizations (UP Saro and UP Catandungan), they built a gypsy-like, shark-type tent. They opted to use more colors, fused bamboo and abaca ropes with white painted risers, used yellow lights, worked for a “donsol” beach-themed atmosphere, and yet maintained the youthful, deconstructed look with two 4m x 5m graffiti murals depicting images and texts associated with their hometown experience. UP Ibalon decided to transfer their photo exhibit inside the booth. The pictures showed the extent of the damage that the typhoons Milenyo and Reming brought, further correlating the initiative to the over-all end of rehabilitation and recovery for the region.

Some of the student organizers remarked:

“Ang ganda ng set-up. May class. Feeling ko napakalaking factor nun para mahikayat ang mga consumers na pumunta sa booth namin”

“The products are stylish. They exceed my expectations with regard to handicrafts. They’re high quality”


A Test on Buying Motivations: Do We Have a Youth Market for Fair Trade?

One major concern for APFTI and the student organizations during the brainstorming sessions was the type of items that will be brought-in to the fair. APFTI pooled the products that were deemed to be interesting and sale-able to students. Function, uniqueness, design and affordability have also been taken into account. APFTI Marketing Supervisor Jennifer Garana specifically recommended the crochet bags from Jewam Handicrafts in Camalig, Albay. DTI Catanduanes Coordinator Irene Sambajon gathered items from Catanduanes’ partner producers such as: hand made paper scrapbooks and drift wood frames from Terestian Crafts, dusters and novelty brooms from Lasa, and Mazapan bars and bites from Belen’s Pinahamis. Camarines Norte sent a few layered nature-inspired handcrafted wall décors and abaca/bamboo picture frames. Barcelona Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Sorsogon sent buri, pandan and bacbac-based items such as functional boxes, mini-baskets and candleholders. A number of producers signified their interest to send their items, particularly those who have been making student-friendly products (such as bags and accessories) unluckily, majority of them did not have a considerable inventory during the time and have yet to start on their production after repairing the damages brought up by the typhoon. Barcelona for example, sent items that have been salvaged during the typhoon, their storage facility were severely affected.

The activity generated a total of P 24, 986 in gross sales. The sales amount was relatively competitive for a crafts sale in a UP fair according to the student-organizers (based on their previous experiences). Catanduanes received the biggest share with P 7894 in total sales (see attached sales report) and Jewam’ Crochet bags registered second with P 7438.50. The handmade scrapbooks and cards from Terestian and the Mazapan de Pili Bars from Belen’s Pinahamis were the best sellers for Catanduanes. According to the sellers, the scrapbooks were popular because those were cheaper compared to the ones available in Manila and the designs were evidently unique and handcrafted.

The crochet bags were popular among female students who usually came in throngs, examining and fitting every bag. A number of them commented that those bags were already available elsewhere (at Greenhills and tiangges), but they have observed that the quality of the items were first-rate. “The weaving is very fine and dainty” according to an on-looker. Barcelona’s functional boxes and pencil cases that were priced inexpensively (as low as P10 and P15) were all sold out. The visitors who were invited by the students saw that the act of buying those small items as a way of signifying their support to the cause of the organizations and the activity. The Barcelona items, affordable as they were, played the role of the “armband”—in a student’s words “a-count-me-in” purchase, more of a symbolic buying rather than an on-purpose purchase.

Majority of the products were handcrafts, therefore the design and the uniqueness strongly matter. Majority of those who bought, have picked the items for the reason that they would not be accessible anywhere else. There are inquiries on whether the items will be made available on the organizations’ tambayan even after the event. A number asked whether there was a shop that has been selling those products. The prices of the items, including the mark-up added by the students, were still competitive. For example, the bags available at other booths/sellers at the fair, were priced at around P200-300, while the Fair Share booth offered a range of choices: lower priced crochet items (sling and mini bags) at P100-150 and higher-valued ones at P200 and P500. The usual practice of negotiating and haggling for a lower price were minimized once the students have explained where the amount would bring to the makers of the bags. “O sige, hindi na ako tatawad, for a cause naman e” was the usual buyer remark.

Since the event was held during Valentines Day, small gift-able items like frames, cards, scrapbooks and boxes (including the Mazapan bars as a chocolate subsititute) moved quite fast.

Some visitors and student sellers commented that:

“The products are stylish. They exceed my expectations with regard to handicrafts. They’re high quality, but more stocks should be made available”

“The products were made from raw materials which are mostly available in the Bicol Region. Not only do these items give livelihood to the small producers in the region but they exemplify the genius of the Bicolanos”. I am aware that those were carefully crafted and done by hand and this assures the high confidence of buyers in these products quality-wise. The major factor which would have contributed to the appeal of the products is their unique and intricate design.”

“ The products were environmentally unique. It stands-out among the modernly made products and souvenirs and only a few manufacturers produce such products nowadays. Evidently, the products are hand-made, that offers livelihood opportunities.”

“ Handcrafted products definitely offer livelihood for producers from the region. They showcase the skills and creativity of its producers and they cater to a wide range of customers. Moreover the materials used are environmentally friendly and may also support producers of raw materials.”

“The products are all unique. Perfect 10 for all the products showcased… and I can see people are really into it.”


The Advocacy unit saw the event as the best spot where the perception of the youth, students and the academic community on Fair Trade and Fair Trade products can be liberally gauged. The Community Development students who backed the forum that gathered the regional organizations volunteered to do a random survey on the viewers and buyers who looked into the booth.


In connection to the Consumer Awareness Campaign, being implemented by APFTI, the group asked a single question:

Will you buy a product or give it an additional merit if you will learn they were made under socially and environmentally just conditions? Why and why not? (Bibilhin mo ba o bibigyan ng dagdag na puntos ang produkto kung malalaman mong ginawa ito sa makatao at makakalikasan na pamamaraan?)

Randomly asking 77 respondents, 53 answered “Yes” and 17 answered “No”

The 22.07 % who replied “NO” the following reasons were cited:

“I buy products that I need and I choose the best deal for my money”
“There is no way to know how it was made. Every manufacturer would claim so many things.”
“Presyo pa rin at quality”
“The social injustice in this society is structural. There is no way we can solve that through handicrafts.”
“Ang problema hindi kung gustong bumili o ayaw. Ang problema walang pambili.”


The issues raised were that of: 1) Value for the Money: because of the weak/limited purchasing power, they tend to prioritize buying the basic things/products at the lowest price 2) Distrust to the current and alternative economic systems, with a doubt on the validity of the claims of Fair Trade, and absence of ways to verify it.

The 68.8 % who answered an affirmative, have qualified their responses with:

“Not all manufacturers do that on their operations (practice social and environmental responsibility), hence why not support them?”
“Bihira lang sila, kaya dapat suportahan”
“Mahalaga ang social awareness, dapat tulungan sila (responsible producers)”
“We will feel better and feel more socially responsible if we choose such products.”

The responses can be summarized as: 1) The need to support and to encourage few producers with social and environmental commitments, 2) A way of practicing one’s social responsibility.

Partner Organization Involvement: Sense of Ownership to the Activity and the Products

One of the Advocacy unit’s end goals, stated in the AMACE project, is to spawn Fair Trade youth organizations that could act as a potential support group to APFTI’s partner-producers and possibly conduct consciousness-raising activities on Fair Trade to their campuses. In its campus-based activities, the unit has been working to optimize the involvement of the members of its partner-youth organizations in the conceptualization and implementation of the planned activity.

UP Catandungan, UP Saro and UP Ibalon members demonstrated untiring enthusiasm and gave their full support and commitment in setting-up, manning, managing the inventories and promoting the booth for 7 days. The activity required them to stay the whole night (from 4pm to 4am). Most of the time they had 2-3 shifts, to endure the long hours. The items were carried from their storage area to the fair grounds and were brought back after the end of each day. They also needed to re-arrange and to re-merchandise the booth every day.

The tent served as the convenient “hang-out” area for the 3 Bicol organizations’ members and their friends who visited and converged in the fair. With its spacious area (because of the large tents), two big mats were placed on the sides where students sat and chatted from time to time. APFTI’s advocacy staff saw that as an opportunity to chat with the students and to speak about the significance of the activity and the background of the producers from their areas. The inputs were reasonably received as they narrated them again whenever there were buyers inquiring about the items.

The murals that the Bicol organizations have hand painted (they worked for two days for the murals) also allowed them to express their views about their region, in a way, providing them a real sense of ownership to the activity.

They gave the following comments:

“Dahil isa akong Bicolano, proud ako na isa sa mga produktong nakadisplay ay galing sa probinsya namin. Ang mga produkto ay tunay na gawang Bicol. Very creative. Nakakatuwa. Naintindihan ko po kung bakit medyo mahal siya, pinaghirapan kasi.”
“It’s really very important that the Filipinos get to appreciate their own local products. Dapat maging proud tayo lalo na sa mga bagay na sariling atin. That is why, this activity is great since hindi ka lang nag-gain ng profit but more importantly people can get a look at or see the different products the Bicol Region could offer. And the second reason why I like this activity is, it paved a way for us, the Bicol organizations, to have one activity, thus, strengthening the bond we already have as Bicolanos.”