Fair Trade Assistance to Community Enterprises (FACE) Project, Philippines

Grassroots enterprises are the primary source of employment and income for many people in the Philippines. However, such enterprises face numerous obstacles in accessing markets.

The aim of the project was to contribute to poverty alleviation in the Philippines by overcoming obstacles in accessing market information, linkages, and technical assistance for small enterprises in order to:

• Increase the economic viability and sustainability of small enterprises

• Increase consumer, corporate and government awareness and support for fair trade principles and practices

Through our local partner APFTI (see below) the project:

• Provided a technical assistance package to a number of small businesses, helping them to identify their key weaknesses and providing advice and support on how they could improve
• Carried out fair trade training for selected enterprises – looking at the principles of fair trade, how to implement fair trade practices, and how to access fair trade markets
• Enabled selected producers to participate in trade fairs
• Undertook fair trade advocacy at both local and global levels

A final evaluation showed the project had made a significant difference to the enterprises involved. In particular the evaluation team commented on:

• The enterprises’ progressive increase in sales performance
• Improved capacity to effectively manage their businesses
• Development of a fair trade compliance checklist supported by producers, other organisations and national and local government institutions
• A widening number of local organisations engaging in, supportive of and advocating for fair trade

These are quotes from three of the enterprises that took part in the project:

“We are very lucky to be one of the assisted groups. It really helps us – improving our management of the organisation, improving our systems, business development, production, marketing, financial procedures. It really helps us a lot. Gradually we are professionalising our systems and procedures.”
Mr Zaldy Rapiz, KADECO Manager. KADECO is a cooperative specialising in weaving high quality abaca cloth (abaca is an indigenous material made from a type of palm tree).

“When APFTI supported us to exhibit our products at the Manila FAME [an international trade fair] we got some new buyers. One from Germany has become a regular customer – she’s been buying from us ever since and is also helping us to develop some new products. I would like to export even more in future.”
Alan Tumbukon, owner of La Herminia, a small business making piňa cloth (fine fabric woven from the fibres of pineapple leaves)

“Because of the assistance we’re getting from APFTI our accounting is getting better. It’s much more professional now – before it was just pluses and minuses. We’re so glad of the in-depth assistance. I didn’t know anything about proper documentation before. We also got a lot of new buyers through the IFEX [International Food Exhibition] – thanks to APFTI assisting us to participate.”
Reva Sazon, co-owner of Aklan’s Boneless Bangus, a small business which de-bones bangus (a popular variety of local fish) and sells it with a range of different flavourings.

Our local partner in the project was Advocate for Philippines Fair Trade Inc (APFTI). APFTI was founded on the belief that enterprises based on fair trade principles can improve the quality of life of the poor. It focuses on the delivery of business development services to pro-poor businesses and on advocating fair trade in the Philippines.

This project was funded by the European Commission, APFTI, and Traidcraft through various grant-making trusts.