Distinguished guests from the diplomatic community, trade representatives, purchasing officers of various business establishments, colleagues in the Fair Trade movement, friends, ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Philippine Fair Trade Forum, I welcome you all here today on this very important occasion as we celebrate the World Fair Trade Day. 

Today, the Fair Trade organizations across the continents - in Asia, Europe, North and South America and Africa are simultaneously presenting to the general public the worldwide movement of Fair Trade. Simultaneous celebrations are also held in the Philippines. Our Fair Trade partners in Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo and Cebu are extending their celebrations, some in a more festive mood as the civil society movements renew their commitment to strive more to bring about social justice and overcome poverty through the most vital and important area of all – the commercial production and trading.

The PFTF is an organization representing the many producers and Fair Trading organizations that have decided to conduct their production and trading activities according to the criteria and standards of what is considered just, sustainable, with fairer working conditions of production and trading practices free from exploitation and abuse of every kind. These criteria have been worked out by the International Federation of Alternative Trade otherwise known as IFAT, in cooperation and consultation with the members the global association of fair trading organizations, that are aiming to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people in developing countries
and to change the unfair structures of international trade.

Poverty as you are well aware of stems from inequality in the conventional trading of raw materials and finished products and the inability of the poor farmers or producers to have access to capital and markets that further condemns them to a cycle of everlasting poverty. It is a sad reflection on the modern world that almost two thirds of the people of this planet struggle to live on a dollar a day. This is what Fair Trade hopes to change.

Fair Trade is a trading partnership which aims for sustainable development of excluded and disadvantaged producers by providing better trading conditions, awareness-raising and campaigning. This program is not merely a livelihood development project, it is much more, it strive to establish the basic criteria and guidelines that are essential for trading to be truly ethical, just, honest, open and directly beneficial to the struggling small farmers and producers. It strives to inculcate the most basic human, social and spiritual values into the practice of commerce.

Fair trade aims to empower the disadvantaged producers so they can participate on an equal trading field. Fair trade practice is to help them to help themselves succeed. This happens when the trading of their services and products is based on the basic principles of what is just and fair.

Economic production according to these Fair Trade standards, lifts the poor from crushing penury, takes them from mere survival to food security, saves them from life threatening diseases, carries them by their own efforts to the just reward of simple prosperity by their hard work. 

Fair Trade production criteria establishes that the producers work with dignity and increasing self-esteem, they are proud to be self-reliant and self-sustaining within their community and their families and basically free for crushing debt. The criteria are such that production and trading is sustainable, long lasting, and protects the environment and enhances the ecological environment.  

The products that your are here today is the evidence that Fair Trade has not only just principles behind it but also fine quality products to show for it.   This is the hope of those who work for a better life for the majority of the Filipinos. 

In the years gone by, many of such products were patronize by the civil society movements, the environmentalists, social activists and church people. They buy them to express their solidarity to the producers, the NGOs and cooperatives that makes them. They may have been considered inferior in quality and yet much more expensive. Thru the joint efforts of Fair Trading organizations these products have been transformed into the best quality at fairer prices. We are proud to present to you these products that are at par with the best in the world and has gone into the export market in Europe, North America and Japan

Thank you for being here and sharing with us our goals and dreams. We now ask you all to consider providing greater access for these products into the commercial market place. Help us to bring these products into the shelves of your favorite groceries and department stores. In so doing you will be part of the worldwide campaign for a fairer world thru faire trade. end.