FAIR TRADE NEWSLETTER - November 2003

While the Philippine Government delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva Switzerland were trying to play down the evidence of widespread violation of human rights in the Philippines the indigenous of Zambales were taking a stand to highlight how they were being abused.

At a regional forum last October 17, Sonny Boy Laxamana 22, of barangay San Juan Botolan shared a typical story of Human Rights Violations. Sonny is an indigenous person from the aeta Ethnic group who is still recovering from the brutality and the threats of execution by men in military uniforms. He was beaten, kicked and almost strangled with a rope to make him confess as being a communist rebel. He was more literate and educated than the soldiers and they said it is an evidence that he was trained by the rebels.

Labas dela Cruz and Chito Cabulag from Barangay Burgos and Michael Atanacio of Botolan, Zambales also made formal complaints to the police in recent months having been threatened, beaten and suffered brutal manhandling by the military patrol. This method of police does not win hearts and minds of the indigenous people. It is ruling by the gun, intimidation and terror and only serves to alienate the people and drive them to the protection of the communist rebels.

This terror patrol roams the Barangay of Botolan armed with US made and supplied high-powered weapons, spreading fear and distrust. These aggressive and arrogant tactics learned from the US military trainers create anger and resentment. They have turned the people away from the government. In Iraq today, the brutal home searches, arrests and the killing of innocents by US shock troops are arousing similar anger and retaliation and swelling the ranks of terrorists. More and more Iraqis will be recruited to the enemies of the United States. Philippine military are sowing terror not peace and reconciliation.

This is the war on terror that President Macapagal Arroyo should be fighting. It is a state sponsored terror that attacks life and property of the indigenous people, supposedly its primary duty to protect. The government has a special responsibility under its international obligations as a signatory to the numerous treaties and protocols to protect the human rights of all especially the indigenous people.

The indigenous population is said to number as many as 12 million throughout the Philippine Archipelago. That number is not sustained by any official figure for the simple reason that there is none. The indigenous people, the very first inhibitants of the islands with inalienable and sacred ancestral rights were not even considered officially alive or to be citizens during the last national census from 1980 to 1995. No greater dishonour could have been cast on these beautiful and gentle people who have survived in the harsh environments and are the only people to have resisted the corrupting influence of the colonial invaders and occupants of their ancestral lands.

They have been driven from the rich fertile lowlands to the more inaccessible hills and mountains, to a life hunting and gathering in the jungles and forests. They resist efforts to assimilate them and they have preserved their rich and wonderful cultures, traditions and family values. Those who have access to their ancestral forests and lands grow organic food, allow nature to provide and as a result they are among the healthiest people in the world. Those driven off their ancestral land live in hunger and deprivation.

This is the greatest challenge facing these gentle people who have never waged war or attacked their tormentors and oppressors. Instead, in tribal communities almost everywhere they are harassed and threatened. Attempts are constantly being made by rich and powerful well connected land grabbers, most of the politicians, to deprive them of their land.

During the indigenous People's Forum on Peace and Development in San Fernando City, Pampanga (an hour and a half drive from Manila) leaders articulated their deepest fears and widespread problems. They told the 27 government representatives and many supporters that their rights under the Indigenous People's Rights Act of 1997 was being violated and none of its provisions were being implemented to protect their ancestral lands from the rich land grabbing politicians.

Leader after leader described how some have been brutally murdered when they protested to the military patrols that were driving the people off the lands at gunpoint. Then soon after, a rich rancher would file a claim and start to cut the trees and fence off property as his private domain for cattle ranching. The military are in fact acting like the personal security guards of these influential land grabbers. The displaced families become refugees and the men are forced to join an anti-communist military group. For these peaceful people that is anathema. They have lived for thousands of years in harmony with nature and their neighbors and survived. Today their cultures are being damaged communities dispersed and they are being made enemies of their own people. Its time for people with conscience to stand up with this worthy people and defend their rights.

The PREDA Fair Trade team conducted a monitoring visit to Marinduque Bird carvers and product sourcing in the province of Laguna last September 4-6, 2003.

The team visited some of the workers doing wood carvings and paintings. Aside from seeing the actual situation of the workers, they also took pictures and get additional information for the profile. To maximize the visit, a PREDA and Fair Trade orientation was attended by 26 carvers and painters was conducted and facilitated by the project office. The PREDA coordinator explained and awarded the "Declaration of Partnership and Commitment to Fair trade Principles and Practices as well as a cellular phone from the PREDA producer welfare assistance to ease communication. New design concepts were also given to the producers by the PREDA in-house designer.

Product Sourcing in the province of Laguna was in coordination with the provincial Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The DTI representative accompanied the team at the showroom of Laguna Producers Multi-purpose Cooperative, an association of 37 small entrepreneurs. New product lines were identified and new samples were selected such as textured clay products, gift boxes with floating candles and wrought -iron candle holders and frames. These new product lines will be included in our CD catalogue to be released in December.

PREDA provided Php 49,000.00 as financial assistance on palay production for this cropping season to the 14 farmers from Pozorrubio, Pangasinan Buri-Rattan Light furniture producer who were beneficiaries of the project.

For this year, farmers are expecting good harvest hence they will be able to pay 100 % before the end of this year.

A total of 1,000 grafted mango seedlings were distributed to the 3 Aeta communities of Zambales namely LAKAS in Botolan, ADA in Kanaynayan and GALA in Subic, Zambales.

AKBAY and CFC youth together with the people of the communities joined hands during the tree planting activities conducted last August 12 and 30, 2003 at ADA in Kanaynayan, Castillejos and LAKAS in Botolan.
Mango trees will ensure protection of the denuded forest and the fruits will give income to the Aetas in the near future. They are growing organic mangoes.

PREDA is now testing the efficacy of "BAWET" a vine used by Aetas in the natural preservation of bamboos. This is a good development in the bamboo handicraft industry because it will replace the commercial bamboo treatment. Aside from that, the Aeta communities will benefit being the suppliers of the said vine.

The process of preserving bamboo using bawet vine is very simple; you just need to crush the bawet vine then put it in the water then soak the bamboo overnight.

PREDA is committed to provide health and sanitation projects to the producers. Construction started October 22 and finished after 1-week. It was a tripartite project wherein, PREDA provided construction materials, DOREVI shoulders the carpenter while the workers do the labor. Three (3) toilet facilities were constructed for the bamboo producers.

As part of producers welfare assistance and as a profit share, a cellular phone unit was given to Marinduque Bird carvers to ease methods of communicating with them. Before, they were just asking favor from their neighbor whenever they have purchase order or we need to talk to them. With the new cellphone, they can easily be in contact and at the same time, the cost of communication will be lessened as they can also be reached through texting.

Last August, a group of seven (7) people coming from SETEM, an NGO based in Barcelona, Spain visited Preda for ten days. They sent this inspiring letter.

" We already knew the Childhood for Children (CFC) project due to the fact that Preda AKBAY youth theater group had performed to Barcelona last June during their Advocacy Tour in Europe from then on, we were looking forward to meeting them again and to know all about Preda Foundation.

Our stay was very positive as we had the opportunity to go deeply into Preda's projects. We shared our time with CFC children as well as the street children, which was an emotive, funny, rich experience that made us keep going in working for children rights into our country.

Apart from that, we learned about fair trade, not only with the theoretic orientation given by Preda staff but also living with a handicraft family in San Carlos City, Pangasinan (Vicente family was our host) who were very kind.

We also enjoyed our tree planting day with the Aeta community, which enabled us to know them better and spent a great time.

We even could be famous for few minutes, when Rene and Eresa of AKBAY interviewed us in Angel Annie Program in a local radio station.

All these experiences lead us to a deep reflection about the reality of life in the Philippines. We consider our duty to make Spanish People be aware of these problems (which are present in many other countries) in order to help solving them.

We want to thank all the Preda staff for this unique, interesting and valuable opportunity and for all their help and kindness. Salamat "(Thank you).

These kind of experiences are helpful to strengthen the relationship between people all over the world and to gather efforts to make it better.

Letter from the producer……

I am Cresencia Vicente-delos Santos, 54 years old, resident of Brgy. Salinap, San Carlos City Pangasinan, mother of 10 children.

I am one of the bamboo suppliers of DOREVI Industries. Farming is our main source of income but during our time off the farm, me and my family work on bamboo. This has allowed me to earn an extra income of Php 800 -1,000 per week.
Being a supplier for eight years now, I am thankful for many things, with which if not because of this industry the extra income would not be possible.

The money I earn from supplying bamboo raw materials has been a very big help for us to buy our basic needs, send my 2 younger children to high school and college, and most importantly to buy medicines for my husband Domeng. If not because of the income we get from bamboo, we could have sold some of our lands, which is very important for us being a farmer.

But my family is not the only one who benefits from this industry. Aside from us, there are 10 more families in our community who are also bamboo suppliers. They have also been helped in as much as I am.

I am also thankful for the toilet that PREDA provided. It will be of great use for my family and my children's families.

I wish and pray that our buyers will have more orders because it will mean that we will have more things to do, and earn more for our families. I also wish that this form of industry would be continuous so that we will continue to benefit and be helped by it.

Cresencia Vicente-delos Santos
Bamboo raw material supplier