The Purple Haze

Fabulous hand-made abaca bag from Bicol at the Trade Fair

When I saw the newpaper ad showing details on the OK Bikol Trade Fair at SM Megatrade Hall over the weekend, I jumped on the opportunity and went. It was my first fair trade experience  (being an ignorant fool, I thought that buying from Cash and Carry was considered helping LOCAL industry). It did, in some ways, but it isn’t as sustainable and responsible as buying from local trade fairs.

Okay, so what the heck is this talk about fair trade? I’ll make it as simple as possible: fair trade is a social movement that involves, well, trade. You ‘trade’ not just ordinary, household or grocery products that are mass produced by big manufacturers (owned mostly by conglomerates, who may have a lot to do with our environment and political problems… booo). Fair trade involves marketing and buying various products that are locally, organically and responsibly made by local farmers, fisherfolk and rural townsfolk.

Intricate beading and other accessories were abundant - and affordable.

Example: Hazel buys organic moringa biscuits (aka malunggay crackers – they’re yummy I swear, no veggie taste at all) produced by a group of local women from Naga, marketed by a group called Organik Bicol Advocateurs Network. The sale sustains jobs (go back to Economics 11 if you can’t make the logical nexus), jobs to income, income to better quality of lives. Better lives mean happy and smart folk, and happy and smart folk makes a great nation! Bonus is Maria Makiling and Gaia won’t be crying their hearts out in pain as products are organically grown and environment-friendly, and don’t compromise quality.

Isn’t it more fun to buy something guilt-free?