Politicos urged to push social entrepreneurship

CEBU, Philippines - The local fair trade organizations encourage would-be and soon-to-be elected government officials to consider social entrepreneurship as a viable option towards poverty alleviation and support the passage of the Social Enterprise Bill to strengthen the community of small producers in the country.

Southern Partners and Fair Trade Center (SPFTC) managing director Geraldine Labradores said that the social entrepreneurs are still beset with challenges and issues on trading policies, capital and market access and education on the significance of fair trade.

She noted that social entrepreneurship is a mission-driven advocacy to alleviate poverty in society as it provides sustainable livelihood among the grassroots community.

She added that the organization urges newly-elected officials to pass a local ordinance supporting fair trade and social entrepreneurship.

She also said that the government has to extend support to empower small producers especially on capacity building and financial funding.

She then encouraged hotels, chambers and business organizations in Cebu to endorse products from social entrepreneurs.

BAYAN Muna Party-list representative and independent senatorial candidate Teodoro Casiño considered social entrepreneurship as the most viable option and most-recommended measure for anti-poverty instead of giving dole outs to the poor.

He also pushes for a just and equitable trading system in the country with the poor as the primary stakeholders. 

“Social enterprise is a business whose bottom line is not just profit. It ensures that such profit goes back to its stakeholders which are the marginalized sector and grassroots community,” he said.

He added that it also promotes environmental sustainability in producing goods in the market.

“Consumers always buy products taking consideration only to the cheapness and price. It is time for us not just to care for the cost but also if the produce is made in a fair and just manner. Trading and buying goods is not just getting the cheapest possible product. It is important to consider a more pro-people and pro-environment of doing business,” he stated.

He said that once the bill will be legislated, social enterprises will make it in the mainstream market and eventually contribute to the economic growth in the country.

It was last year that Quezon Representative Lorenzo Tañada III filed the House Bill 6085, also known as the “Magna Carta for Social Enterprises of 2012.”

The bill mandates the provision of accessible non-collateralized loans thru special credit windows with a Guarantee Fund Pool, comprehensive insurance system to reduce vulnerability to climate change or calamities, resources for comprehensive capacity development for social enterprises and poor as partners, proactive SE market development program promoting principles of fair trade, tax exemptions, tax breaks and cash incentives.

Although the bill was not passed in the 15th Congress, he urged the voting public to elect officials that will support the passage of the Social Enterprise Bill which is approved in the second reading at this time.

There are around 300,000 social enterprises in the Philippines.

Casiño serves as the chair of the House committee on small business and entrepreneurship development. He then assured to push for the legislation of the bill if elected.

Foundation for Sustainable Society Inc. (FSSI) executive director Jay Bertram Lacsamana said that both the fair trade and social entrepreneurship are aimed at multiple bottomlines on social, ecological and financial goals.

He added that a campaign on social entrepreneurship should be promoted to form a sustainable partnership between the government and private sector on poverty reduction.

Sr. Tina Esparcia of Cebu Fair Trade Network said that the fair trade has helped the 17 members of their organization to play in the mainstream market.

She added that the pricing of their goods has remained a challenge for small producers against the big industry players.

“If not because of the fair trade, we will remain as disadvantaged producers against those big companies,” she said. 

To help address market accessibility, SPFTC established the Fair Trade Shop that houses the natural and eco-friendly products of 97 small producers in the country with 28 small organizations in Cebu. Meanwhile, SPFTC will organize two major events in celebration of the World Fair Trade Day this month of May.

During the global celebration of the World Fair Trade Day which falls on May 11, event organizers shall hold “Tianggehan sa Fair Trade and Social Enterprise” at the Fair Trade Shop Cebu on the same day.

A solidarity dinner will serve as a culminating event on May 25 at Lakwatsa Resto Lounge that is intended to gather around 200 representatives and members of development organizations, church, academe, government, private sector, women, youth, and civil society communities.

Labradores said that they will also hold a one-million target signature campaign on having a local ordinance that supports the bill. /JOB (FREEMAN)