Community Crafts Association of the Philippines, Inc. Information

Founded in May 1973, CCAP is a strong proponent of Fair Trade principles in the Philippines seeking to ensure that small and marginalized craft producers are able to compete in the market. Of importance in its advocacy program is the strong developmental slant of Fair Trade because calling for fair wages, fair pricing of goods, gender equality and women empowerment, and protection of the environment, among others. CCAP is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization and its Asia body. It has four (4) advocacy agenda: • Producer Development which focuses on the providing capacity building to producer groups and ensuring compliance to Fair Trade principles; • Technology Assistance which provides appropriate tools and equipment to partner producer groups to enhance production efficiency; • Fair Trade Hub which extends business development services to other network and initiatives for Fair Trade promotion; and • Biz-Link Assistance which links producers to buyers whether Fair Trade of commercial, domestic or foreign providing orders for continuing livelihood. At present, CCAP partners with twenty-six (26) community-based producer groups from five (5) regions (Ilocos, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Bicol) representing more than nine hundred (900) producer-workers. It continues to source new potential partner-producers to engage in direct trading relations and to provide business development services to enhance the groups’ skills in organizational and enterprise development. CCAP likewise partners with institutions from government, business, civil society and churches to advocate Fair Trade, resilient and sustainable livelihood as well as other trade-related issues both internationally and domestically. Finally, CCAP works closely with its subsidiary organization, the CCAPFT, in the sense that CCAP develops the Fair Trade partnership with craft producers and recommends them for possible trading relations with CCAPFT.