Organic lifestyle is for Filipino workers too!

There are already many organic products including food and basic household supplies; available for Filipino households today. Many of these products are developed and produced by Filipino communities and innovators.

They are healthy and safe; produced and marketed in ways that sustain and protect the natural environment, the communities and workers that produce them.

However, we are told that organic products are only for the rich because they cost higher than the regularly available products. This is not because of production costs, but because of the lower market demand. In short, while organic products can be made available, not too many of us prefer and look for them when we buy. This is what is weakening the organic industry in the country.

Filipino workers, mostly poor, have the same rights as more affluent Filipino families for healthier, safer and better products for our consumption. Organic products are also for Filipino workers! We can have it if we demand for it as consumers. The key is to link organic producers to organic consumers directly.

LABOREM RESPONSE...

In response to this problem, the LABOREM's Ecology and Environment Committee plans to promote organic lifestyle among our members and members of other workers' organizations in the next two (2) years. Workers will then become catalyst in building a stronger consumer base who will buy from organic producers and make the organic industry more viable, thus, the price of organic products more affordable to all.

We intend to organize the following:

• Promote organic lifestyle & enterprise education to LABOREM chapters and members
• Partner with chapters to organize ORGANIC FAIRS in their unions assemblies, meetings leading to regular ORGANIC SHOP enterprises within chapter and across LABOREM

As a kick-off event, we would like to invite all LABOREM members and the public on June 21 (Saturday) from 9am to 3pm at the Organic Center in AANI Herbal Garden inside the Quezon Memorial Circle to the:

ORGANIC FORUM & BUSINESS NETWORKING MEETING
Back to Back with the Orientation and Planning Meeting of the LABOREM Ecology and Environment Committee

This event is being organized in partnership with the Organic Alliance (OA), and Partido Kalikasan Institute Inc.

Tentative Program

Program starts at 9am

• Introduction on the Challenges & Opportunities of the Organic Industry to Workers Organizations
• Talk on the Rice Crisis and the Organic Rice vs. GM (Genetically Modified) Rice Options
• Product and Business Partnership Presentations by Invited Organic Food and Organic Household Product Manufacturers & Marketers

1pm - 3pm:

• LABOREM Ecology and Environment Committee Orientation and Action Planning Workshop for the 2008-2009 Workplan.