Fair Trade

The recent press conference on the first Annual Francisco Gainza Trade Fair provided an opportunity to clarify not only its relevance to the celebration of the Peñafrancia Fiesta, but also to explain the presence of commerce during the religious festivity.

It was explained in the press conference that the current trade fair was began by Nueva Caceres Bishop Francisco Gainza in 1875 with the intent of showcasing the agricultural and industrial products-the wealth-of his diocese. With the upcoming 300th year of celebrating the devotion to Ina, the local Church saw it fit to reintroduce the trade fair as an effort to live the faith by installing programs and activities towards alleviating the poverty of her community members.

It has been asked, however, if the trade fair is yet another form of "commercialization of the Fiesta" which the Church and other concerned sectors had opposed in recent years, that is, it exploits the celebration of the Peñafrancia devotion-even INA and her image-as an opportunity and marketing tools to gain profit. The clarification provided by Fr. Nelson Tria, the Chair of the Gainza Trade Fair, proved insightful on this regard.

He explained that the Trade Fair was aimed at providing a venue and fair chance to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs to showcase their products. The Gainza Trade Fair allows these not-so-known and small-scale local businesses to compete in the local market that is often already crowded by well-entrenched and large businesses. In effect, the Gainza Trade Fair is to afford these local small players a fighting chance in a highly competitive market. The Trade Fair is thus directed towards establishing "fair trade" for these small local players, one which is hoped to help in alleviating poverty in the community.

Fr. Tria thus implied that the Trade Fair is to engage in commerce during the Fiesta without the commercialization of the Fiesta. One good reason for this is that the intent behind it is not the exploitation of INA's Fiesta solely towards profit-making. Rather, it is "to build God's Kingdom by alleviating poverty through entrepreneurship and solidarity that promote integral development."  This is no mere semantics. Such a difference is indeed important in distinguishing commerce that dehumanizes and commerce that contributes towards integral human development, the aim of the Catholic faith.