March 5, 2010

  • My first major speaking engagement

    Event

    Creative Media Relations

    This morning, I had my first major speaking engagement. In front of Fair Trade executives and partners from all over the Philippines - with all three major islands/regions represented. If I am not wrong with my estimate, I believe there were around a hundred participants.

    The 2010 Annual Fair Trade Partners Conference (link here) is already on its fifth year, and this year they had it at Golden Prince Hotel and Suites in Cebu City. Today is their last day, and its the first day for me to join them, simply because I had this part.

    My talk was about media relations, encouraging the fair trade producers to build a relationship with the media and how they can do that. The reason of which is for them to get the most media mileage with their meager budget. As we all know, fair trade is, first and foremost, a cause and secondly a business. It's main reason for its existence is to help marginalized sectors (i.e. women, urban poor, farmers and disabled) find a sustainable alternative source of livelihood, and at the same time ensuring that in the process of trading no one is disadvantaged.

    Its an advocacy that's close to my heart, believing this to be the solution to poverty.

    Was I nervous? Surprisingly, I was not. I love talking in front. I've had other speaking engagements but mostly my audience are students, simply because my work, as Campus Watch/Kid Stuff editor of our local paper, exposes me more to them.

    Today was different, and I was like so satisfied with myself. After my talk, one of the members of the audience approached me asking me to also talk in the National Convention of their organization. Of course, how could I say no.

    The conference was organized by Advocates of Philippine Fair Trade and funded by CordAID.

    ***

    I will be on tour in the neighboring island of Bohol over the weekend, so I may be absent for a while. I am not sure if they have internet there, but surely I will be bringing my netbook and broadband plug-it with me.

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