CHRISTMAS shopping may not only bring joy to a loved one but also help indigenous people, traditional weavers, craftsmen, farmers, and mothers in underprivileged communities.

The BPI Foundation, the social innovation platform arm of the Bank of the Philippines (BPI), will host the third Sinag ng Pasko bazaar on Dec. 13 at the Palm Drive Activity Center, Glorietta 2, Makati City. This year’s one-day holiday bazaar will feature 40 Filipino social enterprises focusing on food, fashion and accessories, and assorted gift items.

Many of the participating enterprises have undergone BPI’s Sinag Accelerate, a program that is aimed at discovering and empowering social entrepreneurs to expand their businesses to have further impact on community development.

The participating social enterprises include CustomMade Crafts which specializes in handmade products designed with traditional weaves; Akaba, which makes high quality travel bags made with hand-woven textiles; Accents and Petals, which features flowers created made from recycled wood and paper by the Ifugao community; and Tsaa Laya, tea made from local mint and organic Tinaw-on rice harvested from the Banaue rice terraces.

“The Sinag ng Pasko bazaar is about gathering businesses that can make people feel good about themselves,” BPI Foundation Communications/Project Officer Dorina Carita Z. Funk said during her presentation on Nov. 23 at Hineleban Café in Makati City. “[You] got your product, [you] have your gifts, and at the same time, [you] also get to help a lot of people.”

The bazaar will include a program where artisans and entrepreneurs will talk about their businesses, and some fun activities. The enterprises will also offer Christmas bundles and discounts. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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