NATIONAL WINNER, PHILIPPINES: INCLUSIVE BUSINESS AWARD CATEGORY
Davao City, Philippines, September 2017 — Coffee for Peace, Inc., a social enterprise based in Davao City, was named National Winner and Regional Finalist in the Inclusive Business Award category during the 10th ASEAN Business Awards 2017 held at Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila. Organized by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), this year’s awards celebrated outstanding enterprises that contribute to inclusive growth and sustainable development across Southeast Asia.
By CFP InfoComm Team
This recognition affirms Coffee for Peace’s commitment to building peace through entrepreneurship. Founded by Felicitas “Joji” Bautista Pantoja and Luis Daniel “Lakan” Pantoja, the company has been transforming conflict-affected communities in Mindanao into zones of cooperation, productivity, and hope — one cup of coffee at a time.
Brewing Peace Through Inclusive Business
Coffee for Peace works with Indigenous Peoples, migrant settlers, and local communities in Mindanao who have been historically marginalized by conflict and poverty. The enterprise trains these farmers in sustainable coffee production, quality improvement, and post-harvest processing. Beyond technical skills, the farmers also learn peace and reconciliation principles — equipping them to become peace advocates in their own communities.
By purchasing coffee beans at fair prices and integrating these communities into its value chain, Coffee for Peace exemplifies the essence of inclusive business — ensuring that growth benefits those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. As ASEAN-BAC described it, the Inclusive Business category honors enterprises that “integrate low-income communities into their core business models.”
Transforming Livelihoods, Building Reconciliation
In less than a decade, Coffee for Peace has trained hundreds of farmers across Davao, Bukidnon, and Sultan Kudarat. Many of them now supply high-quality Arabica and Robusta beans to the growing Philippine specialty coffee market. These communities, once divided by conflict, now share a common identity as coffee entrepreneurs — their collaboration fostering social cohesion and mutual trust.
Coffee for Peace’s model also strengthens women’s participation in local economies. Women farmers, especially among Indigenous groups, are taking leadership roles in training, production, and marketing — further embodying the enterprise’s gender-inclusive approach.
Joji Pantoja: A Leader of Peace and Enterprise
At the heart of this mission is Joji Pantoja, Coffee for Peace’s President and Co-Founder. A former financial advisor in Canada, Joji returned to the Philippines to dedicate her life to peacebuilding and social entrepreneurship. Her philosophy is simple yet transformative:
“When there’s coffee, people sit down, talk, and listen. Through coffee, we create spaces for peace.”
Under her leadership, Coffee for Peace has become a model for businesses that blend profit with purpose. Joji’s passion for justice and reconciliation has earned her recognition from development organizations and peace networks across the region.
A Recognition for the Philippines, A Milestone for Peace
The ASEAN Business Awards 2017 placed Coffee for Peace among Southeast Asia’s most inspiring enterprises, acknowledging that peace and profit can coexist when business is guided by compassion, inclusion, and integrity.
For Joji and her team, this recognition is not merely a trophy — it is a reminder of their deeper mission:
“We dedicate this honor to the coffee farmers who dared to dream of peace while tending their land. Their courage and cooperation are the real awards.”
As ASEAN continues to promote inclusive economic growth, Coffee for Peace stands as a testament to how Filipino social enterprises can lead the way — transforming communities, one conversation and one cup of coffee at a time.
