PH Embassy in Oslo Meets with First Filipino Honouree of the 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award

Left photo: The President and CEO of the Davao-based Coffee for Peace, Incorporated Joji Bautista Pantoja (Photo courtesy of Coffee for Peace, Incorporated)

Right photo: Philippine Ambassador to Norway Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia and Embassy officers during the online meeting with Ms. Pantoja. (Oslo PE photo)

OSLO 07 October 2020 – “The idea began when we noticed that people talked and listened more over coffee. Walang nag-aaway kapag may kape”, shared Ms. Felicitas “Joji” Bautista Pantoja. Ms. Joji Pantoja has recently been recognized as one of the three honourees of the distinguished 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award. She is also the first Filipino to have been given the award.

In their announcement on 09 September 2020, the Business for Peace Foundation emphasized that this year’s Oslo Business for Peace awardees are not only successful entrepreneurs, but more importantly, leaders, and trailblazers who see their businesses as a tool for change. Aside from Ms. Pantoja, the other honourees are Mr. Marc Benioff, Co-Founder, Chair, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Salesforce (USA) and Dr. James Mwangi, CEO and Managing Director of Equity Bank (Kenya). (https://businessforpeace.no/award/2020-honourees/)

Ms. Joji Pantoja was recognized as the President and CEO of the Davao-based Coffee for Peace, Incorporated, a company established in 2008 which has employed around 880 coffee farmers with various migrant and indigenous backgrounds. Through Ms. Pantoja’s leadership, Coffee for Peace, Inc. has not only provided sustainable livelihood to indigent communities, but also ushered in dialogue and reconciliation among previously conflicting migrant and indigenous groups in Davao and other parts of Mindanao.

During their online meeting, Philippine Ambassador to Norway Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia congratulated Ms. Pantoja and the team behind the Coffee for Peace, Inc., for receiving the prestigious Oslo Business for Peace award and for their company’s peace and economic efforts in Mindanao. Ambassador Batoon-Garcia and Ms. Pantoja also discussed the possibility of bringing the “Coffee for Peace” brand to Norway, especially with the high-quality coffee beans grown in the Philippines.

Learn more about the Coffee for Peace, Incorporated at https://www.coffeeforpeace.com/. END

For more information, visit https://www.oslope.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinNorway/.