Bayanihan spirit gives cooperative new lease on life
A cooperative, through its downfall, has proven that it can rise up again and deliver its services to its member.
Palamis Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) was organized on September 20, 2002 as a partner-organization of Agrarian Reform Cooperative (ARC) Bayanihan in Alaminos City, Pangasinan with 31 members. It offered lending services and sold longganisa and rice to its members.
Unfortunately, Palamis MPC failed to sustain its services due to mismanagement, resulting to the loss of confidence among its members.
“May mga kina-conduct naman pong mga meetings at general assembly, kaya nga lang, mangilan-ngilan lang po ang pumupunta kasi hindi organized,” said former Palamis MPC member Lauriano B. Aglibot.
Through the initiative of Aglibot, and with the help of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Palamis MPC was revived under a new name, the Bayanihan Hundred Islands Agrarian Reform Cooperative (BHIARC). Aglibot was elected as its chairman.
”Nagkaroon ng assessment ang DAR at nai-declare na patay na itong Palamis MPC. Wala na kasing gustong mag-miyembro kasi ang paniwala nila, iyong Palamis MPC ay pag-aari lang ng mga taga-Palamis at saka wala silang nakikitang improvement. Kaya iyon, pinalitan namin ‘yung pangalan ng kooperatiba.” Aglibot said.
“Hindi functional ang management and staff noon. Nahirapan iyong mga miyembro ng board of directors na i-manage at alagaan iyong cooperative. Marami rin silang pinautang na hindi nasingil kaya ito nalugi at kalauna’y tumigil na nga iyong kanilang operation,” added BHIARC Manager Christian C. Cantillero.
But starting all over again was not an easy task.
“Nahirapan akong mag-recruit ng mga bagong miyembro. Ang karamihan sa kanila, walang pambayad sa membership fee at sa share capital,” Aglibot recalled.
“Pero hindi ako sumuko sa pakikipag-usap sa kanila. Kung may sampung tao akong makahaharap, sampung ugali rin ang ihahanda ko. Hanggang sa napapayag ko silang sumapi muli at nakabuo kami ng camaraderie,” he added.
It is this strong camaraderie that carried them through adversity, another testimony that building up social capital of an organization can go a long way.
Restarting the cooperative required them to submit documentary requirements and create a functional management staff. With the help of the DAR, staff members were trained as development officers, bookkeepers and managers. They were also able to accomplish the requirements for their registration to the CDA.
In 2010, the BHIARC was finally registered. It also became a partner organization of the DAR to implement its farm-to-market road project, post-harvest facility, irrigation and agribusiness development projects under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP), then on its third phase of implementation.
The project delivered many development interventions like capability building and infrastructure which greatly benefited the cooperative.
The BHIARC also forged a partnership with the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) in the microfinance innovation.
Today, BHIARC has a total active member of 1,131 only 95 in 2010. The recruited members were not only from the city of Alaminos but also from neighboring towns of Sual, Mabini, Dasol, Agno, Bolinao, Burgos, and Anda.
As of December 2018, the cooperative’s net income is P649,160.95, gaining a net income of P48, 238.33 in 2017. The services offered to its members are lending under MICOOP (Microfinance Innovation in Cooperative), a partnership program of DAR and NATTCCO.
They have also received recognitions in the province like the Information Technology Enhanced Maturity Assessment (ITEMA) where they were proclaimed third place among the participating ARBOs.
These achievements are made possible because Bayanihan Hundred Islands Agrarian Reform Cooperative stands firm in its commitment to extend the best services to its members.
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