DAR-Masbate Official Web Site

Women's Club Blossoms into a Successful Cooperative

The Evolution

It has started as a social club, it is now a successful cooperative. The club then was engaged in community development works, it has evolved into a multi-purpose cooperative addressing various programs.

In 1996, the Candelaria Rural Improvement Club (RIC) was formed with 18 members. The activities then were limited to managing fiesta celebrations, women's month, UN month, beauty contests and other barangay and home activities.

When Marife L. Bonsorbe assumed leadership of the club in 1998, it had metamorphosed into community development works in Candelaria, Uson, Masbate.

It spearheaded feeding programs, health care information campaign, latrine construction, dressmaking training, reforestation, barangay beautification, concreting of school fence, self-help lantern making, assisting local midwives and agrarian dispute settlement.

The club became known as the Candelaria RIC Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CRICMPC) when it was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority on November 21, 2006.

Relending: The First Business Venture

Its first business venture was relending when all original members contributed a minimum of P20.00 each as Capital Build-Up (CBU) which was eventually loaned out to its members.

It lent to original members on a rotation basis with 5% interest per month which was payable in three months. The maximum loanable amount then was five times the original contribution. No default payment has ever been recorded.

As the years went by, the coop membership increaed to 50 and the relending business expanded to non-members.

It has now classified the loans into three categories: emergency, educational and production loans

From the minimum contribution of P20.00, the capital build-up (CBU) increased to a minimum of P500.00 per member. The maximum loanable amount, however, is still five times the CBU which is also payable in three months but the interest rate was lowered to 3% per month. Again, no record of default payment was noted.

Livestock Raising Project

The Department of Agriculture (DA) who initiated the formation of the RIC in 1996 noted the coops fast development and genuine concern not only for its members but for the community as well. Through the DA's Women's Livelihood Assistance Program, it granted a P15,000.00 loan for its goat raising project with 15 original beneficiaries availed of the program and were able to pay on time. It is now a continuing enterprise contributing to the family's income.

Learning lessons from the goat raising project, the coop expanded into swine and cow dispersal program and eventually into a carabao breeding program.

The animal dispersal expansion started with one piglet granted by the RIC Municipal Federation and two cows bought from its own resources.

As of now, 26 members have availed of the swine and cow dispersal project with the recipient paying three piglets and returning the cara cow (mother cow) to the coop after calving. The carabao then shall be transferred to another member, on a continuing and rotation basis.

The coop is lucky to be granted a cara bull, (hybrid murah-buffalo) for its Carabao Upgrading Project by the Philippine Carabao Breeding Center. coursed through the Masbate Breeding Center in Milagros.The cara-bull now a steady source of additional income of the coop because it charges a minimal P200.00 per impregnation. Farmers in Candelaria and neighboring barangays welcomed the project for it will upgrade their work animals.

The coop is now venturing into a more classy and global focused business venture by producing home decors and novelty items using corn-by products as raw materials.

Dubbed as the Corn By-Products Utilization Project, the DA and DAR are collaborating to ensure the success of this endeavor. DA concentrates on improving the technology while DAR, through the Provincial Marketing Officer, is focusing on identifying possible markets.

In its infancy stage, the products specially the artificial flowers are being sold as decorations for graduation rites, weddings, barangay fiestas, Christmas parties, office and home decors. Teachers and barangay officials are the regular buyers while government employees are starting to appreciate the products.

Awards and Citations

The organization and its President have reaped awards and citations since it was a social club up to the time it became a cooperative, some with corresponding cash prizes that financed its projects.

The organization, since its inception as a rural improvement club, had received awards with corresponding cash prizes:

On 22 June 2001, the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC) awarded P50,000.00 to the RIC for its commitment to pursue livelihood programs in the community.

Part of the amount (P26,000.00) was spent to rehabilitate the old RIC Training and the remaining P24,000.00 was used to buy two cows for its livestock project as earlier reported. The cows have since produced six calves.

On 5 March 2002, a P150,000.00 cash prize was again awarded by NAFC for being an outstanding organization.

The amount of P120,000.00 from that cash award was spent to improve the goat raising project by purchasing high breed goats, trainings on goat raising and other incidental expenses.

The remaining P30,000.00 was used to buy a 300 sq. meter lot where the new cooperative training center is now erected.

On 18 July 2005, DSWD CIDSS awarded P350.000.00 for being an outstanding cooperative. It used the amount to construct the new CRICMPC Training Center with P112,000.00 as the coop's counterpart fund.

Loans That Were Paid on Time

It is easy for the organization to avail different kinds of loans because of its 100% repayment record.

In 2001, it availed of a cash loan of P100,000.00 from the Multi-Livestock Development Loan Program of DA. The loan was used to financed the cow and carabao loan project availed by some members at 10% interest per annum, and payable in three years. Before its maturity, all recipients of the program have paid their loans in full.

The coop now has an estimated asset of no less than 1.2 million. It only maintains a monthly cash on hand of P10,000.00 for operational expenses believing in the principle that money in the hands of those in need will help in their economic activities that would result in better family life.

DAR-WORLD BANK-ARCDP2 Assistance

In October 2005, the coop received assistance from the DAR through the Second Agrarian Reform Communities Development Project (ARCDP2), a World Bank assisted project, 12 does and one buck for its livestock project with financial provision for a goat house and perimeter fence.

It has since produced 14 kids for dispersal to other members on its 2nd stage dispersal scheme.

The ARCDP2 Provincial Project Office of Masbate is now on the preparatory stage for the Swine Assistance Program to the Coop.It has also provided trainings to the coop's officers and members on Integrated Pest Management through the Farmers Field School of DA, bookkeeping, Barangay Implementing Team Seminar-Workshop, Pineapple Production Trainings through cross visits to pineapple producing provinces and other community development and capacity building seminars.

It has helped established a mini-nursery for its pineapple production project that would serve as research and field laboratory for farmers who are willing to engage in pineapple production.

Breaking Through the Barriers

Barangay Candelaria in Uson, Masbate is 6 kilometers away from the Poblacion. One can reach the place then through a long trek by horse or carabao, since there was no established road and because of its rugged terrain. But this scenario was not at all a hindrance for someone who has the initiative, strong will and determination to alleviate poverty.

Marife L. Bonsorbe or "Pinky" as she is fondly called by friends is an epitome of a woman with strength and disposition. When she was a child she could vividly recall the times when her mother died and how the family survived the loss. At a tender age she learned how to cope up various challenges in life with might and glory. She finished elementary through her own effort and was able to find a job as a saleslady. She has to eke it out to earn for their subsistence and after working for five years she has managed to save a small amount for her schooling. Age and size did not deter her dreams to pursue high school. She finished high school with honors and only in two years as she passed the battery of tests for acceleration. She married at the age of 20 to Paterno Bonsorbe and finally decided to settle in this place. Her husband is a farmer while Pinky is engaged in selling dried fish and farm products.

A stroke of circumstances changed their lives when in1982, their crops were devastated by the long dry spell. Since then, they were disappointed to venture into farming. They tried their luck in Metro Manila but it seems luck was really evasive and they decided to return to Masbate after a year…. to start all over again.

At sunset, Pinky would sit by the window wildly wondering what will happen tomorrow and in the future. Her greatest concern was her children - what would become of them when they grow up. Her only strength during gloomy days was God. Everyday she could see her neighbors getting sick, malnourished children without getting any assistance. She could see women and children roaming around seemingly without direction.

One day, just like a miracle the whole darkness disappeared and the dawn of the new day seemed to appear, when she was chosen as volunteer health worker in their barangay. Without hesitation she agreed to undergo trainings despite the odds of having a five-month old baby to attend to. After the training she first conducted a survey of the barangay and she found out that more problems is besetting their place, these include: environmental sanitation, lack of health and nutrition education, rampant cutting of trees, lack of modern agriculture and fishery technologies and agrarian disputes.

As volunteer health worker, she initially helped in implementing health related programs. She initiated the construction of sanitary toilets through the Department of Health and the Philippine National Red Cross benefitting some 48 families. She initiated the establishment of Botika sa Barangay which sells over the counter medicines. She was able to source out some P50,000.00 from the Canadian Red Cross in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Candelaria, Uson, Masbate.

A series of trainings and seminars were initiated by Pinky to mothers in their barangay on health and nutrition. She imparted to them what she learned from her trainings on how to prepare simple, less expensive but nutritious foods for their children. She also taught them basic health care tips. She vigorously implemented the Operation Timbang and the Expanded Program for Immunization. Her effort paid off when the women themselves decided to organize into a group. So, she requested from the Department of Agriculture in Uson, Masbate for assistance to organize the women in Candelaria as a Rural Improvement Club (RIC). Her leadership was again sought after by the women in their place when she was elected president of the RIC.

As president of the club, Pinky pursued several projects namely: Swine Raising Project with an initial funding from the Municipal RIC Federation of Masbate; Goat Raising Project funded by the Women Livelihood Assistance Program and the Mini Garments Factory funded by the LGU of Uson. In addition, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development where she was designated Center Chief and later promoted Mutual Benefit Association Coordinator released an initial funding of P500,000.00 for relending to finance livelihood projects benefiting some 32 members with 100% repayment. Said projects have given the rural women of Candelaria an additional source of income for their family.

Aside from livelihood projects, Pinky through her own efforts was able to source funds from DSWD CIDDS Project amounting to P315,000.00 for the construction of the Candelaria RIC Multi-Purpose Cooperative Training Center. Lately, they were able to purchase a 300 sq. meter lot for the Training Center.

Success does not happen overnight, one has to work for it and Pinky's efforts paid off when she was elected as the top Kagawad in their barangay. At present, she is the chair of the Committee on Health, Vice President of the Municipal Federation of BHW, President of the Municipal Federation of RIC and President of the Candelaria RIC Multi-Purpose Cooperative. She initiated the "Luntian sa Barangay Project" wherein some 50 families raised vegetables supplying the vegetables needs of the community. She also initiated the mahogany reforestation project and the relending/financial assistance to coop and non-coop members out of the profits, awards and proceeds from raffle.

Pinky is really destined to serve, she was also designated secretary of the Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee where she helped in the amicable settlement of agrarian disputes. She is an active member of the Barangay Implementing Team tasked to monitor and maintain government infrastructure projects of the DAR-ARCDP2. She is also a member of the Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council where she participate in discussing issues and concerns on agriculture and fisheries and same were addressed to appropriate offices.

She has joined Lakbay-Aral tours inVISCA Balbay, Leyte, Albay and Camarines Provinces and as an offshoot she established a sweet potato and pineapple nurseries in Candelaria. She is always attuned with new technologies in agriculture because she never misses a training. The truth is, she is an active participant of IPM Kasakalikasan Farmers Field School of DA-DAR. She also actively participated in the FMD School on the Air Program of DA.

Another plus factor for Pinky, is her talent on women empowerment issues which earned her a trip to Japan on July 8-23, 2002 for a short term training program for leaders of women's group in rural areas. The trip was sponsored by DA and the LGU of Uson. She was also picked-up as one of the two women in Masbate to attend a five and a half day training course on "Trainers' Training on Gender-Based Effectiveness Skills Training (G-BEST) at Ciudad Christia, San Mateo Rizal on November 27-December 2, 2006. DAR-ARCDP2, who sponsored her expenses, aims to further develop and strengthen her capabilities as trainor and at the same time carry on the projects' initiative in terms of gender mainstreaming.

Bonsorbe is very confident about the capacity of women, when empowered and harnessed can be potent partner in achieving higher productivity and income. That women farmers are a strong force that can impact the lives of people in the agricultural sector.

Under her stewardship, Candelaria RIC Multi-Purpose Cooperative garnered prestigious local, regional and national awards namely, Outstanding Women Organization, Outstanding RIC President, National Outstanding RIC, Outstanding Performance as RIC Municipal Federation President.

All her work, contributions, and achievements asRIC president, community worker, progressive farmer and by impacting the lives of many farmers and the community members as well, won for her the recognition as Katangi-Tanging Babae sa Kanayunan 2000.

Despite the many responsibilities and multiplicity of her functions at home and in the community, Pinky has managed to cope up well, simply by proper allocation of time and resources.

"Five years from now, I wish to see Barangay Candelaria a sustainable agrarian reform community where every household is busy with economic activity, where every family eats three times a day, where every child is in school and malnutrition problem a thing of the past, "said Pinky if her vision.

Indeed, it is noteworthy to mention that Pinky was able to surmount the barriers through her networking and linkages with government agencies and NGOs. But what count most is Pinky's sincerity and dedication to be of service to the people of Candelaria.