PILI, CAMARINES SUR—When the COVID19-pandemic broke out, agrifood production was severely affected, creating a challenging environment. For most farm producers and businesses, pulling through the crisis was a matter of survival. Changes were brewing to forestall the gloomy situation.

However, some agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations like the Tinangis Upland Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (TUFAC), a group of 20 members, 15 of whom are female, in the Upper Barangay of Tinangis in Pili, Camarines Sur, turned this adversity into opportunity.

Scared that TUFAC and their members might face a barrage of threats in the future, causing havoc on their farm incomes and the local economy, they immediately shifted their focus to long-term 'out of the box' or alternative solutions, such as operating a small bakery project, in order to keep their organization afloat and survive the crisis.

TUFAC General Manager Maria Mercedita Violeta, who led the female farmers, established a bakery business with assistance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance to ARBs Project. 

“We had no idea what to do back then to start our own small business. We appear to be losing our courage, as nothing appears to be happening regardless of what we do. However, with the assistance of DAR, we were able to realize that we need to focus on our bakery project because everyone needs to eat amidst this crisis,” she said.

The group's steadfast commitment and determination helped the coop overcome adversities that allowed their small business to prosper and earn a whopping Php 803,502.00 in one year and a half after it was launched on July 8, 2020, which coincided with the pandemic's onslaught.

In a report, the bakery's average monthly sales were recorded at Php 44,639.00.

The bakery started delivering pastries such as pan de coco, spanish bread, pan legaspi, pinagong, choco bread, halfmoon, sliced bread, chiffon cake, and cassava cake to Centro Tinangis and Zones 3 to 5 through three motorized transporters that were also awarded as part of the same project by DAR.

Because their baked goods are delicious and reasonably priced at Php 2.00 pesos for small sizes and 5.00 pesos for larger sizes, the coop ultimately began delivering to the nearby villages of Barangay Curry, Sitio Bungkaw, and relocation sites.

"We were able to deliver to these areas throughout the sugarcane harvest season," Violeta said. Even though we sold our products only locally, they quickly sold out. We were not obliged to seek new markets, as our loaves of bread were in such high demand."

She disclosed that the secret to their tasty bread lies in the ingredients and added that all they can guarantee is that their recipes will not be changed, even if it means earning less profit; they will never, ever compromise on the quality of their items their customers have learned to appreciate.

She further stated that the bakery provided not only extra income for beneficiaries' families but also opportunities for women's empowerment.

Felicidad Buenafe, a 43-year-old farmer and baker, explained that each loaf is the result of TUFAC members' cooperation. She said, she performs her regular errands to keep the bakery well-stocked with bread for sale.

"Every day I wake up early, about one o'clock in the morning, to prepare and start baking bread," Felicidad narrated. “I finished wrapping the products at 6:00 a.m. That is often how my day goes,” she added.

According to her, each TUFAC member has specific work assignments at the bakery to ensure its smooth and sustainable operation.

"We need to strengthen our cooperative now so that when the government stops assisting us and focuses on other cooperatives, we can stand on our own," she said.

Felicidad added that the cooperative and their families like to express their gratitude to everyone who has assisted them along the way, particularly DAR—from cultivating vegetables to establishing the piggery to founding this baking business as it greatly helped their cooperative's income, and it gave them the courage to get out of poverty.

Apart from the bakery, TUFAC also continuously provides loans to sugarcane planters up to Php150,000.00 at a 2% interest rate to cover land preparation and harvest season expenses.

The coop, which received a Php 300,000 grant from the Department of Labor and Employment for its rice trading venture, also lends rice to its members, 4Ps, and Indigenous Peoples. They make bimonthly payments to the cooperative.

TUFAC, which has 55 active members, was organized and registered with the Cooperative Development Authority on March 25, 2012.

PILI, CAMARINES SUR—Nang umatake ang pandemyang COVID19, ang agrifood production ay naapektuhan ng husto, kung saan lumikha ito ng malaking hamon. Karamihan sa mga producer at negosyo, ang makahulagpos sa krisis ay upang makaraos lamang.

 Subalit, ilang agrarian reform beneficiaries organization tulad ng Tinangis Upland Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (TUFAC), isang grupo ng 20 kasapi, kung saan 15 dito ay mga kababaihan, sa Upper Barangay ngTinangis sa Pili, Camarines Sur, ay ginawang oportunidad ang nangyayaring kagipitan.

Dahil sa takot na ang TUFAC at mga kasapi nito ay mahaharap sa mga problema pagdating ng panahon, na maaaring makaapekto sa kanilang kita sa bukirin at sa lokal na ekonomiya, agad silang nag-focus sa long-term 'out of the box' o alternatibong solusyon, tualad ng pamamahala sa isang maliit na bakery project, upang mapanatili na kanilang organisasyon ay makaraos sa krisis.

Ayon kay TUFAC General Manager Maria Mercedita Violeta, na namuno sa mga kababaihang-magsasaka, nagtayo sila ng bakery business sa tulong Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) at Department of Social Welfare and Development sa pamamagitan ng Convergence on Livelihood Assistance to ARBs Project.

“Wala kaming ideya kung paano simulan ang maliit na negosyo noon. Nawawalan ng kami ng lakas ng loob dahil sa parang walang nagyayari sa amin. Sa tulong ng DAR, naisip namin na mag-focus sa bakery project dahil lahat ay kailangan kumain sa gitna ng pandemya,” aniya.

Ang matibay na commitment at determinasyon ng grupo ang nanaig, kahit oras ng kagipitan, upang kumita sila ng Php 803,502.00 sa loob ng isa’t kalahating taon kung saan inilunsad ito noong Hulyo 8, 2020, sa simula ng pananalasa ng pandemya.

Sa kanilang ulat, ang bakery ay may karaniwang buwanang benta na Php 44,639.00.

Nagsimula silang maghatid ng kanilang mga paninda gaya ng pan de coco, spanish bread, pan legaspi, pinagong, choco bread, halfmoon, sliced bread, chiffon cake, at cassava cake sa Centro Tinangis at Zone 3 hanggang 5 sa pamamagitan ng motorized transporters na ipinagkaloob din sa kanila ng DAR.

Dahil sa lasa ng kanilang baked goods sa murang halaga nito na Php 2.00 para sa maliit na tinapay at Php 5.00 sa mas malaki, ang coop ay nagsimula na ring mag-deliver sa mga kalapait na komunidad ng Barangay Curry, Sitio Bungkaw, at mga relocation site.

"Nakapagde-deliver kami sa mga lugar na ito sa kabuuan ng sugarcane harvest season," ani Violeta. “Kahit na ang benta namin sa lokal na lugar lamang, nauubos ito agad. Hindi kami obligadong maghanap ng bagong market dahil mataas ang demand ng aming mga tinapay.”

Inilahad niya na ang sikreto ng kanilang malasang tinapay ay nasa sangkap nito, aniya, kahit barya-barya lamang ang kanilang ganansiya ay hindi nila babaguhin ang timpla ng kanilang mga tinapay dahil nakasanayan na ito ng mga customer.

Binigyang diin din niya na hindi lamang nagbigay ng karagdagang kita sa kanila ang bakery, nagbigay din ito ng oprtunidad na palakasin ang samahan ng mga kababaihan.

Ipinaliwanang naman ni Felicidad Buenafe, 43-taong gulang na magsasaka at baker, na ang bawat tinapay ay resulta ng koopreasyon ng mga kasapi ng TUFAC. Aniya ginagampanan niya ang regular na gawain upang mapanatili na may stock ang kanilang bakery.

"Araw-araw gumigising ako ng mga ala-una ng umaga upang maghanda at magsimula sa paggawa ng tinapay,” lahad ni Felicidad. “Natatapos ako sa pagbabalot ng mga paninda ng alas-sais ng umaga. Ganoon ang takbo ng araw ko,” aniya.

Aniya, bawat miyembro ng TUFAC ay may kanya-kanyang work assignment sa bakery upang matiyak ang maayos nitong operasyon.

"Kailangan naming palakasin ang kooperatiba ngayon upang kahit tumigil na ang pamahalaan sa paggabay sa amin, at kailangan na nilang mag-focus sa ibang kooperatiba, ay kaya na naming tumayo sa aming mga sarili,” aniya.

Ani Flicidad ang kooperatibang ito at ang kanilang mga pamilya ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat lalung-lalo na sa DAR, na talagang tumulong sa kanila mula sa pagtatanim ng mga gulay, sa pagpundar ng piggery hanggang sa pagbubukas nitong bakery. Nadagdagan po ang income ng aming cooperative at nabigyan po kami ng lakas-loob na magpursigi upang makatakas kami sa kahirapan.

Bukod sa bakery, nagpapautang din ang TUFAC sa mga sugarcane planters na aabot sa Php150,000.00 at may 2% interest rate upang masakop ang gastos sa paghahanda sa lupa at panahon ng pag-aani.

Ang coop, na tumanggap ng Php 300,000 grant mula sa Department of Labor and Employment sa rice trading venture, ay nagpapahiram din ng bigas sa mga miyembro nito, 4Ps, at mga miyembro ng katutubo. Nagbabayad sila ng dawang beses kada buwan sa kooperatiba.

Ang TUFAC, na may 55 aktibong miyembro, ay naorganisa at narehistro sa Cooperative Development Authority noong March 25, 2012.