OUTSTANDING COOPS IN LOCAL COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AWARDED IN THE SENATE

Seventeen cooperatives from all over the country were recognized in the COOP-LGU Partnership Awards (CLPA) 2006 held at the Senate on January 23, 2007.

The seventeen cooperatives qualified for the CLPA 2006 Awards after a grueling nationwide site validation process conducted by government and academic institutions recently.

The CLPA recognizes and awards outstanding cooperatives that have joined hands with local governments in implementing social and economic development projects in local communities.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. is spearheading the CLPA in collaboration with the Land Bank of the Philippines, UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, PUP College of Cooperatives, Cooperative Development Authority, and Touch Mobile.

Senate officials led by Senate President Manny Villar and Senator Pimentel awarded three Most Outstanding Cooperatives for their efforts in alleviating poverty and promoting local development.

Paglaum Multipurpose Cooperative and the provincial government of Misamis Occidental received the Most Outstanding Cooperative-LGU Partnership Award (provincial category) for their electrification project and the rehabilitation of the coconut industry in the area. PMC grew from its original membership of 35 indigent individuals who contributed P2,000 into a cooperative with 13,000 members and assets of more than P50M.

Pavia Entrepreneurs Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PEMPC) won in the municipal category for organizing the vendors in the Pavia public market and facilitating the issuance of business permits, the SSS and PhilHealth contributions, and providing cheap credit to its members. The increase in local revenue collections lessened the dependence of the municipality on the internal revenue allotment (IRA) coming from the national government. The PEMPC which recently won as Outstanding Coop in Iloilo will manage the Pavia public market through a contract with the municipal government starting this year.

San Dionisio Credit Cooperative of Paraaque City won in the city category for its active participation in local governance, particularly in successfully lobbying for the creation of a city cooperative office, training of cooperative leaders, and values education in the school system.

The winners for each category received a cash grant of P200,000 and a plaque of recognition at the awarding ceremonies from Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. and Senate President Manuel Villar at the Senate on January 23, 2007. The partner local government units were likewise recognized during this occasion.

Fourteen other cooperatives were awarded as Outstanding Cooperatives in three categories. The outstanding cooperatives who partnered with a province are Bongabong Coconut Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro; Cebu CFI Community Cooperative of Cebu City; Ipil Consumers Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay; and Mangloy Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Laak, Compostella Valley.

The outstanding cooperatives that partnered with a municipality are Dingle Government Workers Credit Cooperative of Dingle, Iloilo; Manatal Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Pandi, Bulacan; Maragusan Waterworks and Sanitation Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Maragusan, Compostella Valley; Maranding Women Investors Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Lala, Lanao del Norte; and Taba-ao Cuba Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Kapangan, Benguet.

Outstanding cooperatives in the city category are El Grande Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Catalunan Grande, Davao City; St. Jude Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Lucena, Quezon; San Jose Del Monte Kooperatiba ng Bayan sa Kaunlaran of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; Novaliches Development Cooperative of Quezon City and Napico Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Pasig City.

Pimentel lauded the winners and called on local governments to start working with cooperatives to alleviate poverty and end insurgency in their areas. The best anti-poverty and anti-insurgency programs emanate from projects that truly address the basic needs of people such as the provision of health services, potable water, electricity, and employment. The winning partnership projects between cooperatives and local governments show that poverty can be dramatically reduced if both share the objective of improving the quality of life in local communities, said Pimentel.

The cooperative and its partner local government unit were interviewed by a national steering committee composed of the following: Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines President Erico Aumentado, UP President Emerlinda Roman, Polytechnic University of the Philippines Vice President Dante Gedaria, Dr. Florangel Rosario-Braid of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication, Jeffrey Tarayao of Globe/Touch Mobile, UP NCPAG Dean Alex Brillantes, and Coop-LGU Project Director Prospero E. de Vera.