It is a fact. Food production is a priority. And this concerns the coop most. For this is not only about food security. This is also about the plight of the members in the agricultural sector.

Cebu Peoples Coop developed the Farm Financing Loan program out of its concern of the issue at hand. It is pained seeing members in the agricultural sector wanting for livelihood support in order to improve their productive endeavors in the rural areas. Succinctly, this provided the impetus for the program.

The Farm Financing Loan Program aims to support the farming activities of the farmer-members of high yielding cash crops. It shall cover from land preparation, planting, farm maintenance and up to crop harvesting. Farmers who are into livestock and poultry production are also eligible under this loan program. However, as a counterpart, they must provide the space and the necessary structure to start the business while Cebu Peoples Coop finances the purchase of the needed farm inputs and supplies the working capital.

“ANG PISONG TINIGOM KARON, AKONG KAUGMAON PUHON”. It is about hope, determination and success. This is the essence of this noble project. And Cebu Peoples Coop and its partners should be praised. For the success of the program means redemption of the poor from the abyss of abject poverty. Yet, Cebu Peoples Coop brought them that glimmer of hope, the ultimate reason for being of cooperatives.

This is the advocacy of Cebu Peoples Cooperative. It invests in this commitment. For this is the real essence of being cooperative. This is an invitation to socially conscious individuals and institutions to join us and give yourself the opportunity to experience a different kind of joy. Invest in Peoples Coop, and help rebuild peoples lives by realizing their dreams.

Cebu Peoples Cooperative is now in its almost four decades of finding innovative ways to effectively carry out its mandate of uplifting peoples lives especially the poor. But it has always been faced with the challenge of striking a balance between organizational survival and serving the poor or good business returns versus social development. The investors also need to earn to entice them to continue to place their money in the cooperative while financing the social needs of the marginalized members.

But today, the leadership and management have realized that it need not choose which one is a priority. For people development programs can be good business products too. It only requires in depth understanding of the real need and situation of the poor coupled with little imagination on the kind of risk and control to install. Patience by management in every step of the way, is the final ingredient for the program’s success.

Take a look at the Coop’s Pangkabuhayan Loan Packages. It is keenly designed to meet the varying social conditions of the target market. Imagine a tricycle, jeepney or taxi driver with nothing except himself and his driver’s license. With Peoples Coop’s Rent-to-Own loan program, after a simple but meaningful family and life changing educational process a driver can walk out from the door of the coop and drive his own vehicle.

 PEOPLE'S COOP ENTREPRENEUR DEVELOPMENT CENTER

AREAS OF CONCERN OF THE COOP

1. Savings and Credit programs
   1. Financing programs (refer to the list of loan products and articles)
   2. Savings products (savings for future needs and events)
2. Business Ventures
   1. Manpower and General Services (Cebu East Asia Services, Corp.)
   2. MyCoop Homes ( Blessed Sacrament Residences)
   3. Member-Produce Distribution and Marketing (Urban Poor Livelihood and Fairtrade (UPLUFT) Project
   4. Coop Accounting System (KoopCAS)
   5. Health Care Services
   6. MyCoop Pharmacy
3. Entrepreneur Development Support Services
   1. Training
   2. Consultancy
   3. Technology
   4. Business facilitation
4. Social Welfare Services
   1. Health Care Services
   2. College Education Support Program
   3. Mortuary/calamity assistance
   4. Piso-Piso Tigom Program
   5. Formation Of Cooperative Officers, Staff and Members (FOCOSM)
   6. Community Outreach Program

Cebu Peoples Coop is developing and supporting businesses that are responding to the advocacy of the cooperative.