COOPERATIVISM AND THE SPIRIT OF PEOPLE'S COOP
According to a Chinese Proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This line greatly applies to the nature of one cooperative that has been in existence for 36 years.
It was the 21st of December, 1972 when it began. There were only 26 individuals who decided to pool their money. Thirty-six years later, so much has changed. There are now thousands of individuals putting their money together to create more programs and services that will best suit their needs.
Such is the spirit of cooperativism and the spirit of People's Coop: the spirit of being the number one banking alternative where the spirit of “pagtinabangay,” exists. As what Pilar V. Yap shared with regards to her membership in People’s Coop. She is one of the pioneering members of the coop. She is also a chapter officer in the F.Llamas Branch.
Cebu People's Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CPMPC), or popularly known as "People's Coop," has grown over the years. The coop has provided economic and social services to Filipino households. In collaboration with local and global institutions, the coop gives members technical support, as well as leadership and skills trainings.
These programs and services uplift the economic and social status of members, employees, and the community by providing easy access to competitive financial services, appropriate technology and resources that best satisfy their needs. Their core values are that of FATE: Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Excellence.
To this date, People's Coop offers economic and social services to its members like savings programs, credit services, livelihood support program, Pangkabuhayan Program, housing program, business facilitator, family development & skills training (FOCOSM - Formation Of Cooperative Officers, Staff & Members). Under these major services come specific services like the project granting rent-to-own-a-taxi/jeepney/tricycle/pumpboat, which is used for income generation activities. There is also the Piso-Piso Tigom, Savings Aiming For Events, ASAP (Angkat Sa Puhunan), health care and hospitalization services, Family Planning and the Free Pre School Classes given to 5,050 indigent children.
At present, there are 14 business offices in Cebu City and Cebu Province. These branches are divided into nine geographical locations. These are Head Office, F. Llamas, Pasil, Blessed Sacrament, Salinas Drive, Mandaue, Tabunok, Lapu-Lapu, Talamban, Lilo-an, Bogo, Balamban, Carcar and Bantayan Island, the farthest town reached by People's Coop.
Each branch is headed by a branch manager, and has community chapters and institutional chapters. The more than 600 micro and center officers combined make up the zonal officers and macro officers.
In People’s Coop, there is the presence of give and take. The savings deposit, time deposits, share capital and loan payments of the members are sources of funds for the cooperative to create more programs and services. In short, People's Coop insures that the members are getting their money's worth. Despite the presence of the global economic crisis, People's Coop remains stable due to their MIGS or members' in good standing. These members translated their commitment into real action by faithfully complying with their pledges and religiously paying their obligations. Quevedo said that these are the members who truly understand the real purpose of People's Coop.
SAVED or Savings Aiming for Ventures, Events & Dreams, is one of People's Coop's savings programs. It is a program where members can get a corresponding reward for a particular amount of money they have saved for the purpose. It intends to edify and train the members the importance of savings and for them to realize that there are other ways of sourcing out fund for occasions or financing needs without depending on borrowings. The bigger the savings you have, the greater your incentives will be.
"Rent-to-Own a Taxi/Tricycle/Jeepney/Pumpboat" is another program of People's Coop wherein drivers are given the opportunity to own a taxi, tricycle, jeepney or pumpboat. Aspirants will be screened, including their wives and families. Once they pass the screening, they will be given priority numbers (queuing) that will serve as their tickets to own their aspired type of transport. They will have the liberty to choose the unit, and all its parts, including the color. While having the unit, they need to have a continuous savings of at least P100 pesos from Monday-Saturday out of the income they gained for maintenance of the said unit. While they are still paying the unit, real ownership is already under their name.
Another program, to develop members understanding of the time value of money, is the PPT (Piso-Piso Tigom), which caters to the members below poverty line threshold especially those taking care of the environment making other people’s thrash turned into cash. These people are encouraged to deposit one peso or more every day to People's Coop, depending on their capacity. This will serve as their savings to achieve their dreams. An example is to own a TRISIKAD for livelihood and another is a pregnant woman who saves to prepare for her coming delivery. With the daily one peso or more savings, they will be able to realize said project or event.
These three programs emphasize People's Coop's goal to teach its members the value of savings. Through savings, one can achieve his/her dream. According to Mr. Macario G. Quevedo, the chief executive officer of the coop: "If you want to succeed never complain instead find ways to address the situation.” It is better to save for something you dreamed of than to borrow money to acquire something that you are not prepared.
The Livelihood Support Program is another program wherein members of People's Coop can avail of products for direct selling activity at a company price without requiring members to invest into this company. Through this, members of People's Coop who are not members of any of these networking companies will already have easy access to products due to their membership in People's Coop.
With its 36 years as a social enterprise, it is but right to hear from the members how People's Coop contributed to their way of living.
Members primarily join People's Coop due to the Credit Services it offers. The members were able to lend money and put up a business of their choice. Such were the experiences of Myrna R. Cañete, a 5-year member in Talamban, and Myrna Monteclaro, a member in Tabunok and MACRO-CAMB (Conciliation and Mediation Board) officer. Myrna C. was able to put up a dried fish business, while Myrna M. was able to put up a rag business. These businesses of theirs enable them to gain income. Likewise, Corazon Abelgas, a member from F.Llamas was able to open a store.
Kahria Luisa Redelosa and Webster Ong, both members of Talamban and Pasil, respectively, were also able to put up a capital for their businesses through these credit services. On the other hand, Luzvilla Solana and Lanie Martinez, both zonal officers from Tabunok and Talamban, respectively, added that the credit services enable them to improve their businesses.
The credit services also enable members to pay for the education of their children wherein some of them have successfully graduated from college. This has been the real-life experiences of Juliet Indino, Myrna Cañete, Mario Lucio Tapion and Pilar Yap. Juliet is a chapter officer in Pasil, who was once a member of Pundok Disiplina Hulam (PDH) that has become today’s ASAP program. Mario, on the other hand, is 9-year member of People’s Coop in Pasil.
In addition, this service enables the members to own a land, build and renovate their houses, and acquire a vehicle. These were experienced by Mario, Corazon, Lalaine Bali, Ma. Lilanie Cabreros and Sarah Erlinda Rosell. Lalaine is an Elecom-Zonal officer in Talamban while Ma. Lilanie is a chapter officer. The latter is a MACRO-Credit Committee officer, and had been in the coop for 10 years. She has also been awarded as a member in good standing.
The Credit services have also been helpful in times of financial difficulties, or emergencies. These were the experiences of Joseph Neil Picos, a chapter officer in Lapu-Lapu; Rita Laude, a chapter officer in Mandaue; Amelita Daño, a chapter officer in Pahina Central/Tabo-an, which is under the Pasil Branch, and Belinda Jusayan, the branch manager of Blessed Sacrament.
Maria Fe C. Alejandria, and Nilo T. Camus, both members of Lapu-Lapu have less worry when they lend money from People’s Coop due to its small interest rate. Maria Fe added, “kada interest naay share ang miyembro.” Her children are also members for there is also a Kiddie Savings program of People’s Coop.
Aside from the benefits the credit services of People’s Coop provide, the coop also provided employment for some of its members. The branch managers of Tabunok, Talamban, Lapu-Lapu and Bantayan Island were granted such opportunity. They are Emeliza Santisas, Oliva Gina Planteras, Jeannie Daño and Larry Paplueno, respectively.
Mr. Carlitos Dueñas, the MACRO-Chairman of the Board of People’s Coop, has been in People’s Coop for 10 years. He is a graduate of the University of San Jose-Recoletos. Even before his membership in the coop, he had already appreciated its essence. Since he was in high school, he was already exposed to the concept of cooperativism, and had realized the benefits it gives.
People’s Coop did not only help its members financially, but also emotionally and socially. Some of its members shared their experiences of transformation. They have gained self-confidence, have become more sociable and have molded them to become the better persons they are now. These members are Emeliza, Russel Villacorta, branch manager of Pasil; Gloria Jacalan, branch manager of F.Llamas wherein her mother is also a pioneer member; and Virginia Adoro, a MACRO-Board of Directors, which considers her transformation as progressive.
People’s Coop’s leadership and skills training enable some members to become leaders in their own right. They were able to hone their ability to facilitate, mingle with other members, learn values such as patience and the essence of savings, and became determined to continue the programs and services that give benefits to fellow members. These were the experiences of Ray Galas, a BOD in Pasil, Erwin C. Canuday, branch manager of Balamban, and Elvin S. Magan, a Membership Training and Development Officer who had been in coop since 1987. It was through his mother who is also a member that he realized the benefits that People’s Coop provides. Laureno Mesias, Jr., a chapter officer in Lilo-an shared that his membership in People’s Coop enable him to give his service voluntarily. People’s Coop has also become his “true friend.”
Russel L. Imperial, the branch manager of Bogo, has these inspiring words to say, “People’s Coop really improved my life because it’s where I earned my living. Likewise, allows me to share my ideas and skills, and touch people’s lives.”
All of these manifestations reveal that the members have invested not only their money but also their skills and service to People’s Coop. It is obvious that they have gained meaningful and memorable outputs from their investments. Thus, we could say that People' Coop is not just a mere lending institution. It is a holistic social enterprise that touches not only the minds, but the hearts and spirits of their members. It is the secret to their unwavering sustainability and survival.
The Cebu People’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative is celebrating its 36th Annual General Assembly with the theme, “36 Years of Sustaining Economic and Social Activities in Strengthening Filipino Families.”
In line with this, the BOD is inviting all members and chapter officers to participate on March 14, 2009 the Election of Zonal Officers to be held at its respective branches.
The Annual Representative Assembly will be held at San Nicolas Activity Center, San Nicolas Parish, Tomas Abella corner C. Padilla Streets, Cebu City on March 15, 2009. It will be the Election of Macro Officers and Business meeting. It will be a whole day activity. Registration will start at 8 o'clock in the morning to be attended by all respective chapter officers.
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