BANGUED, Abra (PIA) — Thirty-nine cooperatives in the region have leveled-up from micro to small, small to medium, and medium to large categories while 14 cooperatives have already reached billionaire status.
During the 2025 Regional Cooperative Month Culmination at the Abra Provincial Gymnasium in Bangued from Oct. 20-21, 2024, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)-Cordillera director Felicidad Cenon reported that the Cordillera currently has an inverted pyramid structure when it comes to the number of micro, small, medium, and large cooperatives with micro cooperatives having the highest number.
“In totality, gumaganda naman ang operation kasi one we have ti recognize yearly is yung graduation of these micro cooperatives to a higher category. This year 39 ang nag-graduate from micro to small, small to medium, and medium to large,” she said.
Cenon added that three were added to the billionaire cooperatives in the region for a total of 14 billionaire cooperatives in the Cordillera for 2025.
Billionaire cooperatives in the region are the Benguet State University and Community Multipurpose Cooperative, Benguet Electric Cooperative, Tabuk Multipurpose Cooperative, Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative, Bokod Sulphur Spring Multipurpose Cooperative
Lagawe Multipurpose Development Cooperative, Treasure Link Cooperative Society, Texins Multipurpose Cooperative, Tabuk Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative, La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Multipurpose Cooperative, Lamut Grassroots Savings and Development Cooperative, All Saints Credit Cooperative, and the Taloy Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative.
Micro cooperatives which improved to small category include the Abra Mountain Credit Cooperative, Ba-ug Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative, Calayucay Agriculture Cooperative, DPWH Conner Credit Cooperative, Camp 7 Transport Cooperative, MARGEN Credit Cooperative, Sagadian Tourist Transport Cooperative, Unified Family Credit Cooperative, San Luis Proper Credit Cooperative, Baguio-Pico-Puguis-Wangal-Strawberry Farm Transport Cooperative, Lubo Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Oilbank Society Credit Cooperative, OSCAPA Multipurpose Cooperative, Rainbow Circle Credit Cooperative, United Family Multipurpose Cooperative, Kalinga Rice Terraces Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Rang-ay Sandigan Credit Cooperative, Cadaclan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, and the Sagada Healthcare Pharmacy Consumers Cooperative.
Small cooperatives which graduated to medium category are Casiggamman Agriculture Cooperative, 7-700-7 Livingstone Communities Credit Cooperative, Bakakeng Norte Sur Multipurpose Cooperative, Cordilleran Entrepreneurs Credit Cooperative, Loakan Jitney Transport Cooperative, University of the Philippines-Baguio Multipurpose Cooperative, Bakun Central Multipurpose Cooperative, Bentico Multipurpose Cooperative, Binga Multipurpose Cooperative, Kapangan Municipal Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Kibungan Arabica Coffee Growers Multipurpose Cooperative, Kalanguya Agriculture Cooperative, One Lamut Agriculture Cooperative, and the Rizal Multipurpose Cooperative.
Five medium cooperatives also leveled-up to large category including the Trusted BLISTT Alliance of Transport Multipurpose Cooperative, United Resources Credit Cooperative, Kibungan Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Tomay Credit Cooperative, and the Trinidad Based Agawa Multipurpose Cooperative.
Micro cooperatives have assets of P3,000,000 and below, small cooperatives have assets of more than P 3,000,000 but less than P15,000,000, medium category cooperatives have assets of more than P15,000,000 but less than P100,000,000, and large cooperatives have assets of P100,000,000 and above.
During the program, partners and other stakeholders such as provincial and municipal government units, the Department of Agrarian reform, and Department of Agriculture were also given appreciation tokens.
CDA Chairperson Undersecretary Alexander Raquepo, CDA-CAR Director Felicidad Cenon, CARCDC officials headed by chairperson Victor Luacan, Bangued Mayor Perfecto Cardenas, and Atty. Jeanelle Seares representing Cong. JB and Cong. Ching Bernos led the awarding ceremony. **JJMT, PIA-CAR, Abra
