PIDIGAN, Abra (PIA) — More than providing loans and financial lending, the role of cooperatives in uplifting communities was highlighted during the Provincial Cooperative Month celebration in Pidigan from October 17-18, 2024.
“The concept of the cooperative is really working together towards socio and economic upliftment ti komunidad,” Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives National President Divina C. Quemi stressed in her key message during the celebration.
“The focus of the cooperative is not only on the lending side, adda kunkuna tayo nga social aspect na. Diay social aspect na ket masapul nga tumibker ti panunot ti tunggal maysa nga mangiyuswat ti panagtitinulong, panagsinarakoy nangnangruna no tiempo ti rigat ken kayat tayo nga pasayaaten ti biag ti tunggal maysa,” she added.
Quemi congratulated the Abra cooperatives for establishing the Provincial Union of Cooperatives.
The union will help in the capacity building of members and leaders and will strengthen the business operations of cooperatives.
She also encouraged the cooperatives to look into the merging and consolidation program of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
“We hope agpanunot tayo as a union, agpanunot tayo nga dagiti kuma micro ken small coops no kayat tayo agtitipon tapno daytoy panagtitipon tayo, dakdakkel ti maaraminan tayo nga haan agsarsarili ti tunggal maysa kadatayo,” she urged.
She added that the merging and consolidation is a partnership where big or established cooperatives can also adopt small or micro cooperatives to be able to serve cooperative members and the community better.
Meanwhile, Department of Agrarian Reform-Abra Program Officer I Lunecia Segundo thanked the cooperatives especially the Agrarian Reform Beneficiary organizations that participated in the two-day activity.
“Sangsangkamaysa tayo nga mangibiag ti tema daytoy nga intayo panagselebrar ti Cooperative Month. I-encourage mi amin nga ARB organizations nga you try to look back no anya dagiti naaramidan tayo ti uneg ti maysa nga tawen nga pagsayaatan dagiti kooperatiba tayo, dagiti miembro ti komunidad, ken dagiti Agrarian Reform communities,” she said.
The Cooperative Development Month celebration is an annual activity held every month of October to encourage the public to participate and know more about cooperatives and its importance to sustainable economic development and nation building. **JJPM, PIA-CAR, Abra