LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – With the creation of the committee on cooperatives and people’s organizations at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan a few months back, it is simply hard to dismiss its effects- as well as opportunities, in improving the conditions of Ifugao folks through a cooperative. Fortunately, the committee is ably and strongly chaired by Board Member Agustin Calya-en.
As a result, 16 major cooperatives in this upland Cordillera province are scheduled to sign a historic memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the provincial government at the launching rites of the Ifugao Credit Surety Fund at Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel on Dec. 5.
“The program on December 5 could set a new milestone of sorts for further improving the efficiency of the cooperatives,” Board Member Calya-en told the ZigZag Weekly.
“It is now our duty to inform the officers of these cooperatives why the credit surety fund is immensely beneficial to their interest, and why every member has a duty to know and protect these funds so that a new member can also enjoy the same,” he added.
It is both easy and hard to understand how he credit surety fund (CSF) really works.
CSF’s thrust to become a key tool in the nation’s cooperative sector has led to a major push by the BangkoSentral ng Pilipinas (BSP or Central Bank of the Philippines).
To spice up the introduction of the CSF in Ifugao, the program organizers have invited distinguished speakers from the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila.
Keynote speaker is Pia Bernadette Tayag, managing director of the BSP.
Another speaker is Orlando Ravanera, chair of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
Charles Balachawe is scheduled to enlighten the participants on the Ifugao’s view or take on the CSF as this tool hopefully will lead to a more efficient and cost-effective delivery of loans and credit services. Balachawe is the head of the Lagawe Multi-purpose Development Cooperative (LMDC). He has joined the newly-former Ifugao Credit Surety Fund Cooperative (ICSFC). He is a board director of the ICSFC. Over the years, he also immensely contributed to the private sector in various leadership capacities, expanding his experience in community and nation-building tasks.
Representatives of the Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and Philippine Guarantee Corporation have been tasked to outline their partnership messages.
One competitive advantage of the newly-formed cooperative is the all-out backing of Governor Jerry Dalipog and Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano. Both are addressing this all-important undertaking.
The governor and vice governor are expected to further inform and guide ICSFC officials of their moral and ethical responsibilities as well as obligations as they pursue this formidable task of creating a better way of life for their members. Ifugao is one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines.
Ifugao has so much human and natural resources even enough to fully wipe out poverty but are not properly used due to ineptness and incompetence of past administrations.
The Dalipog administration has been unrelenting in confronting poverty and underdevelopment in the province’s 11 towns.
All in all, the multi-cooperative partnership with the provincial government, Ifugao’s highest unit of government, is envisioned to bring comfort and convenience to ordinary folks. Cooperatives can now avail of the counterpart assistance of the provincial government to the tune of multipliers to a cooperative. The CSF provides a loan sans collateral deemed necessary to start or expand a business venture.
Another key participant of the program is Shirley Tagtag, corporate executive officer of the Asipulo town-based Hojap Multi-purpose Cooperative.
An audio visual presentation on CSY is to be sown in the two-hour gathering. Ironically, this portion has been set even before the keynote address. It’s a miscue since keynote messages throughout the world are prioritized over and above an audio presentation. Emcees are Ermelinda Bahatan and Jaizy Tanawe.
With the mounting effects of the high cost of living, lack of opportunities for gainful employment and other similar problems attributed to socio-economic deprivation in Ifugao, the entry of the ICSFC, in particular, and the CSF, in general are just some of the productive tools and services that can be performed and enhanced by cooperatives. Or is it really so?
The provision of the CSF to micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is part of the BSP’s contribution to the poverty reduction program of the government. Membership to a cooperative or a non-government organization (NGO) is required to avail of the CSF’s benefits.
Today, many could not help but look into the fact that most members of a cooperative and NGO are poor. A heavily-indebted member is unlikely to pay even the interest of a loan for his or her cherished business venture.
The ICSFC is intended generally to develop and maintain a pool of established cooperatives adhering to the spirit and intent of the CSF system aimed at enhancing and sustaining their interest, motivation and capabilities as a unified cooperative.
A centralized information management system should be established by its officers for this purpose.
Asked about the future of the ICSFC, Ifugao Entrepreneurs Multi-purpose Cooperative (IGEMCO) manager Godfrey Dominong said he is optimistic that it shall play a key role in charting a brighter future for Ifugao folks.
“I guess the support of Governor Dalipog and Vice Governor Prudenciano for this cooperative will speak for its bright prospects in 2020 and beyond,” he added. Dominong is another director of the ICSFC.
“I’m sure that many other cooperatives will join the ISCFC and it’s a good sign,” – Calya-en said in an exclusive interview with ZigZag Weekly.
The pronouncement was the latest development in the continuing efforts of the committee’s chair which has accelerated since Calya-en assumed the post.
Many have heaped praises on the forerunner of the program. Calya-en has been efficient and very good steward of the said committee.
Board member Calya-en, a former Tinoc vice mayor and manager of the Kalanguya Cultural Community Multi-purpose, is a public servant with a high degree of integrity and a sense of righteousness devoid of a record of committing wrongdoings.
Questions only persist in the light of the huge gap between the rich and poor in Philippine society. Why is the provincial government shelling out such a huge amount of “assistance” when a cooperative is not paying taxes to the government?
It would be grossly impossible for the have-nots to stay long in the business world. Fact: a number of SMEs in Lagawe and elsewhere in Ifugao folded up just three or four months after their operations started. Otherwise, there will be another wave of bankrupt or “now you see them, now you don’t” SMEs in the province in the next few years.
This early, the ICSFC should seriously consider looking for ways to come to have its functions strengthened through amendments in its Articles of Cooperation that will eventually pave the way for long-term planning beyond administrations.
Isaac Belingon, Analyn Balutao, Abriol Chulipa, Governor Jerry Dalipog, Virginia Faro and Danilo Sera also comprise the Board of Directors.
Apart from the Hojap Multi-purpose Cooperative, Kalanguya Cultural Community Multi-purpose cooperative, IGEMCO and LMDC, the ISCFC is composed of Aguinaldo Marketing and Development Cooperative, Alfonso Lista Multi-purpose Development Cooperative, Banaue Savings Development Cooperative, Belongings Multi-purpose Cooperative, Filipino Overseas Workers Credit Cooperative, Hungduan Employees Multi-purpose Cooperative, Hungduan Multi-Finance Development Cooperative, Ifugao Public Servants Multi-purpose Cooperative and IFSU Employees Multi-purpose Cooperative. **By Anthony A. Araos
