LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – While cooperative officers were even treated to usual speeches, updates, trade fair and even zumba presentation, folks reminded them to rethink how they do things while Filipinos grapple with escalating prices of commodities and services.
What does it mean to be a cooperative member in Ifugao? A few continue to be jubilant as their good-natured managers have praises for them.
For a member, nothing more than praise is heartwarming yet it is obvious monetary incentive is what really matters. It’s understandable as someone living in difficult economic times. To survive is to survive. Nothing more, nothing less! Nothing even in between!
Decades of October cooperative month celebrations have produced a gasping nation of must-attend programs as this one.
Themed “Cooperative United in Purpose and Action, Sharing Prosperity to Build a Better World,” this year’s gathering centered in Lagawe. Should the Ifugao program be different in 2025? Here’s how they’re playing it out.
Much of the “success” of some Ifugao cooperatives in recent years has been credited to the Cooperative Development Authority and Governor Jerry Dalipog. The provincial government is now focused in staying ahead of what’s coming next in the cooperative movement through the Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development office.
So it’s a very good thing that this occasion even exists and that it has since inception reaped some benefits to those who can’t see their colleagues often in their circle of cooperatives.
The coop is for financial relief. More and more members are now complaining of the high cost of living. They include their relatives, their neighbors and friends. And being on the list puts one in the company of people with insufficient food at the table. That’s why cooperatives are presently aggressive in recruiting new members.
The gap between the rich and poor has widened, as a result of meager funding for social services, while corruption has dramatically worsened.
Addressing the people’s problems now surely work well, rather than delivering long messages at coop month celebration.
“This is all about helping cooperatives improve their efficiencies,” says Ifugao Transport Services Cooperative (ITSC) chairman Johnny Yogyog. The ITSC operates Ifugao’s largest transport fleet.
Many times, the municipal and provincial governments are forgetting that there are indeed incentives that work. The officialdom need to constantly recognize them and not just one day in October. For cooperatives have a massive market for goods and services.
That raises the discussion if would one want to go beyond the life of hardships after investing heavily in a cooperative. Which is more important, attending the general assembly meeting or buying a few goods at the coop store at discounted prices? These are the questions raised each year.
Things change, often for the better, if there’s decisive action to elevate health and social protection services. The point is, horrifying problems will not stay the same eternally. Many found it rather difficult even with membership at two or three cooperatives just to buy tuyo (dried fish) at most days. That isn’t exactly a pleasant prospect. What good would it do for one to then join a cooperative?
That leaves a lot of room for addressing the pressing inequality problem. It’s high time to pursue possible ways forward that would help achieve a better role for cooperatives in improving the economy.
Sure, more support and assistance from the national government is needed. That can be done by slashing the budget of graft-ridden DPWH and infusing more funds for cooperatives. Not only that, but when time comes for rich (billionaire) cooperatives to engage in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) ventures, tapping them is easy.
In order to ensure the attainment of their goals, cooperatives should focus on enhancing the income of the poorest people. Entering the Yuletide season, Ifugao coops collectively should help impoverished folks and make the holidays more meaningful and mindful. Smaller cooperatives such as Panubtuban Multipurpose Cooperative (in Asipulo) and Piwong Multipurpose Cooperative (in Hingyon) brought folks together and transformed their lives to say that they inspire. People are certainly an understatement. **By Anthony A. Araos
