LAGAWE, IFUGAO- – There is something uniquely challenging about March 14 of this year for folks of Lagawe- particularly for members of the Ifugao Global Entrepreneurs Multipurpose Cooperative (IGEMCO). They have a magnitude of reasons to attend or not the cooperative’s general assembly meeting on this day.
Now, imagine the excitement of members and officers.
Set at the IGEMCO Training Center at Lumingay Street of Poblacion North, this is the 32nd staging of this important activity. It tells the true story of the ups and downs of any other cooperative in poverty-stricken Ifugao.
The activity doesn’t present itself like a different cooperative in the Cordilleras. As such, registration of members and election of officers have been scheduled. Some other highlights in the sides.
Up for grabs are positions for board director (four) two for election committee and two for audit and supervisory committee.
Like it or not, a member may not be ready to take decisions action on a plan to put into office better officers since the campaign period of candidates is too short or none at all. Voting process is too crude.
And if there’s anything else worth scrutinizing is the fact that there is little interest of members to even contest positions at stake.
It’s this simple but resounding truth: members are reluctant to serve the cooperative. That’s a known fact, yes- but there’s no effort at all to infuse new blood in its leadership circle. There is something glaring that happens when young Filipinos are given opportunity to lead and they don’t just watch at the sidelines- they shine. A vote for a young and vibrant board director would surely be a great development.
Many still don’t have a particular memory that stand out that young members are elected as IGEMCO officers.
Infusion of young blood in the leadership halls can improve the lives of members.
It is a choice with no middle measures, either IGEMCO move forward or just behind cooperatives for and IGEMCO radio station ended up in the obituary due to lack or poor planning.
There is a choice for members to make.
In all this, the key lies in an “enlightenment choice” they will make in their lives.
High inflation and the further waning of interest of members to actively take part in the cooperative’s program should positively impact IGEMCO’s path in the coming years, which experienced low attendance in activities in recent times. To those who still have just to stay behind it is simply a fair warning.
The risk of the continued non-payment of loans has also significantly risen.
Giving more loans to debt-ridden members is disconnected from actual experience of Filipinos and surely does not accurately reflect their reality.
Drawing on its implications, the poverty problem is truly hurting members. The proportion of families with income, not sufficient to buy their minimum basic food and non-food needs, is high. Denial mode of the problem is inimical to the effort of poverty reduction.
These uncertainties are so bad that members instead opted to do other chores than attend general assembly meetings for several years.
Once the results of the elections are out, there are answers to questions and explanations to troubling observations.
Shall the cooperative store and IGEM radio offers genuine benefits for its members? Not only that, when it comes to enlisting new members, you may find out quite difficult, therefore, very frustrating if poor folks gets poorer in the long run.
IGEMCO’s long-time head Godfrey Dominong have uttered so many times: “I have had a hard time convincing them to come back.” All he had to do is to wait on March 14. As well as Esther Cabbigat, elecom chair, Nelly Sumeg-ang, elecom secretary and Joan Salazar, elecom member. When learning the facts about getting or not getting benefits, there shall be reactions. **By Anthony A. Araos
