BANGUED, Abra - The provincial government and the cooperative leaders here hosted this year's Cooperative Mnth celebration in the Cordilleras on October 17 to 18, 2008.
Atty. Fulgencio Vigare, Jr. OIC Regional Director of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) said, the annual celebration of the Cooperative Month is observed to drumbeat the contribution of cooperatives in nation-building and to raise the consciousness of the people on the role and relevance of cooperatives in people empowerment and poverty alleviation.
The celebration likewise aims to assess the performance of cooperatives and give appropriate recognition to the outstanding performers.
In these trying times of global financial crisis, cooperatives are a vibrant tool to sustain our country's economic growth particularly in the countryside where most cooperatives are successfully operational, Vigare said..
During the two-day celebration, the success stories of the various cooperatives in the Cordilleras were presented. The Tabuk Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, one of the Most Outstanding Cooperatives in CAR, shared how the unity and solidarity of the members brought success to their cooperative operation.
Other outstanding cooperatives were also awarded. These are the Philex Community Credit Cooperative; Texins Multipurpose Coop; and the All Saints Credit Coop; and Besao Multipurpose Coop.
Three women-based cooperatives were also given recognition during the celebration. These are the Mothers and Family Multipurpose Cooperative (MOFAMCO), an ABS-CBN 1995 Bayaning Samahang Pilipino Awardee; the Thanksgiving Multipurpose Cooperative; and the Sablan Mothers Multipurpose Cooperative.
The following were awarded as Best Institutional Coops: the Moog Baguio Credit Cooperative; the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Employees Cooperative; and the Baguio Colleges Foundation Credit Cooperative.
Model farmer cooperatives were also awarded. These are the Tabuk Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative, Bakun Farmers and Employees Multipurpose Cooperative; and the Benguet Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative.
Meanwhile, Vigare announced the membership of the Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO) to the CDA making it one of the biggest cooperatives in the Cordilleras now.
ABRECO used to be under the National Electrification Administration . (NEA). With ABRECO's membership to the CDA, it attained its status as real cooperative where the members have the right to resolve their own problems and issues without the meddling of the NEA. **Maritess Beñas/PIA-Abra
