Twenty-eight multi-purpose cooperatives from various parts of Pampanga recently received plaques of recognition from the provincial government and Provincial Cooperative Development Council (PCDC) for their outstanding efforts and contributions to the transformative and economic developments of the province.
Governor Lilia G. Pineda, together with PCDC Chair Juanito Mercado, presented the plaques of recognition to the 28 awardees during the 2011 Cooperatives Recognition Day held at the Benigno Aquino Memorial Hall at the Capitol compound.
Board Member Monina Laus, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on trade and industry, underscored the important role of cooperatives in the development and progress of the various communities as she joined the governor in the awarding ceremonies together with fellow Board Members Fritzie David- Dizon, Trina Dizon, Ric Yabut, Nestor Tolentino, Salvador Dimson, Jr. and Raul Macalino.
Provincial Cooperative and Entrepreneurial Development Officer (PCEDO) Mamerto Gatus said that the multi-purpose cooperatives of Dau in Mabalacat, Floridablanca Municipal Employees, San Fernando Elementary School and Sitio Caldo in Candaba were awarded as most conscientious cooperatives in complying with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) requirements.
The Sta. Monica SRP Marketing Cooperative in Sta. Rita and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office 3 (DENRO) Consumer Cooperative were acknowledged as the most promising cooperatives with Romana Pangan District Hospital in Floridablanca, Calibutbut MPC in Bacolor and San Simon MPC as best in community service.
Gatus said that adjudged as best cooperatives in volume of transaction were Calibutbut MPC and Minalin Poultry and Livestock MPC while the cooperatives with the most number of members served were Mabalacat Public Market Vendors MPC, St. James the Apostle MPC in Guagua, Golden Group Gabay Puhunan Brotherhood MPC and ASCCOM MPC.
The cooperatives with the most efficient business operation included Cruzian MPC in Magalang, Guagua Businessmen and Professional MPC, Pampanga High School and Apung Monica de Minalin MPC.
The Pampanga Capitol Employees MPC received the award for having the most improved system of operation, Gatus reported.
He added that five outstanding cooperative member-entrepreneurs were also awarded namely: Reynaldo Quiambao of Cruzian MPC, Zenaida Bagang of Guagua Businessmen and Professionals MPC, Rosemarie Dadua of Golden Group Gabay Puhunan Brotherhood MPC, Anastacio Nabong of ASCCOM MPC, and Edelyn Canero of Apung Monica de Minalin MPC.
The cooperative development councils of Angeles City, Guagua and City of San Fernando received certificates of recognition as most active councils in the province.
CDA Assistant Regional Director Mildred Esguerra commended the awardees as they really live up to this year’s recognition theme of “Transformative Cooperatives: Advancing People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace”.
Today’s cooperatives, according to Esguerra, are business entities which are sustainable, competitive and transformative unlike those organizations in the yesteryears which mostly depended on grants and donations.
Meanwhile, Mercado, who chairs the PCDC, proudly shared that the present-day cooperatives have attained a degree of stability with substantial contribution to the economy of the province.
He reported that the total 230 operating cooperatives consisting of 48,522 members and 1,097 employees in the province released more than P2 billion loans/transactions as of December 2010.
Success stories and best practices of multi-millionaire cooperatives and members are contained in the recently-published brochures entitled “Kuwento ng Tagumpay at Bumuting Pamumuhay dahil sa Programang Kooperatiba”, Mercado said as he added that interested parties could also browse their newly-launched PCDC website for updates, programs and services of cooperatives in the province. (Pampanga PIO)
