Bataan Execs Visit Billionaire Cooperative in Dumaguete City by Zena Sugatain

     Cooperative development plays vital role in the nurturing growth and partnership in the society. In the province of Bataan, there is relentless pursuit to expand the cooperative development so as to touch positively the most number of people.  

      Recently, Bataan executives Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) members Ed Florendo, SP Chairman of the Committee on Cooperatives, Aris Gaza, SP Co-Chairman of the Committee on Cooperatives, Jovy Banzon, Dante Manalaysay, and Guding Ferrer visited Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative (DCCCO) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.  

      Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Bataan Officer Edith Capili,    the officers of the 46 cooperatives, and this columnist joined the visit to DCCCO.  

      The DCCCO boasts of having about P1 Billion networth-one of the richest cooperatives in the country, and offers all types of loan from A to Z.  It has four-story main office building and four branches, one of which is located in Siquijor province.  The cooperative has 42,000 members transacting through the cooperative’s own Automated Teller Machine.              

     It is worthy to note that DCCCO has survived tough times. The DCCCO was unwavering in dealing with the countless financial challenges that were brought about by the slowdown of economic activity in the past.            

    The visit of Bataan executives and cooperative officers aimed to fully understand how DCCCO managed to achieved its status of becoming a billionaire cooperative with the idea of replicating its successful practices especially now that the development of the cooperatives in the province is on strides.          

     The visit highlighted the importance of government officials and cooperative officers understanding their role in the development of cooperatives in their areas.        

      In essence, the DCCCO has set benchmark for other provinces to follow with regards to cooperative development. 

      Earlier, representatives of local government units (LGUs) in the province that included municipal cooperative development officers, Sangguniang Bayan chairman of the committee on cooperatives of the respective LGUs, and representatives of concerned agencies DTI, DOST, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), and CDA, also attended a significant cooperative event.                   

      So far, the provincial government through the leadership of Governor Enrique Garcia has been vigorously pushing for the development of cooperatives in the province to strengthen economy. The provincial government of Bataan has been pouring massive support to cooperatives here to speed up local economy.          

      It has been stressed by Bataan cooperative officials that cooperatives must be strongly challenged to expand financially thereby strengthening financial capabilities. In fact, a cooperative development framework and roadmap has been adopted in the province.            

      Programs like building the capability through education, assisting on technical needs, loan assistance, and monitoring operations are being implemented to empower Bataan cooperatives.         

      In the program of loan assistance, the LBP is the primary partner of the provincial government and PCDO.    

      The Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO) is everyday doing its mandated tasks of empowering cooperatives in the province.           

      However, the experiences of DCCCO can be wisely replicated to further ensure stability and sustainability of the cooperatives in Bataan, and be able to move progressively forward and break new grounds.            

      Governor Garcia and the SP members are indeed fully supporting the advocacy and programs of the PCDO and all the cooperatives in the province. 

*contact us in (047) 237-4040 /  (047) 237-4726 or e-mail us in pcdo@bataan.gov.ph and visit and like our Facebook page "PCDO Bataan (PGB)"