BAGUIO CITY: A cooperative that employs 38 visually impaired individuals demonstrates the power of collective effort in achieving strength and success. Pedro Pablo, chairperson of the Good Care Multipurpose Cooperative, recognized as one of the outstanding micro cooperatives in 2018, emphasized the importance of teamwork for the benefit of all members.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas event, which featured the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) – Cordillera, Pablo highlighted that cooperative members are trained to work collaboratively. He explained that within a cooperative, everyone has the opportunity to participate and benefit, including decision-making for the group’s welfare and enjoying tax exemptions. The cooperative operates two venues along Session Road, serving massage services to approximately 100 clients daily. A full-body massage is priced at PHP450, with PHP320 allocated to the massage therapist.

With assistance from the CDA, the cooperative re
ceived a PHP50,000 grant for livelihood assistance, which was invested in a machine for linens used at the massage centers. Pablo expressed aspirations to advance to the medium category, aiming for a capitalization between PHP15 million and PHP100 million from their current small cooperative status with a capital ranging from PHP3 million to PHP15 million.

Felicidad Cenon, CDA-Cordillera Director, shared insights during the same briefing that in 2023, 619 of the 800 entities were compliant cooperatives. Of these, 61 were categorized as large cooperatives with over PHP100 million in capitalization, while 362 were micro cooperatives with a capital of PHP3 million or less. The cooperatives collectively amassed PHP46 billion in assets and generated a business income of PHP32 billion in 2023.

In the previous year, CDA-Cordillera reported that 11 cooperatives achieved billionaire status. These include the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Benguet State University Community Multipurpose Cooperative, Baguio-Benguet Com
munity Credit Cooperative, Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Lagawe Multipurpose Development Cooperative, Bokod Sulphur Spring Multipurpose Cooperative, Treasure Link Cooperative Society, Cooperative Bank of Benguet, Texins Multipurpose Cooperative, and Lamut Grassroots Savings and Development Cooperative. Currently, the Cordillera region boasts 12 billionaire cooperatives.

Nationwide, at least 20 percent of the population are members of a cooperative, as recorded by CDA. In contrast, about 65 percent of the Cordillera’s over one million residents participate in cooperatives. Cenon highlighted that cooperatives have created 4,233 jobs in the region, signifying the Cordillerans’ belief in cooperativism as a means to enhance the economic well-being of the people.