IWAHORI MPC: PAMBANSANG GAWAD PITAK AWARDEE

Sina Chairperson Eden Ramones at Gen. Mgr. Marilou Almario

habang hawak ang plake ng Gawad Pitak na ginanap noong

Agosto 8, 2011 sa Century Park Sheraton Hotel, Manila.

ni Briccio C. Rubiano

Ang Iwahori Multi Purpose Cooperative ay nagsimula bilang isang closed type cooperative at may pangalan na IWAHORI EMPLOYEES CREDIT COOPERATIVE (IECC) noong 1991. Sinimulan ng 29 na kasapi at panimulang kapital na halagang P 40,000 na esklusibong miembro ng IWAHORI Philippines na gumagawa ng disposable na lighters sa bayan ng Mariveles na nasa loob ng ngayon ay Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan. Sila ay naging Multi-Purpose Cooperative noong 1993 at kategorya bilang isang Non-Agri Cooperative.

Sa taong 2010, sila ay may kabuuang bilang na regular na miembro na umabot ng 583 na katao at 1,195 na associate na miembro. Sila rin ay may Savings at Time Deposit na umabot ng halagang P 28.975 Milyon. Ang kanilang kapital ay umabot na ng halagang P 29.689 Milyon at Net Income o kita na halagang P 5.710 Milyon. Ang kanilang ari-arian ay umabot na ng halagang P 77.925 Milyon sa huling araw ng Disyembre 2010. Sila ay may kumpletong labintatlong (13) regular employees at dalawang (2) part time na empleyado.

Sa ngayon, sila ay may bagong tatlong (3) palapag na building na kung saan ang unang palapag ay ang kanilang opisina, ang pangalawang palapag ay ang kanilang Training Hall at  ito rin ay maaring upahan upang gawing training venue ng ibang mga koop o mga negosyante. Ang pangatlong palapag na penthouse deck ay maaari din gamitin  sa mga pagtitipon.

Sa kasalukuyan, sila ay laging may mga nakahandang serbisyo sa kanilang mga miembro katulad ng Business Loan, Fisherman Loan, Farmers Loan, All Purpose Loan, Western Union Remittance, Appliance Loan, Honoraria Loan at marami pang ibang serbisyo sa mababang interes lang. Sila rin ay miembro na ng National Confederation of Cooperatives o NATCCO at Federation of Credit Cooperatives in Region III.

Sila rin ay naging instrumento sa pagpapaunlad ng kanilang pamayanan gaya ng simbahan, paaralan at ilang programa tulad ng Barangay Donation Program, Environmental  Sanitation Program at Scholarship Program sa bayan ng Mariveles. Sa kanilang mahuhusay na serbisyo at pagtutulungan ng miembro at opisyales sa pangunguna ng kanilang Chairman Eden Ramones at Manager Marilou Almario, ang IWAHORI MPC ay patuloy na naglilingkod sa kanyang miembro at pamayanan dahil alam nila na ang pilosopiya ng kooperatiba ay serbisyo muna bago ang lahat.

WATCHLIFE WORKERS’ MPC: KAAKIBAT SA PAG-UNLAD NG KOMUNIDAD

By: Mr. Briccio C. Rubiano

Noong nakaraang Agosto 16, 2011 ang WATCHLIFE WORKERS’ MPC  ay nagdaos ng kanilang ika –limang taon o 5^th year na anibersaryo  at selebrasyon at office extension blessing kasama  ng  kanilang mga miyembro at mga piling panauhin.

Ito ay pinangunahan ng kanilang mahusay na Chairperson na si Gng. Ofelia Hipolito, kasapi ng Board of Director na si Gng. Edith Valdecañas at ng iba pang kasapi ng lupon at ng kanilang Manager na si Gng. Charito Abaya na miyembro rin ng Board ng Bataan Cooperative Bank kasunod ng mensahe ng mga piling panauhin at bisita.

Naging matagumpay ang nasabing pagdiriwang at nagkaroon ng presentasyon  at awarding ng winners ng kanilang Poster at Slogan Making Contest para sa kanilang miyembro. Ang lahat ng sumali ay tumanggap ng consolation prizes maliban sa mga major winners. Sa ikalawang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ay may ginanap namang Libreng Dry Massage at Shawarma Snacks sa mga miyembro at panauhin.

Kabilang sa mga naging panauhin ay ang mga kinatawan ng Bataan Cooperative Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, Provincial Cooperative Development Office, Mariveles Municipal Cooperative Development Council, Limay MCDC at Samahan ng Kooperatiba ng Mariveles, Incorporated (SAKOMI).

Sa taong 2010, sila ay may kabuuang miyembro na umaabot sa 1,124 at ari-arian na P31,275,069.34 at kita na P5,688,701.48. Sa kasalukuyan, ang  mga serbisyo ng kooperatiba na binibigay sa kanilang mga miyembro ay Loans, Savings and Time Deposit, Damayan, Death Assistance, Hospitalization Program, Group Insurance at Balik Eskwela Program. Meron din silang Feeding Program, Scholarship para sa mga deserving High School Students, Gift giving, Tree Planting at Coastal Cleaning Operation bilang bahagi ng kanilang community services.

Sa kabila ng kasalukuyang krisis na nagaganap sa ibang bansa, ang Watchlife Workers’ MPC ay naging matatag at patuloy na umaasenso at sumusuporta sa kanilang mga miyembro at patuloy sa kanilang layunin na palakasin ang antas ng pamumuhay ng kanilang mga miyembro.

Sa Watchlife Workers’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative sa pagsapit ng inyong limang taon na anibersaryo, maraming taon pa sa pagtulong ninyo sa ikauunlad ng inyong komunidad ang aming hangad. Mabuhay ang inyong kooperatiba!

Post Activity Report on Cooperative Tax Forum

               By: Raymund C. Macomis

I.       TITLE               : Cooperative Tax Forum

II.     DATE                : August 24, 2011

III.   VENUE              : PCDO Training Room Capitol 
                               Compound, City of Balanga

IV.  SPONSORING     : Provincial Government of Bataan 

AGENCIES         through the Provincial 

                        Cooperative Development 

Office in cooperation  with the 

Bureau of Internal Revenue, 

Pag–ibig and Cooperative 

Development Authority

V. PARTICIPANT         : 70 coop leaders from 63 coops

VI.   OBJECTIVE          : To raised the concerns of 

                                  Cooperatives to BIR

   particularly the extent of  

   coverage by the

   Certificates of Tax 

   Exemptions issued to the

   cooperatives by the BIR 

   and to be updated by the

   Pag – ibig Fund.

VII. HIGHLIGHTS       :

-      registration began at 12:30 pm by the PCDO staff

-      the seminar proper started at 1:20 pm with a prayer followed by the National Anthem through audio visual  presentation by Mr. Tanciongco of PCDO

-      Pangakong Kooperatiba was headed by Mr. Rubiano of PCDO

-      the welcome remarks was delivered by Mr. Paguio Jr, PCDO – CDD

-      updating & understanding the Memorandum Circular issued by the BIR

-      mandatory membership to Pag – ibig Fund

-      Ms. Esperanza Castro, assistant revenue district officer discussed the Joint Rules and Regulations on RA 9520

-      recall what transpired in the tax forum last June 02, 2011 in Sacop, Pampanga 

-      gray areas in the Joint Rules just have to be discuss by the former Senator Miguel Zubiri and Cong. Ping Ay to RDO of Bataan to make it clear

-      classification of cooperatives

-      cooperatives which transact business to members only

-      cooperatives which transact business to both members & non-members

-      with accumulated reserves and undivided net savings of not more than P10M

-      with accumulated reserves and undivided net savings of more than P10M

-      principles of cooperative is to deal with members only

-      tax exemptions of cooperatives dealing with both members and non members are the same with the exemptions of cooperatives dealing with members only provided the accumulated reserves and undivided net savings are not more than ten million

-      members exemption:

Ø        tax on dividend

Ø        doc. stamp on transaction of members to coop

-      cooperatives should always inform the BIR for any change/amendment of name, capital contribution and business undertaken by the coop

-      old CTE need to be re – applied  

-      the accredited auditor of CDA should also be accredited by the BIR 

-       all Certificate of Tax Exemption/Ruling where it was emphasized that tax exemption privileges to a cooperative do not extend to its individual members should give a xerox copy  to the BIR to address the concern to the region office

-      Pag – ibig Fund representatives discussed RA 9679 and Pag – ibig Fund updates

-      any person whose income is more than one thousand is required to be a member of Pag – ibig Fund

-      Pag – ibig membership will be required in securing Mayor’s permit

-      Ms. Capili of CDA gave her updates to cooperatives:

Ø  processing of CGS is not the same

Ø  GA should follow some guidelines

Ø  social audit report is required by 2012

Ø  every officer should comply with the required trainings

-      Mr. Dizon, BCDC Chairman, gave his inspirational message

-      Ms. Sugatain, PCDO, wrap up the discussion with the BIR and share her insights with regards to the coop and FAB where she will be detail starting September

-      We call it a day at 4:45 pm.            

BALCEMCO Soars High

By: Butch Gunio & Alberto C. Tuvera  

      Cooperative development in the province of Bataan has been in the upswing with the steadfast support of the Provincial Government through the competent leadership of Governor Enrique T. Garcia, Jr. and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Aiming to strengthen the local economy, cooperative development in the province has been vigorously been pushed. The Provincial Government of Bataan has been pouring massive support to cooperatives here to speed up local economy.

      Riding the wave of the unprecedented cooperative growth in the province, one success story is the Balanga City Employees Multi–Purpose Cooperative (BalCEmCo). For the past years, BalCEmCo has transformed from a small organization into a progressive cooperative. Recently, the cooperative, expanding its clout of opportunities, has ventured into trading. With the Land Bank of the Philippines Food Chain Supply Program, BalCEmCo has tied up with the cooperative of the Department Agriculture Region 2 for the reselling of tuyo, tinapa, daing, and itlog na maalat. In the program, Land Bank of the Philippines seeks producers and manufacturers, and sets market. The trading venture is expected to be very profitable to BalCEmCo. 

      BalCEmCo is also working for another project with the Military Cut–Off Multi Purpose Cooperative in Baguio City. The BalCEmCo executives have already talked with the secretary of Baguio City Cooperative Development Council.

      In attaining its good standing status,   BalCEmCo is also very lucky to have the support of LGUs and public officials.  Balanga City has provided P2 million soft loan to the cooperative. Bataan 2^nd district Congressman Albert S. Garcia has provided P1 million grant. Ms. Josefina D. Tolentino, General Manager of BalCEmCo said the cooperative started with 15 members which ballooned to 350 today.

      An active partner of the cooperatives in the province is the Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO) headed by Ms. Azucena E. Sugatain. The office is everyday religiously doing its mandated tasks of empowering cooperatives in the province.

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

      Programs like capability building through continuous education, technical/loan assistance and monitoring operations are being implemented to empower Bataan cooperatives.

      To name, other 2 good standing cooperatives in the province are the IWAHORI Multi Purpose Cooperative and fast-growing Capitol Employees of Bataan Multi–Purpose Cooperative (CEmBa MPC). The Iwahori MPC was in fact recently recognized the 2011 Regional SME Star Elite Awardee in the medium category of not less than P15 million assets but not more than P100 million.

      The Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the Philippine economy contributing employment and enabling the economy to be bullish with cooperatives acceptably regarded as MSMEs. The MSMEs represent 99.6 percent of all businesses registered in the country and employ 61.2 percent of the total labor force. The roles of MSMEs are important in dispersing new industries to the countryside and providing gainful employment.

      The BalCEmCo and other successful cooperatives in the province are MSMEs that help the economy and improve the quality of living of its members.

Joint IC-CDA-SEC Memorandum Circular “Informal Insurance”

by: Raymund C. Macomis

            CDA is consistent in improving the operation of the cooperatives because of the guidelines they are implementing. Together with these guidelines are the provisions for the betterment of cooperative’s member and stability of the cooperatives.

            One of these provisions is about the informal insurance or insurance like activities by the cooperatives. Based on Joint IC-CDA-SEC Memorandum Circular No. 01 – 2010 entitled “Defining Government’s Policy on Informal Insurance Activities” that entities/cooperatives undertaking or will undertake insurance activities are required to comply with the provision of the insurance code including the requirement of securing a Certificate of Authority from the Insurance Commission. This provision defines insurance activities as activity wherein contributions/premiums are regularly collected prior to the occurrence of a contingent event.

            But what is really the objective of having insurance or being insured and how does it help? Insurance company takes the risk of large but uncertain losses in exchange for small premium. So it gives a sense of security, which is a real gift to a business man. If all uncertainty could be removed from business, income would be sure. Insurance removed/reduced many uncertainties and to that extent is profitable. Insurance companies also spend large sums of money with a view to finding out the reasons of fire accidents, theft and robbery and suggest some measures to prevent them. They also support several medical programs in order to make the public safety minded. Without such losses preventive activities of insurance companies, the chances of loss would have been greater than they are at present days.  

            This provision terminate informal insurance or insurance like activities within one year from the effectivity of this circular which is 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, but due to various request of certain sectors to be given ample time to formalize their informal insurance this provision was extended wherein the period which entities shall formalize and terminate their informal insurance is extended until December 31, 2011.

            Another provision regarding the informal insurance was also released last June 25, 2011 to give guidelines on the treatment of funds collected from informal insurance activities. This provision states that “Pools of Funds accumulated by entities from the operations of unauthorized insurance or insurance like activities shall be used exclusively for the benefit of the contributors who will continue to be covered by insurance or insurance like contracts with authorized providers”.

            Few people realize the importance of life insurance and most people do not understand the importance of life insurance until they have lived through a tragedy of love ones death and the impact of inadequate insurance coverage. People often feel that to talk about death is to invite it into their lives – it’s the ‘knock on wood’ type of superstitious thinking. Death doesn’t discriminate like that, and bad things do happen to very nice people. The key to dealing with the issue of unforeseen accident, injury or death is to focus on the impact to your loved ones if you were suddenly gone. Immediately, you realize that it isn’t actually about you and your zest for life – it’s about protecting the financial future of your family.

            The objective of this provision is to protect the general public from unsafe and unsound insurance and informal risk protection schemes and the procedure to formalize an informal insurance is either secure a Certificate of Authority to the Insurance Commission or make a contracts to an authorized insurance provider.

  

Nothing is more uncertain than death’s timing and  nothing is more certain than Life Insurance!

DEC MPC BUKAS SAMPAGUITA FARM PROJECT: BAYANIHAN NG PAMAHALAAN AT KOOPERATIBA ni: Briccio C. Rubiano

Isang matagumpay na proyekto ng DEC MPC o Dinalupihan Economic Community MPC na nagkaroon ng magandang resulta ay ang kanilang BUKAS (Bango ang Ugat ng Kabuhayang Sagana) Sampaguita Farm Project. Ito ay nagsimula noong May 9, 2011 nang magkaroon ng MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) Signing ang Kooperatiba at Pamahalaang Lokal ng Dinalupihan sa pamumuno ni Kgg. Mayor Joel Jaime P. Payumo, Sangguniang Bayan Members ng Dinalupihan at ng Dimalupig Lions Club ng nasabing bayan upang tamnan ang bakanteng lupa ng Pamahalaang Lokal sa Ceramic Plant sa Barangay Pagalanggang ng nasabing bayan.

Isa sa mga naging panauhin ng nasabing MOA signing ay ang Hepe ng PCDO (Provincial Cooperative Development Office) na si Gng. Azucena E. Sugatain na siyang nagpanumpa din sa mga bagong halal na Board of Directors o Lupon ng Patnugot. Siya ay nagsalita din tungkol sa ilang Coop at BIR updates.

MOA Signing with LGU-Dinalupihan headed by Hon. Mayor Joel Jaime P. Payumo and the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice-Mayor Leonardo E. Cruz held last May 9, 2011 at the Sampaguita Farm, Brgy. Pagalanggang, Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Ang nasabing MOA ay may termino o Coverage Period na sampung (10) taon at ito ay renewable. Ito ay may implementation period na six (6) months o anim na buwan pagkayari ng signing ng MOA. Ito rin ay may Moratorium period na unang anim na buwan pagkayari ng pagtanim ng mga cuttings. Ang termino ng pagbabayad ay nagkakahalaga ng P30,000.00 o tatlumpong libong piso taun-taon sa unang (3) tatlong taon at subject for evaluation sa ika-apat na taon sa pagitan ng Pamahalaang Lokal at ng nasabing koop. Ang pamamaraan ng pagbabayad o mode of payment ay quarterly. Ang (5) limang porsiyento ng taunang kita ng proyekto ay dadalhin sa Community Services at Educational Fund ng Kooperatiba.

As of July 15, 2011, ang koop ay may kabuuang benta o Gross Sales na P41,652.50. Ang kanilang tagapitas ng bulaklak o pickers ay magkakaroon ng insentibo na umabot na sa halagang P12,086.35 at ang kita ng koop ay umabot na sa halagang P29,566.15. Ito ay patuloy na lalaki pa kasabay ng paglaki ng mga nasabing mga halaman. Sa kasalukuyan, ang koop ay may dalawang (2) Full time Farm Employees at anim (6) na part time pickers ng bulaklak at sila ay kikita kada tabo ng bulaklak na kanilang mapipitas.

 

Sa pagtutulungan ng mga Board of Directors, Management Staff at mga regular na kasapi, sila ay naglalaan ng kanilang panahon at sama samang nag-aalaga sa kanilang Sampaguita Farm Business upang lalo itong lumago. Tunay na buhay ang spirit ng Cooperativism sa DEC MPC! Mabuhay ang mga Kooperatiba!