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.