Edited by: Aliw Zurita-Jose
Governor Albert Raymond
S. Garcia congratulates two of the most promising cooperatives in Bataan,
particularly in Mariveles, who were awarded the Gawad sa Pinakatatanging Kooperatiba
(Gawad PITAK) by Land Bank of the Philippines.
Iwahori Multi-Purpose Cooperative placed 4thwhile Watchlife
Workers MPC bagged the 2nd place in the Non-Agri-Based category
bringing home Php150,000 and Php250,000 worth of fixed assets
respectively. From the numerous Land
Bank-assisted coops in the Philippines, only 9 coops passed the rigid screening
to qualify and become nominees for the said category. The top five were selected from the nine (9)
nominees and were consisted of two (2) coops from Bataan, one coop each from
Antique, Surigao del Norte and Laguna.
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Governor Abet Garcia, PCDO Head Zena
Sugatain and
LBP Account Officer Mar Guzman with the
Officers of Iwahori MPC and Watchlife
Workers MPC .
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The Gawad PITAK,
now on its 23rd year, has become a symbol of honor and prestige for
LANDBANK-assisted cooperatives that continue to survive and sustain operation amidst
environment’s risks and threats. “It has been a tradition of LANDBANK every
year to honor outstanding cooperatives that have contributed in promoting a
robust economy in their areas of operation,” LANDBANK president and CEO Gilda
E. Pico said.
Iwahori Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IMPC)
started humbly as Iwahori Employees Credit Cooperative (IECC) in 1991
whose membership (only 29 then) was limited to the employees and workers of Iwahori
Philippines, manufacturer of disposable gas lighters in Bataan Economic
Zone, Mariveles, Bataan. Their primary business
was lending. With a working capital of Php40,000 in 1991, IMPC had gone a long
way and now continues to operate with 2,177
members, a capital of Php50Million
plus assets worth of Php133Million. From
their core business of lending, they now have diversified businesses which
include among others, van
and stall rental, appliances trading, consumer goods and rice trading,
microfinance, photocopying, and ID lamination, money remittance and gym and
wellness services. The newest
service IMPC now offers is the automated teller machine for its members and
non-members in the community. Their concern is not only about making money and
expanding businesses but also in community services like medical mission,
environmental projects and programs for the youth and elderly. When asked how they felt about getting the
award, Manager Marilou Almario replied, “we are happy and sad at the same time,
happy because we again made it to the 5 awardees, sad that we didn’t achieve
what we aimed for, the 1stplace.
Nevertheless, what’s more important is we will keep on doing better
until we become the best.” IMPC was given the 3rd and 2nd
place for the same award in the years 2011 and 2012.
Watchlife Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative
(WWMPC)on the other hand, was organized in 2005 by 25 factory workers, all
of whom working in Mitsumi Philippines, Inc., manufacturer of electronic devices
and a locator in Bataan Economic Zone, also in Mariveles, Bataan. From lending business, they have ventured
into other businesses such as deposit servicing, space rentals, trading rentals
and rice trading. As a new offering to its members, they will soon be
purchasing a long van (23-seater), that would help transport member-workers from
Mitsumi to their homes in nearby towns and vice versa. Just after 7 years of operation and from
Php175,000.00 initial capital in 2005, they now have Php21Millionpaid-up capital and 1,862 proud members. Assets
worth is now Php59Million and still
growing. They are also involved in
community services such as scholarship program, gift giving, and coastal
clean-up among others. “We are just doing our jobs of providing quality
services, and receiving awards like this is already a bonus for us!” quoted from
Ms. Charito Abaya, Manager of WWMPC.
