Cooperatives in the Philippines, including five from Mindanao were recently recognized by the Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG) for their contributions in the fight to reduce poverty in their respective communities.
Among the Mindanao cooperatives named by SIPAG include the Multipurpose Coop of Salay Hand-made in Misamis Oriental; the Maragusan Growers Multipurpose Coop in Compostela Valley; the Ictus Premier Multipurpose Coop in South Cotabato; and the Tago Agro-Industrial Development Coop in Surigao del Sur – all from Mindanao.
Each of these cooperatives received P250,000 on Friday in a ceremony held in Las Pinas City.
A Special Award of P150,000 was also given to the United Workers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Coop in Isabela City in Basilan for being the Most Promising Community Enterprise in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao .
SIPAG Awards is a recognition bestowed by Villar family to cooperatives and other grassroots-based organizations in providing assistance and help to people in efforts to alleviate themselves from poverty.
Last Friday’s awarding was led by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar together with former Senate President Manny Villar and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.
Twenty cooperatives from various parts of the country were named awardees for this year with a total cash award of P5 million, or P250,000 each were given awardees.
“We take our hats off to these cooperatives for their jobs well done. We salute them for their untiring, yet unrecognized, efforts to help reduce poverty in our country, especially in the countrysides,” Sen. Villar said in a statement.
She added that through the award, SIPAG relays its utmost gratitude for their sacrifices and put premium to the accomplishments of cooperatives.
For this year, more than 300 cooperatives submitted their applications, out of which the top 20 were selected according to their effectiveness, significance, financial viability, sustainability and adaptability.
Cooperative awardees from the National Capital Region (NCR) include the Barangka Credit Coop in Marikina and the Holy Cross Savings & Credit Coop in Valenzuela.
Luzon winners include the Taloy Norte Farmers Multipurpose Coop in Baguio City; Claveria Grassroots Multipurpose Coop, Cagayan; Saint Catherine’s Parish Multipurpose Coop, Nueva Viscaya; Ascom Multipurpose Coop, Pampanga; Bagong Barrio Multipurpose Coop, Pandi in Bulacan; St. Martin of Tours Credit & Development Coop in Bocaue, Bulacan; Iwahori Multipurpose Coop, Bataan; Olongapo Multipurpose Coop, Olongapo; Most Holy Rosary Multipurpose Coop, Rizal; Quezon Public School Teachers & Employees Credit Coop, Quezon; and Gubat St. Anthony Coop, Sorsogon.
Three cooperatives from the Visayas were also awarded this year – the Cebu People’s Multipurpose Coop; Fatima Multipurpose Coop in Leyte; and DCCCO Multipurpose Coop in Dumaguete.
The SIPAG Awards for Poverty Reduction of Villar family was first handed out in August 2013 in recognition of the exemplary achievements of community enterprises to help local economic development and improvement of lives.
