Int’l Coop Month 2005 opens

By Ian C. Espada

Miagao, Iloilo – The International Cooperative Month 2005 celebration in the Province of Iloilo has finally kicked off with an opening ceremonies held on Oct. 3, 2005 in host municipality, Miagao, 40 km. south of Iloilo City.

The opening of this month-long celebration was formal declared by Hon. Pedro E. Balundo, Regional Director of Cooperative Development Authority.

The program was graced by the presence of Board Member Domingo B. Oso, Jr. who chairs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Cooperatives.

In his message, he underscored the importance of cooperativism to boost progress and development in the Province of Iloilo and the country as a whole.

He said government partnership with NGOs like Cooperatives and with the support of various civil society groups in the country can help address various problems besetting the country especially at the countryside.

Oso said the celebration of the International Cooperative Month serves as a reminder to every Filipino to work together and share each talent and resources to propel progress despite the political turmoil that tends to divide the country and disunite the people.
Meanwhile, Dr. Arnold M. Naldoza, chair of the Iloilo Provincial Cooperative Development Council, announced activities lined-up for this month-long celebration.

On Oct. 4-5, 2005, the Financial Literacy Team will be conducted by the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Employees Cooperative for Miagao coops and other coops from 1st District. The same training will be conducted in the Provincial Capitol on Oct. 10-11, 2005 for other coops in the province of Iloilo.

From Oct. 10-21, 2005, a two-week Palangabuhian Fair will be opened at the capitol lobby to showcase coops products in the province.

On Oct.13, 2005, a Symposium on Health Coops will be conducted and to be participated in by SB Chairs on Coops and Health; MCDOs; coops engaged in health and pharmacy services. The keynote speaker will be Hon. Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan, President of the Philippines International Trading Corp.

On Oct. 18, 2005 is scheduled for a Symposium on Coop Taxation at the Conference Room in capitol.

A symposium on Labor Standard Laws for Cooperatives will be on Oct. 20, 2005 while the “Palangabuhian Fair” for the Municipality of Miagao will be on Oct. 24-28, 2005.

The opening of the trade fair on Oct. 24th will be followed by Coop Whiz to be participated in by three-man team high school students in every municipality. The winning team will receive cash prizes of 5,000, 4,000 and 3,000 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placers, respectively.
The highlight for this month-long celebration will be on Oct. 28 with a motorcade/caravan of approximately 4,000 to 5,000 delegates coming from the different primary coops in Iloilo City, Passi City and 42 municipalities in the province. The guest of honor will be Mr. Rico Geron, manage of Soro-Soro Ibaba Development Coop, Soro-Soro, Batangas City, one of the most awarded and considered as a billionaire coop in the country today.

The opening program was attended by Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr., First Lady Myrna C. Tupas, Miagao Mayor Gerardo Flores, Provincial Cooperative Devt. Office-OIC Mila M. Layog, municipal officials of Miagao, SB members and leaders of the cooperative movements in the province of Iloilo.

This year’s International Cooperative Month celebration bannered its theme: “Cooperatives: Creating Opportunities for All.” (Capitol News)