Iloilo's Cooperative Month celebration to culminate in Banate
Iloilo Provincial Government's celebration of the Cooperative Month will culminate November 7, 2008 in the Municipality of Banate as the host municipality. This year's theme is "Cooperatives: Breaking Through Barriers & Beyond. Kooperatiba: Paglingap sa Kalikasan, Paglaya sa Kahirapan".
There will be a motorcade and caravan of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 delegates coming from Iloilo City, 42 municipalities and one component city in the Province of Iloilo which will proceed to the host municipality.
The month-long celebration started with the opening program of the coop month held at the municipality of Banate last October 3, 2008. This was attended by the members of the Iloilo Provicnial Cooperative Development Council, the Sangguniang Bayan chairmen and member committee on cooperatives, Municipal Coop Development Officers and cooperative leaders of Banate and contestants who participated in the Cooperative Whiz 2008 contest.
Winners of the contest came from two categories, the high school and coop member categories. For high school students, the first place went to the Municipality of Leon; second place to the Municipality of Dingle and the third place went to the Municipality of Pototan.
For the coop members category conducted last October 3, 2008, the winners are as follows: First Place, Guimbal Development Cooperative; Second Place, Pototan Teachers and Employees MPC and third Place, by the Dingle Government Workers Development Cooperative. The winners will receive trophies and cash prizes during the culminating program.
The 3rd Annual General Assembly of the Western Visayas Alliance of Cooperatives was held at the Provincial Capitol last October 10, 2008. The Electric Cooperatives consumers for Reforms, Inc. (ELCCORE), conducted a consumer advocacy and campaign for electric cooperatives to be registered with the Cooperative Devlopment Authority in a number of municipalities in the Province of Iloilo.
The highlight and culminating activity of the Cooperative Month celebration will also include the recognition of the winners of the Cooperative Development Authority Search for Most Outstanding Primary Cooperatives 2008. The winners of the Search are as follows: San Julian MPC, San Julian, Badaiangan, Iloilo; MPC _ Agricultural: Residential (Barangay); Pinili Development Cooperative, New Lucena, Iloilo, MPC- Agricultural: Residential (Municipal); Western Visayas College of Science and Technology MPC, Lapaz, Iloilo City MPC-Institutional; Pototan Teachers & Employees MPC, Pototan, Iloilo, MPC Non-Agricultural Residential (Municipal) and Catmon Credit Cooperative, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, for Credit Cooperative Category.
There will also be an Induction of Officers of the Municipal Cooperative Development council of Banate, the Western Visayas Alliance of Cooperatives and the Electric Cooperatives Consumers for Reforms, Inc.
One of the esteemed guests that is expected to grace the occasion is Mrs. Judy Araneta Roxas, the mother of Senator Mar Roxas. The keynote speaker is Undersecretary Salvador D. Sarabia, Security and Political Affairs, Department of Tourism.
The municipality of Balasan under the able leadership of Mayor Filomena Ganzon will receive the key of responsibility as the next host municipality of the 2009 Cooperative Month Celebration.