The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has cited the crucial role of cooperatives in helping the government improve the economic situation of poor and marginalized groups in the country.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
In a recent online forum, attended by leaders of cooperatives, Secretary Rolando Bautista took note the valuable contributions of some 26,000 cooperatives to the national economy as the government’s development partners, as they boost country's economic development.
"Ang mga kooperatiba rin ay tumutulong mabigyan ng sapat na kasanayan at kaalaman sa mga mamamayan, umaagapay sa pag buo ng matatag na pamayanan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng trabaho at iba pang pagkakakitaan sa mga miyembro ng komunidad; nagbibigay ng abot-kaya at de kalidad na mga produkto at serbisyo; at higit sa lahat ay tumutulong upang makamit ang lubos na pag-unlad sa mga kanayunan,” he added.
(The cooperative are helping out in providing enough expertise and knowledge to the people, in building strong community through provision of livelihood and other sources income for the members of the community; they are extending affordable and quality products and services, and most of all, they are helping out rural communities to achieve full development)
The forum was initiated by COOP-NATTCO partylist Rep. Sabiniano Canama, chairperson of the House Committee on Cooperatives Development.
Canama expressed the willingness of most cooperatives to "be partners and conduits” of the DSWD’s programs.
He also proposed the formation of a "committee or a team” among the leaders of cooperatives that would coordinate with the DSWD in the implementation of its programs and projects.
He also asked Bautista to look into the possibility of issuing a circular encouraging the members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programa (4Ps) to be members of the cooperatives.
According to Bautista, the DSWD is doing its part in promoting the creation of cooperatives through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Associations.
Currently, the agency has 51 SLP Associations nationwide that are federated as cooperatives, he noted.
The DSWD said as a capacity-building program, SLP provides opportunities to the vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities to enhance their livelihood assets and capacity to utilize their resources more productively.
"Through SLP, DSWD guarantees support to cooperatives around the country, especially in the provision of technical assistance and promotion of economic opportunities for the self-sufficiency of poor and marginalized groups around the country, in partnership with other concerned agencies,” it said.