ILOILO – The manager of the farmers’ cooperative in Batad town is seeing progress in their cooperative due to the funding assistance extended by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The Batad Multi-Purpose Cooperative is among the five cooperatives in Western Visayas which benefitted from the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).
The awarding of ceremonial cheques, spearheaded by DOLE Region 6 director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr., was held during the 120th Labor Day Job Fair on May 1 at SM City Iloilo.
“Daku ana impact sini. Makita ko na ang pag angat sang Batad Multipurpose Cooperative. May ara na kami gamiton nga capital,” said Cesar Lariza, the cooperative’s manager.
The cooperative is into farm agricultural inputs retailing, and rice and corn trading. It received P1.252-million cash assistance.
DILP seeks to contribute to poverty reduction and reduce the vulnerability to risks of the working poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers either through emergency employment, and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.
“Daku gid ini nga bullig sa amon sa Batad Multipurpose Cooperative. Ini sya nga pundo intended gid sa amon farm agricultural supplies. Sunod nga bulan tigtalanom na sang mais, so part sang P1 million i-drawat namon ka mais kag bugas,” said Lariza.
The Batad Multi-Purpose Cooperative has over 300 members excluding non-member farmers and retailers who are also purchasing agricultural supply in the cooperative.
Lariza said this is the first time that they received assistance from the government after the town’s Public Employment Services Office (PESO) manager introduced them to DOLE.
Before DOLE’s assistance arrived, Lariza said they banked on their capital build-up or capital shares of the members.
They also received funding before from a non-government organization to help them get back on their feet after the devastation brought by super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.
“Ma-10 years na ang cooperative kaso wala nakabuylo because limited ang capital. Ang una namon ginhimo tindahan lang sa may merkado. Dira lang na gabalik balik kapital namon,” Lariza said.
With DOLE’s help, Lariza is hopeful that their cooperative can go smoothly towards improving each of their member’s lives.
Other DILP beneficiaries included:
* Laua-an Multi-Purpose Coperative in Laua-an, Antique – P2.035 million for acquisition of muscovado sugar for processing, and strengthening of initiatives
* BLGU Dolores in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – P1.173 million for enhancement of a fish farming project
* BLGU Pandaraonan in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras — P879,373 for enhancement of a fish farming project
* BLGU Tabugon in Carles, Iloilo – P1.488 million for solar panels for a fishing facility/PN
