Community Livelihood Advancement Network MPC (CLAN MPC) A Coop working for the environment

In 2006, the Pope warns that damage to the environment has dire conse­quences for the poor, and has called for all Christians to work to save the earth.

This warning gives motivation to the people behind "CLAN MPC" headed by its BOD Chairman Jovencio "Nonoy" S. Concha, a paraplegic on wheelchair, to work, care and preserve the environment for the generation to come. The cooperative launched a pro­gram dubbed 'May Kwarta sa Basura para sa Parokya, Eskwela, Opisina at Iba pa' "Basura Mo - Balay Ko" A program that raises money for the program participants while positively educating the community about ways to care for the local environment. Success of the program leads to the following current initiatives of the co-operative: Ecological Solid Waste Man­agement (ESWM)- an advocacy for proper waste segregation at source and 3R's on + C (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and Compost); ESWM Material Recov­ery Facility (Trash becomes a re­source)- a buy and sell program for recyclables that generate income and creates livelihood for Person with Dis­abilities (PWD's) at the same time re­duces volume of garbage in the dumpsites; Composting Organic Soil Conditioner, an environmentally sound practice; Production and Design of Handicrafts - adding value to recyclables and exploring creativity through the production of items for sale such as greeting cards and Eco Savers Club-a program that raises ; money for the members' individual saving mobilization while educating the community about caring for the local environment.

The Community Livelihood Ad­vancement Network Multi-purpose Cooperative (CLAN MPC) was orga­nized primarily to become a contribut­ing partner in community development in the sector of (PWDs). It was for­mally registered with the Cooperative Development Authority on August 18, 2006 with registration number CBU-3105 and initial capital of P7,570.00 for 23 members. As of December 2008, the cooperative has a paid-up capital of P52,561.85 with 30 members after undergoing a culling of non-perform­ing members.

Although, it is still a long way to go for CLAN MPC, if we rate them according to the sectors' standards for financial performance, however, it can­not be denied that what they have done is worth emulating. It is just but proper to be given due recognition. Presently, the cooperative were engaged in some activities that enhance its entrepreneur­ial projects at the same time advancing their causes as PWD's like the follow­ing: Tindahan Natin-a project in coor­dination with NFA and DSWD; Barangay Bagsakan- a project in coor­dination with the DA; Micro financing/ lending-providing credit line to support members' economic activities funded by its Eco-savers Club Fund; Air-con­ditioning Maintenance/Service Training Program with grant from the DOLE and Social Awareness, an advocacy ad­vocating for rights and empower­ment for person with disabilities while continuing its work for the environ­ment.

BBCCC Success Story

The Baguio Benguet Community Credit Cooperative (BBCCC) started with a group of 15 teachers from St. Louis University in the late 50s. The significance of the teachers who were the prime movers validates the CRITS-CAR's research that most of the suc­cessful cooperatives in the region were either church based or those managed by teachers. But, these millionaire co­operatives built their well-entrenched values system and corporate culture not as a short-term measure, but a pre­ventive measure that all officers in turn have the passion and patience to insti­tute so that whoever would be taking over will see the cooperative in a cul­ture embedded with wholesome values. The cooperative did not bank on the imagined assurance that regulatory tool would provide a safe and sound finan­cial operation but only viewed it as a framework for its financial operation. The cooperative, according to Dr. Amparo T. Rimas, Vice Chairperson of BBCCC points out that "slippage or corruption in the cooperative is behav­ioral that needs continuing education and not mechanical that having only a regulatory tool and operate like what the commercial banks are doing. It will not ensure the safest and sound finan­cial operation in the case of coopera­tives".

The BBCCC is a testimony or an epitome of self-help organization even without the regulatory tool. The BBCCC brought better life and dignity to its members and delivered what the community needs- the ready and avail­able capital for the various business endeavors and emergency financial needs of its members. The cooperative's success is deeply rooted in its values system and corporate cul­ture of having continuous cooperative education for all its members, staff and officers. The coop officers have a sense of stewardship in terms of in­tegrity expected of an officer, trans­parency that must be articulated and implemented by the staff, vigilance that must be a members' responsibility and accountability to exercise their over­sight powers.

The BBCCC is an awardee of the metallurgical sculptor depicting its con­tribution that helped build the city of Baguio. The award is from the Baguio Centennial Commission that profiled several institutions on their services and programs that impacted to the city of Baguio. The BBCCC started in 1959 with 15 members and   a capital   of PI50.00. As the years passed by, it became a billionaire with a total as­sets of P 1,061,736,681.87 as of De­cember 31 2009. Its membership now is more than twenty thousand (20,000). Monthly, the cooperative receives and entertains an average of six visits from various organizations or student field trips that comes from dif­ferent parts of the country.

The various loans granted to the coop members have a great impact in the growth and progress of the com­munity. These are in the form of pro­ductive loans such as agricultural, poul­try, livestock and business capital. Other are provident loans such as house repairs/construction, purchase of ap­pliances/furniture, car repairs, special contingency. Others loans are educa­tional debts/taxes loan, travel/transpor­tation, and personal needs. All these loans have a total of  P739,696,282 with P24,133 grants. In the loan within the fixed deposits, the cooperative granted a total of P497,874,164 with PI8,841 grants. Another loan window is the petty cash loan with P12,461,115 and P 9,718 grants.

This successful cooperative did not need a banker or a good regulator to manage their multimillion coopera­tive operations. The BBCCC is unique in their efficiency and high collection rate that makes their cooperative op­eration very solvent and liquid one. Their painstaking educational program hardened their real cooperativism, ooz­ing among the members who care by paying early so that their co- members can also borrow. The officers have passion and conscience to safeguard the cooperative funds .The staff also help each other to provide the best ser­vices to the cooperative members. This is omnispresent in their cooperative, which is the backbone of their stabil­ity and success. --By Martin B. Manodon

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