Aboitiz empowers Benguet women-led coop
Through trainings and financial assistance, the Aboitiz Group assists Benguet-based cooperative Thanksgiving Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) to pay it forward to its community members.
The livelihood association was formed by 16 Benguet women following the 1990 Luzon earthquake and for over a decade has been engaged in various livelihood programs. rom a mere consumer store, it has evolved into a multi-business cooperative offering loans, savings and time deposits, and other services such as photocopying and bookbinding, among others.
The Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group, has been proving capability building training sessions to empower Thanksgiving’s members and officers since 2009.
“We learned about the current trends and information related to managing a cooperative and became compliant with Cooperative Development Authority’s training requirements through trainings and seminars provided by the Aboitiz Group,” said Emma Golocan, Thanksgiving MPC General Manager.
Through the Foundation’s financial assistance and livelihood skills training, the cooperative’s officers and members were able to exponentially grow their small swine fattening livelihood projects.
“Our cooperative started with a capital of P102,500.00 and now I am proud to say that we have assets amounting to P68,403,878.67,” Golocan noted.
Thanksgiving MPC gives back to communities by conducting medical and dental missions, clean-up drives, tree plantings, and by supporting the government’s annual Brigada Eskwela. On top of this, 10% of its annual net income is donated to the church as religious tithes. Thanksgiving MPC has made itself an important ally of the government in making the communities it serves better places to live in.
“The Aboitiz Foundation inspires us to help communities improve their well-being. In our little way ay makatulong din kami. Alam namin na ang paraan para maibalik ang tulong sa amin ng Aboitiz Foundation ay tumulong din kami sa kapwa,” Golocan said.
As the cooperative continues to grow, the Aboitiz Foundation similarly continues to support more of its livelihood programs. Some Thanksgiving MPC members have already completed National Certifications II on Dressmaking or Baking and Pastry Production. These livelihood trainings have opened new business and employment opportunities to the cooperative and its members.
