Villar SIPAG recognizes outstanding cooperatives

Cooperatives help governments in their goal to reduce poverty among their people, and recognizing the important role played by these organizations is the highlight of the annual Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Awards on Poverty Reduction.

For the 2016 Villar SIPAG Awards, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, former Senate President Manny Villar and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar handpicked 20 cooperatives for their exemplary assistance to their covered communities and distributed a total of P5 million in cash, or P250,000 each, during the awarding ceremonies held on Friday at the Villar SIPAG in Las Pinas.

"We take our hats off to these cooperatives for their jobs well done. We salute them for their untiring, yet unrecognized, efforts to help reduce poverty in our country, especially in the countrysides," Sen. Villar said.

"Through this award, we relay our utmost gratitude for their sacrifices and put premium to their accomplishments," she also said.

For this year, more than 300 cooperatives submitted their applications, out of which the top 20 were selected according to their effectiveness, significance, financial viability, sustainability and adaptability.

Chosen cooperatives were awarded a plaque and P250,000 each, which they can use to start a new business or expand their existing projects.

Two cooperatives from the National Capital Region (NCR) was among the top 20 enterprises. These are the Barangka Credit Coop in Marikina and the Holy Cross Savings & Credit Coop in Valenzuela.

Others in Luzon which won the Villar SIPAG Awards were the Taloy Norte Farmers Multipurpose Coop in Baguio City; Claveria Grassroots Multipurpose Coop, Cagayan; Saint Catherine's Parish Multipurpose Coop, Nueva Viscaya; Ascom Multipurpose Coop, Pampanga; Bagong Barrio Multipurpose Coop, Pandi in Bulacan; St. Martin of Tours Credit & Development Coop in Bocaue, Bulacan; Iwahori Multipurpose Coop, Bataan; Olongapo Multipurpose Coop, Olongapo; Most Holy Rosary Multipurpose Coop, Rizal; Quezon Public School Teachers & Employees Credit Coop, Quezon; and Gubat St. Anthony Coop, Sorsogon.

Three cooperatives from the Visayas also made it. These are the Cebu People's Multipurpose Coop; Fatima Multipurpose Coop in Leyte; and DCCCO Multipurpose Coop in Dumaguete.

The Multipurpose Coop of Salay Hand-made in Misamis Oriental; the Maragusan Growers Multipurpose Coop in Compostela Valley; the Ictus Premier Multipurpose Coop in South Cotabato; and the Tago Agro-Industrial Development Coop in Surigao del Sur - all from Mindanao - also made it to the Top 20.

A Special Award of P150,000 was likewise given to the United Workers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Coop in Isabela City in Basilan for being the Most Promising Community Enterprise in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The Villar SIPAG Awards for Poverty Reduction was first handed out in August 2013 in recognition of the exemplary achievements of community enterprises to help local economic development and improvement of lives.