About us
TALOY NORTE FARMERS MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE (TANOFARMPCO)
The humble beginnings of the cooperative started with only 58 ARB farmer members from Barangay Taloy Norte, Tuba, Benguet on May 1999. With total Assets: P409, 000 and Share Capital of P33, 000. Dir. Joseph Vicente was one of the officers who organized the cooperative together with Mr. Severino Pelis DF of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
In 2009 after 10 years of existence, the Taloy Norte Farmers MPC partnered with Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and National Confederations of Cooperative (NATCCO) under the Microfinance Innovations in Cooperatives (MICOOP) Program. The main purpose of the partnership is to provide the ARBs with sustainable access to credit through capacity building and loan funds. DAR gave grant for capacity building through computer system and trainings for the officers and staff. While NATCCO on the other hand installed the MICOOP Policies and Procedures (Manual of Operations), they did one-on-one coaching of the branch manager and staff through 1-week visit every month, and they give the coop access to loan. Ms. Evelia Bardos-Tizon, MICOOP Program Manager headed her team to give the officers and staff a nearly one month capacity and governance training before the grand opening in Baguio on November 2009.
The officers headed by then Chairperson Josephine Dulin had the courage to a new leap by engaging to partnership wherein they are not quite sure if it will work or not. The word trust was the only thing they had. In 2009 after the success of the partnership, the cooperative came to Baguio for an expansion. The expansion is from Taloy Norte barangay to the BLIST area (Baguio, La Tinidad, Itogon, Sablan and La Trinidad). The first management staff that operated the municipalities was a group of seven headed by the Manager Deborah Palgue.
In 2009 the cooperative became visible in Baguio City, wherein the office was rented at #19 Marcos Highway, Bgauio City. The cooperative has its break-even on the second month of operations, from a micro size in asset to a medium-size of asset during its first year of operations.
In 2014, God gave the cooperative another opportunity to enter into a 2nd contract with NATCCO and DAR; and so on June 23, 2014 Taloy Norte Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative- La Trinidad branch was born. With initial members of more than 500 that was transferred from the main office now they ended the year 2015 with 3,392 members; the branch had initial Internal Fund Generation (savings and share capital combined) of more than P435,000.00 at the end of the year the branch ended up at more than P19 M; their loan outstanding ended at P 34.6M ; their assets from 1M to 39.9M (including the additional 10 M loans from NATCCO), their surplus went up from P55,000 to P2.9 M. For the year 2015, new Branch Manager was installed to oversee and control the La Trinidad branch operation, she was the former bookkeeper of the main office, Ms. Lynie Anchales Oliveros, an ARB beneficiary and one of the original staff of Taloy Norte Farmers MPC. The cooperative also hired additional staff for the branch, thus having 7 cooperative staff all in all in 2009 at the end of 2015 the branch has already 15 full time staff. On the same time after the installation of the new branch manager is the promotion of Manager Deborah Palgue to General Manager. Indeed the General Assembly made the right choice when they approved the area of operation expansion last year from BLIST area to Baguio-Benguet area to Cordillera Administrative Region and La Union Province, now the fruits are bearing and they’re ready for harvest.
On August 1, 2016 the new branch in Abatan, Buguias, Benguet was opened with another 7 full time workers headed by Mr. John Dumaniw their new branch manager.
Below are the growth indicators of the Taloy Norte Farmers MPC from 2009 to year end 2015.
Membership in 2009 : 58
2014: 4,332
2015: 8,085
ASSETS in 2009: 409,500.00
2014: 47,651,148.00
2015: 86,657,022.00
Aside from these figures the cooperative never forgets its social mission that is to share what the cooperative has to the members and to the community around it. The cooperative went to some barangays to distribute the community service contributions of the members (cleaning materials, slippers and notebooks), and even conducted its first medical mission in Barangay Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet with the help of Dr. Melchor Diclas (of Bugias) and his team.
The cooperative experienced rapid growth since the time it opened its avenue for expansion, though there are some things that the cooperative considered before branching; the market, capital, staff. The cooperative saw that in branching, it will cater the financial needs of its members it will also respond to a more competitive financial services market in each area. The officers of the cooperative are supportive on this endeavor, they made sure that the branching has been approved by the General Assembly. The officers encouraged the general assembly to approve the branching. This 2016 another branch proposal was laid for the general assembly to approve, this is in Buguias.
The branching of a cooperative will only be successful if the officers and the management staff work hand and hand, when they don’t fight, dis agreement is normal but fighting over one agenda is not.
In the cooperative’s branching experience, it gives a big leap to the coop itself it almost doubled the key result areas in just a year. Branching is vital when there is a need from the members, and when these members commits to the cooperative full support to its products and services. Education to the members are important, they should understand why the cooperative needs to expand, survey and open communication between members and the management staff should be treated properly to avoid miscommunication.
Strengthened partnership with other agencies are also important, they serves as a strong support in cases of unwanted things along the way.
There are still many things to be done for the members and TANOFARMPCO is just beginning.
To God be the glory.
"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37