Taloy Norte

Taloy Norte Farmers Laboratory Cooperative

On the year end of 2012 the MANCOM were so happy to see the COOP PESOS of the cooperative, however seeing the COOP rating of 99 points they asked why the cooperative cannot perfect the score, the bookkeeper then (Ms. Lynie Oliveros) said that the 1 point was the Lab Coop since the coop doesn’t have one then the COOP rating could not be perfected. That time the MANCOM already planning to have a Laboratory Coop, the MICOOP Area Manager assigned in the area (Mr. Angel Garcia) said that the cooperative should explore about having laboratory coop.

 

In the mid-year of 2013, CDS Dennis Lumbag came to the office and asked the cooperative to have a laboratory coop since the coop has Youth Education Savers Club (YES Club), he said the cooperative is ready to have Lab Coop and that the cooperative is viable to have one. This information was thrown back to MANCOM, however many questions arose during the meeting. Questions like, what support can CDA give the cooperative since it’s a new service that will be offered to the children in the area?, can the lab coop give financial service to them, are they going to issue ORs? Can they sign for withdrawals? and the like. CDS Dennis Lumbag cannot answer the questions so he decided to research on the questions and come back if he has the answer, but he said that the coop can just register and the answer to the coop’s questions can be given back on or after the lab coop registration. He even said that Taloy Norte FMPC will be the first coop who will register for the Lab Coop if it will register on that year; however the MANCOM decided not to do any action until the questions are clearly answered.

 

On August 2014, during the CDA inspection Mr. Romeo Dennis, CDS ll came by the office and asked us why we don’t have Lab Coop, the Manager discussed the reasons why the coop cannot push through the Lab Coop. Mr. Dennis said that he more than willing to answer all the questions if the coop will set a meeting with him. The MANCOM set a meeting with Mr. Dennis and he answered the questions raised like:

1. What support can CDA give the cooperative? He said that they will support through trainings, tap the coop with other coops who have lab coop because (honestly he said) the authority don’t have concrete guidelines yet for lab coop, but if there will be no coop who will try then the authority will not know the challenges affecting the lab coop.

2. Can the lab coop give financial service to them? Only savings, since lab coop is training ground for financial literacy. The Guardian Coop’s duty is to train these young leaders to be new breed leaders in cooperative, teach them how to manage and lead the coop at young age.

3. Are they going to issue ORs? No, since they will not be involved in other financial services aside from savings.

4. Can they withdraw? Yes, with parent’s consent. But the Lab Coop should encourage the members not to withdraw until they reach the legal age, but if it’s necessary then they have to have parent’s consent.

5. Can the Lab Coop have other financial services? Yes, if it’s in the by-laws, but this is where the status of the coop get complicated because of the issuance of Official Receipt. The Guardian Coop can find ways on how to involve them in other financial services, not necessary that the Lab Coop will handle permanently. Like selling lemonade or fish balls during summer in the like, where in the Guardian Coop can lend them money for capital, the Lab Coop can do business and return the capital to the Guardian. In this way the Lab Coop will know how money is being used in the real world.

6.  Why do you want us to have Lab Coop? It is recognized by the law, it is legal, the coop will be of big help in molding the next coop leaders.

 

These are just some of the question that Mr. Dennis discussed with the MANCOM. On January 2015, the coop decided to have Laboratory Coop starting with the children of the members, officers and staff. They started with 15 members, elected their officers on February 2015. The Articles of Cooperation and By Laws of the Lab Coop was just the same with the ACBL of the regular coops.

 

As of today, CDA has already MCs for Lab Coop. Like the MC2015-3 that will help the guardian coop on how to guide the lab coop.

 

There are still challenges in having Lab Coops like (1) the schedule of meeting, since the members of the lab coops are from elementary to college they cannot find time to have regular activities and meetings. The Guardian Coop (2) doesn’t have a Lab Coop champion, who will encourage these young leaders to practice what they have to do.

 

The Taloy Norte Farmers Lab COOP has been presented to the General Assembly last Mach 23, 2015. They will also be having its first Christmas Party this year and first General Assembly on 2016.