LOWER GOMOK MULTI-PURPOSE COOP SCORES GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT

Empowered community…from pocket miners to managers

ITOGO, Benguet

Members of Lower Gomok Multi-Purpose Cooperative to include  local government unit (lgu)  officials and barangay
leaders ,lauded the growth and development of their cooperative on account of sound management and transparency of policies by its current officials. In turn, cooperative officials, led by Eugenio Tuguinay and Joe Caw-as ,  chairman  of  the  board  and general manager, respectively; and down to the lowest position, likewise, expressed their gratitude to the members for their unwavering support in patronizing all the services their  cooperative can offer.

These services include – gas station, hardware, convenient store, auto supply, loan facility, savings ( regular/ kiddie), medical/social   ,and property lease, among others. At the sideline, Doming Odlos and Brenda Aquino, Education and Audit Committees,, respectively, and Alfred Bugnosen, one of the board of directors (BOD) , together    thanked  the  support of all the members, other individuals and institutions. The cooperative based in Barangay Ucab , established decades ago by hard working local pocket miners, who bonded together for a common goal – to lift not only themselves but also the lives of others-community, recently has conducted an  Ownership  Meeting  held  at
Evacuation Center, Sitio Malasin here.

Firstly,   Mayor  Bernard Waclin, himself a member of the cooperative, praised coop officials for their unselfish
desire in sustaining the growth of their cooperative. Mayor Waclin rallied his co-members to keep patronizing their coop services as he outlined his administration’s accomplishments , current and upcoming projects. Midway, Punong Barangay Tony Pesase also thanked the members for their support, and also their assistance to the community. Putting premium on transparency, in the ownership meeting, facilitated by BOD Chairperson , Tuguinay, General Manager Caw-as , also  a former small scale miner, presented updates on the coop’s business and
management.

Caw-as reported that the cooperative’s latest net surplus is P2.1 million and P22.965 million in total paid-up share
capital, stressing some services need to expand to meet members clamor He also said the current total number of employees posted at 752. BOD Bugnosen, currently the executive vice president of the Benguet Federation of Small-Miners, Inc. (BFSSMI), briefly    outlined  the  coop’s medical and social services, and how to avail such services.
David Dulnuan, another ex- pocket miner, currently the coop’s treasurer, discussed brief  history of the cooperative, who revealed that despite some locals were critical and pessimistic about their plan to establish a ‘small scale miners’ cooperative, however, they pursued full of vigor , optimism, perseverance and reverence to Almighty.

‘Dakel a challenge idi agrugrugi kami … Our goal is to   lift  the lives  of  our  local pocket miners…employees and
assist the community,’ Dulnuan said in English and in the local dialect with voice cracking   and  filled  with emotions. Dulnuan added ‘volunteer  kami ..nasurok nga tallo nga tawen (three years) saan ngami nag sweldo kayat
mi laeng dagiti padak a co-founders ma- prioritized iti salaries ti coop employees.’  The activity  was marked  testimonials by some  employees of the cooperative, whose words moved   members  and  their  families, lgu officials, barangay leaders , and some visitors to include this reporter.

Remarkably,   on  Johnny Melchor ’s testimony, who journeyed from Aglipay , Quirino Province in search for a job to feed his family and two of his children. Back in 2012, Melchor’s hard work and trustworthiness paid-off, after six six years as stockkeeper (bodegero), coop officials promoted him into cashier (2019) which he hold on to the position to the present. In fact, Melchor ’s perseverance , himself ‘usok’ (pocket miner) until he was hired as laborer during the
construction of the coop building, is  proud  father whose son a junior  now  a  practing lawyer, and a daughter Michigan, a first year engineering student.

‘Nupay adu dagiti ups and downs  ti napalpalabas daytoy coop tayo haan nga nagbawas ti empleado agraman siak dakkel unay a pagyamanan mi kadagiti officers tayo,’ nervously states Melchor yet with smiles. ‘Gapo ti urnos..kina aktibo dagiti officers tayo nairugi iti lending services ken auto supply idi last year,’ added Mechor, inviting locals in
Itogon to become members of the coop. ‘Basta LGMPC …pera niyo ay   garantisado!’   Melchor exulted, receiving laud applause from members. Members participated in the open forum wherein the latter they praised coop officials, and raised concerns to further strengthen the cooperative.
Primo Agatep/ABN

Amianan Balita Ngayon