ILOILO – The Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO) is encouraging the public, most especially traders, to visit and join the cooperative trade fair and exhibit at the provincial capitol lobby.
The two-week fair has 25 exhibitors (eight cooperatives and 17 cooperative members).
It is part of the month-long Cooperative Month observance themed “Cooperativism: A countervailing force against climate change and violent extremism through people empowerment to trailblaze shift in paradigm towards sustainability and social inclusion.”
Mostly being showcased are farm products of farmers’ cooperatives, according to Atty. Arturo Cangrejo, PCDO chief.
The eight cooperatives participating are the following:
* Calinog Farmers Agriculture Cooperative
* Miag-ao Producers Cooperative
* Guintapagin Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Bingawan
* Pototan Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative
* Pavia Multipurpose Cooperative
* San Julian Multipurpose Cooperative in Badiangan
* Leon Multipurpose Cooperative
* Alimodian Multipurpose Cooperative
The 17 other exhibitors are cooperative members. They are LB Bravio Salted Peanut, Hersie & Janiuay Producers, Vins Food Product, Bukss Ann Food Product, Medio Dia’s Delicacies, AAJ Dried Fish, Siena Herbal Soap, Lezeth Food Products, Brendan’s Pastries, Estancia Stall Owners Association, Kylen’s Food Products, J’wills Food Products, Emjas Souvenirs, Abby’s Chicharon, Jhan and Chin Food Products, Oton Vendor’s Association, and Ligaya Herbal Products.
“The exhibit is a chance for cooperatives and members to promote their products,” said Cangrejo.
It is hoped that the exhibitors would be able to attract investors or secure supply contracts with interested businessmen.
The Cooperative Month celebration kicked off on Oct. 9 in the municipality of Batad.
Cooperatives have been instrumental in helping the poor in the countryside, according to Vidal Villanueva III, Board of Administrator for Visayas of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)m during the opening program.
There has been a study by the Asian Development Bank that people’s lives were getting better in areas where cooperatives operate.
“Kung saan ang cooperatiba, maayos ang buhay ng tao,” he stressed.
Other activities lined up are the following:
* Oct. 18 – Coop Whiz Contest (for students and cooperative members) at the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College in Batad
* Oct. 22 to 23 – Iloilo Technology Development Training for cooperative members; food festival
* Oct. 10 and 11 – Governance & Management of Cooperative – Northern Iloilo sa Batad.
The Cooperative Month celebration wraps up on Oct. 24 in Batad./PN
