CITY OF MALOLOS — Known to be the “Cooperative Capital” of the Philippines, Bulacan has once again launched a vital program dubbed GOKOOP that will help strengthen the cooperative sector.
GOKOOP aims to intensify the promotion of cooperatives; strengthen micro and small cooperatives; increase access to finance and other resources; accelerate partnership and collaboration; enhance policy and regulatory environment; and improve Gawad Galing Kooperatiba.
The launching of GOKOOP at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium here recently also kicked-start the celebration of Cooperative and Enterprise Month this October which was attended by more than 2,500 partners in nation-building and development including officers and members of different coops in the province, City/Municipal Cooperative Development Officers and Councils among others.
In the keynote address by former governor Roberto M. Pagdanganan, incumbent advisor of E-HealthCore International, Inc., he encouraged banking on own local business and cooperatives which are the lifeblood and foundation of an economy, and also lauded the province’s achievements in terms of coop growth and development.
Meanwhile, Vice Gov. Alexis C. Castro said that aside from the government, cooperatives are the pillars of people in need of financial support.
“Ang mga kooperatiba po ang nagiging sandigan ng ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan. Bukod sa pamahalaan, mayroon silang kooperatiba na matatabukhan tulad ninyo,” Castro said.
He also paid tribute to the contributions of Pagdanganan and other former provincial officials in boosting cooperative development.
“Nagkukwentuhan nga kami ni Gob. Obet, sabi niya 1989 pa lang ay aktibung-aktibo na, mas nauna pa nga ‘yan sa nasyonal na kaya ho mapalad ang Bulacan at nakikita natin ngayon ang fruit na itinanim ni Gob. Obet noong araw, itinanim ng mga nakaraang lider sa kooperatiba na mga nauna sa atin. Ngayon naha-harvest natin, maraming nagtatayo ng grupo pero paglipas ng ilang taon ay nawawala pero dito sa Bulacan, ‘di tayo kaunti, padami tayo nang padami, padami nang padami ang kooperatiba, padami nang padami ang sumasapi dahil ang ating pundasyon ay napakatibay,” the vice governor added.
Also, parts of the program were the audio-visual presentation of GOKOOP Initiatives and Credit Surety of the Cooperative Development Authority, the signing of the covenant of more than 40 Cooperative Multi-Stakeholders and Enablers, and the awarding of projects from different development partners.
Several guests attended the program including Board Member Allen Dale DC. Baluyut, chairperson of the Committee on Cooperative, Assistant Secretary Virgilio Lazaga of Cooperative Development Authority, Provincial Cooperative Development Council headed by Leilani Babista, actress Nadia Montenegro who represented Senator Robinhood Padilla, coop development partners, stakeholders, and enablers from the local and national government, non-government organizations and cooperative sectors.
Other activities lined up for the Coop Month celebration include the Credit Surety Fund Roadshow spearheaded by CDA, the Regional Kooplympics of the Central Luzon RCDC, and the Gawad Galing Kooperatiba 2023 of the PGB.
Prior to the launching of GOKOOP, a coop parade was held from the Malolos Convention Center to the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium. (UnliNews Online)
