In 2013, AWCF has been linking up through various activities with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), the Philippines’s regulatory body for co-ops in the country. AWCF’s coordination with CDA was spurred by the former’s pursuance of the “Call for Action” issued to the latter in December 2012 that called for this government agency to support gender equality (GE) mainstreaming and integration in co-ops to bring about even greater economic and social benefits to the movement. The Call for Action exhorted CDA, as the most relevant government body in the Philippines that supports co-ops, to take these steps toward promoting GE in co-ops: 1. require gender-sensitivity training or gender-awareness sessions as one of the courses for co-op officers and key management staff; 2. require co-ops to engage in gender-related activities so as to address gender issues in their co-ops and thus become gender-fair and gender-responsive organizations and workplaces; and 3. require co-ops to integrate GE in their bylaws.
The said Call for Action was drawn up during a public awareness conference organized by AWCF in December 2012 in Quezon City, Philippines, attended by representatives of Philippine co-ops, government and non-government organizations, and other sectors. The conference was one of the culminating activities of AWCF’s 2010-2012 project that promoted GE among 15 Philippine co-ops, which are among the most active and progressive co-ops in the country. The project was funded by the We Effect—Swedish Cooperative Centre. With these 15 co-ops’ experience gained from their participation in AWCF’s GE project, which helped lead the way toward their becoming “GE champions” in the co-op movement, the 15 co-ops took the occasion of the public conference to issue the Call for Action to CDA, relayed at the conference to CDA Executive Director Mr. Niel Santillan. Mr. Santillan was one of the conference’s guests. Later, AWCF sent a copy of the Call for Action directly to the office of CDA Chairperson Mr. Emmanuel M. Santiaguel, Ph.D.
On May 6, 2013, AWCF had the opportunity for exploratory talks with Ms Mercedes Castillo, one of CDA’s Board of Administrators, on the ways by which AWCF can pursue the objectives of the Call for Action on GE earlier given to CDA. The meeting was followed by a series of events held between AWCF and CDA that were either planned or to which AWCF was invited. In these events, AWCF was able to share to CDA’s officers and staff updates and enhanced knowledge about GE, and GE’s roles in and benefits to the co-op movement. Also discussed in some of these events was the technical support that AWCF can provide to further help CDA act on the objectives of the Call for Action for GE in co-ops.
Rundown of events
In May to July 2013, AWCF linked up with CDA in these activities/events:
1. In May
-AWCF Executive Director Ms Salome Ganibe was invited to speak on the forum on GE in co-ops organized by a regional office of CDA (Cagayan Valley-Region 2), held in Tuguegarao City, attended by 112 participants from 73 co-ops. The forum’s participants also crafted and issued to CDA their own Call for Action on GE in co-ops. Their Call for Action raised the same points in the earlier Call for Action given to CDA, with the additional concern expressed that GE should be included in the monitoring and evaluation of co-op performance through social audit and visitation.
-Ms Ganibe led AWCF Secretariat staff in conducting with CDA officers and some key personnel a consultation/updating meeting on GE matters in co-operatives. The meeting held at the CDA Central Office in Quezon City was attended by CDA Administrator Ms Castillo, CDA Director for Institutional Development Department (IDD) Ms Fe D. Caingles, and some key personnel from some of CDA’s office departments. Some of these CDA key personnel are likewise involved in this government agency’s gender and development activities. The AWCF and CDA exchanged information on each other’s activities in promoting GE in co-ops, and they had initial discussions on how the two agencies can coordinate in their endeavors toward GE.
2. In June
-CDA Administrator Ms Castillo and CDA Executive Assistant Ms Cheryl Marders were guests at the strategic planning conference convened by AWCF in Manila, for the setting up of GE resource centers (GERCs) in co-ops in the country. Ms Castillo, a long-time co-op trainer and officer and also gender advocate in the private co-op movement of the country before she joined CDA, gave her message of support to the AWCF conference. Leaders and gender focal persons from various Philippine co-ops attended the conference. The conference was actually one of the processes that AWCF is implementing together with co-ops in the country in setting up and operating GERCs that will institutionalize the co-ops’ gender programs and activities. Also a guest at the said event was Ms Emelina Santos, Group Head for Member Relations and Networking of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippines.
-AWCF responded to invitations from CDA to give a GE orientation to 1) CDA’s Board of Administrators and Executive Committee officers held at the CDA Central Office, wherein Ms Ganibe and AWCF consultant Ms Emma Nieva, who is a co-op leader based in Mindanao, Philippines, gave inputs on GE; and 2) CDA-National Capital Region staff, held in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. AWCF Secretariat staff Ms Theresa Saliendra and Mr. Ranie Catimbang handled the session for the CDA staff.
3) in July
-Ms Ganibe led AWCF Secretariat staff in conducting with CDA officers and some key personnel a consultation/updating meeting on GE matters in co-operatives. The meeting held at the CDA Central Office in Quezon City was attended by CDA Administrator Ms Castillo, CDA Director for Institutional Development Department (IDD) Ms Fe D. Caingles, and some key personnel from some of CDA’s office departments. Some of these CDA key personnel are likewise involved in this government agency’s gender and development activities. The AWCF and CDA exchanged information on each other’s activities in promoting GE in co-ops, and they had initial discussions on how the two agencies can coordinate in their endeavors toward GE.
2. In June
-CDA Administrator Ms Castillo and CDA Executive Assistant Ms Cheryl Marders were guests at the strategic planning conference convened by AWCF in Manila, for the setting up of GE resource centers (GERCs) in co-ops in the country. Ms Castillo, a long-time co-op trainer and officer and also gender advocate in the private co-op movement of the country before she joined CDA, gave her message of support to the AWCF conference. Leaders and gender focal persons from various Philippine co-ops attended the conference. The conference was actually one of the processes that AWCF is implementing together with co-ops in the country in setting up and operating GERCs that will institutionalize the co-ops’ gender programs and activities. Also a guest at the said event was Ms Emelina Santos, Group Head for Member Relations and Networking of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippines.
-AWCF responded to invitations from CDA to give a GE orientation to 1) CDA’s Board of Administrators and Executive Committee officers held at the CDA Central Office, wherein Ms Ganibe and AWCF consultant Ms Emma Nieva, who is a co-op leader based in Mindanao, Philippines, gave inputs on GE; and 2) CDA-National Capital Region staff, held in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. AWCF Secretariat staff Ms Theresa Saliendra and Mr. Ranie Catimbang handled the session for the CDA staff.
3) in July
-In Davao City, Ms Ganibe gave a GE orientation to the Cooperative Research, Information, and Training Division (CRITD) staff and gender focal persons from the CDA national and regional offices.
-CDA Administrator Ms Castillo invited Ms Ganibe to a meeting with Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ms Remedios Rikken to discuss coordination between CDA and PCW for gender-sensitivity training to be scheduled for conduct in CDA. The meeting was held at the PCW offices in Manila.
-CDA Administrator Ms Castillo invited Ms Ganibe to a meeting with Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ms Remedios Rikken to discuss coordination between CDA and PCW for gender-sensitivity training to be scheduled for conduct in CDA. The meeting was held at the PCW offices in Manila.
GE and co-ops
With its coordinating activities being done with CDA as part of its GE promotion and advocacy in a member-country (with the AWCF having members in the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam), AWCF hopes that it can contribute to the Philippine co-op movement’s even stronger and even more sustainable development by helping the co-ops develop more effective advocacy and actions on GE to benefit the organizations themselves and the members. And when the support to GE efforts of co-ops will itself come from the country’s most relevant government body on co-ops (CDA), the co-op movement can expect even more forthcoming benefits for and from its GE advocacy and actions.
