Attention Philippine co-ops!

Philippine co-operatives, join this first-ever and important National Summit. Experience why gender and development/gender equality is good for co-op growth and the empowerment of women and men members. Download the Summit brochure/invitation now!

ICA issues message for International Women's Day 2014

International Women's Day (2014)--MEDIA RELEASE from the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)

--Four times more women senior managers in co-operative and mutual insurers than in stock sector--
The International Co-operative Alliance, the global voice for co-operatives and mutuals, points a spotlight on its mutual insurance sector, where the number of women in leadership positions is as high as 13.6%, this compared to 2.6% in the world’s top 500 companies. Mutuals and co-operatives represent a quarter of the global insurance market (2012 count). The high count of women leaders in mutuals is attributed to the egalitarian nature of the co-operative and mutual model.

Brussels, 7 March 2014 – The International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) report on ‘Women in Leadership Positions’ surveys what women CEOs, Chairs and Presidents in co-operative and mutual insurers say about their role within their organisation.

Unlike other reports, the participants in this study were overwhelmingly candid, sharing in detail their experiences and advice. (Download the report)

Women CEOs and top-level leaders are particularly well represented in co-operative and mutual insurers in the Americas. In North America, seven out of 18 companies are led by a woman (39%). In Latin America and the Caribbean, seven out of 47 ICMIF members have a woman CEO or Board leader (15%).
Gender equality has been a fundamental right in co-operatives, since their inception in the first half of the 19th century. Co-operatives’ typically flat hierarchy encourages a culture of teamwork, where talent is rewarded, rather than competitiveness.

In Europe, according to the Spanish Confederation of Worker Co-operatives (COCETA), 49 percent of people in worker co-operatives are women. Amongst them, 39 percent have directorial positions. A survey of financial co-operative boards in East Africa shows that women’s presence ranges from 24 percent (Kenya) to 65 percent (Tanzania), with a regional average of 44 percent. Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities and equality between men and women is crucial to this.2

Dame Pauline Green, President, International Co-operative Alliance: “‘Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities and equality between men and women is crucial to this. We strive to meet the needs of our members, and teamwork is valued and rewarded, rather than competitiveness. The strong lead taken in terms of environmental and social business objectives, including adopting formal policies on sustainability and socially responsible investment, makes it more likely that co-operatives and mutuals would be at the forefront in HR practices, in particular in ensuring that all their staff, women and men alike, are given the opportunities to realise their potential and advance their careers.”

The International Co-operative Alliance (the Alliance) has an active Gender Equality Committee which spans both regions and business sectors. It has been significant in shaping Alliance priorities in the global economic crisis and proposing a strategy for promoting gender equality (2000) and for fighting HIV/AIDs (2004).3

María Eugenia Pérez, Chair of the Alliance’s Gender Equality Committee: “Gender equality within the co-operative movement goes beyond moral and ethical obligations. We aim to promote economic growth via the efficient use of human talent; by encouraging gender diversity and co-operation, co-operatives maximize positive economic and social progress in local communities, in the developed as well as in the developing world. In these times of crisis, co-operatives provide solutions to the social and economic crisis, but also seize the opportunity to influence and advance social change.”

The committee’s members are based far and wide in countries as diverse as Colombia, Japan, Italy and Bulgaria; and the sectors represented range from consumer co-operatives to health and insurance. This is made possible by the unique reach that co-operatives have, both vertically (in terms of the range of industries represented within the movement) and horizontally (in terms of the global permeation of the co-operative model into every continent).

Philippine co-ops hold summit on gender and development

The Philippines's “National Summit on Gender and Development (GAD) in Co-ops,” themed "Inspiring Change for Women and Men in Co-ops,” will happen on March 25-26, 2014, Subic Bay, PH. 

This is the first time that the country's co-ops will hold a summit to tackle gender GAD. Participants in the Summit will get informed of GAD's important role in co-op growth and development, and how co-ops can meet the requirements of the memorandum circular on GAD mainstreaming in co-ops. The memorandum circular was issued in November 2013 by the PH government's Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). 

The national GAD Summit is being organized by the Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) at CDA. Get more details from coopwomen.org and cda.gov.ph, or send an e-mail to gadsummit@coopwomen.org 

The Summit brochure/invitation is available here

GAD and gender equality make co-op operations and service even more sustainable

Gender and development (GAD) is important to co-operatives’ sustainability. GAD efforts of co-ops enable them to integrate gender equality that leads to even more economic and social growth in the co-ops. With gender equality, co-ops give attention to the needs and contributions of both women and men members. Equal opportunities given to both women and men help strengthen even more the co-ops and communities. International agreements and conventions advocate GAD and gender equality as important factors in development. The "Statement on the Co-operative Identity (SCI)" of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) enshrines the value of equality and equity, and highlights the participation of both women and men in the co-ops. In the Philippines, laws, executive orders, and circulars stress the importance of GAD efforts in fulfilling the government's nation-building goals. The importance of GAD and gender equality is also emphasized in Memorandum Circular (MC) 2013-22, pertaining to “Guidelines on Mainstreaming GAD in Cooperatives,” issued by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) on November 18, 2013. (See http://cda.gov.ph/images/Issuances/MCs/MC2013-22-Guidelines-on-mainstreaming-GAD-in-coops.pdf) CDA is the Philippine government’s lead agency in co-op development. MC 2013-22 aims at disseminating to the co-op sector the GAD mandate of the Philippine government to ensure the promotion and institutionalization of GAD and gender equality in co-ops’ policies, programs, and other activities.

In the Philippines’s private co-op sector, there are already gender-fair co-operatives that can attest to the economic and social benefits of advocating and practicing gender equality. These gender-fair co-ops also want to help other co-ops fulfill their GAD and gender equality objectives and needs. Thus some of them have together formed Gender Equality Resource Centers (GERCs) based in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao regions of the country. These GERCs’ gender focal specialists and advocates have themselves undergone intensive trainers’ training in gender equality and are also long-time co-op advocates and workers. The GERCs are ready to help fellow co-ops and other development agencies achieve greater sustainability in operations and service through gender equality.
 
Where are the GERCs in Philippine co-ops? 

GERC Luzon
Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ADTEMPCO)
Bulacan Federation of Cooperatives (BUFECO)
Ligas Kooperatiba ng Bayan sa Pagpapaunlad (LKBP)
Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives (NSCC)
Sacred Heart Credit and Development Cooperative (SHCDC)
St. Martin of Tours Credit and Development Cooperative (SMTCDC)
Contact persons: Ms Lani Babista lani_babista@yahoo.com and
Ms Divina Quemi (NSCC) nsccvigan2@yahoo.com

GERC Visayas  
Cebu People’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CPMPC)
Cordova Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CMC)
Don Bosco Network Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBNMPC)
Dumanjug Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DMPC)
Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC)
Mandaue City Public Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MAVENCO)
Metro Ormoc Community Cooperative (OCCCI)
Contact persons: Ms Edita Fernandez  Fernandezedita@yahoo.com and
Ms Rosie Agbay  van2baylon@yahoo.com

GERC MASS-SPECC
MASS-SPECC Cooperative Development Center (MASS-SPECC)
Aurora Integrated Multi-Purpose Cooperative (AIM Coop)
Bukidnon Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BUGEMCO)
Notre Dame of Marbel University Employees Development Cooperative (NDMU Coop)
Tagum Cooperative (TC)
Zillovia Women’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ZWMPC) LOGO
(Note: Primary co-ops above compose the MASS-SPECC Gender Equality Committee.)

Also in the GERC MASS-SPECC:
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology National Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MSU-IIT NMPC)
Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PMPC)
Panabo Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Panabo MPC)
Pantukan Chess Club Cooperative (PCCC)
Contact person: Ms Bernadette Toledo nadettetoledo@yahoo.com.ph

Philippines holds national summit on gender and development in co-ops

Announcing: The National Summit on Gender and Development (GAD) in Co-ops, themed Inspiring Change for Women and Men in Co-ops
WHEN: March 25-26, 2014
WHERE: Subic Bay Travelers Hotel and Event Center, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines.
This National Summit for Philippine co-operatives is the first of its kind to be held in the country.  

http://coopwomen.org/downloads/summitbroch21k_upload_final.pdf (downloadable Summit brochure/invitation)

•    Summit Participants: Co-operators who want to enable change and make change work for the continuous development of Philippine co-operatives—Board of Directors; General Managers/Chief Executive Officers; Gender Focal Persons; Human Resource Officers; and Education Committee members.
 
•    Summit Organizers: Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) and Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)
AWCF (www.coopwomen.org) is a resource center and advocacy body on gender and co-op development. Since 1990, AWCF’s activities in the Philippines and five other Asian countries have aimed at helping support co-operative growth through the advocacy and practice of GE in co-ops. 

CDA (www.cda.gov.ph) is the lead Philippine government agency tasked for co-op development. As a government body, it is mandated to practice gender equality (GE) tenets and, furthermore, it actually believes that GE is good for co-ops’ growth. With this belief, CDA actively implements activities to help bring GE to the consciousness, operations, and systems of co-ops.

•    Summit Objectives:
To let the participants—
1)    Know the importance of gender and development (GAD) that leads to the integration of GE in co-ops and, ultimately, to greater co-op growth and development—economically and socially.
2)    Know how co-ops can comply with the requirements of Memorandum Circular (MC) 2013-22, pertaining to “Guidelines on Mainstreaming GAD in Cooperatives.” On November 18, 2013, CDA issued MC 2013-22 that aims at disseminating to the co-op sector the GAD mandate of the Philippine government so as to ensure the promotion of GE and the institutionalization of GAD in policies, programs, and other activities in co-ops.
3)    Be inspired by the sharing in the Summit by key organizations and resource persons, and join other co-ops in helping other co-ops nationwide in becoming even better and stronger co-ops.

•    The holding of the National Summit on GAD in Co-ops comes at an opportune time:
The Summit comes on the heels of CDA’s issuance of MC 2013-22 (Guidelines on Mainstreaming GAD in Cooperatives). The MC is a solid action of CDA for its GAD mandate as a government agency, aside from its already ongoing GAD activities in its Central and regional offices. The MC is also CDA’s positive response to a Call for Action issued in December 2012 to CDA by gender-fair Philippine co-operatives.
These gender-fair co-ops had urged CDA to support GE mainstreaming and integration in the co-ops to bring about even greater economic and social benefits to the movement. Setting themselves as examples, these gender-fair co-ops had put forward that co-ops practicing GE—
1) recognize that women and men have equal rights, benefits, opportunities for advancement, services, and access to and control over resources; and have equal roles to play in development as participants and as leaders; and
2) know GE’s important contribution in enabling co-ops to perform their dual economic and social role in development.
Gender-fair co-ops are gender-fair workplaces. Gender-fair co-ops enjoy even more economic and social benefits that GE brings forth to co-ops and their members.

The Summit is also being held during the celebration of “Women’s Month.”

For inquiries on the GAD National Summit, please contact (mobile) 0917-8436390 (Globe) or 0922-4685546 (Sun); (landline) (02) 438-7666 (Philippines).
Interested Philippine co-ops, hurry and register now! The two-page National Summit brochure/invitation is available for downloading and printing on the link below.

Click here to download the "National Summit on GAD in Co-ops" brochure/invitation

CDA and AWCF establish partnership for gender-fair, progressive Philippine co-ops

CDA and AWCF representatives on hand to witness the signing of the organizations' partnership agreement.

CDA Chairperson E. Santiaguel and AWCF Executive Director S. Ganibe lead their organizations in signing their partnership agreement for gender equality advocacy in Philippine co-ops. Looking on is CDA Board of Administrators member Ms M. Castillo.

The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) of the Philippine government and the Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) had forged a  Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) beginning mid-2013 for their partnership in gender and development (GAD) efforts in Philippine co-ops. AWCF is an Asian resource center and advocacy body on gender and co-op development, with its Secretariat based in the Philippines.

The MOA was recently signed by CDA Chairperson Mr. Emmanuel Santiaguel and AWCF Executive Director Ms Salome Ganibe at the CDA Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines. Ms Mercedes Castillo, one of CDA’s Board of Administrators (BOA), and other CDA and AWCF representatives witnessed the signing.

The MOA between CDA and AWCF is expected to boost the two agencies’ thrusts in promoting and institutionalizing GAD that will lead to having gender-fair co-operatives.

CDA and gender equality
Republic Act (RA) 6939 of the Philippines tasks CDA to formulate, adopt, and implement integrated and comprehensive plans and programs on co-op development, consistent with the national policy on co-ops and the overall socio-economic development plans of the country. CDA is also mandated to promote the viability and growth of co-ops as instruments of equity, social justice, and sustainable economic development.

As a government agency, CDA is duty-bound to implement Executive Order (EO) 273, which pertains to the “Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development.” CDA has been actively implementing activities to help bring GAD and gender equality (GE) to the consciousness, operations, and systems of co-ops. CDA already has formed the Gender Focal System—which is required of government agencies—in its central and regional offices. CDA also set up in August 2013 a technical working group (TWG) (which began CDA’s working relationship with AWCF because the latter was made a member of the TWG) to help the agency in implementing its GAD thrusts and attaining its GAD objectives through the development of policies/programs/projects/activities. Sitting in the TWG are a member of the CDA’s BOA, representatives of the different divisions in the CDA central office, and partner-organizations.

Going a step further, CDA has issued a policy pronouncement as another one of its concrete actions toward actualizing its belief that GAD and GE are good for co-operatives’ socio-economic growth. In November 2013, CDA issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 2013-22 entitled “Guidelines on Mainstreaming Gender and Development (GAD) in Cooperatives.” The MC seeks to ensure the promotion of GE and institutionalization of GAD in the policies/programs/projects/activities of co-ops. With this MC, CDA thus becomes the first co-op development agency among ASEAN countries to issue such a policy for the promotion of GAD in co-ops in its own country.

Partnership thrusts
The partnership between CDA and AWCF, as stipulated in their MOA, will lead to close co-operation and assistance between the two agencies in the aspects of policies, plans, programs/projects/activities and other areas in relation to institutionalizing GAD in co-ops’ structure. The sharing of resources, expertise, and skills between the two agencies is expected to further strengthen development and sustainability of the Philippine co-op movement.
 
AWCF as partner
Since 1990, AWCF has been working on helping co-ops pursue the gender agenda. AWCF has been advocating co-ops to be aware of and to act on gender issues in their organizations, based on the conviction that awareness and action will lead to even greater socio-economic development for co-ops.

AWCF has been implementing gender-related projects in co-ops, in partnership with its members and partner-agencies in its member-countries, which are Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. AWCF implemented a project in 2010-2012 that promoted GE in Philippine co-ops. In December 2012, during a public awareness conference held in Quezon City for this GE project’s culmination, the project’s participating primary and federation co-ops issued a “Call for Action” to CDA to promote and advocate GE in co-ops (through policies and systems). The call was made for CDA to promote GE so that more co-operatives can become gender-fair and gender-sensitive, and thus benefit from the resulting socio-economic benefits.

After the co-ops’ submission to CDA of that call for action (through then CDA Executive Director Mr. Niel Santillan who was a guest in the public awareness conference) and later submitted by AWCF to the CDA Chairperson, CDA and AWCF had several meetings. They discussed how to work through the recommended actions contained in the co-ops’ call for GE. AWCF also later became a member of the TWG mentioned earlier. CDA’s main and first response to the co-ops’ Call for Action was its issuance of MC 2013-22.

Co-ops help co-ops, amid "Yolanda"

Supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) claimed many lives and destroyed many properties in the Philippines in November 2013, particularly in provinces of the Visayas region of the country. But though Yolanda had caused much devastation, it failed to break the spirit of fellowship and co-operation. Public and private organizations, and individuals immediately mobilized relief assistance for Yolanda’s survivors, even as these survivors’ locations were still hard to reach right after the calamity. Philippine co-operatives and their officers, staff, and members in the affected areas were among those who needed help. Fellow co-operators thereby launched fund-raisers and collection of goods to aid these co-ops as well as other survivors.

AWCF, with its Secretariat based in the Philippines and with projects involving Philippine co-ops, sent a letter of appeal to its member-organizations, partner-co-ops, and other friends. The appeal, signed by AWCF Executive Director Ms Salome Ganibe, aimed at raising funds and other forms of support for co-operators in the affected areas. The National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), AWCF’s member in the Philippines, also implemented its assistance drive for Yolanda’s survivors.

Donations raised and turned over

AWCF's appeal for help was able to raise funds from within the Philippines and from other countries. AWCF turned over these funds to Visayas-based co-ops. Co-ops belonging to the “Gender Equality Resource Center (GERC) Visayas” purchased goods that they themselves distributed to affected co-op members and their families in certain far-flung villages. AWCF turned over some other funds to the Metro Ormoc Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (OCCCI) in Ormoc, Leyte province, as assistance to its staff who were also Yolanda survivors. (Leyte is among the hardest hit areas of Yolanda.) Amid their own dire situation after Yolanda, the OCCCI staff became busy at reaching out to their Co-op’s members who were also among the hardest hit by the supertyphoon. As of this writing, AWCF is still consolidating other donated funds for forwarding to other Yolanda survivors.

The first photo below shows Ms Ganibe turning over AWCF’s collected funds to Mr. Jose Mosquite, Chief Executive Officer of OCCCI, in simple rites in Cebu City, Philippines, December 18, 2013. The second photo shows Ms Ganibe handing over AWCF’s support to Ms Gloria Gaviola, OCCCI Vice Chairperson, also in Cebu City, December 20, 2013. In the next photo, Ms Ganibe and Ms Gaviola are joined by representatives of the GERC Visayas co-ops (note: OCCCI is also a member of the GERC Visayas), and AWCF consultants. AWCF and its friends from different countries also extended support to OCCCI Human Resources Manager and Gender Focal Person Ms Marilyn Pelin and to former AWCF Administrative Officer Ms Aster Penaranda who, together with their families, are likewise residents of Leyte.

Message from OCCCI

In OCCCI’s letter signed by Mr. Mosquite on December 20, 2013 and sent to Ms Ganibe, the Co-op thanked AWCF for the “strong partnership as partner-conduit in uplifting the lives of the people and the community, and toward poverty alleviation.” The letter also said that the donations and assistance turned over by AWCF helped “OCCCI to directly cater to the needs of its staff, officers, and members that brought relief and joy to them, especially concerning the sustenance of their survival and recuperation.” The letter came with an attached copy of the OCCCI Board resolution that extended gratitude to all its partners that had assisted the Co-op because of Yolanda. The OCCCI Board Chairperson is Fr. Cornelio Amante Jr.

Thanks from AWCF

AWCF thanks all its member-organizations, partners, and friends for their warm and immediate response to its appeal for help for the Yolanda survivors.