COOPERATIVE PROFILE
BRIEF HISTORY/BACKGROUND OF COOPERATIVE
Along with the mission to Christianize the people in the community and established parochial secondary schools, the Mill Hill Missionaries initiated the organization of a credit union in Barbaza, Antique to help members meet their financial needs. Barbaza Credit Cooperative Union (BCCUI) was founded on July 20, 1964 with Rev Fr, John Tielen, curate of the town, taking the lead and the fourteen parochial leaders as pioneer members with six –hundred twenty-five pesos (P 625.00) as initial share capital.
To capacitate the pioneer cooperators, training and seminars were conducted by Rev. Fr. Gerardus Pijnapple, parish priest of Lauan, and Bishop Cornelio de Wit, Diocesan Credit Union Coordinator with the help of the Technical Assistants from the Netherlands.
BCCUI was registered with the Bureau of Cooperative Development on May 20, 1965, then with the Department of Local Government and Community Development with Certificate of Registration No. FF-170-RR on September 5, 1975 and with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)barbaza3 under R.A. 6938 on March 7, 1991 with Confirmation No. ILO-C-096.
In 1976, through the initiative of the Board of Directors to cater to the basic needs of the members, Barbaza Kilusang Bayan sa Pamimili, Inc., a consumer store was organized.
In 1992, considering the different services and programs offered and as approved by the General Assembly, BCCUI and BKBPI were consolidated and renamed Barbaza Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the registration was confirmed by the CDA on September 11, 1992.
It was only in 1997 that Barbaza MPC was able to purchase a lot at Cubay, Barbaza, Antique where the magnificent Main Office is now situated. It was first occupied on August 3, 1997. This has opened more opportunities and increased accessibility to members.
Driven by innovations and dynamism, the coop embarked on another project, the Coop Cable TV. It was inaugurated on January 18, 1998. With its increasing viability, CATV services have expanded to neighboring towns. The expansion was a joint venture with the cooperatives of the respective towns.
With the approval of the CDA on the amended by-laws on June 24, 2002, the operation of the coop was expanded to other towns. Now, Barbaza MPC has 9 branches located strategically with Panay Island. Culasi Branch was opened on March 4, 2004, Sibalom Branch on July 2007, San Jose Branch on September 2008, Balasan, Iloilo Branch on August 15, 2010, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo on September 8, 2012, and Caticlan Branch, Malay, Aklan on July 6, 2013, Molo Branch, Iloilo on May 18, 2014, Kalibo Branch, Aklan on January 24, 2015,Janiuay Branch, Iloilo last February 10, 2019 and the latest milestone is the opening of Calinog Branch, Iloilo last January 8, 2022. The opening of the branches has served more people to alleviate their financial difficulties. Barbaza MPC has paved the way toward the betterment of members’ lives.
In line with its efforts and developmental directions, Barbaza MPC is an affiliate of the Antique Federation of Cooperatives (AFFCUI), Visayan Cooperative Development Center (VICTO), Western Visayas Alliance of Cooperatives (WVAC), Philippine Central Fund (PCF), and the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO).
Different programs are offered by the coop and to name a few are: Financial Intermediary and Savings Mobilization program (Savings/Time Deposit, Lending), Electronic Financial Services (Kaya ATM, Kaya Payment Platform, Money Transfer), Coop Communication and Education Advocacy (Coop Cable TV and Internet, Marketing Programs (Rice Store) Agri-Aqua Programs (Otoshiami, Darag Chicken Contract Growing, Rice/Corn/Abacca Trading), Coop Education Program (BMPC Learning Center, Scholarship Program, Gender and Development), Coop Risk Protection Program (CAC, Lemos, Colisap, Coop Bood Bank), Coop Industrial Assistance Program (BMPC Gas Re-Filling Station, Coop Ocean View Resort), Community Outreach and Members’ Welfare Program (Youth Program, Philhealth Subsidy, Sugod Bahay for Elderly, Bisita Selda, SPES Program, School Feeding, Sped Sponsorship, Gugma sa Koop, Kabalaka Project, Adopt-a-School, Brigada Skwela) Environmental Advocacy Programs (Fisherman’s Day, Tree Growing Project, Coastal Clean-Up, Disaster Risk Reduction Program).
Guided by its mission and vision and adopting COOP-PESOS standards, Barbaza MPC, a multi-awarded coop is paving the way towards transforming and empowering the community – the reason for its birth.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Membership as of December 2022
Regular: 90,897
Associate: 28,994
Assets as of December 2022: Php2,852,950,698.71
Capitalization as of December 2022: Php942,696,847.27
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Lending
Savings Deposits
Time Deposits
Lending
Endowment Savings Program for Overseas Filipinos and OF Families (ESOF)
CableTV and Internet
Kaya Payment Platform
Otoshiami Projects
Marketing and Palay Trading
Coop Pharmacy
SPED Sponsorship
Coop Blood Bank
Brigada Eskwela
Medical Mission
Entrepreneurial Training for Members
Scholarship Programs
Adopt-A-School Program
SPES
PhilHealth Subsidy
PhilHealth I-group Program
Aflatoun Program
Youth Camp
Coastal Clean-up
Sugod Bahay Elderly
BEST PRACTICES
Barbaza Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC) is one of the biggest and most financially stable cooperatives in Western Visayas. It adheres to and adopts the COOP-PESOS standard in financial operation.
BMPC has seven (7) competent Board of Directors and two (2) Elective Committees functioning with a high degree of professionalism and commitment in managing the affairs of the cooperative. Each of the Board of Directors handled a portfolio – Network & Linkages, Education, Gender, Youth, Agriculture, Business, Delinquency.
BMPC has four functional appointive committees – Education Committee, Credit Committee, Mediation & Conciliation Committee, and Ethics Committee.
BMPC has an updated Manual of Policies, Systems, and Procedure as a guide to day-to-day coop transactions.
BMPC offers its members and the community a wide range of financial and non-financial programs and services.
BMPC operated the Cable TV & Internet servicing subscribers in Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong, Patnongon, Belison, Sibalom, San Jose, and Hamtic municipalities.
BMPC has adopted a web-based tri-module accounting system, the “e-koopbanker plus” of NATCCO in mid-2010 and has since harnessed the potential of this system for better and more transparent financial information reporting.
It is actively involved in community development and has close links with LGUs in its area of operation and is a very active affiliate of NATCCO.
As partner of LGU in the coastal protection and management (Bantay-Dagat) in tandem with its own Otoshiami operation.
Actively participated with the LGU-initiated tree-planting projects in neighboring watersheds in terms of manpower support and reporting in CableTV thru the COOP Patrol (coop community channel) for increased awareness.
Adopted branching as expansion strategy to areas with felt need for cooperative services. Aside from BMPC Main Branch, branches was opened in Culasi, Antique in 2004, Sibalom, Antique in 2007, San Jose, Antique in 2008, Balasan, Iloilo in 2010, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo in 2012, Caticlan, Malay, Aklan in 2013, Molo, Iloilo City in 2014, and Kalibo, Aklan in 2015, Januiay, Iloilo in 2019.
BMPC established its Pre-school Learning Center in July 2010 where nursery and kindergarten pre-schoolers are prepared for the formal schooling.
BMPC operates Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in Barbaza Main Branch, Culasi Branch, Molo Branch, Barotac Viejo Branch, and Kalibo Branch providing 24/7 online banking servicing outlets. It has issued Coop ATM cards to its regular and associate members. It offers to its client the Allied Bank’s POS servicing facility at its branches without an ATM machine.
BMPC strengthened security by installing CCTV and alarm systems, as well as smoke detection systems in all branch offices.
BMPC adopted best practices in Resource (water and electricity) Conservation, Good Housekeeping, Emergency Preparedness (Disaster Management), and Waste Disposal Management (proper solid waste segregation).