Coop Sector launches Long-Term Strategic Plan
The co-op sector is serious about taking over the economy. At an online meeting on January 19, 2021 the “Coop Sector Development Plan 2030” – with a few minor revisions and polishing – was approved by the co-op leaders.
The initial draft of the Plan was formally launched during a nationwide online meeting on December 9, 2020 attended by some 200 co-op leaders nationwide led by the Philippine Cooperative Center (PCC) and the Coop-NATCCO Partylist.
Said Plan is patterned after the 2030 Vision of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) as clearly given in the Vision Statement: “The Philippine Cooperative is the model preferred by the people, an acknowledged leader in sustainability and the fastest growing form of social enterprise.”
Co-op leaders have long envisioned that cooperatives will one day have greater control of sectors of the Philippine economy , particularly banking and finance, insurance, agriculture, utilities, education, transport, housing, and more. These sectors are represented by “clusters” led by “champions”.
In the “Plan”, the co-op sector outlined its vision for the future of the Philippine co-op sector. For the Finance Cluster composed of credit, multi-purpose, insurance cooperatives and cooperative banks, the Strategic Goal is summarized: “An integrated cooperative financial system of member-centered, safe and sound cooperatives leading towards one co-op bank, one co-op insurance, on co-op asset management, one coop investment, one coop mutual fund, etc.”
The Strategic Map includes Areas of Concern, Strategies, Action Plans, and Expected Outputs. A provisional five-year timeline has been drawn for each cluster.
COOP-NATCCO Partylist President, Alex Raquepo, said: “This is what we want to happen in the next 5 to 10 years. It will happen – maybe not in this generation, but we have started it. The young will blame us if we don’t do this now. Some are very ambitious. Some are doable. But this is what we want. This is the future of the coop sector.”
PCC Chairperson Dr. Gary Leonardo gave the Rationale for the Strategic Plan: 1) For Philippine Co-ops to have a unified sense of direction and measurable goals, 2) to be certain about co-op sector’s future and the next generations to come, 3) to identify the “doables” (projects, programs, activities) that will help co-ops reach the Vision, 4) tell the public that co-ops are a formal organization, professionally-run and well-managed, 5) tell the public that co-ops are not under the control or mercy of influential persons/organizations or politicians, and 6) through self-help and co-operation, economic conditions can get better.
Bases for the Strategic Plan are the previous Strategic themes of recent Cooperative Summits held every two years (except in 2020) and the Vision of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) for 2030, for co-ops
It must be noted that as early as the 1982 General Assembly of NATCCO, leaders had already spoken about “integration” of co-op enterprises – particularly in finance, insurance, agriculture and retailing.
But this Strategic Plan for 2021 & Beyond is for the entire co-op sector, and not just for the NATCCO federation.
The Plan had its beginnings in November 2020, when the Philippine Cooperative Center (PCC) and the Coop-NATCCO Partylist (CNPL) invited co-op leaders to online meetings.
Plans were drafted for each the “Cluster” as listed by the new Charter of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
After extensive SWOT Analysis, Plans for each Cluster were formed.
For the Finance Cluster of cooperatives, involved are credit cooperatives and federations, insurance cooperatives, and cooperative banks.
For details, co-operators are advised to visit this website and the Facebook Page “United Coop Movement Philippines.”