Feature: A perfect example

MAITUM, Sarangani (March 30, 2009) – Leonardo Briones is in his late 50s. Sixteen years ago, he still can walk. It was two years back then when he and 20 other members formed the Pangi Multi-purpose Cooperative (PAMULCO). Now, though crippled but survived bone cancer, Briones still manages the coop, modeling other cooperatives in the province.

He and Pangi’s community business is entwined in many ways. PAMULCO itself, in 1997, had its biggest loss, yet recovered and now a major rice supplier.

PAMULCO started as an organization of farmers in 1990, called SAMPAN (Samahang Magbubukid ng Pangi), with 43 members. It applied and became a cooperative in 1991 with 21 members left. Briones recalled their salary was P70 a day.

“We organized ourselves as a cooperative simply to produce and sell our own products,” Briones said. “Later, we gained the trust of others in our community and they joined us. Our produce started to grow bigger and got the attention of our clients.”

In 1991, there were 26 grain-based cooperatives in Maitum like PAMULCO. Its capital build-up of P20,000 was used as down payment for two hand tractors. In 1995, it availed a production loan of P180,000 from the Landbank. Briones was already a two–year cripple.

In 1997, PAMULCO suffered three successive losses due to El Nino and bankrupted. But in 1998, with the assistance of the Landbank and Briones’ management initiatives, PAMULCO was revitalized.

As general manager, Briones from a wheel chair directs and monitors the coop’s operations in no time which has given him the reputation of an honest, hard working and a committed leader.

“If someone would ask me how we did that, I just say ‘magaling kasi kami sa chicks’”, he mused.

“CHICKS means competence, honesty, integrity, cooperation, knowledge, sincerity,” he explained.

From the P20,000 capital build-up in 1991, PAMULCO has now P49 million in assets.

PAMULCO has always tried to provide the consumption of the community for rice and corn. Briones, too, in his heart, who is a teacher by profession.

These prompted the visit of officials from United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) in March 17.

WFP Country Director and representative Stephen Anderson came over to Sarangani to see farmers’ organizations and cooperatives to explore the possibility of procuring food and to support Philippine small holder farmers.

Maitum, with neighboring town Kiamba, are the province’s food baskets with its vast agricultural land (839 hectares for rice and 244 for corn) which can produce 40,000 bags of grain every harvest.

The Ilocanos’ industriousness and love for agriculture go as an extra. Passing the highways from Kiamba to Maitum are rice greeneries in sight, though coastal communities are engaged in fishing.

PAMULCO’s board of directors member Meynardo Landicho recalled the coop’s toughest times. He is retired from the board and yet still works for the coop, volunteering his service.

PAMULCO, from 21 members in 1991, has now 810 in membership. The P70 salary then, now it’s P210-across-the-board. It means that general manager Briones, the coop’s chairman and the rest of the staff get the same salary.

“In 1991, when I first knew I had bone cancer, I prayed and had always wanted to dedicate my time and effort to PAMULCO for the rest of my life.” (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)