SIUFMULCO, National Nominee for outstanding MSME of the Philippines

By Leonora A. Mila
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SIUFMULCO’s victory came from a very challenging opportunities and struggles. It started with ISFP of DENR, followed by CBRMP of LGU Santiago, DTI and DOLE. Now with the intervention of PACAP who give the coop a big break – giving trust to manage a Php 4.8 million project with Php 3.2 million of PACAP grants. And after several years of struggle, the San Isidro Upland Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (SIUFMULCO) finally found its destiny, the fulfillment of its goals and vision.

The Small and Medium Entrepreneur Development Council (SMED), a group of the Government Agencies, NGOs, and Private Sectors in partnership with GLOBE will give an award to the 2008 Outstanding Small and Medium Entrepreneur (SME) in the entire Philippines as part of the SMED week this coming July 9, 2008. This will be for the Provincial, Regional, and National Level.

SIUFMULCO nominated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office as an outstanding SME for the provincial level won automatically since no competitor rises. In the Regional Level, there were five (5) SMEs competing and SIUFMULCO garner the award. Thankful to have been chosen as the regional awardee and now we are the contestant for the National Level.

The objectives of the 2008 Outstanding SME award is to give recognition to the outstanding enterprises which may either be Micro, Small or Medium (MSME) and to recognize programs and services that best served the MSME’s sector. There will be three winners per Island of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. From the three winners, a Masigasig awardee will be chosen.

The conferment of the awardees will be done during the SMED Week celebration at SM Mega Trade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong this July 9, 2008, hoping to win the prizes of National Outstanding MSME and Masigasig Awards.

Just being the provincial and the Regional awardee marks our greatest achievement since we cannot believe we have gone this far. We have now met our vision of becoming one of the MODEL COOPERATIVES in the country. This coming July 16, 2008 at Luciana Convention Center will be the awarding ceremony for the Provincial MSME. © Leonora A. Mila
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leonora A. Mila is the Manager of SIUFMULCO and the Project Area-Incharge of PACAP Project

PACAP-KRDFI Project Launching and NRM Symposium in Mainit

By: Dir. Rowena D. Yumol, Kasanyangan Rural Development Foundation, Inc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The PACAP assisted project “Increasing Competencies of Upland Farmers for Sustainable Livelihood” for Barangays of Paco, Bobonaon and Binga in Mainit, Surigao del Norte has conducted a project launching ceremony on March 27, 2008 at the Mainit Gymnasium at 9:30 am. This activity was followed by the conduct of NRM Symposium which featured the larger picture of sustainable community development to which the project aims to achieve.

The Office of the Mayor and the SB was represented by Ms. Tessie Paz, SB Secretary and TESDA point person of the municipality. There to grace the occasion were PCA Provincial Coordinator, Mr. Zosimo Paniamogan, Ms. Susan Baguio from the MPDO, Ms. Virgentina Garrido, the Municipal Agriculturist, Engr. Kaiser Recabo, Jr., the Program Director of LMDA and Ms. Virgenita Garridao, MAO.

The ceremony climaxed in the unveiling of the symbolic signage of the project. Barangay Captains and Presidents of the coco farmers organizations from the assisted barangays, Ms. Baguio, Ms. Paz, Ms. Virgentina Garrido, Ms Ann Jaquilmac of NEDA 13 also a member of the FMC, Engr. Kaiser Recabo, Jr., Program Director of LMDA and Rowena Yumol, Executive Director of KRDFI led the unveiling ceremony.

The NRM Symposium featured presentations on Philippine Biodiversity, the LMDA FOCAS Strategy and the Municipal’s program thrusts on sustainable livelihood, agriculture and environment. Mr. Zosimo Paniamogan, PCA officer, presented opportunities for farmers on increasing their coconut stands and access to farm inputs.

An open forum followed the presentations. Questions were raised by participants on the coconut development program, the problem of impassable road network, technology of banana production and the need for soil analysis, counterpart of farmer organizations, the status of ordinance passed on the Lake Mainit development and protection, and how to avail of the development fund of the municipality to enhance their farms.

A call for stakeholders to be serious in the implementation of the project was sounded out by the project coordinator so that the resources used will be optimized and achieve the goals of the communities to improve their quality of life. He expressed gratitude to all participants, the LMDA and LGU for their support. Ms. Jeannie Pagas led the closing prayer.