THE Cooperative Union of Baguio City, more known by its acronym CUBC, held its 14th Annual General Assembly last Saturday, May 6, at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Baguio City Hall Building from early morning to late afternoon, tending inevitably to early evening.
Officially sent by the BARP Multi-Purpose Cooperative, I proceeded to the venue with easy-easy gait, not because of arthritis or some other muscular ailment but the thought that the affair would anyway be just one of those things, presenting things we have seen and heard yearend and year out. But, to my joy, I was mistaken. There were surprising innovations. Timely at that so that although CDA specialist Martin Manodon, Jr., would express some misgivings on the appropriateness of one lecture topic.
CUBC is a CDA-registered secondary cooperative. Meaning its members are not individuals but primary cooperatives. It is specifically envisioned to facilitate and enhance the progressive growth of strong and developed cooperatives out of its affiliate members in Baguio City and immediate neighbors. Its mission is to provide excellent quality trainings to its members, accessible by even by the marginalized cooperatives in Baguio City and nearby provinces. Its goals include primarily the educating and training of cooperative leaders and members and the conducting of research studies then disseminating by print or broadcast media the positive results thereof.
The first that caught my attention and interest upon my entrance into the function hall was sight of the published 8x12 inch souvenir book for the occasion. The simply but beautifully designed and colored hardy soft cover aptly indicated the worth of the articulated items contained in the 124 pages inside. Kudos and thanks to those who footed the bill of publication led by BSU-MPC and EB & ATM Services for Cooperatives not to mention the very satisfactory layout despite the pressure of time by PP-MPC! First time for non-profit service provider CUBC. A challenge for even better service no matter the sacrifice in the succeeding year.
Walang iwanan, walang atrasan! For sure, libraries of schools offering courses or even degrees in cooperativism, like Benguet State University, will be happy to have copies of said book. The Socio-Economic Contributions of Cooperatives by CDA-CAR and Memorandum Circulars from 2015 to part of 2017 aside from the written articles and pictorials about CUBC and its clientele and what they and, yes, the government, have been doing are enriching to knowledge and attitude for the young and the old in this struggling nation. May your tribe increase, increase and increase, Cooperative leaders Susan and Angie!
The other innovation in the assembly activities was the topic of lecture handled by Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel Helma Abuy on the titling of land in Baguio City instead of topics on policies and rules to be followed by cooperative members. Though it elicited some adverse reaction as to appropriateness in a cooperative education forum in above-mentioned Martin Manodon, It got the intent audience attention and active participation.
The almost three unholy hours devoted to it and proffered solutions of specific in-real-life problematic cases brought out by the participants turned to be only long minutes. It, therefore, showed that the titling of residential lots in Baguio is really a pressing community concern and thus perfectly under the ambit of analysis and discussions for which the CEDF fund can be legally and usefully spent.
At least, that is how other thinkers in the forum took it. Against fact of interest, no legalistic opposite could stand. Anyway, it’s a truism that innovations, the developmental not accepted, most often meet with initial adversarial reaction. Quot capita, tot sententiae (As many opinions as there are heads), the ancient Roman pundits already adverted long, long time ago. So, okay? Handshake!
The third innovation was not much of an innovation. In fact, it was not at all. It was just a new setup. All candidates won, no one lost. The four candidates that qualified were exact to take the positions vacated by the four outgoing incumbents. The opponent less winners were: Bienvenido Balweg, Joseph del Rosario, Jocelyn Mariano, Vicente Marzan.
Handshakes again. Congrats, fellow workers!
Before the thanksgiving closing prayer, it was announced that the new set of officers would meet the City Mayor at his office on Tuesday, May 9, at 4 p.m. to sound to him of the intention to put up the future Cooperative Bank of Baguio City. Crossing our fingers, God bless CUBC, God bless us all!