The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) is one with the cooperative movement in celebrating the National Cooperative Month this October! The cooperative month celebration is pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation No. 493 Series of 2004 where all cooperatives are encouraged to initiate and participate in cooperative development activities.

Supporting this year’s theme, “Makabagong Kooperatiba Para sa Kalikasan, Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran at Sang Katauhan” and its slogan, “Sa bawat henerasyon may progresibong rebolusyon; Rebolusyong Kooperatiba-Ngayon Na!,” ICOPED continues to promote and support cooperatives and their modernization by conducting its annual Youth Awareness Seminar on Cooperatives (YAS) and by hosting the Institute's triennial International Conference on Cooperatives (ICOOP), among others.

The Institute of Cooperative and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) successfully conducted this year’s 1st Semester Training Series for the cooperatives of Calamba City, in partnership with the Cooperative and Livelihood Development Department of Calamba City (CLDD). The training covered topics on Risk Management, Financial Management, and Internal Control Courses at the CLDD Training Center II, Mercado de Calamba Calamba City, Laguna.

​CLDD facilitators used a combination of interactive exercises, games, and lectures to enhance appreciation and understanding of the key concepts for cooperative management. The facilitators also conducted hands-on workshops in assessment and developing risk management plan in their respective cooperatives.

The concepts and principles of Financial Management were discussed through interactive lectures in which participants brought their Annual Reports during discussion and workshop in interpreting income statement, balance sheets, and cash flow statement.
 
The module on Internal Control covered topics on internal, external audit and effective internal control system. For this module, participants who are in the initial phase of operation, established cooperatives, and resource speakers exchanged learning and advises on solutions and alternative plans by established cooperatives and resource speakers. To enhance their learning, participants analyzed case studies and answered sample inventory questionnaire to be applied in their respective cooperatives.

The training series was conducted last May 29, June 13-14 and June 20-22, 2018  with a total of 62 cooperative officers and members from various cooperatives: Solid Engtekkers MPC, Calamba Rice Growers MPC, Couples for Christ MPC Laguna, Testech Group Employees Credit Cooperative, Sikap Buhay MPC, Calamba City MPC, Synergia MPC, Calamba Vendors Marketing Cooperative, EB High Consumers Cooperative, Bisig Labor Service Cooperative, Calamba Parish Development Cooperative, Enkei Philippines Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Couples for Christ Multipurpose Cooperative Laguna 1, Likhang Kamay ng Kalambenyo Producers Cooperative, Testech Group Employees Credit Cooperative, TechDuo Multipurpose Cooperative, Calamba Multipurpose Cooperative, Philippine Auto Components Multipurpose Cooperative, Calambanga Vendors Marketing Cooperative, Calamba Bayside Multipurpose Cooperative, San Cristobal Credit Cooperative, Tanglaw Kaunlaran Producers Cooperative, Canlubang Industrial Estate Multipurpose Cooperative. AMQuilloy
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The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED), in partnership with Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) Multi-Purpose Cooperative, trained cooperative members and officers on Financial Management Training last June 16 and 23, 2018 at CBK Training Center, Kalayaan, Laguna.
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Most of the participants belong to newly established cooperatives who are recently elected officers. The facilitators prepared more interactive discussions and hands-on workshops on reading and understanding income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheets. In-depth discussion on the meaning and interpretation of P.I.S.O and implementation & monitoring of budgeting were also discussed. Through these activities, the participants realized the importance of allocation on Statutory Funds. Moreover, most of them recognized they were unable to save. The training was an eye-opener to them in learning different techniques on saving in attaining their life goals. Hence, some committed to apply the practice of saving both personal and in their respective cooperatives.

The training was attended by 34 participants from Caliraya-Botocan- Kalayaan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Lumban Marketing Cooperative, Samahang Sakahan Para sa Kalikasan at Kaunlaran Agriculture Cooperative, Now Moving for Better Philippines Multipurpose Cooperative, Adia Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Majayjay Transport Service and Multipurpose Cooperative, Majayjay Transport Service and Multipurpose Cooperative, Pagsanjan Employees Credit Cooperative, Cavinti Transport Service and Multipurpose Cooperative, Kooperatiba ng Masaganang Mangangalakal sa Majayjay, Samahang Magbubukid Angat Pangkabuhayan Multipurpose Cooperative, Pagsanjan Farmers Multipurpose Development Cooperative. AMQuilloy

Los Baños, Laguna – The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) hosted the CEM Seminar Series last April 27, 2018 at the ICOPED Auditorium, CEM, UPLB. The resource speaker for the said seminar was ICOPED’s University Researcher, Paul Kenneth B. Maghirang. He discussed the continuance and switching behaviors of foreign subscribers on Korean mobile service providers. Results of his study showed that the formation of switching intentions within the users is greatly motivated by satisfaction level and perceived switching value. In addition, customers’ motivation on their continuous subscription are level of service quality, satisfaction, perceived switching value, and perceived switching cost. Since customers’ satisfaction tend to decrease when faced with attractive values from switching, service providers should maintain their excellent and consistent service quality to their clients. Moreover, service providers should establish relative advantage over competitors to accumulate switching benefits, thus, attracting, and luring away customers from their current provider.
 
The seminar was attended by more than 30 students, faculty, and staff from CEM and other colleges. – AMQuilloy

City of Cabuyao, Laguna - The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) held the Risk Management and Credit Management Trainings for the Sumiden Employees Multipurpose Cooperative (SUMECO) in Cabuyao City, Laguna last March 17 and 24, respectively. SUMECO is a registered medium cooperative which was reorganized in 2012. SUMECO offers loan services such as personal, emergency, regular, special, collateralized, grocery, education, appliance and insurance to its members. As to date, the SUMECO has 1,300 members and targets more employees to join.  
 
Central in the training were hands-on workshops on cooperative risk identification and assessment as well as risk management planning.  The trainees  actively participated in the modified “Monopoly Savings Game” and role playing that were conducted by the resources speakers. SUMECO members dramatized the role of their credit committee, their credit process, and policies. The activities were followed by open forum and discussions among members and officers which gave them the opportunity to clarify concerns and raise suggestions regarding their cooperative services.
 
Both trainings were participated by 26 members and officers of SUMECO. AMQuilloy

Los Baños, Laguna – The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) conducted the Training on Basic Cooperative Management last February 27 and 28, 2018 at the Training Center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability (TREES), College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, College, Laguna to orient current and future members of cooperatives on effective, efficient and sustainable management of a cooperative. The training was in collaboration with Rare Philippines, a non-government organization (NGO) focused on the promotion of sustainable natural resource management.

The two-day training included topics on the fundamentals of cooperative principles and practices, organization and management of cooperatives, sources of capital for cooperatives, managing of cooperative enterprises, and project monitoring and evaluation which were discussed by selected faculty and staff of ICOPED and Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (DAME). The training concluded with a workshop where participants were grouped to summarize their learnings and demonstrated its application to their chosen cooperative enterprises through a short drama presentation. 

Los Baños, Laguna – The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) conducted a Training of Trainers last November 7-10, 2017 at the ICOPED Auditorium, College of Economics and Management, UPLB. The training served as a refresher course for the CLDD which is one of the accredited training providers of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and for members of the Calamba City Cooperative Development Council.
The training course aimed to upgrade the existing knowledge, attitudes and skills of CLDD’s and the City Cooperative Development Council’s pool of trainers and would-be-trainers. The participants were oriented and reviewed on the nature and present status of the Philippine cooperative sector as well as the importance of education and training as a principle of cooperatives. Throughout the course, the participants were guided in preparing session and module guides, going through the training cycle, and in formulating an action plan for cooperative training courses. The participants applied what they have learned during their micro-teaching session. They were also given the chance to experience being a trainer by being the designated hosts for the day.
The resource persons for the said training were Ms. Alicia R. Quicoy, University Researcher; Ms. Anselma C. Manila and Ms. Arminga B. Peria, retired University Extension Specialist and University Researcher, respectively; Dr. JP Roma D. Domingo, University Extension Specialist; and Asst. Professor Liezel S. Cruz of ICOPED. Dr. Mildred O. Moscoso, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Benjamina Paula G. Flor, Associate Professor from the College of Development Communication (CDC) also served as the resource persons.
A total of 18 participants consisting of Cooperative Development officers and staff of CLDD, members of the City Cooperative Development Council, and a Cooperative Development Officer of CDA Region 4 attended and completed the training. JRDDomingo

Kalayaan, Laguna - ICOPED conducted a Credit and Risk Management Training Courses last November 4 and 11, 2017 at Caliraya Botocan Kalayaan (CBK) Training Center Kalayaan, Laguna. The said trainings are part of the “2017 Training Program for Cooperatives Officers and Members of CBK Multi-Purpose Cooperative” project of ICOPED in partnership with CBK, thru the College of Economics and Management Alumni Foundation, Inc. (CEMAFI).
 
The training courses were facilitated by Dr. JP Roma D. Domingo, University Extension Specialist, and Ms. Alicia R. Quicoy, University Researcher, both from ICOPED. The courses covered topics on the concepts and principles of savings and credit as well as lending policies and its effective processes. Moreover, they also discussed the concepts, principles, and process of Risk Management as well as provided activities in identifying strategies on planning and evaluation of risks in their respective cooperatives.