CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) MIMAROPA aims to further strengthen the sector of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the region by expanding more cooperatives with IP members.
In an interview with PIA Oriental Mindoro, CDA MIMAROPA Regional Director Alberto Sabarias said that there are already cooperatives consisting of IPs. However, he plans to further organize IP groups in the region, believing in their potential.
“It is a big help to organize them because they have large lands…they are hardworking and they have many products. They are really reliable when it comes to production,” said Sabarias.
In the latest data of CDA, there are 28 cooperatives consisting of IPs that are currently registered with their office. Of these, the highest number of registered cooperatives is in Palawan with 10 cooperatives, followed by Occidental Mindoro with nine cooperatives, eight in Oriental Mindoro, and one in Romblon.
“Agriculture is the most common business venture chosen by the cooperatives,” said CDA in its report.
Despite facing challenges such as introducing or marketing their products, CDA remains optimistic that, with their intervention, the agency will be able to help them.
“One of the problems faced by IPs is marketing their products. This is where our initiative comes in to organize them. We have a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with NCIP [National Commission on Indigenous Peoples] to organize our IPs,” Sabarias added.
He encouraged those interested in forming cooperatives in the region to be persistent in their efforts, as starting a cooperative is not easy.
“My message to the newly registered cooperatives or those who are about to register is that we need to be patient. It may be hard at first, especially with no capital, but eventually, it will grow and we will have enough funds to help members of the cooperatives we establish,” Sabarias stressed. (JJGS/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
