Massage therapists at the Pantawan Area, Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City wait for clients under their new tents donated by the DCCCO Multi-Purpose Cooperative on May 16, 2025. (RAL/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — The Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative (DCCCO) has donated 20 tents to the city government for the use of over 200 wellness service workers at the Pantawan People’s Park.
The cooperative also signed a memorandum of agreement covering the turnover of the free public WiFi access to Pantawan People’s Park as well as in Quezon Park and the Dumaguete Public Market.
DCCCO chief executive officer Mildredo Umbac formally turned over the tents to Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo on May 16 with the massage therapists, manicurists, and pedicurists as witnesses.
Barangay Looc resident Anabellle Gallo is one of the massage therapists in the area who will benefit from this donation.
“Dako kaayo ang among kalipay kay kato una namo nga tent gamay ra biya pod to. Maghuot mi inig ulan karon dako na ang among area. Makatabang ni sa amoang panginabuhi sa Pantawan,” Gallo said.
(We are very happy with this because our old tents were narrow. We get crowded especially when it rains. With this donation, our area is wider. This will help a lot in our livelihood here in Pantawan.)
Gallo said there are 10 massage therapists and wellness service associations operating at the Pantawan Area.
They offer massage, manicure, and pedicure services to residents and tourists strolling at the Boulevard.
Remollo thanked DCCCO for their donation to the wellness workers at Pantawan.
“Mapuslan gyud ni sa mga masseuse kay milapad pa ang ilang area. Disente kaayo tan-awon. On the part of the city, we will make sure that this (spot) will be paved para dili na mo mapisak,” Remollo said.
(This is beneficial for our masseuse. Their area got wider and it looks very decent. On the part of the city, we will make sure that this spot will be paved so that it won’t get muddy when it rains.)
The area allocated for the wellness workers is located on bare ground which turns muddy when it rains and dusty during dry season.
DCCCO vice chairperson Mary Magdalene Villegas said this initiative is an expression of their commitment to the 7th cooperative principle, which is concern for the community.
“At the center of this endeavor is our Community Development Fund (CDF), a fund mandated by the Philippine Cooperative Code which requires at least 3 percent of the annual surplus for activities and programs that directly benefits the community the community is serving,” Villegas said.
Free Wi-Fi
Remollo also thanked the DCCCO for helping the city provide internet connectivity for the residents.
“Ang ingon aning projects, naka-save na pod ang city (The city was able to save money through projects like this),” said Remollo.
He said the free Wi-Fi project will help attract more customers for the wellness service workers at Pantawan Park as they can browse the internet while availing of services such as massage, manicure, and pedicure.
Umbac said the cooperative will be in charge of providing the Wi-Fi infrastructure and payment for its subscription, while the city government is responsible for providing power to the Wi-Fi infrastructure and protection from any obstruction.
The cooperative’s partnership with the city government is part of DCCCO’s response to the growing need for internet connectivity among the residents of the city.
“Nasayod man karon nga Wi-Fi importante kay nas mga tawo karon labi na kon ang mga batan-on mag-research. Kitang ordinaryong tawo kon duna tay mga komunikasyon, kalagmitan karon dili naman text more on messenger naman siya. Ug kana pod bisan mga senior citizen, kung magpalagaylay, maglingaw-lingaw pinaagi sa paglantaw sa Facebook,” Umbac said.
(We are aware that Wi-Fi is important nowadays, especially to the young people who are doing research. Meanwhile, for other people, we use it for communication because people communicate through messenger more often than through text messages. On the other hand, our senior citizens get entertained by watching videos on Facebook.)
He said the cooperative utilized its Community Development Fund (CDF) for the project.
The CDF is equivalent to at least 3 percent of the annual surplus of the cooperative, which is intended for activities and programs that directly benefit the community.
DCCCO’s income last year was pegged at P335 million, and 3 percent of that will be allocated for the CDF. (RAL/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
