Tagum Coop’s Norma Pereyras, working from the heart

                 

(photo from Tagum Coop)

THIS WOMAN holds this year’s crown as the  Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader in the Philippines, besting two other nominees to the 2012 Gawad Parangal of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), but such award is seen as long overdue because she has been living  and giving her best all the time.

                She’s a vibrant woman, mother, wife, entrepreneur, church volunteer, Rotarian, Girl Scout leader, gender and family enrichment  advocate,  lector,  resource speaker, mediator rolled into one as a cooperative leader.  She is Norma Pereyras,   chairperson  of the award-winning Tagum Cooperative  and concurrent president  of  the Philippine Cooperative Center.

                As a jolly and vivacious woman, she has earned the nickname, Normskie   that sounds like “may K” which in colloquial Filipino means “she has the capacity”, and this can actually be gleaned in her personality. She has the drive to give her best with passion, enthusiasm, dedication and sincerity to serve  and deliver what is expected of her.   She’s often been heard saying “mula sa puso ni Normskie, baby!” along with her wacky trademark in conveying “I work from the heart.”

                Normskie rose from the ranks of ordinary coop members and has built her leadership over time.  She has been with Tagum Cooperative for three decades, and has served 25 years  as a leader of the home-grown cooperative based in Tagum City where she settles with her family.

                Taking no shortcuts, she attended seven-days seminar 29 years ago just like the others who wanted to become a  member of Tagum Cooperative at that time. She was not loaded with much money when she came in as a coop member.  She was just then running a carenderia (eatery) business. What she had, was her intense passion to serve: the spirit she had developed as a Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) coordinator, catechist and church lector. 

                “I participated actively in Tagum Cooperative activities. I was  then convinced to run as an officer and I then got re-elected again and again,” she said.

(from Tagum Coop)

                In Her  25-year stint  as an active officer of Tagum Cooperative,  Normskie   came out five times as the chairperson.  Instituting reforms in 1995 amidst intense resistance among fellow coop officers was her greatest feat.   She looked at her come-back this year as God’s mission to check the gains of such struggle for reforms,and  to further push  the development Tagum Cooperative “to better serve  our members.” 

                “In my reflection, as if God is saying telling me to see  if the reforms we made are still there.”

                The system is in place for Tagum Cooperative to operate soundly but Normskie doesn’t want to sit on her laurels, nor does she like the cooperative to stay over confident about being the Most Outstanding Large Cooperative in 2012.  

“We are reviewing some of our policies to strengthen our services to our members,” she said.

Apart from its existing products and services from savings deposits, loans, member benefits,  and funecare services, Tagum Cooperative  is looking at the prospect of online banking.  It now uses automated teller machine (ATM) to dispense money as part of delivering improved services to its members, and that it now works on strengthening its human resource policies.

Tagum Cooperative has built wide network of alliance with Finance Organizations Achieving Certified Credit Union Standards (FOCCUS),  Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU), Mindanao Alliance for Self-help Society Southern Philippines Educational Cooperative Center (MASS SPECC) , CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative, Model Cooperative Network, Philippine Cooperative Center, Metro South Coop Bank  and Asian Women in Cooperative Development Forum (AWCF). 

(from Tagum Cooperative)

 “My dream is for Tagum Cooperative to reach 100 years. It may not happen in my lifetime; we may be gone in this world, but Tagum Cooperative will continue to exist,”  she said.

Along with  the vision for centennial existence of Tagum Cooperative,  Normskie wish to see her gender and development advocacy  to flourish and to continue spelling a difference in the lives of coop members whom Tagum Cooperatives would like to experience joy and prosperity as they continue investing their trust and confidence.

Now with sustained budget, such advocacy has been enhanced and become known as Family Enrichment Program that talks topics beyond gender equality. It now tackles family affair,  spirituality, community involvement and volunteerism, violence against women,  and problems on drug dependence. 

Normskie  considers her work with Tagum Cooperative as an apostolate, believing that “it is an instrument of God to improve the lives of our members.”  She may find herself in a taxing situation doing several volunteer work,  but words of gratitude from coop members bring her solace and soothing feelings at  the end of the days work.

From Tagum Cooperative

                She’s glad to hear “our members say because of Tagum Cooperative we have food on our table; we are able to put up our house, send our children to school,  provide medical  needs of our ailing family members, repair our house.”

                She brings such joy and fulfillment beyond the walls of Tagum Cooperative as she keeps her thought tuned in on leaving good legacy, “on making a difference in the lives of people that I have met, touched, inspired and encouraged.”

                To  coop leaders, she leaves words of encouragement for them to become models of transformational leadership .  She advises them to “adhere to good governance, to become competent and passionate.”  

“Let’s do our assignment and leave a legacy,” she  said.  (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

Banay-banay farmers go techie

By Jeanevive Duron-Abangan

BANAY-BANAY, Davao Oriental Nov. 6 (PIA) -- Rice farmers used to recall instructions of their forefathers when solving problems on rice farming. 

That however is no longer the practice of farmers in the municipality of Banay-banay in Davao Oriental. They now access the internet, search the web for information and talk to experts either via videoconferencing or short messaging system (SMS). 

Their modern way of solving rice farming problems has made the Farmers’ Information Technology Services (FITS) Center of Banay-banay bagged this year’s Best Community e-Center (CeC) Award with a P100,000 cash reward given during this year’s 8th Knowledge e-Community Center (KeC) national conference held in Davao City. 

(Picture lifted from internet)

The award marks a sustained effort through the support of the municipal government under the leadership of Mayor Pedro Mejos who was recognized as a “CeC Champion” during the same occasion, for his support to the Cyber Village Project of FITS Banay-banay. 

FITS Manager Ester Solamo who now sits as the Municipal Agriculturist said the award came a long way from 2007 when Banay-banay FITS (a project of the Department of Science and Technology) first implemented the Cyber Village Program Phase I in rice-based barangay Caganganan in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE), the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture(OPAPA) based in Nueva Ecija and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP). 

The Cyber Village Program brings internet connection at the barangay level with the barangay hall as the connectivity site where rice farmers do online research on pest management, farm input supplies and marketing. 

Through it, they can also directly consult experts on particular rice farming concerns either through video-conferencing, SMS or internet calls. 

Solamo said the Cyber Village Program has played a crucial role in improving the rice productivity of Banay-banay which has long been known as one of the major rice producers in the Davao Region. It has a total of 2,161 hectares of rice farms devoted to commercial rice and certified seeds production. 

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) XI data on best replicable practices reveals in its documentation that the Cyber Village Program Phase I resulted in reduction in the volume of fertilizer applied by farmers who were into cyber research; increase in diversity of rice varieties grown; reduction in rice diseases; 15 percent increase in average yield of rice; and 100 percent use of certified seeds among cyber farmers. 

The cyber program was also found of help to teachers and students who were given the opportunity to access the internet in doing their research work particularly on School Technology and Entrepreneurship of the Philippines, on fertilizer computation, on the health benefits malunggay among others. 

The felt successes of the Cyber Village Phase I in Barangay Caganganan gave way to the fabrication of Banay-banay Mobile Internet Cab patterned after the “Pinoy Farmers Mobile Internet Bus” (M/B) of OPAPA. 

Inaugurated on April 22, 2009, the mobile IT cab of Banay-banay bears a slight from its model as it is capable of carrying eight laptops, instead of only four, accommodating more community users particularly rice farmers, students and even out-of-school youths (OSYs). 

(from internet)

Philrice-OPAPA provided four laptops while the four other laptops were solicited from local government officials of Davao Oriental, from the Department of Agriculture (DA) XI and from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). 

While the mobile IT cab spreads sharing of internet access among rice communities, it limits access to cyber information as it visits rice-based barangays on scheduled basis. 

The need for a steady access to cyber information gives rise to the idea of soliciting assistance from the National Computer Center (NCC) for the establishment of Community e-Centers, giving birth to Cyber Village Phase II which covers five more rice-based barangays of Rang-ay, Cabangcalan, Mugbongcogon, Calubihan and Barangay Poblacion. 

Initially only three barangays have been given computer package from NCC through the Philippine CeC Program which provides recipients barangays four computer units and one unit of all-in-one printer capable scanning and copying. The rests are working ways to get internet connection through the assistance of FITS. 

As farmers in the six Cyber Village barangays have been enabled to access the internet for information, resulting in production increase and effective pest management, upland farmers are expressing their desire to get on line and be connected with experts, as well. 

Taking heed of such call, Solamo said the municipal government through the Municipal Agriculture Office is planning to connect the eight other barangays to the internet to gain fast access to reliable information. 

“Gusto din nila maging cyber village. (They also want to become cyber villages.)” he said. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan) 

Exploring the banana beach

        Jeanevive Duron-Abangan

               

For us to convince tourists to come and visit our place, we should first spend time exploring our locality.  Surely, we can find a place of beauty to enjoy with our loved ones and friends. Discovering such place will prove that, indeed, it’s more fun in the Philippines.

                In Davao del Norte, the Banana Beach Resort stands out as a must-see place to visit and explore.  It lies within reach along the coastal area of Barangay Madaum in Tagum City which is just more than an hour ride from Davao City.

                The Banana Beach Resort takes its name from its location along the beaches of the 760-hectare banana plantation owned by Hijo Resources Corporation.  It primarily allows people  to enjoy the beach, but   it  also provides an opportunity for visitors to take a side trip  to the banana tissue culture plant of Hijo banana plantation.

                The resort’s coastline stretches 4.5 kilometers, giving guests a wide area either for beach volleyball, kayaking, skimboarding or boat riding.  They may also opt to do  building  sand castles just to enjoyably let time pass by.  River cruising can also be an option to take for seekers of water adventure.  Facing the Davao Gulf, the Banana Beach Resort also borders with Madaum River which is worth exploring  as it  treasures century-old mangrove trees.

                The  sea at the Banana Beach allures visitors to take a swim. They may yield to it or they may take the option to dip into the infinity swimming pool. Its  clear blue water appears to be somewhat flowing out to the sea. If swimming may not be a pleasurable moment for visitors, they can try hook-and-line fishing at “The Spot”  to  catch either Bangus, Kitang or Lapu-lapu for a fine dine at its  cottage built at the place.

            Visitors must not miss to see and explore the nearby 60-hectare  forest which Hijo Resources Corporation (HRC)has preserved in line with the thrust to “nurture nature today to benefit the generations tomorrow” as  what Chief Executive Officer Rosanna Tuason-Fores said.

 To commune with nature, visitors need not wait until they reach the forest.  Along the way, they can marvel at the towering coconut trees planted in orderly line.  While approaching the forest, they will be greeted by sights of monkeys  leisurely walking along the road.  On lucky occasions,  wild boars  are just within sight.

                My work assignment in Davao del Norte opens a number of opportunities for me to visit the Banana Beach several times.  I was there during a coastal clean up  early last year with members of the Philippine Coast Guard  and with media practitioners of Tagum City.  An exposure tour with student journalists in mid last year again brought me to the place. 

Discussion about the resort  in the office led our boss to schedule our  2011 Christmas team-building  at the Banana Beach Resort.  We took our  children with us during that activity which left wonderful memories of fun and enjoyment as we spent time playing at the resort’s playground.  The children went swimming  in the infinity pool and joined  tours to the forest and to The Spot.

I might have gone there for several times but the thought of going back there rouses a feeling of joy and excitement.   Knowing that the place is such a beauty and wonder, I feel proud of seeing it featured in one of the editions of Balitang K. 

There swells within me the urge to tell about the place.  Who  else can we expect to better  tell about the beauty of our place but  us?  But before taking such task, it is wise to put on the gear as local explorers: appreciate and then enjoy what we have in our place.     (Jean Duron Abangan))

Familiarizing Liboganon River

                

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte (PIA) – Seldom can we now hear reports about Davao del Norte flooding that reaches the national highway, the way it happened way back in 1980s or in 1990s. Despite such relief, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMCO) is still keeping its guards up against flood occurrences.

Last week of October, the Reduce the Risk (RDR) Rescue Teams of PDRRMO rolled their sleeves up as they took some members of the Davao del Norte media to a familiarization tour (fam-tour) of Liboganon River considered as one of the river basins in Mindanao.

It was not the usual sight-seeing, leisure tour. It became a true-to-life experience of river-watching as the tour fell on the day when tropical storm Ofel was expected to affect the eastern side of the country. There was moderate to heavy rainfall the night before the tour. Fortunately, flooding did not occur but Liboganon River turned out murky the next morning.

Rains did not bother our early morning trip to the river after PDRRMO Executive Officer Sonio Sanchez briefed us about the fam-tour.  Rescuers tugged along three rubber boats, each with a carrying capacity of 10 and one fiber boat with a capacity of seven.

Donned with lifejacket, we got into the rescue boats along the river bank in Barangay San Miguel in Tagum City.  Driven with 40 horsepower engine, the rubber boats swiftly maneuvered through the murky waters of Liboganon River while the 25 horse-powered fiber boat came along. On board the boards were 20 participants including the RDR rescuers and and Sanchez, their chief, and Provincial Information Chief Romulo Tagalo and his staff. 

Liboganon River is long and wide.  PDRRMO says that it follows a winding course estimated to stretch about 300 kilometers from Sitio Patil in far-flung Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong and empties into the Davao Gulf. Its width is more than 100 meters. When it overflows, its water rises more than 10 meters high from its normal level.

No wonder it created a real havoc when its waters overflowed late December 2011. Some said last year’s flooding was a little less lighter than the flooding occurrences way back in the 90s and 80s during which Liboganon River used to unleash and spawn floodwaters to the national highway, barring traffic flow, causing vehicles to get stuck.                       

Senior broadcast journalist Aurora Lozada, station manager of DXDN Radyo Ukay Tagum recalled how she waded through the flooded highway along Bincungan, Tagum City to monitor the situation and gather news reports.

At its normal state, Liboganon displays its fertile river banks which offer rich soil for fruit trees and bananas.  Birds fly along the course of the river and feed along the vegetation of reeds that abundantly grow at its banks. Only few were seen fishing at the Liboganon River during that fam-tour but children found thrill and excitement as they spent time boating and swimming at it.

Participants to the fam-tour also eventually found and encountered the most thrilling and exciting part of the activity at the river-mouth where the sea met the river. Rains poured, wind blew harder than usual, and waves surged high. 

They got wet. Still, they seemed relaxed with the presence of RDR rescuers.  Women participants, however, couldn’t hold their shrilling voice as they screamed in a mixture of excitement and a bit of fear when rubber boats crossed surging waves.   

At the command of Sanchez, the rubber boats and the fiber boat were led towards a river in Carmen (adjacent to Tagum City), to escape from the harsh sea. They got off along  Barangay La Paz to take their lunch.

They laughed at their mixed reactions of the experience which became an eye-opener to the urgent need for public support and cooperation to keep a close watch on the Liboganon River. (PIA-XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)