Women Empowerment: Our Coop, Our Voice
The Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives Inc. joins the global women’s movement and the cooperative movement in the celebration of International Women’s Day.
This year’s United Nations theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” is long overdue. The role of women in all aspects of society cannot be discounted, as they contribute to all forms of development from the basic unit of our society to all other social institutions.
In the cooperative movement, women are co-steward of men in governing and managing a cooperative enterprise. Women actively participate in all programs and activities of the enterprise to ensure that they will positively impact their families and the communities in particular and society in general. Cooperatives are key to alleviating the marginalized sectors of our society from poverty by providing services and programs for livelihood and employment, health, food security, housing, and education among others.
In the Philippines, more and more women are taking the lead in managing a cooperative enterprise. More and more women are elected to the Board of Directors and in other organizational structures of the cooperative. This shows that the cooperative movement has invested in programs and capability training for women’s empowerment.
Marlene Sindayen, Coop Chamber Board Trustee and General Manager of one of the billionaire cooperatives in the Philippines said that “Sa kooperatiba, ang mga kababaihan ay may boses at kapangyarihan.”
This was also echoed and supplemented by Lily Silubrico, another Board Trustee of the Coop Chamber and the current Chief Executive Officer of the Holy Cross Savings and Credit Cooperative, another successful cooperative enterprise, “Aktibong nakikilahok sa pamamahala at pagpapatakbo ng kooperatiba ang mga kababaihan”.
Alexander Raquepo, another Coop Chamber Board Trustee and Vice Chairperson of the Gender Equality Resource Center, Inc. (GERC), Philippines emphasizes that cooperatives ensure that gender mainstreaming and programs related to gender sensitivity, gender and development, and leadership training are part of the cooperative’s program in furthering gender equality and women empowerment in the movement and society.
Moreover, the cooperative movement actively engages the government to ensure that laws about women’s rights are respected and implemented.
While Cooperatives contribute to nation-building and development, they also emphasize that the nation’s progress is impossible without women’s meaningful and active participation in all decision-making processes, governance, economic development, and social justice.
The Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives Inc., (Coop Chamber), is committed to continue promoting and advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment within the cooperative movement and society.
Contact Persons:
Marlene Sindayen, Coop Chamber Board Trustee
General Manager, Novaliches Development Cooperative
CP # 09178026371
Lilian D. Silubrico, Coop Chamber Board Trustee
Chief Executive Officer, Holy Cross Savings and Credit Cooperative
CP # 09209815364
Alexander Raquepo, Coop Chamber Board Trustee
Vice Chairperson of the Gender Equality Resource Center, Inc. (GERC), Philippines
CP #09194605322
