THE Philippine Chamber of Cooperatives Inc. (Coop Chamber) announced its leaders discussed with officials of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Philippine Country Office how to strengthen the role of cooperatives in national development, decent work promotion and the “social solidarity economy” (SSE).
A statement issued by the Coop Chamber read this was the gist of a gab during a courtesy visit by the organization’s chairman, Noel D. Raboy, and secretary-general, Edwin A. Bustillos, to ILO Philippines Director Khalid Hassan on January 22.
“The high-level meeting focused on aligning the Philippine cooperative movement with international standards, specifically ILO Recommendation 193 on the Promotion of Cooperatives,” read the statement. The dialogue also underscored the pivotal role of cooperatives as major pillars of the SSE, it added.
“Cooperatives are not just capital-driven enterprises; they are people-driven and servicedriven,” Raboy was quoted in the statement as saying. He highlighted the Chamber’s ongoing advocacy to maintain the “one member, one vote” principle in the revision of the Philippine Cooperative Code, warning against proposals that would introduce share voting and erode democratic member control.
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the government’s “Public Transport Modernization” program, the statement read.
According to the Coop Chamer, Hassan expressed interest in collaborating with the organization on this program, particularly through the ILO’s “Global Accelerator” program, which focuses on the transport sector. The initiative aims to design integrated policies for decent work and ensure a “just transition” for workers in the industry.
According to the Coop Chamber, the meeting concluded with a commitment from both parties to sustain communication and explore concrete partnerships.
Hassan also committed to share the ILO roadmap for the construction and transportation sectors with the Chamber, inviting their policy recommendations through a cooperative lens.
