Last 18 June 2021, the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative (LMPC) accepted ₱775,000 worth of sewing machines from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the agency’s Shared Service Facilities program.
According to Ellen Limocon, general manager of LMPC, the cooperative is one of the active partners of DTI in developing the countryside. She added that their officers and members have actively participated in various programs, activities, and projects of the department since early 1990s.
Limocon pointed out that Lamac Coop has four (4) SSF Projects with DTI, wherein two are up for upgrading.
LMPC is among the most successful cooperative in the country with a keen entrepreneurial track record that capitalizes on the value chain of the many industries it has ventured into over the years.
EARLY YEARS
A quick look at their records reveal that LMPC started with the Lamac Samahang Nayon in 1973 with only 70 farmer-members and an aggregate capital of only ₱3,500 before it became a cooperative in 1992.
LMPC is a highly diversified multi-purpose cooperative currently operating in Visayas with 42 business offices and more than 30 branches in the entire province of Cebu.
As of June 2021, total members of the coop is nearly 140,000 members. It is one of the biggest cooperatives in Visayas, wherein 60% are farmers, fisherfolks and other agri-preneurs.
LMPC is well known for its collaboration with government, non-government organizations both local and international, business chambers/industry associations, corporations, and MSMEs.
Limocon mentioned that LMPC has ventured into food production (e.g. fresh carabao milk drinks, coco sugar), carabao farming, piggery, organic vegetable farming, demo farming, cocoa production, coco ice water plant, wearables production, T-shirt printing, and dormitory.
Limocon also said that the cooperative operates its own bank, bakery, several Dairy Box outlets, and tourism sites such as the Hidden Valley Wave Pool and Mountain Resort in Lamac.
“As a consumer cooperative, it is a wholesaler, distributor and/or retailer of several goods and merchandise items”, she said.
For years, LMPC has been considered a model for Sustainable Development and the gold standard for enterprising rural cooperatives, DTI-Region 7 regional director (RD) Maria Elena Arbon said during the turn-over of garments production equipment to LMPC.
IDEAL PARTNER
In her message, RD Arbon reiterated that LMPC remains a trusted partner of DTI in implementing its various programs even amidst the pandemic.
Among the DTI-SSF projects with LMPC include dairy production. This is in response to the need of the agricultural product particularly in the development and improvement of the clustered dairy farmers in Pinamungahan, Cebu who are small farmers raising carabaos in the area.
There is also the DTI -LMPC SSF garments production which is being upgraded. This is a strategic way of enabling their members and non-members inclusive growth by giving access to alternative source of livelihood, enhancement of the capabilities of their women farmers in sewing, and capacitate women farmers to become entrepreneurs.
DTI-LMPC also has the SSF cacao products processing. The LMPC and Camugao Farmers Agrarian Reform Program have for years been into cacao plantation in their respective area. These two organizations used to sell cacao fruits and seedlings in the market for a very low price. But with the aid of DTI-Cebu trainings, they now produce tablea.
The LMPC is now in the hall of fame of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) with multiple “Gawad Parangal” Billionaire Coop Awards, and continues to garner high honors from different private and government institutions. ♦
Date of Release: 12 July 2021