A genuine story of success radiates from those who transcend hope and prosperity beyond themselves and towards the world.

The story of the San Jose Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative dates back three decades ago when in 1989, 25 market vendors from the municipality of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro decided to enter the challenging world of entrepreneurship together. 

They began their bag-making business on a per-order basis. From San Jose Vendors Development Inc. (SJVDI), they were finally registered by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) as San Jose Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SJVMPC) on 5 November 2009, with an initial capital of P43,500.00. They are engaged in bag making, palay procurement, and lending.

Seeing the cooperative’s potential to grow, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Occidental Mindoro provided one unit of Computerized Embroidery Machine worth P975,000.00 through the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Project in 2015. They are continuously provided with technical assistance through various training and seminars organized by the agency. Sewing and embroidering have become their major source of income. 

Because of the continuous increase in the number of satisfied customers and the great potential to generate more income and employment, SJVMPC requested additional assistance from DTI. The agency that champions MSMEs promptly catered to their request by upgrading the provided SSF Project with the provision of another computerized embroidery machine with 11 hoops and cap attachment in 2018.

Upon DTI’s evaluation of the SSF Project, SJVMPC demonstrated successful operation from 2014 to 2020, having a 194% increase in sales and a 75% increase in the number of beneficiaries. Because of this, DTI transferred the full ownership of the SSF equipment to the cooperative on October 24, 2021, with both parties having signed the Deed of Donation.

Currently, the cooperative has 212 members, 90 of whom are active. Through the years, significant improvements in the organization were noted. These include recruitment of additional members who are mostly farmers, procurement of additional units of sewing machines, and business expansion through food processing. With DTI’s interventions, the number of full-time employees tripled, and their gross sales increased significantly. Through DTI’s One Town, One Product (OTOP) Next Gen Program, they have been continuously receiving free assistance on market access and development. In 2019, they were able to register their trademark with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. Moreover, they have completed several training activities conducted by the agency such as workshop on greening and business continuity planning.  

Aside from being recognized as the top-performing SSF in Occidental Mindoro, SJVMPC also received various awards from other agencies such as CDA’s Gawad Parangal 2020 for selfless and life-giving contributions. In terms of community involvement, they have been the partner agency of San Jose National Agricultural and Industrial High School for their Senior High School Work Immersion Program.

The cooperative is no stranger to the adversities faced by enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic. They saw a decrease in demand for tailored/embroidered uniforms and shirts due to the absence of face-to-face classes in schools and limited activities for government and non-government offices. To cope, SJVMPC provides price discounts to clients and offers new products such as foam and pillows for sala sets.

For its sewing and embroidering business, plans of the cooperative include expansion of its business reach through the introduction of embroidered designs to other clients such as cooperatives, associations, and day-to-day customers. SJVMPC also plans to expand its food business operations through standardizing its food processing, completion of requirements for Food and Drug Administration-License To Operate (FDA-LTO) certification, and finding more retailers within and outside the province.

SJVMPC has contributed a lot, not only in terms of income and employment generation for the members of the cooperative and their families but also in providing various livelihood opportunities for the people in the municipality of San Jose.

As the General Manager, Ms. Mary Grace Frias stated, “We grab every opportunity given to us. I want to encourage other aspiring businesses to always have plans and keep updated on current trends.” ♦

Date of Release: 11 March 2022