As the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the cooperative sector in the NCR continues to provide services to their members and communities.
“Deep within every crisis is an opportunity for something beautiful.”― Kate McGahan
Just when everything that is happening around us seems to be so hopeless and desperate, due to the pandemic that brought devastating results to nations across the world, real-life stories of greatness and heroism arose bringing hope and inspiration to all. They are likened to stars that shone brightly in the middle of the night. Among those who are truly worthy of recognition and emulation, are the cooperatives in the National Capital Region. They have wholeheartedly answered the call of the times and seized the opportunity of exemplifying selfless and true service to their fellowmen despite the challenges they themselves were facing in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. The pro-active actions of cooperatives in providing assistance to their members and extending the much-needed assistance to their communities made a great impact in mitigating the severe socio-economic effects caused by the pandemic and the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to contain the spread of the virus. For their part, the NCR Cooperatives willingly and promptly responded to provide aid and support in various forms especially to the most vulnerable sector of our society. Since a great number of cooperatives donated food packs containing groceries, rice, milk, and other basic commodities to their members and community beneficiaries, the recipients together with their families, were ensured food on their table at a time when many of them were lacking resources to provide for their basic needs.
To show support to all our frontliners, be it in the medical or non-medical field, other coops have opted to give personal protective equipments (PPE’s), health kits which include alcohol, gloves, masks, and also foods packs to our modern-day heroes. With these kind acts of cooperatives, the frontliners were assured that they were not left alone in this battle against the unseen enemy, and that all their selfless and dedicated efforts towards winning this fight are not in vain but are rather highly appreciated and held in high regard. Cash donations were also extended by many cooperatives to ensure that those who are in dire need would be able to make both ends meet during the quarantine wherein most people were not able to work and worst, some have even lost their jobs and means of living. These efforts of the cooperatives in providing financial assistance paved the way for their members and communities to survive and to be sustained though financially constraint during the crisis. Noteworthy also, are other forms of coop assistance such as lobbying with the local government to continue to operate and be of service to their members, different forms of campaigns and programs in order to ensure the safety of people against the virus, support to COVID-19 patients, accommodation of stranded individuals, and provision of transportation services to frontliners as well as the general public.
All of these efforts of NCR cooperatives have somehow lightened the burdens and eased the sufferings of those greatly affected with this national health emergency we are confronted with. The recipients were truly grateful and appreciative as it alleviated the doomful effects of the COVID-19 and the lockdown. In one way or the other, such acts have brought hope and smiles on the faces of those people whose hearts and lives have been touched.
Summing it up, about Sixty-Five Million Pesos (Ph 65M) was contributed by cooperatives in support of around One Million (1M) member and community beneficiaries during this time of pandemic. True enough, the cooperatives in the capital city of our nation have given much not only of their resources but most of all, have given much of themselves in the service and love of their fellow Filipinos. To the cooperative sector in NCR, we salute you all and we thank you for your passionate, untiring and dedicated service for our fellowmen at such a time as this when it is most needed. Indeed, you have proven that as one cooperative sector, we are committed to value one another, to contribute for the good of all men, and to protect each other. Certainly, you are vessels of hope in desperate times…
Together, with God’s grace, we will win this battle and heal as one!” – FMC
Herein are some snapshots of the cooperative contributions in the NCR: