Miagao Farmers Agriculture Cooperative also known as MFAC started in January 2020 and was composed of 20 members headed by Juanito N. Abendan as a Chairperson and Nelson M. Famisaran as Vice Chairperson, with three Board of Directors (BOD) as follows: Ricardo N. Falsario, Domingo F. Fermindoza and Erlinda M. Balingcong. During its inception, the Treasurer was Amalia M. Nobleza while the Secretary was Marjorie N. Paciosani.
The Iloilo Provincial Cooperative Development Office headed by Atty. Bong Cangrejo, one of our guiding advisers, was very supportive in building the pillars of the cooperative through a series of training and seminars. On the 27th of July of the same year, the cooperative was successfully registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) with the official Registration Number 9520-1060000000050279. MFAC was also registered in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Municipal and Province after its registration with CDA. MFAC is also accredited by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and is one of its biggest supporters in terms of cooperative business.
After a year, Chairperson Abendan was replaced by Miss Paciosani and is now the current Chairperson of the cooperative. The Board of Directors and Officers have innovations equipped by the different training and seminars of different government agencies. Gradually the cooperative through the help of co-members remained resilient even with the experience of all the ups and downs. The BODs and its Officers aim that the cooperative will remain strong after three years of existence.
Miagao Farmers Agriculture Cooperative was an impoverished cooperative that operated for the last three (3) years, with fewer earnings and sometimes losing in producing Virgin Coconut Oil. Whereas, before the financial grant, we were processing with the use of a manual presser. With the help of a grant as planned by the Coconut Farmers Organization and Development through Cooperatives (COCOFARMCOOP) in the implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan in the amount of PhP 250,000.00, now the products are being processed by four (4) hydraulic pressing machines.
They were able to procure a Hydraulic Virgin coconut oil (VCO) Presser, four Hydraulic VCO Presser, and a Grater and its related accessories as well as the coconut from farmer members.
In collaboration with the local farmer-members in their area of operation, Miagao Farmers Agriculture Cooperative will manage the implementation of the project particularly the processing operations and marketing of the processed products with good business practice in mind aligned with the spirit of cooperativism. This will also be an opportunity for our farmer-members since we will procure our raw materials in processing the VCO from them at a better price than the prevailing market price.
