The flowers of Kalagunoy.

IT’S 5:00 o’clock in the early morning, the village is still very quiet as Rhodora “Tata” Vicente prepares her three baskets of chrysanthemum. While it breaks her heart watching her two small pre-school kids still asleep -- the other three are already awake preparing for school -- she just have to hurry to catch the only passenger jeepney going to the city, some 14 kilometers away.

To be able to cope with the day’s work, her husband, Damaso, usually wakes up earlier and help in the household chores.

Carrying her small handbag, she quickly slips her small figure through the small wooden door in the kitchen. Together with 10 other members of the Blooming Forest Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BFMPC), they carefully pile their delicate flowers inside the jeepney.

Growing flowers has been her major source of income for the last nine years. She had married and had kids, but still, growing flowers is what she loves to do for a living.

It was in 2000 when she became a part of the BFMPC in Barangay Kalagunoy, which BMFI helped organize, and facilitated trainings on growing the flowers and in marketing. Starting with only 22 members, the BFMPC is edging towards its full potential. There are now 51 active members, and total assets of P95, 910.30, with P22,670 as local counterpart coming from the 51 households.

Tata is secretary of BFMPC, aside from her role as mother of five, barangay secretary and paralegal.

BFMPC was formally registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) on March 2000. Primarily, it was organized for the Community Based Forest Management Program, later on it opened doors for several opportunities. Through the cooperative they had access funds from the City Government, line agencies and BMFI. “It is not just an organization, it became a reason and a venue for coming together,” says Tata.

With the financial assistance, BFMPC was able to support cut-flower growers as well as the upscaling of the production.

“From three-fourths hectare, I was able to expand my flower cultivation by half a hectare more. Production has doubled,” Tata said.

Before, the BFMPC used to have only two varieties, Gladiola Native and African daisy. Now, they market up to six varieties -- Holland Yellow, Cabbage Yellow, Wonder white, Malaysian Mums and Aster white and lavender. “Here in Gingoog, only BFMPC grows such flowers,” added Tata.

Rhodora “Tata” Vicente

The cooperative has already gone a long way. Expectedly, there are twists and turns ahead. The officers as well as the members will all the more hold on firmly to the spirit of cooperativism they themselves had built and stood for. BFPMC has indeed bridged some gaps in the barangay.

Although they sell mostly in Gingoog City, BFMPC’s flowers usually reach Butuan, Surigao and Leyte as their buyers resell the flowers everywhere. Tata said BFMPC is taking it one step at a time to establish a stable market, and who knows maybe later they will expand their market.

“We don’t sacrifice the quality of our flowers. Our flowers can compete with the flowers of Davao,” boasts Tata.

For the member of BFMPC, growing flowers have increased their family incomes.”

In Tata’s case, the additional P5,000 she earns monthly, her family was able to build a house, sent her four children to school, and still able to set aside some money for savings.

But flower growing is not without problems. Tata said there are times when pests and fungus infest their flowers. Now, they are trying the organic pesticide they had learned during the Diversified Integrated Farming System Orientation given by BMFI.

It’s now 30 minutes before 12:00 noon, Tata carrying two fat rami bags full of goods -- for her family, for neighbors who asked her to buy something -- aboard the only jeepney going back home to Kalagunoy. Exhausted but happy, she thinks of her flowers back home. “I am a busy woman,” she said, smiling.