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	Mrs. Rosita A. Lerion (left)

During the Savings Mobilization Seminar at Balbagon Multi-purpose Cooperative (BMPC) held last March 16, 2006, where many of the active cooperative members were present, a commitment setting between members was held just after the said seminar. Pledges, dedications and assurance of full support very soon came out smoothly and naturally from the lips of each member.

And among these was the stirring message from Mrs. Rosita A. Lerion, chairman of BMPC who cited towards her fellow beneficiaries, “Akong dakung-daku gyud kaayong pasalamat sa Ginoo kay siya man nagbuot na mahitabo kini tanan, siya ang labing gamhanan ug kabalo siya sa atong kakulangon. Kay iya gihatag ang RCED, MASS-SPECC diri, kay sa una cooperatiba lang biya (kita) dayon karon adunay mga libre na serbisyo. Ug pasalamat sa atong seminar, na very effective gyud ang ilang gipa-ambit ug amo gyud nagamit. Ug sa PACAP, na ila tang gihatagan ug panabang, pagbuot gihapon na sa Ginoo. Nakit-an gyud nako na very serious gyud sila sa ilang panabang. Ug gitagaan nila ug importansya ang sama kanato na gamay lang na kooperatiba, ug pasalamatan nato ang Ginoo. Unsaon man paglambo kung wala (kita’y) alamag, busa gitagaan ta niini … kay daghan kaayo ug mga measure, negative ug positive, mga sekreto man kini na ilang gipakita ka nato.”

Right from the start, they were already aware of their weaknesses and they knew that they needed supplementary skills before embarking on to their business operation. Thus, on their project with RCED-PACAP, they are even more competent to run their livelihood endeavors because of the series of trainings and skills strengthening activities they have undergone. Not like before where they directly boarded on to projects without skills trainings and system installation resulting to mismanagement of projects.

And through the free services extended to the group in which they’ve gained organizational management strength, it created an avenue for them to realize that they could indeed provide a big contribution to their community in terms of development and economic change. The feeling of being given “importance,” finding self belongingness and acceptance, had helped them feel their “ownership” to the project, the reason why they need to seriously work on it full-time.

Such a change in their competence as a group is very significant to all of them, especially pertaining to running their livelihood project, since most of the members don’t have stable work and regular source of income.

Mrs. Lerion also added: “Ug ako nasinati na unta daghan ang ganahan na mag-alagad sa Diyos, pero daku ang kakulangon -- walay makaon, walay ikaplite, magsakit gyud akong kasing-kasing basta makit-an nako na dili ko makatabang sa tanan. Daghan kaayo ko ug nakat-unan ug ipaambit nako sa uban. Mentras makalakaw pa ug makastorya, mentras naa pa koy kaalam, ako gyud ibalik ang glory ngadto sa Diyos pinaagi sa pag-alagad sa iyang katawhan. So daku kini na grasya, ug ampingan nato pag-ayo, ampingan nato pag-ayo! Ipatidlum nato sa atong kasing-kasing, ug makita unya ang daku na kabalhinan sa atong kinabuhi. Dili lang kutob sa atong liog, ato gyud ni ipractice. Hinaut na mamahimo tang modelo ngadto sa uban natong kauban sa komunidad.”

Strong commitment and competence in running their project is where the sustainability of it relies much. And for Mrs. Lerion and the rest of the BMPC members, these are the great and relevant turning point for them, which are far more different from what they’ve done with their previous projects. They are very much hopeful that they could make a difference and set a good example to their neighboring communities on handling group enterprise.

Mrs. Rosita A. Lerion, chairperson of BMPC, is also a retired public school teacher in Balbagon, Camiguin; a church leader in their community; married to a responsible husband with whom she has three children, now all professionals.