VICTO National celebrated its 48th Annual General Assembly Meeting and National Convention from May 19 to 20, 2018 at Baguio City, the Philippines, on the Theme “Co-operatives: Putting Members at the Center of Development”. The annual gathering brings together the 283 primary co-operative member affiliates from across the country. This year’s event was attended by 840 delegates including co-operative leaders, VICTO National officers, staff, federation partners and invited guests and resource speakers.

Mr. Ponciano Payuyo, Chairperson, Philippine Co-operative Center (PCC) in his solidarity message. His message spoke about the importance of cooperation and the need for the co-operative sector to fight against the tax being imposed on co-operatives. He laid out the thrust and direction of PCC as the  apex serving to unify the Philippines co-operative sector. Mr. Jost Detablan, the COO of VICTO National gave an update on the premium events for the year. Mr. Audie Joseph “Dudz” Samson presented the proposed program for the upcoming International Youth Summit and the World Development Educators Seminar (World DE), and invited co-operative leaders to send their participants to these events.

With the participants at the 48th Annual VICTO General Assembly

The Keynote Speaker, Honorable Congressman Rico B. Geron, was introduced as a true blood co-operator, a champion co-operative legislator, an educator, and an advocate of co-operatives!  His speech emphasized the importance of managing the co-operative business operations in an effective and efficient manner. He encouraged the delegates to be actively involved in the affairs of the co-operative at the local and national levels and in  lobbying for co-operative legislation.

Plenary and breakout sessions

Mr. Sungjoon Kang spoke about the consumer co-operative best practices and co-operative product branding using the example of the Japan Consumers Co-operative Union (JCCU). Mr. Justin Daniel T. Arcenas, talked about online business opportunities for co-operatives, a business platform for government documents, online pay bills and inter co-operative money fund transfer. 

There were simultaneous breakout sessions for the Gender and Youth Congresses, where the Gender and Youth Board representative to VICTO National Board facilitated the sessions. Each group presented their accomplishment report, annual plans and development agendas. The major highlights were election of representatives to the gender and youth boards and passing resolutions to be presented and approved during the business meeting on the following day