The National Confederation of Cooperatives in the Philippines, NATCCO Network, celebrated its 46th anniversary on 23 January with NATCCO Managers Club conducting a Leaders and Managers Forum online.
NATCCO Network was established in 1977 and today comprises 870 cooperatives with consolidated assets of 320 Billion Pesos owned by 7.1 Million individual members. NATCCO’s mission is to build safe and sound cooperatives that can deliver quality financial services to improve the quality of lives of the people.
NATCCO Chairperson, Mr. Romulo Caceres from San Isidro Development Cooperative (SIDC) in Naga City shared the history of NATCCO’s transition from a tertiary federation – composed of regional coop federations - into a secondary federation comprising primary cooperatives. He noted, becoming a secondary federation was a historic event when he was the President of the NATCCO Board in 2004. There was a deadlock as some voted against the transformation. Now, more than 870 member cooperatives of NATCCO are primary coops across the country. This is one of the indicators that cooperativism is running. Many national and international cooperative leaders shared their congratulatory wishes for NATCCO.
Mr. Balu Iyer, ICA-AP Regional Director extended his wishes and said that ICA is privileged to have NATCCO as one of our members for 42 years. NATCCO has grown to be the largest coop federation in the Philippines with 7.1 million members, coop membership, geographical reach, and an array of services. These all speak volumes of NATCCO’s strengths, which have been the central fund, stabilization fund, education and training, enduring advocacy efforts, and representation in Congress through the COOP-NATCCO party list. He said NATCCO has committed to helping coops achieve the ICA 2030 Vision and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Over the years, NATCCO has remained steadfast in pushing the value of self-help to enable people to improve their lives and in pushing Climate Action. He wished NATCCO many more years of service. Watch his congratulatory message here.
