Public DonVito B. Valle
Teresita P. Rosales
De La Salle Lipa, Philippines
Co-operatives provide local households with access to goods and services at cost while encouraging self-help and democratic participation. In contrast to traditional investor- owned firms, these co-operatives enforce shared values and contribute to the development of social capital within communities. Unfortunately, only about one third of the number of registered co-operatives, consisting of small, fragmented community organizations in the Philippines, was considered active.