Awam Karen P. Quilloy and Isabelita M. Pabuayon
University of the Philippines Los Baños
In the International Co-operative Alliance 2020 Vision, co-operatives are envisioned to become the acknowledged leader in economic, social and environmental sustainability, the model preferred by people, and the fastest growing form of enterprise by 2020. With less than a decade left for this vision, it is important to realize where the co-operatives are now in terms of promoting progress towards sustainable development. This country study aimed to examine the contributions and impacts that co-operatives in the Philippines have created to advance sustainability in the four pillars of development – “people, planet, prosperity, and peace”, at micro level. Key findings showed that the co-operatives have carried out initiatives promoting sustainability among its members and their communities. However, the extent of such impacts was perceived to be limited due to some constraints, which include inadequate support services, weak organizational structure, and inadequate or lack of entrepreneurial and managerial skills. In view of these problems, strategic actions recommended were:
(i) developing a definite policy framework for co-operative enterprise development;
(ii) improving access to support services with focus on financial services;
(iii) enhancing human resource skills through education and professionalization; and
(iv) strengthening networks and linkages of the co-operative sector.