BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance establishing an urban poor cooperative in the city in cooperation with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and appropriating a send fund for its purpose.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Lilia A. farinas stated that the local government supports the establishment of an urban poor cooperative in the city which will be made up of urban poor organizations and their members, with the assistance of the CDA and other government line agencies such as the National Anti-Poverty Commission, the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) and other agencies as may be needed for its creation, management and sustainability.
Under the proposed ordinance, the urban poor cooperative must have at least 15 members to determine the common problems that must be addressed or the basic needs that have to be provided for through the cooperative; the provision of the general statement and economic study; the provision of the cooperative’s constitution and by laws; the finalization of the articles of cooperation; the putting in place of the bond of accountable officers the official registration with the CDA.
The ordinance stipulated that the urban poor cooperative shall have its general assembly, the Board of Directors, a set of officers, the committee system, hired management, paid employees and other staffing patterns.
The ordinance added that all regular members who meet the qualifications and none of the disqualifications set by the laws of the cooperative can be elected to the Board of Directors wherein the members of the Board will elect from themselves the Chairman and the vice chairman then either elect or appoint the other officers needed by the cooperative such as the treasurer, who takes custody of all the monies, securities and papers and maintains a complete record of its cash transactions, and the secretary, who keeps the records of the cooperative.
The ordinance stated the urban poor cooperative may form any committee that it may deem necessary for its operation and may include, but not limited to an Executive Committee, working committees such as a committee on membership, finance, secretariat, and others.
The Board of Directors will in turn appoint the committee members and may, through a majority of vote, delegate powers to the members of the said committees.
The ordinance disclosed the amount of P1 million will be appropriated from available funds of the local government or so much thereof, as may be determined by the CDA, to jumpstart the initial phase of the cooperative that the measure intends to establish.
The ordinance noted that urban poor refers to individuals or families in urban areas with income below the prescribed poverty line as defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) which are also considered the under privileged or homeless sector of society, the unemployed or the underemployed and the irregularly employed or those who are incapable of meeting the minimum basic needs.
The ordinance stated the local government must endeavour to contribute in efforts to improve the status of the urban poor in the city for them to contribute in efforts to their standing in the community.
By Dexter A. See
