The Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. welcomes two Mindanao networks to its roster of members.
Mindanao Microfinance Council
In the 1990s, the microfinance industry landscape in Mindanao was changing and confronted with challenges such as escalating competition among microfinance practitioners; an unprecedented demand for quality and value on the part of clients; and growing pressure from government regulation.Microfinance practitioners in Mindanao agreed to work together and establish an organization that will support the common interests of microfinance institutions in Mindanao;become their voice in the microfinance industry;and promote growth of and cooperation among MFIs to achieve desired results of poverty alleviation efforts of the Mindanao microfinance industry.
The idea of forming a council was initially broached in a meeting by rural banks engaged in microfinance in the Caraga region – the Caraga Rural Bankers’ Federation (CARBAF). It gained momentum when the initiative was supported by the People’s Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC) andother MFIs in Mindanao, particularly those participating under the Rural Microenterprise Finance Project (RMFP). Thus, on November 21, 2003, representatives from 32 Mindanao MFIs gathered in Davao City to map out plans for the creation of the network. The Mindanao Microfinance Council (MMC) was formally registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2004 and its first officers were elected and sworn in on March 30, 2004 during the 2004 Mindanao Microfinance Summit in Davao City.
True to its mission “to strengthen member institutions in delivering effective financial and capability development services to the poor and to develop them into effective catalysts of economic and social development of Mindanao”, MMC regularly provides training and education, and technical assistance to its 36 member organizations in Western, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Mindanao. It also organizes conferences and meeting of MFIs, conducts research on microfinance and disseminates best practices in the industry.
Last March 27, MMC celebratedits 10thanniversary. In those 10 years and through the work it has done, it is recognized as one of the most active microfinance associations in the Philippines.
MASS-SPECC Cooperative Development Center
The 1950s was a period of severe economic hardship and political uncertainty. To address these problems, leaders in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City decided to organize cooperatives that provided credit and savings to their members in the communities.A Shared mission prompted these cooperatives to bond and, in 1962,the Misamis Oriental-Bukidnon-Camiguin Federation of Cooperatives (MBC) was formed.
Realizing the need to strengthen the educational component of the community-type cooperatives, the leaders of MBC institutionalized a cooperative training center – the Southern Philippines Educational Cooperative Center, (SPECC) Inc. After it was established in 1966, SPECC’s Pre-Membership Educational Program (PMEP) was brought to the different parts of Mindanao because of its success. SPECC also began training more staff that would bring the programto the Visayas and Bicol regions.Soon after, SPECC started offering other courses for cooperatives; and led the formation of provincial cooperative federations all over Mindanao that extended SPECC’s services in the provinces.
These activities gave a venue for cooperative leaders to discuss industry problems and solutions. It was during these meetings that leaders representing 11 provincial federations in Mindanao decided to form the Mindanao Cooperative Alliance (MCA). MCA changed its name to Mindanao Alliance of Self-help Societies(MASS), Inc.; and its legal character as non-stock, non-profit organizationduring the martial law years.
While MASS established technical programs, SPECC also expanded its education program for the benefit of the cooperatives. In 1984, MASS and SPECC were integrated to maximize the organizational, financial, physical, and human resources of both organizations. MASS-SPECC, through various partnerships and in solidarity with the cooperatives in Mindanao, continues to make available training programs for cooperatives; and hold dialogueson issues affecting the industry and Mindanao development.