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In the early days, few believed in the cooperative. “Parang puno ng mangga,” [Like a mango tree,]” recalled Jerry Reginaldo, Manager of Quirino Isabela Multi-Purpose Cooperative (QIMPC). “Kapag hindi namumunga, walang pumapansin. Pero kapag namunga na, marami nang gustong umangkin.” [“When it doesn’t bear fruit, no one pays attention. But once it does, many want to claim it.”] What began as an uphill effort to organize farmers in Quirino, Isabela is now a thriving, community-driven social enterprise, one that has steadily transformed livelihoods, strengthened local agriculture, and restored dignity among smallholder farmers.
Established in 2010 as a credit cooperative, QIMPC initially struggled to gain the trust of farmers who were hesitant to join and even more reluctant to take on leadership roles. “Noong una, wala talagang gustong maging miyembro, lalo na ang mag-volunteer bilang opisyal,” Jerry shared [“At first, no one wanted to become a member, much less volunteer as an officer.”] “Sinasabi nila, ‘Bakit namin gagawin ‘yan kung wala namang sweldo?’” [“People would say, ‘Why should we do that if there’s no pay?’”] Despite these challenges, Jerry remained committed to building a cooperative that worked for its members.
Rather than focusing on physical expansion, he prioritized strengthening operations and ensuring that services were accessible, reliable, and beneficial. Over time, members began to see that their share capital had value, that dividends were being generated, and that the cooperative could be trusted. From a small credit initiative, QIMPC gradually evolved into a multi-purpose cooperative with expanding services and growing membership.
Before the cooperative gained ground, many farmers were caught in cycles of dependency on private traders. Access to credit often came with restrictive conditions, farmers were required to buy inputs at higher prices and sell their harvests at rates dictated by traders. “Kapag umutang ka sa trader, wala kang choice. Sa kanila ka bibili, sa kanila ka rin magbebenta. Parang monopoly na,” Jerry explained [“If you borrowed from traders, you had no choice. You had to buy from them and sell to them. It became a monopoly.”] Through QIMPC, farmers began to access more affordable loans, lower-cost agri-inputs, and machinery services, allowing them to break away from these arrangements. The cooperative also introduced microfinance services that supported small, everyday livelihoods such as sari-sari stores, helping families sustain daily needs. “Kahit papaano, ang tawag namin diyan, may pang-kusina na panggastos,” Jerry shared. [“At the very least, there is something for daily food expenses.”]
A key turning point in QIMPC’s growth came through its partnership with the Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI). As Jerry shared, the cooperative’s expansion and strengthening of its services were supported by external interventions that helped improve its financial systems and outreach to members. “Ipinagmamalaki namin na naging partner namin ang FSSI. Malaki ang naitulong ng mga interventions nila sa paglago namin, lalo na sa pagpapalakas ng aming lending system,” he said [“We are proud to have partnered with FSSI. Our growth came from those interventions, especially in improving our lending system.”] Through this partnership, QIMPC was able to enhance its credit delivery, making loans more accessible and responsive to the needs of smallholder farmers. This support helped ease farmers’ financial burdens and enabled the cooperative to expand its reach within the community.
Beyond financial services, QIMPC also adopted more sustainable farming practices with support from development partners. Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) was introduced and gradually promoted among members. Jerry explained that LEISA helps farmers manage costs because it reduces dependence on fully commercial inputs while helping protect the soil. “Kapag puro commercial, ma-da-damage ang lupa sa katagalan. Imbes na tatlong abono lang ang kailangan mo, baka sa susunod magdodoble na. Kapag nagdoble ang abono, doble na rin ang gastos ng farmer. Pero kung may pang-neutralize ka, tulad ng organic fertilizer o organic granules, hindi gaanong nag-i-increase ang gastos,” Jerry explained. [“When you use purely commercial fertilizers, the soil gets damaged over time. Instead of needing only three applications of fertilizer, you may eventually need twice as much. And when fertilizer doubles, the farmer’s expenses also double. But if you have something to neutralize the damage to the soil, such as organic fertilizer, the costs do not increase as much.”]
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Jerry explained that the cooperative ties its lending directly to sustainable farming practices. “Lahat ng nag-lo-loan sa amin, under LEISA na. Iyon ang requirement namin para matuto rin sila ng tamang pamamaraan sa pagsasaka,” he said. [“All those who take out loans from us are now under LEISA. That is our requirement so they can also learn good farming practices.”] Through this approach, QIMPC ensures that farmers who access credit are not only supported financially but are also guided to adopt more sustainable and cost-efficient methods in their production.
For Jofriz Glenn Gilo, a farmer-member of QIMPC, the cooperative became especially important when he returned home during the pandemic after working abroad. “Anak ako ng magsasaka, at ngayon magsasaka na rin,” he shared. [“I’m the son of a farmer, and now I am a farmer too.”] “Dito nakasalalay ang buhay namin. Kapag nagsikap ka, may aanihin ka,” he added [“Our lives depend on the land. If you work hard, you can expect a harvest.”] Having seen many cooperatives come and go, what stood out to him was QIMPC’s consistency. “May mga kooperatiba na maganda lang sa umpisa,” he said [“Some cooperatives are only good at the beginning,”] “pero ito, tuloy-tuloy. Tinutulungan kami sa inputs at kagamitan na mas mababa ang gastos,” he added [“But this one persisted. It supports us with inputs and equipment at lower costs.”] Through the cooperative, he gained access not only to farming resources but also to a system that made it easier to sustain his livelihood.
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This consistency is reflected not only in QIMPC’s continued presence, but also in how it delivers its services to members. Jerry explained that these lower costs are deliberate and part of the cooperative’s mandate to support its members. “Sa land preparation, yung iba nasa Php 3,500 per hectare, kami nasa Php 2,500 lang, kasi hindi naman kami nakatutok sa kita. Ang importante sa amin, matulungan ang farmer na mapababa ang gastos nila,” he said. [“For land preparation, others charge around Php 3,500 per hectare, while we only charge Php 2,500, because we are not focused on profit. What is important for us is to help farmers reduce their costs.”] Unlike private service providers, QIMPC prioritizes affordability over maximizing profit, allowing farmers to retain more of their income from each production cycle.
As QIMPC expanded its services through partnerships, it also took on a key role in connecting farmers to government support. “Naging conduit kami ng tulong ng gobyerno,” Jerry shared. [“We became a conduit of government assistance.”] “Sa amin dumadaan yung mga programa at kagamitan, tapos kami na ang nag-di-distribute sa mga miyembro,” he added. [“Government programs and equipment pass through us, and we are the ones who distribute them to our members.”] Through this role, the cooperative ensures that support such as post-harvest facilities, machinery, and other agricultural inputs directly reach farmers who need them, making government assistance more accessible and effective at the community level.
This role became especially important as QIMPC continued to grow and respond to persistent challenges in farming, allowing the cooperative to translate these partnerships into concrete support for its members. With support from government programs and partnerships, the cooperative was able to invest in post-harvest facilities such as dryers, which significantly reduced crop losses during the rainy season. “Kapag hindi natuyo ang ani sa loob ng ilang araw, nasisira ito,” Jerry explained, [“If crops are not dried within a few days, they spoil,”] “pero dahil sa dryer, malaking bahagi ng dapat sana ay nasayang ang nasasalba namin,” he added. [“With the dryer, we can save a large portion of what would have been lost.”]
As part of its efforts to reduce production costs and improve efficiency, QIMPC also introduced solar-powered irrigation systems as an alternative to traditional diesel-powered pumps. This initiative was supported through an additional loan facility from FSSI’s Solar Relending Access Fund (SRAF), one of FSSI’s solar loan windows designed to cater to the needs of small solar energy enterprises (SSEEs), social enterprises (SEs), cooperatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations. The facility provided financing access to the cooperative for relending to its farmer-members. The project forms part of FSSI’s broader support for renewable energy initiatives among its social enterprise partners, particularly those that strengthen agricultural productivity while promoting sustainable energy use. Prior to this, farmers relied heavily on diesel irrigation, which required continuous fuel consumption and constant monitoring. “Dati diesel irrigation kami, maghapon umaandar, magdamag umaandar,” Jerry recalled. [“Before, we relied on diesel irrigation, running all day and all night.”] This meant that irrigation not only demanded high operational costs but also placed an added burden on farmers who had to regularly manage fuel supply and machine maintenance.
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With the shift to solar-powered irrigation, these challenges were significantly reduced. “Ngayon, buong maghapon hindi umaandar ang diesel. Malaki ang natitipid, nasa 40 to 50 percent ng gastos sa krudo,” he explained. [“Now, the diesel does not run during the day. We save around 40 to 50 percent on fuel costs.”] The system allows farmers to rely on solar energy during daylight hours, cutting down fuel expenses while maintaining irrigation efficiency. “Basta may araw, umaandar yan,” he added. [“As long as there is sunlight, it works.”] Through the project, QIMPC was able to integrate renewable energy into farming operations, helping improve irrigation efficiency while reducing dependence on conventional fuel sources. Beyond cost savings, the system has made irrigation more reliable and less labor-intensive, enabling farmers to focus more on crop production rather than managing fuel-dependent equipment.
Despite these gains, farmers continue to face challenges brought about by climate change, fluctuating market prices, and rising costs of farm inputs. “Minsan mataas ang ani pero mababa ang presyo. Minsan naman mataas ang presyo pero mababa ang ani. Kahit alin doon, nahihirapan ang magsasaka,” Jerry said, [“Sometimes the harvest is good but prices are low. Other times, prices are high but yields are low. Either way, farmers struggle.”]
Jerry also shared that before the partnership, the cooperative’s lending capacity was constrained by limited capital, which affected how many members they could support at a given time. “Dati, limitado lang ang pondo namin. Hindi namin mabigyan lahat ng miyembro na gustong mag-loan, kaya may iba na naghihintay o napupunta sa ibang mapagkukunan,” he said. [“Before, our funds were limited. We could not provide loans to all members who needed them, so some had to wait or turn to other sources.”] He explained that this made it difficult for farmers to access timely and affordable financing, especially during critical stages of production.
With the additional support and working capital from FSSI, the cooperative was able to expand its lending operations and respond more effectively to members’ needs. “Yung credit ngayon, gumaan dahil nandiyan ang FSSI,” Jerry said, referring to FSSI. [“Access to credit has become lighter and easier because FSSI is there.”] As a result, more farmers were able to access loans when they needed them, reducing their reliance on informal lenders and allowing them to manage their production cycles with greater stability.
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Amid fluctuating prices and unpredictable harvests, Jerry pointed out that production alone is not enough to improve farmers’ incomes. Even when yields are high, farmers can still earn less if market prices are low. “Ang susi talaga ay marketing,” he emphasized. [“The key is really marketing.”] “Kailangan may kontrata kami na magandang presyo para makabili rin sa farmers sa magandang presyo,” he added. [“We need to secure good market contracts so we can also buy from farmers at better prices.”]
Today, QIMPC stands as the only active cooperative in the municipality of Quirino, sustaining operations for over two decades. It has generated employment for at least seven regular employees, and dozens of seasonal workers, including around 25 personnel involved in machinery operations. More importantly, it has fostered a strong sense of ownership among its members. “Ang kooperatibang ito ay pag-aari ng mga miyembro. Lahat ng mga makinang ito, hindi puwedeng ibenta o gamitin para sa pansariling interes,” Jerry said [“This cooperative belongs to the members. All these machineries, they cannot be sold or used for personal gain.”] The cooperative also extends its impact beyond livelihoods by supporting community initiatives such as Brigada Eskwela and providing assistance to local schools and events. “Ipinagmamalaki namin na nakikita ng mga tao ang presensya ng kooperatiba,” he added [“We are proud because the presence of the cooperative is felt by the community.”]
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Looking ahead, QIMPC remains committed to sustaining its operations and strengthening its services for future generations. Jerry, who has led the cooperative since 2004, is preparing to sustain the cooperative’s legacy, ensuring that those who will take over are equipped to continue what has been built. “Bago ako magretiro, gusto kong maihanda ang susunod na mga lider,” he said [“Before I retire, I want to capacitate the next leaders.”] “Gusto mong makita na ang sinimulan mo ay magpapatuloy, kahit wala ka na,” he added [“You want to see that what you started will continue, even when you are no longer there.”]
From a beginning marked by doubt and hesitation, QIMPC has grown into a reliable institution rooted in trust, partnership, and shared progress. What was once a mango tree that stood unnoticed is now a sturdy tree bearing fruits for an entire community, sustained by the collective efforts of farmers and strengthened through meaningful partnerships such as that with FSSI
