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S I D E N O
T E S
Faustino M. Buenaventura
________________________________________________________________________
Their
“We” attitude weaved together every single strand and intertwined with others to form part of a beautiful and strong
fabric which is now the DRB Cooperative!
________________________________________________________________________
Year 2003 ushers the
entry of the “Year of the Goat.” What it
will bring to us will probably depend on how confidently we will face the
coming challenge-with perseverance, honesty and hard work. This is the sure
shot formula for a good year no matter what zodiac sign comes and goes.
Belated Happy New Year to
all and may we all have a meaningful and fulfilling
one ahead of us!
oOo
The general assembly
meeting of our DRB Cooperative was an inspiring day for me. Having seen and
having a hand (no matter how small it was) in its organization and then seeing
it grow to what it is now clearly show the fruit of collective effort.
I can still remember our
cooperative during the first few years of operations, which started in l987.
Small and struggling to survive, general assembly meetings were simple. Food
and give-aways were modest. Illustrations and analysis
of the financial statements and results of operations were not aided by the use
of overhead projector but were written on sheets of Manila paper. Peso values
in the financial statements were discouragingly small without even a hint as to
when it will reach seven digit figures.
Even the elections were not as hotly contested as they are now and some
arm-twisting was needed on some candidates before they grudgingly agree to run.
Capital contributions come in trickle and membership morale was not as high as
it is now.
But look at it now! The
situation is entirely different. We can
all see substantial improvements in every aspect. More effective tools are
being used; resources have grown from several hundred thousands of pesos to more
than 13 million. Income from operations was substantial and the morale of the
members is undoubtedly high.
Thanks to the group of
people who sacrificed a lot; those who were truly involved. Their little daily
deeds added up impressively to bring our cooperative to where it is now. Their
spirit of cooperativism had a ripple effect. Their
“We” attitude weaved together every single strand and intertwined with others
to form part of a beautiful and strong fabric which is now the DRB Cooperative!
Inversely, this is not so
with our Association of Rural Bank Examiners (ARBEX). All the awe inspiring feelings that I had in
the cooperative’s general assembly meeting were not there during the ARBEX
elections. You can feel among its
members the lack of enthusiasm and the moral obligation to get involved.
Almost all of the rural
bank examiners are members and are willing to pay the dues. However, ask them
to run as an officer and be directly involved as a prime mover in the
organization and you will hear all sorts of excuses to avoid the
responsibilities. For them being an officer, especially a president is a
difficult and thankless job. Sad to say many of the members are like passengers
in a boat about to cross choppy waters and no one would like to hold the
rudder.
Being one of the previous
presidents of the organization, it pains me to see the apathy and coldness on
many of the members. Can we not forsake
the “I don’t want to get involved attitude?” Perhaps they have not realized
that the responsibility of getting involved is not just a useless burden that
we carry on our shoulders. It is a
memorable and significant challenge that could make our journey a valuable
expedition and not a worthless part of our quest for a fulfilled life. It is
not unusual that the period where we genuinely get involved on something for
the common good could be the most poignant and enduring in our memory.
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