November 22, 2000

Wednesday, Nov. 8: Samal Island and Silangan Multi-purpose Co-op

Yesterday it was a road trip; today, a boat trip, via a covered, motorized catamaran that took us from Davao City to neighboring Samal Island (population 80,000).

From the port in the Island Garden City, we rode to the credit union in a tricycle—a modified motor bike accommodating multiple passengers in a barred "cage." After a bumpy ride, we arrived at Samal Island Multi-purpose Co-op (SIMC)—a co-op about to reach FOCCUS brand status. SIMC has three branches and a Savings & Credit With Education (SCWE) outreach program. It has 4,275 members, an increase from 927 when it joined CUES in 1998. And its delinquency rate dropped from 35% to just 5.4%.

Afterward, a Jeepney bus took us over dirt roads into the hills to attend one of SIMC's SCWE meetings. Held outdoors, the meetings include an educational session. Today's topic: family planning and birth control. We couldn't understand what was said, but the women were attentive and asked many questions. From the active participation and laughter, it was clear they enjoyed it. Two groups combined for this meeting, attended by 40-45 women.

After lunch, we took the catamaran back to the city to visit an urban credit union. Silangan Multi-purpose Co-op (SMPC) is different from other CUES partner co-ops: its members are more affluent professionals—doctors, attorneys, accountants, and even bankers. As an urban, more affluent co-op, SMPC initially didn't intend to offer the SCWE program. However, in August, the Board decided to offer the program to expand membership and reach out to a different (and extremely poor) group. In just three months SMPC's SCWE program grew to 993 members in 36 Savings & Credit Associations.

The other SCWE programs are rural. However, from all indications, this urban SCWE will be as successful as in rural Mindinao. SMPC is a FOCCUS co-op with a 2.7% delinquency rate (in 1999, it was 20%). The credit union is fully provisioned and savings are funding loans (saving/assets and loan/assets are both at 60%). Growth in 2001 is projected at 185%, and its business plan will bring them to the platinum, or Model CU, FOCCUS level by the next year.

Our day ended back at the CUES Philippines office where we planned for tomorrow's day-long planning session with Filipino CU-TEs to discuss ways that the Washington/Philippine People-to-People partnership can be strengthened and enhanced.

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