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The BFC also employs a monitoring tool to measure and evaluate
the growth and performance of the center and its members. These
indicators monitor eight key results areas—empowerment, opportunities
and options, wealth creation, well-being, skills and competencies,
affection, respect, and moral rectitude.
Each BFC is owned by the members. It operates autonomously. It
has its own officers. And the members voluntarily meet on a weekly basis.
Noticeably, most (up to 80%) of the members are women. And most
officers are women. The women also resolve conflicts that arise. They
are now decision-makers. Before the BBP these women were plain
housewives, vendors or laundry women. Now, they also function as
community organizers and BBP promoters.
. . . and Sustainability
In the BBP, tedious training is not required in organizing the BFC; only
commitment generation. It entails no more than mere savings and credit
products. It practices quick and close-to-field problem solving. And it
only involves simple but efficient administrative and accounting
procedures. This simplicity is the secret of its sustainability.
More importantly, BBP fosters self-reliance. The fund for income
generating projects, micro-enterprise development and working capital
are sourced from the people themselves through savings mobilization.
Repayment rate is high because the funds come from the members.
Support to the program is provided by the city government. The
capability building fund is sourced from the city budget and contributions
from private individuals, while staffing is provided by volunteers.
To ensure sustainability, local ordinances, such as those that created
the Cooperatives Development Office and the Cooperatives
Development Council, were passed.
Spreading the Word, and the Method
The city mayor has encouraged all the 201 barangay captains and officials
to implement BBP in their respective areas of responsibility. Meanwhile,
the newly formed Pasay City Union of Cooperatives (PCUC), composed
of 20 primary cooperatives, has pledged to support and replicate the
BBP in their localities. In addition, the Brotherhood of Christian Ministers
(BCM), composed of 40 church-based organizations, has partnered
with Pasay City to implement the program.
Banking On Themselves 27