Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (BCBMPC) was registered on February 8, 1995 at the Cooperative Development Autho Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi Purpose Cooperative started in 1987 as an association. The members are small fishermen who earned living by catching and selling native shrimps (pasayan) and crabs. We hunt in a swamp owned by the Municipal Government of Magallanes, Agusan
del Norte. Through the years, association members slowly transformed the swamp into fishponds. In 1995, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), identified 110 association members as beneficiary to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The 164.7 hectares of swamp we patiently developed in years was awarded through issuance of a CLOA. In the same year we registered with the CDA using the P39,200.00 cash contribution of members. The cooperative is popularly known today as “BAUG”. The term stands for Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi Purpose Cooperative. The Co-op provide loans to members for fishpond development, and shrimp production which steadily grew in 1995 - 2002. The profit derived from business was used in the construction of cooperative building. During this period, production loan and annual shrimp harvest was good, and my income, including that of other ARB members improved. The year 2003 was a Difficult Period for Baug. Prawn farms in the entire province of Agusan del Norte suffered huge losses because of virus attack (WSSV-White Spot Syndrome Virus). This translated into non-payment of loans and losses. With the help of CUES-Philippines and DAR, Baug crafted new plans and business strategies. This included amendment of by-laws and transforming “BAUG” into an open-type cooperative. LANDBANK and NLDC assisted in the conduct of Coop Caravan to various Municipalities to help recruit members and help enhanced the Member Savings Operation through trainings. We ultimately captured huge market niche in SFF sector through the micro and livelihood loan products of the co-op. The cooperative continue to operate through Bayanihan. The Board of Directors’ honoraria was reduced by 80%. The cooperative employees agreed to reduce salary by 50%. The affected members were offered liberalized loan settlement and restructuring program. These strategies are effective in increasing collection and improving coop cash balance. The members also helped by bringing in new depositors. Today, BBMPC has a total of eight (8) branches operating in the cities of Butuan, Surigao, Cabadbaran and Bayugan as well as in the municipalities of Magallanes, Buenavista, Kitcharao and Las Nieves in the Province of Agusan del Norte. BCBMPC now ranks as one of the top cooperatives of Caraga Region and the only organization with programs for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries, the LGU and Community, Environment Protection, and Climate Change Adaptation.
