COOPERATIVE DEMOCRACY

COOPERATIVE DEMOCRACY According to the Revised Cooperative Code of the Philippines (R.A. 9520), every member of a cooperative can cast one vote, regardless of how many shares he owns. Conversely, even those who have many shares could also cast only one vote. This rule of “one man, one vote” ensures that democracy continues to be practiced in the cooperative movement. That democratic rule also ensures that every member of a cooperative has an opportunity to make money by way of the dividends that he could receive, again even if he only has one share. Not only that, he or she also has the opportunity to save money, becasue coop goods are generally cheaper because of some tax exemptions. Unlike the for-profit supermarkets and groceries, members of cooperatives could buy goods from their own stores, and not only that, but they could also have a say about what to buy and sell, and even what they want to produce on their own in their own farms. This empowers them to become part of their own “prosumer” economy, meaning that they could produce what they consume. Members could also choose to buy only goods that are locally produced, thus also contributing to the growth of “hyperlocal” economies. This new trend enables us to cut our carbon footprint by buying only goods that are not imported. IKE SENERES/05-12-2024