A renowned cooperative in the Philippines, emerging as one of the prime movers of the 7th Cooperative Principle: Concern for the Community and embodying its mission and commitment to significantly contribute to the social well-being of its members and of the community, Tagum Cooperative conducted an immediate action to the earthquake victims of Maco, Davao De Oro on April 13, 2023.
The series of light to moderate earthquakes on March 6 -7, 2023 led to the highest magnitude recorded by the Philippine Seismic Network for 2023, with a 5.9 magnitude was felt in the municipalities of Maco, Maragusan, Mawab, Nabunturan, and New Bataan. PHILVOCS recorded and considered this earthquake incident with an intensity scale of VI or Very Strong. The earthquake led the upland barangay residents of Maco, Davao De Oro to seek shelter in neighboring communities. The barangay health workers recorded more than five hundred families as families of totally damaged category. The number of affected families shows the devastation of an earthquake which has also resulted in landslides.
Tagum Cooperative swiftly organized a comprehensive relief operation for the affected residents of barangay New Leyte, Panoraon, and Mainit, Maco, Davao de Oro. Showcasing the cooperative’s unwavering commitment to the wider community, Tagum Cooperative extended its helping hand through a relief operation to these five hundred seventy-four families, last April 13, 2023. The earthquake relief operations wouldn’t be made possible without the generous support and concern for the community of Tagum Cooperative Board of Directors. The collaborative efforts of Barangay officials, health workers, Tagum Cooperative Branch Staff, and the Tagum Cooperative support group made the humanitarian efforts more successful.
In this extraordinary display of dedication and passion, immediate response, and action during the ocular visit and preplanning activity of the relief operations, a barangay official of Brgy. New Leyte has expressed its great gratitude towards Tagum Cooperative as she vocally expressed “Sa kasu-ok namo Maam, na anhian jud mi sa Tagum Cooperative, kamo pa jud ang una nga private ang mi adto og miplano og relief operation para sa amoang barangay. Salamat kaayo!”.
Tagum Cooperative proves its commitment to making a positive impact through selfless actions and embracing the cooperative spirit of unity and social responsibility.