GARBEMCO: A PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES

Within Barangay Goodyear, in Kabasalan,

Zamboanga Sibugay, is an Agrarian Reform
Cooperative known as GARBEMCO (Goodyear
Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose
Cooperative) a rubber plantation taken over by
400 workers of then Goodyear Rubber
Corporation. When the plantation was turned-
over in the year 1992 the rubber trees were
senile and production was declining. The years
1994 to 2000 were years of difficulties for the
cooperative and the entire barangay as it went through rehabilitation efforts. In 2004,
GARBEMCO ventured into Abaca Intercropped Project to be able to sustain the
employment of its workforce and provide income opportunity to non-members who are
residents of the barangay. This project was supported by various agencies, one of which
is the Fiber Industry Development Authority.

Management problems were experienced by

GARBEMCO in 2010 with the threat of displacement
of 164 workers. DOLE with partners such as FIDA,
DAR, LBP, DTI and the LGU, quickly responded to
the concerns and the instantaneous support stabilize
the cooperative. Because of the immediate
response, the fiber enterprise became fully
operational and a total of 292 workers who are not
the regular worker-members of GARBEMCO are
now harvesting and maintaining the abaca areas.

DOLEs project in the amount of 475,000 pesos started as a livelihood activity through
the provision of stripping machines.

Right now, fiber stripping has become a family undertaking, giving at least 2-3,000
pesos weekly to at least 35 households in the
barangay. The project plays a big role in household
economy and its contributions to development in terms
of reducing poverty.

The fiber enterprise project, which started as a

livelihood activity of GARBEMCO has graduated into a
micro enterprise. In June 2011 the fiber enterprise
project was enhanced and launched as a Community
Enterprise Development Project (CEDP) through Abaca Rope, Twine and Bag Making.
This project generated livelihood of 9 unemployed women residents of Barangay
Goodyear earning gross sales of 334,772 since 2011, twenty-five percent of which go to
their salaries.

The CEDP was also supported by FIDA, DTI, DAR, LBP and the LGU through the public
and private partnerships (PPP) strategy in the delivery of services and programs.

GARBEMCO has gone through hardships one

after the other but the Cooperative was able to get
over the hurdles and obstacles through integrity of
the management and unity of cooperative
members and workers. Proof to their success was
the conferment of the Land Bank of the Philippines
of the 2012 Most Outstanding Agrarian Reform
Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative
National Level for maintaining good fiscal
management and increasing workers productivity.

GARBEMCO is now reaping abundant harvest from the hard work they invested. Right
now, they are considered as the leader of the pack among rubber-based cooperative.
Recently they bought the shares and stocks of Land Bank at the Philippine Pioneer
Rubber Products Corporation a leading rubber mill in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Before 2011, everyone thought that

GARBEMCO will break apart and end its
existence because of constant workers and
management conflict coupled with back to back
financial crisis. Their dire situation did not stop
or discourage the DOLE and other partner
agencies to give livelihood and other
assistance. Staying true to their commitment,
GARBEMCO did not fail the partnership with
government agencies they even exceeded expectations like phoenix rising from the
ashes.

(by: Edyll Grace Poligrates, DOLE9-Zamboanga Sibugay Field Office)