OUR HISTORY
The Diffun Saranay and Development Cooperative (DISADECO) was born on July 2, 1988 when 51 poor rice farmers from the four barangays of Ma. Clara, San Isidro, Isidro Paredes, and Bannawag met under the shade of a mango tree at the Gabrillo Residence at Ma. Clara, Diffun, Quirino to discuss ways and means to improve their lot. The group organized a cooperative and named it the Diffun Credit Cooperative Inc. (DCCI). Subsequently, trainers from Santiago Credit and Development Cooperative (SACDECO), with the assistance of MAO Romulo Mandac of the Department of Agriculture, conducted a pre-membership seminar. The first set of officers was elected as follows:
Ramon B. Piano – Chairman
Corazon T. Ballesteros – Vice- Chairman
Benjamin B. Gabrillo – Treasurer
Elizabeth G. Somera – Director
Rogelio P. Dela Cruz – Director
Pablo T. Sado – Director
Marcelo O. Arcebal – Director
DISADECO started its operations with Five Thousand and Two Hundred Pesos (PhP5, 200.00) paid-up share capital. The World Vision International, a non-government organization whose mission is community development, invested PhP40, 000.00 to the cooperative and helped out in registering it with the Bureau of Cooperative Development (BACOD). Only a few months after its registration with the BACOD, the budding cooperative suffered its first test when the chairman, vice-chairman, and manager resigned due to a transfer of employment. The remaining officers were unfazed; as such, a reorganization immediately ensued with the following new set of officers:
Rogelio Dela Cruz – Chairman
Elizabeth G. Somera – Vice- Chairman
Benjamin B. Gabrillo – Treasurer
Fausta Garcia – Secretary
Pablo T. Sado – Director
Evaristo Acebo – Director
The officers sweated a lot in educating would-be members because people are sick of the “Kita-Pati” syndrome. Their sacrifices, nonetheless, paid off for after six years of operations, membership grew dramatically convincing the general membership to amend its constitution and by-laws. On March 21, 1994, the area of operation extended from municipal-wide to province-wide and the name was amended as Diffun Credit and Development Cooperative (DICREDECO).
DISADECO has been recognized for its collaborative activities with government agencies. DISADECO was accredited by the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as an Extension Service Provider in 2018 and as a beneficiary to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) implementation. Moreover, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has accredited DISADECO as a training provider on organic vegetable production and as an assessment center for Bookkeeping.
In 2006, officers of the cooperative opted not to rely on external borrowing, but to operate utilizing internal resources only. The total assets of the cooperative then was PhP52, 216,237.07 from PhP5, 200.00 at the start of operations.
On January 19, 2007, an amendment by substitution was registered by the cooperative with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), changing the name from DICREDECO to Diffun Saranay Development Cooperative (DISADECO) and amending all other provisions in the Article of Cooperation and By-Laws in compliance with the new requirements of the CDA. At the end of 2007, after a year of operation using only internal resources, a tremendous 10 million leap in total assets was realized through the able leadership of Marciana D. Foryasen as chairman, Ma. Retchelle D. Jose as manager, and Ernesto V. Artates as treasurer.
It was also at the last quarter of 2007 when construction of the two-storey DISADECO Farmers Center (DFC) started, and inaugurated on March 8, 2008. The basement and ground floor of the DISADECO Farmers Center serves as the center for the cooperative’s agri-business sector while the second floor houses the DISADECO Supermart. The space between the DISADECO Administration Building and the DFC was concreted in April 2008. Moreso, to ease entry and exit of farm inputs and agricultural produce at the DFC, Espiritista Street was concreted through the assistance of the Office of Congressman Cua.
The DISADECO management, powered by its desire to foster growth and development, pushed through with the implementation of its five-year development plan. On January 30, 2009, the groundbreaking of the DISADECO Grains Processing Center (DGPC) and the inauguration of Espiritista Street were celebrated. The DGPC comprises a village-type corn drying facility, bio-N mixing plant, a warehouse, and drying pavement. It has a long plan of having a palay re-circulating drying facility, multi-pass rice mill, feed mill, and organic fertilizer production facility. The Cooperative NATCCO Party extended financial support amounting to PhP200, 000.00 that was used to bring in electric current at the project site. The DGPC was inaugurated on December 12, 2009, along with the inauguration of the 4-wheel drive tractor availed of by DISADECO through the GMA Corn Program. At the closing of books on December 31, 2010, DISADECO’s total assets stand at PhP89, 169,853.21 with all the fixed assets owned by 2,318 members.
As part of the development plan, DISADECO started to branch out, consistent with its sincerity of bringing services nearer to its members. The first branch was opened on October 8, 2012 at Santiago City. Subsequently, the second branch was opened at San Mateo, Isabela on December 10, 2012. Continuous education of what and how cooperative work contributed to members’ realization of the need to continuously patronize the services of the cooperative. As a result, the total asset of the cooperative at the end of 2012 is PhP134,010,738.15.
Given its consistent laudable performance for the past years, DISADECO emerged as national nominee to the prestigious Gawad Parangal by the CDA. The bases for evaluation for said award include Cooperative Organization and Development; Financial Management and Business Operations; and Social Relevance.
DISADECO recognizes that safety of investment, liquidity, optimum fund utilization, and adequate return of investment are of utmost importance in sustaining what it has started. As such, DISADECO amended its vision and mission as:
Sirmata: Pagwaddan a kooperatiba iti pagilian
Misyon: Pinangitanok ti nainkalentigan ken naimpuswan ngapanagserbi
In 2013, DISADECO improved its services and rolled out its succeeding branches: (1) third branch at Cauyan City on March 18, 2013; (2) fourth branch at Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on June 10, 2013; and (3) fifth branch at Aurora, Isabela September 18, 2013.
The total assets of the cooperative as of December 31, 2013 ballooned to PhP196,913,095.09. Simultaneous with the progress of the cooperative, DISADECO bagged down several awards and recognitions. Likewise, the sincerety of officers and management is recognized by the National Nomination Committee of the Gawad Parangal, bestowing the chairperson of DISADECO the third Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader of the country. The Gawad Parangal, with all its qualifying criteria, recognized DISADECO as a government’s partner for the implementation of government projects for bettering the lives of the poor and marginalized. As of December 2020, the cooperative has recorded a total asset of PhP 695,471,879.00.
Despite its humble beginnings, DISADECO now stands with pride along with its committed officers, staff, and members who mutually dream for a better life by joining the cooperative movement.