NATCCO Gender & Development

On June 20, Oro Integrated Cooperative concluded Part 2 of its Understanding SOGIESC webinar for more than 131 officers, staff, and employees. Organized with the Cooperative Academy of NATCCO Network, the session focused on the core message, "Kung tao ka, may SOGIESC ka." Participants learned that understanding diversity is a practical application of pagpapakatao, which means showing true humanity when it is most needed.

The webinar challenged cooperative leaders to move beyond basic fairness and actively provide equal opportunities for all community members. Key insights from the officers emphasized that substantive equality requires intentional support to remove systemic barriers. OIC leadership recognized that protecting vulnerable members and honoring their human dignity is a core cooperative duty.

To turn these lessons into action, OIC commits to institutional changes that ensure economic empowerment and equal growth for everyone. The cooperative will focus on creating safe spaces across its branches and reforming internal policies to eliminate discrimination. Through these steps, the workforce aims to build a deeply trusted institution where every member feels secure and respected.

𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙡’𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙨 165𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮

On June 19, in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal's 165th birth anniversary, 70 cooperators from 35 cooperatives gathered for an insightful conversation on women empowerment. The discussion focused on Rizal's historic letter to the young women of Malolos, analyzing how his century-old insights connect to the modern cooperative movement. To ground the discussion, participants first explored who Rizal was as a leader and examined the oppressive societal and political context of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.

The core of the session centered on four main themes from Rizal’s letter: the maternal mandate, reason versus dogma, intellectual equality, and partnership values. Attendees discussed how mothers shape the values of future leaders, the necessity of choosing critical thinking over blind obedience, and the fact that women share equal intellectual capacity with men. They also examined how true progress relies on mutual respect and shared partnership between genders in both households and organizations.

For the cooperative members in attendance, these themes serve as a direct call to action for modern community building. The event highlighted that education, gender equality, and critical thinking are not just historical ideals but essential pillars for running strong, democratic cooperatives. By applying these values, the participating cooperatives reaffirmed their commitment to fostering inclusive spaces that empower women and uplift the community as a whole.

🌐 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐂𝐎 𝐆𝐀𝐃'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬!

The NATCCO Network GADWE Unit invites all cooperative leaders, professionals, and members to two more highly impactful learning sessions this June.

Advance your organization by exploring historical diversity and fostering active allyship in the workplace!

🏛️ 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟏 | 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦: 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐞, 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐢: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬

Discover the rich history of gender diversity that shaped pre-colonial Philippine society. Long before Western influences introduced rigid frameworks, our ancient indigenous realities fully embraced fluid identities.

📅 When: Thursday, June 25, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
💻 Where: Virtual Interactive Session via Zoom
💡 Focus: Unpacking the historical depth behind indigenous gender roles to build authentic, modern inclusivity.
Register Here: https://forms.gle/s9vC5DfPP4wT6Z4S8

👔 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟐 | 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫: 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘

An essential session tailored for men in the cooperative sector to actively drive organizational equity. Led by Mr. Raymond Cardenas (COO, St. Martin of Tours Credit and Development Cooperative), this training focuses on breaking stereotypes and tackling implicit workplace biases.

📅 When: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
💻 Where: Virtual Interactive Session via Zoom
💵 Investment:
- FREE for micro and small member cooperatives of NATCCO Network.
- Php 750.00 per person for co-ops with more than 15 million in assets.
Register Here: https://forms.gle/M8Nce1cjGLbCfQDd8

🔗 How to Secure Your Slots to transform your cooperative's culture from performative compliance to authentic understanding.

🤓 Scan the QR codes on the respective event posters or click on the links above. Register directly via the links provided on the official NATCCO Gender and Development page.

𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧: 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧

On the 165th celebration of the birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal, we invite you to revisit his timeless message to the courageous women of Malolos and reflect on its relevance in today’s society. Through meaningful discussions, the forum explores themes of women’s empowerment, education, leadership, and nation-building, highlighting how Rizal’s ideals continue to inspire positive change and collective action. This event aims to empower women by fostering dialogue, encouraging critical reflection, and promoting active participation in building a more inclusive and progressive community.

𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌 – 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 𝐏𝐒𝐓
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦: 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: 𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐫-𝐭𝐨-𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬.

To reserve your slot, please complete the official NATCCO Forum Registration Form.

Register here: https://forms.gle/icmxdm9kJqwbEbCb6

We look forward to your presence and valuable insights at this forum.

The NATCCO Network's SHESpeaks Leadership Forum brought together 40 cooperative leaders to address operational vulnerabilities by replacing personal intentions with strict meritocracy and regulatory compliance. Participants were challenged to look past building their image focusing instead on what is necessary like accountability, asset protection, and the genuine financial security of the entire membership.

The central takeaway was the absolute necessity of choosing the high road, maintaining integrity in hidden moments, and sticking strictly to established policies. Participants emphasized that effective leaders build other leaders focusing on upholding integrity, ensuring honesty, responsibility, and fairness in every decision.

Ultimately, doing the right thing requires a balance of strict discipline and genuine compassion. By listening to member concerns and communicating with empathy, cooperators can enforce rules with dignity while advancing a deeper understanding of servant leadership.

"𝙆𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙖𝙤 𝙠𝙖, 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙎𝙊𝙂𝙄𝙀𝙎𝘾 𝙠𝙖."

On June 13, following its session for regular members, Oro Integrated Cooperative (OIC), in partnership with the Cooperative Academy of NATCCO Network, advanced its inclusion initiatives by conducting Round 2 of the "Understanding SOGIESC" discussion. Attended by more than 186 staff and officers from various branches, representing half of the workforce, the session challenged leadership to move beyond performative advocacy. Participants confronted the critical realization that cooperatives often fall short by offering only baseline fairness instead of implementing substantive equality, which requires intentional, targeted support to address the actual, lived needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To transform these insights into institutional practice, the trained workforce committed to concrete actions to build a genuinely safe, respectful, and legally compliant environment. Staff and officers learned to practice mindful communication, such as asking for pronouns, using inclusive terms like "kapwa" at "sila," and actively eliminating workplace micro-aggressions and harmful jokes. By resolving to respect privacy, challenge systemic discrimination, and listen without judgment, OIC’s leadership and staff are ensuring the cooperative moves past surface-level gestures to remain a deeply trusted, secure, and equitable institution for all.

Invitation for the SheSpeaks Leadership Forum

Calling all Filipina Cooperative Leaders, Directors, and Executives. You are cordially invited to the upcoming SheSpeaks Leadership Forum—an elite, high-trust executive exchange designed for visionary Pinay co-op leaders.

📌 This Month's Theme: "Do The Right Thing"

Great leadership is not about being seen; it is about doing what is right, even when no one is watching. This forum challenges co-op leaders to rise above palakasan and utang na loob, and choose the High Road anchored on merit, fairness, and accountability. Together, let us build cooperatives where integrity leads and people thrive.

📅 Executive Forum Details
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PST
Platform: Virtual Briefing via Zoom
Format: Peer-to-peer strategic dialogue and leadership reflection

📝 Registration & Network Access
- Admission: Fully subsidized and complimentary for all cooperative sector professionals.

-Secure Your Slot: 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐂𝐎 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 - https://forms.gle/PHZimRHyhFK8VZY16

-Expand Your Network: Join the official NATCCO Sister Society Philippine Chapter Facebook Group to sustain collaboration and access peer-to-peer advisory resources between sessions.

Prioritize your executive longevity. Sustainable cooperative impact begins with a resilient leader. We look forward to your valuable presence and insights.

The NATCCO Network Gender and Development Unit successfully hosted "𝐆𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞: 𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦" on June 11, 2026, creating a powerful digital space to advance LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the cooperative and corporate sectors. Streamed via Zoom and Facebook Live, the landmark event drew massive engagement, uniting 100 passionate cooperators from 35 cooperatives on Zoom, while securing live viewers and surpassing 2,000 total online views. Angelbert Z. Hernandez, the OIC Chief of the Public Information and Promotion Division at the Department of Justice, led the discussion as the guest speaker, bridging institutional advocacy with grassroots cooperative values to champion workplaces where everyone can safely bring their authentic selves to work.

The forum drove deep into the realities of the LGBTQ+ professional journey, focusing on targeting micro-aggressions, finding one's voice, and shifting organizations from passive allyship to active inclusion. Rather than settling for superficial support, the speaker challenged cooperative leaders to implement structural policy changes, equitable opportunities, and concrete protections. Participants engaged with personal check ins, reflections, use of Q***r Slang, and dissecting conscious language which helped illustrate the tangible struggles and triumphs of navigating modern professional landscapes while staying true to one's identity.

Centering on long-term learning and impact, the event concluded with an urgent call to celebrate inclusivity every single day by expanding personal awareness and practicing active empathy. Moving beyond the forum, the speaker challenged cooperatives to stop remarking and be remarkable by turning progressive dialogue into immediate, everyday practice. With safer, fairer, and highly empathetic working environments, the NATCCO Network and its affiliates aim to set a groundbreaking standard for diversity and genuine inclusion across the Philippine cooperative movement.

“𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙚, 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙖’𝙮 𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙮 𝙠𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙖.” This call remains urgent in our society, where the praised resilience of the Filipina often masks a painful reality. Filipino women bear a heavy burden working long hours to earn a living while remaining solely tied to the cultural role of the selfless 𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯. Despite their successes, they still face sharp double standards and workplace discrimination. They are constantly expected to sacrifice everything for the family, a cultural pressure that often forces them to endure inequality in silence.

True freedom is still out of reach because abuse, domestic violence, and machismo culture continue to threaten Filipino women daily. In many homes, cases of physical and emotional abuse are swept under the rug to preserve family honor. While protective laws exist, actual justice is blocked by social stigma and victim-blaming that silences survivors.

To demand true liberation for the Filipina is to break the cycle of the silenced, ensuring she is genuinely safe, respected, and equal.