Tagum Co-op starts to build the social and emotional safety nets for OFs and families

If there is one common reason why Filipinos go abroad, giving the best life and future for their families would be that.  Family is at the heart of every migration story.  Family is the force behind every sacrifice, hard work, and fortitude of the Filipino Overseas (OF) workers.  It is therefore of utmost concern that while the OFs work hard for their families, their families remain strong, united, and intact.  This same philosophy drove NATCCO to introduce the Psycho Social component to its existing Diaspora Program.  Thousands of stories of OF families reflect the harsh realities that while the financial goals of migration are achieved, the families ended up in conflict and disintegration.  Realizing the urgent need of psycho social interventions for the OF families, Diaspora Partner Co-ops, integrated psycho social activities in their services.  These services are in the form of family counseling, formation of family circles, and counseling for the children of OFs (COWs) and spouses of OFs (SOWs).

Building the capacities of the co-op managers

Tagum Cooperative (TC), NATCCO’s Diaspora Partner in Mindanao, organized the Trainers’ Training on PsychoSocial Services for OF Families, on February 29, 2020, at their Main Office in Magugpo West, Tagum City.  The TOT was participated by forty-seven (47) Board of Directors, Officers, Key Management, and Branch Managers of TC.  The TOT was facilitated by the counseling team of UGAT Foundation, NATCCO’s partner in its pyscho-social program.  The team was led by Father Nilo Tanalega, SJ, founder and senior counselor of Ugat.  The TOT aims to inform, inspire, and to impart a deeper understanding of the emotional and systemic bonds that change with overseas employment.  It also aims to equip the co-op officers and staff of the basic helping skills to assist the OF family members in building their emotional resilience.  The training also presented the various systems that can help build stronger individuals and families.  Co-ops, the government, churches, and other civil society organizations can work together to build a stronger and more resilient OF family unit.

Co-op service across borders

In recent years, a vital component of membership in TC has been the increase of Overseas Filipinos (OFs). With overseas employment, factors involving separation from one’s spouse and one’s children, the changes that occur within the family unit, and other unavoidable circumstances happen. This reality has been observed also by the officers and staff of TC in its everyday interaction with the members in the community. Specifically, TC has seen it to be a relevant and important issue to tackle since total member development is what the co-op aspires for.

Recent data shows that TC has 2,496 OFs and 17,982 OF Family members (OFFM).  A total of P1.9 Billion deposits have been generated by both OFs and OFFMs.  These figures represent strong financial safety nets for the OFs’ retirement and eventual reintegration.  This will be made more holistic if strong social and emotional safety nets are simultaneously built.  TC starts to build both.