AS tasked by law, Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC) has appointed a cooperatives development officer (CDO) to identify promising groups in different sectors in the communities to guide and assist them in organizing their own cooperatives.

One of the organizations that TMC CDO Edelina Peraz has been assisting since its inception is the Gagmay’ng Mananagat sa Wangke (Gamawa), a cooperative of small fishermen in Barangay Wangke, Claver, Surigao del Norte.

In April, Gamawa recorded a harvest of 4,270 kilos of bangus that converted a total sale of P480,238.00, after the biggest record in December with a harvest of 7,928 kilos that sold for P889,292.

The success of Gamawa also showcases the effective leadership of its president, Felix Saranza.

“It is important to understand the interests of the individual member and of the whole group, to keep the organization intact, until everyone gets the taste of the fruits of everyone’s labor,” says Saranza.

Another CDO and senior community development specialist for TMC, Judy Urbiztondo, says Gamawa has gone through a lot of challenges and sacrifices that taught the members valuable life lessons that got them to what they enjoy today – a strong cooperative and a sustainable livelihood.

Since 2017, TMC has infused an accumulated fund of P5.5 million from the mining company’s Social Development Management Program to help Gamawa build stateON of-the-art fish cages in a 450-squaremeter area with three chambers that can handle 30,000 bangus fingerlings in a single cropping.

“Taganito Mining’s partnership with Gamawa aims to prove the strength of a collaborative effort between the mining company and its communities toward a shared goal of empowering cooperatives,” explains TMC Resident Mine Manager Engr. Artemio Valeroso.