For Agapito "Butz" Aquino, when the spirit of Cooperative Living sets in will be the time when the true democracy can begin in earnest. Butz tells the story of a cooperative in a small community in Cebu Province. At first, because there we no rides to their area from Cebu City, the coop started a transport service with one jeepney taking two trips to the city. Soon, it had two units that would take passengers to Cebu and back on several trips daily. The coop also started a clinic with several beds for the residents of the town and led in raising funds for the repair of the schoolhouse.. Then, the Coop paved the road coming into town and did other work around the town.

Butz jokes that the Coop began governing the small town by doing the work of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) followed by doing the job of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and slowly took over the functions of government in running the small town.

A cooperative does not have to stop at being an economic enterprise; it can also become a social cooperative.

We are well aware of the economic woes plaguing most countries today. While the effects have yet to hit our country full-force, many are starting to feel the negative ripples that have resulted in some work lay-offs and/or cutdowns in work schedules and wages.

In turn, this has caused affected families to scrimp on budgets for food and minimize or do away entirely with expenses for forms of relaxation and leisure and non -essential items. All these have a bearing on the country’s economic status.

There’s a structure in this present scenario – interdependence. A corporation’s growth or business practices contribute to the nation’s economic standing. A small business flourishes, and it benefits the local community. Each person’s credit and spending habits over time form links in a long financial chain. Realizing one’s place – one’s responsibility – in strengthening this chain is one of the most progressive and constructive mindsets that can be assumed.

To reinforce this chain, one doesn’t have to lead giant multi-national companies or wager one’s life savings in the stock market. Many private individuals have formed cooperatives to help ensure greater economic benefits for its members and communities. It’s a noble directive, one that should be endorsed on a wide scale.

The idea of raising and contributing funds to create a common pool of resources is what the private and public sectors ought to do in order to benefit more people.

Former Congressman Aquino set the formal guidelines for the creation and support of Cooperative organizations. He is convinced that "cooperativism" is one of the most effective methods to help alleviate the country’s economic woes.

Aquino has also authored many pieces of legislature, including the Seed Act and Magna Carta for Small Farmers. These works of legislature, primarily created to benefit blue-collar workers, were steps in the right direction, considering that farmers, factory workers, laborers all form the backbone of business, trade and industry.

The fact that Aquino is no longer active in the political arena gives him all the time he needs to spread the gospel of cooperativism. Although seriously invited to run again for the Senate, Butz hesitates to do so, since he has been doing a lot of work in helping the cooperative spirit to set in to the Philippine body politic. Besides, he has made it a point to stress at every coop’s organizational meeting that there is no place for politics in a cooperative society.

When the original Cooperative Code of the Philippines authored by Aquino was modified to adjust to present day demands in the structure and procedures of cooperatives, Butz saw that the amendments were designed to give coops the ability to provide even greater financial assistance to its people. One of the most noteworthy changes is that the Code now has provisions for the monitoring and evaluation of a cooperative’s operational, financial and social purpose. This provision goes a long way to secure the groups’ finances, as well as the contributions of its members. With a few amendments, the significance of Butz Aquino’s original vision is still valid.

In these trying times, Butz is showing the way to greater financial independence. While the larger players in politics have managed to dip their hands in business (and vice-versa), cooperatives have remained untainted by political ambition. They are, thus, effective in building strong networks of resources that benefit even the smallest link.

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Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas, head of the House contingent to the CA reports on the CA’s work: "We confirmed a total of 62 appointees in our first two sessions this year, before we adjourned on March 6. However, 60 others were left out. They will have to be re-appointed so we can consider them again when Congress resumes session on April 13."

Due for re-appointment by Malacañang are Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr., Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, and Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

Also due for reinstallation are Civil Service Commission chairman Ricardo Saludo; Commission on Elections (Comelec) members Leonardo Leonida and Elias Yusoph; and Ambassadors Ma. Corazon Yap-Bahjin to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Alejandro del Rosario, to Poland.

There are also 20 senior military officers and 30 executives with the ranks of foreign service officer to chief of mission in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that have to be re-appointed.

It would seem to me that the Commission on Appointments (CA) must act much faster on confirming the appointments made by the President. In some cases, appointments are held back simply because one senator or one congressman has a personal grudge against the nominee. It seems wrong that the personal quarrels of our legislators actually delay confirmations of appointments. The fact is that this is the way our legislators think.