Samar.... It believes, development doesn't begin with machines or goods but with people, their attitudes, values, and institutions. I am INAFI, a cooperative advocating for people empowerment towards sustainability and productivity not only for Northern Samar but the entire Philippines. But such advocacy was cut-short by power-tripping public officials and employees of our province. I am an agricu
ltural provincial cooperative, comprising farmers, gov't employees, and interested NSPJ detainees that was co-founded by then Northern Samar Provincial Jail (NSPJ) Warden, LTC RAMIL L PALACIO PhD (AFP) Res, on April 1, 2007. I am formally recognized by the government through the Cooperatives Development Authority (CDA) on August 27, 2010, but has my juridical personality physically destroyed, my assets and properties ordered demolished, burned and looted from July 9 up to August 2, 2013, shortly after a congressional, and some elected and appointive provincial officials assumed office in 2013 in Northern Samar. The Provincial Warden was pressured to resign behind closed doors. A long, tedious, and costly legal battle has ensued, which took a heavy toll, financially, family and all, against Dr. Palacio, our co-founder, due to a series of retaliatory, vindictive, and continuing persecution of the conspiring public power-trippers because of the cases he filed before the Ombudsman against them. I wonder if we can still hope for justice under the present circumstances. Whatever, I have been devotedly taking this oath....
PLEDGE OF COOPERATION AND LOYALTY
I am an adherent of the Ibabaonon Nucifera Authentic Farmers Intermarketing (INAFI), Cooperative. I am an adherent with deep faith that with God and help of the talents he has given to me; I can contribute to finding solutions for our present miserable living condition and current social problems by collaborative sharing of abundance and positive elaboration of socio-economic and political complexity. I am an adherent with resolute objective to prove that hard-working and law-abiding farmers are bases of civilization and prosperity; that agriculture is for honorable and high-minded men, a life-giving occupation, a core of networks of energy that protect the balance of life. I am an adherent who uphold a sacred and fruitful union with the cooperation in order to improve our standard of living and enhance the general welfare, believing in the Almighty by whose blessings the foundations of genuine people, economic, and environmental transformation will be rebuilt. I am an adherent who believe and accept that individualism and competition lead us to the disruption of economy and culture, disturb the balance of family life, accelerate population growth and leave the increasingly desperate poor people no recourse but to live a life of abject poverty. I am an adherent who firmly believe and accept the reality that in order to reshape communities and people’s lives is to offer myself for a selfless service and unwavering resolve to encourage my fellowmen build the kind of world in which people can truly flourish, in celebration of the wonders of nature and the love of sharing. Yes, I believe that each vacant and idle property is an opportunity for economic and community revitalization and environmental restoration! All told, I pledge to observe and obey all INAFI lawful orders, rules and regulations for the realization of her dreams, success and welfare, not only of myself, but also of her members and the cooperative movement in general.
