06/02/2026
Oro Integrated Cooperative Chairperson of the Gender and Development (GAD) Committee everyone ๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐ฌ. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ-๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐
๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ: ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ, ๐๐ช๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐บ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ค๐ฆ
In the cooperative movement, leadership is built through years of service, learning, and commitment to uplifting others. Among the women who embody this spirit is Ms. Hermes Galiguer-Vergara, a seasoned cooperative leader whose more than three decades of involvement have shaped institutions, strengthened governance, and empowered membersโespecially womenโthrough financial literacy and inclusive leadership.
๐ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ
For over 30 years, Ms. Vergara has worked extensively with the cooperative movement and non-government organizations. Her major work in cooperatives includes training and consultancy, management, and governance, while her work in NGOs focused on organizing and financial management. These experiences allowed her to develop a deep understanding of how strong systems and informed leadership can transform communities.
She previously served as Unit Head and Credit Advisor of the MASS-SPECC Consultancy Unit, where she mentored MCU-assisted cooperatives and gained wide exposure in cooperative and credit management. She further enhanced her expertise by completing Credit Management training at the Asian Institute of Management and contributed significantly to training and cooperative management during her years with MASS-SPECC.
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Ms. Vergaraโs leadership journey includes serving as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Oro Integrated Cooperative, Board Director and Chairperson of the Gender and Development (GAD) Committee of NATCCO, and Board Director of CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative. At present, she continues her service as a Board Director and Chairperson of the GAD Committee of Oro Integrated Cooperative, and as Chairperson of the Investment Committee of MASS-SPECC Cooperative Development Center.
She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Agricultural Economics from Xavier University โ Ateneo de Cagayan.
๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ
Ms. Vergara describes her cooperative involvement as a defining force in her life. Over three decades, it has shaped her values, confidence, and leadership.
โ๐๐บ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ท๐ฐ๐ญ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ต 30 ๐บ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ญ๐บ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ.โ
Among the many skills she developed, she identifies financial management and leadership as the most influentialโskills she applies not only in her professional work but also in her personal life. As a strong advocate of financial literacy, she believes empowerment begins with the ability to manage resources wisely.
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐
Ms. Vergara considers her participation in cooperative governance, particularly in Oro Integrated Cooperative and federations where she represented the organization, as her most significant contribution. For her, this was a way of paying it forward for everything she gained throughout her cooperative journey.
Through these roles, she actively contributed to plans, policies, and programs that improved membersโ quality of life. She was instrumental in the conceptualization and implementation of the Integrated Wealth Building Program and the Leadership Formation and Development Program of Oro Integrated Cooperative.
๐๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐
As GAD Representative in the Board of Oro Integrated Cooperative and previously at NATCCO, Ms. Vergara helped craft policies and programs that supported gender mainstreaming within cooperative structures. These efforts promoted gender equality and inclusivity, ensuring that womenโs perspectives were reflected in decision-making and program development.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ
Based on her experience, Ms. Vergara identifies multiple burden as a major challenge faced by women today. Many women juggle reproductive, productive, and community or governance roles, which may lead to stress and affect their health and quality of life. Another challenge is the lack of confidence to take on leadership roles.
She emphasizes the importance of Gender Sensitivity Trainings, awareness-raising initiatives, capacity-building programs, supportive policies, and mentoring of women leaders to help women step forward and participate fully in cooperative leadership.
๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป: ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
For women who are considering joining or becoming more active in cooperatives, Ms. Vergara offers a clear encouragement. She views cooperatives as platforms for empowermentโspaces where women can access capital, gain skills, and develop their full potential.
She also urges women to engage in cooperative governance, where their diverse perspectives can help shape inclusive decisions and ensure that womenโs voices are heard.
๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐
The story of Ms. Hermes Galiguer-Vergara reflects the enduring role of women in the cooperative movementโwomen who grow through service, lead through experience, and empower others through shared responsibility. Her journey stands as a testament to the strength of Kababaihan ng Kooperatibaโwomen whose leadership builds resilient cooperatives and improves the quality of life of their members and communities.
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