The South Cotabato Credit Surety Fund Cooperative (SCCSFCoop) was featured in the 2nd Credit Surety Fund (CSF) Spotlight Series of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), highlighting the cooperative’s practices in strengthening operations, managing its resources, and expanding access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperative borrowers.
Provincial Cooperative Development Officer Atty. Renette B. Bergado said the recognition of SCCSFCoop highlights the importance of strengthening cooperative-led financing mechanisms in the province.
“The experience of the South Cotabato CSF Cooperative shows how collaboration among cooperatives, government agencies, and financial institutions can create more opportunities for MSMEs and cooperative members to access financing,” Bergado said.
The spotlight series provided a venue for the SCCSFCoop to share its experience in developing and sustaining its operations as a CSF cooperative, including the strategies it adopted to address challenges during its early years and improve its capacity to endorse loans to qualified borrowers.
SCCSFCoop Chairman Adolfo D. Tanco Jr. said the cooperative’s participation in the spotlight series was an opportunity to share its experience with other CSF stakeholders and recognize the support of partner institutions.
“Thank you to BSP, CDA, partner agencies, guests, and participants for their support and contributions to the success of the 2nd CSF Spotlight Series,” Tanco said.
Tanco, together with Manager Monet Pamplona and members Ezrin Adolf Tanco and Jenntte Tan, participated in the discussions and open forum during the activity. Representatives from the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Provincial Cooperative Development Office of South Cotabato also shared their perspectives.
The activity also brought together representatives of the BSP and CDA, South Cotabato Vice Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy Jr., Board Member Nilda B. Almencion, and personnel from the Office of the Provincial Cooperative Development Officer, reflecting the province’s continued support for cooperative development and inclusive financing.
The SCCSFCoop has been working to expand its reach among cooperatives in the province. In a CDA-led membership expansion activity in May 2025, the cooperative presented its journey from formation to becoming a financing partner for its members. The activity drew 19 primary cooperatives, with six expressing intent to join the CSF cooperative.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen the CSF mechanism in Region XII. According to the CDA, the region has five registered CSF cooperatives, including the South Cotabato CSF Cooperative, alongside CSF cooperatives in Cotabato, Sarangani, General Santos City, and Tacurong City.
During the spotlight series, SCCSFCoop representatives discussed their experience in strengthening internal operations, managing financial resources, and overcoming challenges encountered during the cooperative’s early years. They also presented approaches aimed at increasing loan endorsements for MSMEs and cooperative borrowers.ss
The discussions underscored the role of CSF cooperatives in widening access to formal credit, particularly for borrowers who may not have sufficient traditional collateral. The BSP describes the CSF as a collateral substitute designed to facilitate bank financing for MSMEs and cooperatives.
The hybrid event served as a platform for government agencies, financial institutions, cooperatives, and other stakeholders to exchange experiences and identify ways to further strengthen the CSF program and improve access to financing for MSMEs and cooperative members.
For the SCCSFCoop, its inclusion in the 2nd CSF Spotlight Series provided an opportunity not only to showcase its practices but also to share lessons from its development with other CSF stakeholders as the program continues to promote more inclusive access to credit.
