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DR. ROMULO T. SISNO, presently the chairman of the Board of Directors of EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC the Vice-Chairperson of the VICTO National Federation of Cooperatives and the President of the Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, was declared as the MOST OUTSTANDING COOPERATIVE LEADER IN THE PHILIPPINES during the national cooperative summit held at Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City on October 16, 2014.

Dr.Sisno, fondly called by his nickname “Boy” grew up in the haciendas of Escalante. At the age of 6, he went with his parents in plowing, planting, weeding and cutting down sugar cane. During off season, he and his family would leave home to look for other jobs in order for them to survive. The pains and sufferings were sometimes too much for the young Romulo to bear that he promised to work hard and get out of the slave-like existence.

From high school to college, Romulo walked the 9-kilometer distance in order to acquire education at Mount Carmel College (MCC) in Escalante City. He used to work in the hacienda during weekends to support his parents in raising money for his allowance and tuition fee.

Despite meager earnings, Romulo was able to save enough money to enter college. But it was still not adequate. In order to insure his college education, he applied and was accepted as a working student in MCC.

Finally in 1982, his perseverance paid off. He graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Commerce major in Accounting. It came as no surprise that he joined the administrative and teaching staff of the Mt. Carmel College after graduation. He studied further and now holds a masters degree in Business Administration and a doctorate degree in technology management. A second doctoral degree in Rural Development is still in the works.

“We are empowering the poor if we help them improve their economic condition. Once empowered, they can actively participate in planning and decision making. There is also a need to change their passive culture, and it is for this reason why I am in education and cooperatives.”

Dr. Sisno joined EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC in 2000 and rose to become its chairman from 2002 up to the present. His work in making EPSTEMPCO, a multi-awarded cooperative, and NONESCOST MPC, from 2003 to the present had been recognized by peers in the cooperative movement. The numerous awards propelled him to become national chairman of the VICTO National Board of Directors in 2009 -2010.

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AWARDEE

UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP:

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1. EPSTEMPCO’s performance merited numerous awards and citations through the years:

* Citation for Excellence by the Land Bank of the Philippines (2003)

* Best Bank Assisted Cooperative by the Land Bank of the Philippines (2004)

* Citation from VICTO as the first affiliate in Region VI to achieve the 87.5 rating of the COOP PESOS Standard for Cooperatives (2004). The COOP PESOS is the performance standard set by the Cooperative Development Authority for all credit cooperatives. The CDA directive has enabled the rationalization of government directed-credit programs and private sector led community-based organizations, like coops, as conduits and partners of government in the delivery of financial services. Along this line, EPSTEMPCO was cited for giving the community access to credit, insuring its judicious application and enabling its recovery for use of other coop members.

* Finalist, Tony Martin Sr. Leadership Award initiated by VICTO (2004)

* Trailblazer Award from cooperatives insurer CLIMBS for conceiving the Happy Program” service (2005)

* Regional Gawad PITAK Award (2005, 2006, 2007)

* Finalist in VICTO’s search for the most outstanding institution within the federation’s network (2006)

* Excellence Award by LBP (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)

* Second Place, National Gawad PITAK Award (2009)

* Bronze Sales Achiever Award, Regional Level by CLIMBS (2009) Fourth Place, National Gawad PITAK Award (2010)

* Bronze Sales Achiever Award, Regional Level by CLIMBS (2009)

* Bronze Sales Achiever Award, by CLIMBS (2009)

* Fourth Place, National GawadPitak Award (2010 and 2011)

* CDA’s Most Outstanding Cooperative in the Region and in the Visayas, 2011

* DOLE’s Best in Productivity Improvement Practices (Regional and National), 2011

* Nominee to the United Nations search for outstanding primary cooperatives, 2011

2. EPSTEMPCO-Visayasand NONESCOST MPC-Visayas grew tremendously in terms of assets, income, membership, capital build-up, products and services.

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3. NOMADIC COOP FINDS A HOME. The EPSTEMPCO-Visayas and the NONESCOST MPC-Visayas were able to buy lots and constructed their own buildings using the dividend and patronage refund of the members. This motivated other coops to do the same.

4. EPSTEMPCO-Visayas and NONESCOST MPC-Visayas OPENS UP TO OTHER SECTORS in 2004 after it Article of Cooperation and By-Laws were amended.

5. EPSTEMPCO-Visayas and NONESCOST MPC-Visayas AS DRIVERs OF DEVELOPMENT

EPSTEMPCO’s and NONESCOST MPC’s presence in Escalante City and Sagay City, respectively, are felt among teachers, employees from the private and public sectors, including small and medium-scale businessmen who derive benefits from the Cooperative’s services.

The two cooperatives have enabled many local entrepreneurs to sustain their businesses. A private school, drug store and Information Technology-based services, organic farm and food processing company received financial assistance from EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC through their productive loan services. The Cooperatives also extended micro financing to the market vendors and small entrepreneurs of Escalante City, Sagay City and the neighboring towns and cities.

But it is in the strengthening of the coop’s Community Outreach Program and Linkages that opens up the biggest challenge for EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC. By extending micro financial assistance to marginalized sectors, the cooperatives enabled people like the sacadas to find hope through special projects.

6. EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC REACHED OUT TO THE POOREST OF THE POOR

In 2009, EPSTEMPCO and NONESCOST MPC approved the Rent-to-Own Tricycad project with initial funding of P166,800.00 which was used for the acquisition of 18 units of tricycads and distributed to the corresponding number of beneficiaries, mostly displaced workers of the sugarcane plantation, who were chosen based on their worthiness and good behavior. An additional of 19 units was distributed to qualified beneficiaries in 2010.

7. EPSTEMPCO ESTABLISHED PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

The coops partnered with the government agency Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the vocational training of people who successfully participated in the Therapeutic Massage training program.

EPSTEMPCO’s and NONESCOST MPC’s community outreach programs have enhanced capacity to mobilize people in support of government programs. This can be seen in the Cooperatives active involvement in the clean-up of coastal communities. They used to yield plenty of crabs and mollusks because of dense mangrove in the area. However, people wantonly cut down the mangroves, without realizing their importance as a unique ecosystem. The coastal villages no longer yield significant quantity of marine products as mud and plastic litter the shoreline.

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There is also that partnership with the Department of Education and the Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology to implement the Clean and Green Program in order to reverse the ecological damage in the coastal barangay (village). “BantayKatunggan” (Mangrove Watch) mobilized teachers and students as well as Cooperative members to clean up, for starters, a three hectare-shoreline followed by planting of mangroves in the area. The activity was preceded by a massive information campaign covering 21 villages, 8 high schools and 24 elementary schools.

8. Several manuals for EPSTEMPCO-Visayasand NONESCOST MPC- Visayas were developed. These manuals are now used as models by other cooperatives. These are:

1. Manual of Operations2. Credit Operations Manual3. Quality Management System Manual (ISO 9001:2008)

9. EPSTEMPCO-Visayas and NONESCOST MPC-Visayas are ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED, the first of its kind particularly in the Visayasisland. This is in recognition of quality management system that is in place in the cooperative.

10. IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF THE EFFORTS MADE BY THE CHAIR IN BRINGING THE EPSTEMPCOAND NONESCOST MPC TO WHERE IT IS TODAY AND FOR MAKING IT A MULTI-AWARDED COOPERATIVES, the officers of the cooperatives gave to the Nominee the following awards, namely:

a. Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011b. Excellence Award, 2010c. Trail Blazer Award, 2009d. Exemplary Leadership Award, 2007e. Exemplary Leadership Award, 2006

Perseverance, ingenuity, and willingness to make sacrifices for the common good underpin the success of this most outstanding cooperative leader in the Philippines.