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Home >> KOOP BALIKABAYANI INTERNATIONAL 
Atikha initiated in 2003 the formation of Koop Balikabayani International, a multi-purpose cooperative composed of migrants, migrant returnees, families and members of the community. Koop Balikabayani envisions the fulfillment of the OFWs’ dream of establishing their own business enterprises when they eventually come home for good. Moreover, it seeks to mobilize local communities to put up alternative sources of livelihood using migrant’s savings.
What is the Koop Balikabayani International Savings and Credit Cooperative?
Koop Balikabayani International Savings and Credit Cooperative is a cooperative created for OFWs, their families and the community. With the cooperative, the members are able to save and have access to credit at a low interest. Debt is one of the reasons why most OFWs are not able to save and to come home for good.
Savings Mobilization and Credit Program
As of the first half of 2004, the cooperative has 178 members. The cooperative has a total fixed and savings deposits of over half a million. At the rate its recruitment is going, the Php 1M target for the year end is easy to attain.
The cooperative will strengthen its savings mobilization by tapping various OF organizations abroad. A market research was done among OFs in Italy and results show a great interest on the savings and credit cooperative. Top
Members of the Koop Balikabayani can avail of the following loans:
Pook Tulungan 
The Koop Balikabayani also addresses the need for value formation and skills by offering enterprise development services. This is done through the establishment of Pook Tulungan. A Pook Tulungan is the smallest unit of the cooperative and is established per barangay to encourage participation and promote social responsibility among the members. A Pook Tulungan is composed of 15-30 coop members and has its own set of leaders. The tasks of the unit are: 1) assists in the membership drive and screening of members; 2) helps in credit collection; 3) implements value formation activities; 4) identifies and plans for skills training and business development training ; 5) plans for community projects.
Other services available to cooperative members are:
- Livelihood Training
- Enterprise Development in the Pook Tulungan
- Tulungan at Damayan, in case of death of a member
- Counseling
- Value Formation Seminars
- Savings Program for children (Batang Atikha Savers Club)
Life Savings and Loan Protection Plans for Members
Koop Balikabayani has joined hands with the Coop-Life Mutual Benefit Services Association, Inc. (CLIMBS) in providing its members with the Coop Life Savings Plan (CLSP) and the Coop Loan Protection Plan (CLPP).
The CLSP will help the cooperative generate savings and will strengthen its capital build-up. In case of death of a member, CLIMBS will pay the amount equivalent to his/her insured savings/share deposits. The beneficiary may assume the membership of the dead relative subject to the cooperative’s evaluation.
The CLPP provides protection to both the lender, Koop Balikabayani and the borrower, an individual member with optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD & D) Rider. This will minimize delinquency in the cooperative due to the members’ natural death. CLIMBS will pay the borrower’s loan, thus reducing the financial burden of the beneficiaries. Top
Who can become members of Koop Balikabayani?
An OFW resident of Region IV, 18 years to 70 years old can become a member of Koop Balikabayani. Returning OFWs and their relatives from other regions can apply as associate members.
Associate members are entitled to all rights, privileges and duties of members except the privilege to be nominated for any elective position.
Koop Balikabayani also accept children and teenagers, from 0 - 17 years old as associate members. They pay Php100.00 as shared capital and Php100.00 as membership fee. Top
How to become a member of Koop Balikabayani?
- Fill up a Membership Application Form.
- Register for the next pre-membership seminar.
- Attend the Pre-Membership and Education Seminar to know the tasks and responsibilities of being a member of the cooperative.
- Applications are to be submitted to the Membership Committee for approval.
- Upon approval of the application, the new member shall deposit the required Shared Capital.
- Has the privilege to vote and be voted as an officer of the cooperative.
- Can avail of various types of loans and services offered by the cooperative.
- Pay the Shared Capital of Php4,000.00 (can be paid within a year), the membership fee of Php200.00 and Php100.00 for the ID.
- Regularly attend meetings and the General Assembly.
- Recruit others to become members of the cooperative.
- Has to have a regular savings of at least Php100.00 per month.
- Should pay his/her loan on time.
All regular and associate members who have paid at least Php1,000.00 of their shared capital and has been a member for at least a month can apply for loan. For more information, please contact the Koop Balikabayani office at (049) 800-0082. Our email address is koopbk@atikha.org.