Every community needs a Coopmart
By RMACollo
Coopmart is not just a business but a way of giving back to the community.
This has been the battle cry of ADTEMPCO in its objective of branching out to the different towns of Abra through the Coopmart. It has been persistent in its aim to bring service closer to people and giving back to them through giving more value to their hard earned money.
According to Ms. Ligaya A. Barbadillo, manager of Coopmart Bangued, she has not seen any business die due to Coopmart when they started the Lagangilang branch in 2011. Instead, it helped small businesses since sari-sari stores and other enterprises avail their merchandise from Coopmart at a wholesale price. It also helped them save time and money for travel in going to Bangued for their needs.
The vicinity of Coopmart Lagangilang became a booming business district, contrary to the fears of the people before that it would cause them to close shop,” said Barbadillo.
Price stabilizer
“We don’t make high price mark-ups at Coopmart,”said Barbadillo. That is why our prices are competitive with others. She said that in her experience in Lagangilang, Coopmart is not a competitor but served as price stabilizer because of our reasonable pricing which is pro-people.
“The other businesses can no longer command high prices for end consumers. With Coopmart, the people are given the choice where to spend their hard earned money.”
Social programs
Every year, ADTEMPCO conducts various activities in line with its corporate social responsibility in which the Coopmart serves a great role.
“What we earn we give back again to the community through our social programs,” she added
On its 13th anniversary last October, Coopmart Bangued initiated a gift giving and feeding activity for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at Bahay Pag-asa and at the Abra Provincial Jail.
Services during the pandemic
During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coopmart, through the Rolling Stores Program of the Department of Trade and Industry, went to various towns of the province to bring the goods closer to the people. Many local leaders came to Coopmart to purchase for supplies at the time when they have to distribute goods to their communities. Most of them were thankful that their needs were given priority especially when food was scarce and people cannot go to work.
To date, ADTEMPCO Coopmart has four branches in Bangued, Lagangilang, Sallapadan and Penarrubia. Most branches experienced resistance when they were first proposed in their areas. Later on, the people themselves realized that ADTEMPCO businesses do not compete but complement their economic activities.
