Once in 1987, an ordinary basket weaver launched into something big and sustainable, with the help of a basket producers multipurpose cooperative. This is the story of Samuel Tariman, a skilled basket weaver who made his first move in 1988 and from then on, has maintained a ten-year relationship with an exporter, Selections Export Incorporated. Sammy currently heads the Credit Committee of Bacayan Cebu City Basket Producers Multipurpose Cooperative Inc. (BCCBPMPCI) at Sitio Huyong-huyong, Bacayan, Talamban, Cebu City. And as a cooperative member, he vouches on the tremendous impact of being one.

          Samuel Tariman's story is like that of any other successful story of the skilled and the courageous. Despite having reached only Grade Five but being adept at basket weaving since age eleven, Tariman pursued a subcontracting company starting with only Php 2,000.00. The year 1988 gave birth to Jodanmarsam, a subcontracting company that carries all four names of Tariman's children: Joel, Dandreb, Margielyn and Samuel Jr. He swears he will send all of his children to school, so they might help out in the business, someday. "Dili man gud ko kamao mo-iningles unya ilaron unya ko sa ubang mga buyers. Mao nang ang ako na lang unyang mga anak ang motabang nako pohon." ("I am not knowledgeable of the English language and this is a disadvantage in my dealings with buyers. So, my children will help me out on this in the future.")

          As an ordinary basket weaver, Sammy impressed many exporters of his skill, especially in terms of design, quality and meeting delivery schedules on time. Gradually, Jodanmarsam forged a linkage primarily with Selections Exports Inc., a furniture exporter based in Lapulapu City. In fact, Tariman considers Jodanmarsam as subcontracting solely for Selections International. Jodanmarsam's top selling products are the Oval Basket of 3, Rattan Planters, Arorog Round Tray, Arorog Round Basket and Arorog Chair/ Utility Box. Starting out with only two workers in 1988, to date, Jodanmarsam has 24. Like Tariman, his workers are skilled basket weavers who are not elementary graduates, but are capable of basic mathematical calculations, reading and writing.

          A breakthrough in Jodanmarsam's operations was the forming of the Bacayan Cebu City Basket Producers Multipurpose Cooperative (BCCPMPCI) sometime in 1996. This initiative was brought about by the Micro Cottage Business Linkage Project (MCBLP) initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry- Cebu Provincial Office (DTI-CPO) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In Bacayan, Talamban, there were many basket weavers who were also subcontracting for other exporters. These weavers formed the cooperative and lately, has a total membership of 28. The BCCPMPCI is chaired by Doroteo Rondina and Samuel Tariman heads the Credit Committee. Despite limited education, Tariman takes pride with the actual experience with the cooperative as learning itself. He takes time to attend awareness seminars and technology trainings to better equip himself.

          This year, Jodanmarsam has received a million peso P.O. for the April Show, the biggest, so far. On the average, the subcontracting company produces some 800 to 2,000 sets (sets of 3 baskets) per month. Daily production is pegged on the average, at 15 sets (sets of 3 baskets). And each set is paid some Php 8.00 for labor. Jodanmarsam uses the assembly line in terms of production. Baskets are woven first with the base, then the body, along the line. The basket products are rough and the exporters do the finishing. Normally, for chairs or utility boxes, Jodanmarsam carries a P.O. of 4 containers, with each container (20 footer) having 300 pieces.

          The value of being a cooperative member, according to Tariman is one's capacity to be provided with capital to complete an order. Normally, an exporter does not provide for a 50% down payment. Occasionally, the first installment does not even reach 30% of total P.O. With the cooperative's help, Tariman is able to operationalize Jodanmarsam as a subcontractor through the years. If he were doing things on his own, he thinks it would be most difficult. "Maglisud gyud ko og wala pa mi magtukod og kooperatiba kay asa man kaigo ang among kapital?" ("I would find it difficult to sustain Jodanmarsam if we did not form the cooperative because we would have problems with financing.")

          In the first part of the cooperative's journey, there were hitches. Primary was the expansion of membership and the maintenance of a good record keeping system. But with the help of the MCBLP, through DTI-Cebu and CIDA, a Cooperative Officer, Lucille de la Serna assisted the group towards learning the technicalities along the way. Today, the BCCBPMPCI has 28 basket weaver- members with a bookkeeper and is now able to report on its financial statement. Likewise, the cooperative is recipient to the Php 400,000.00- grant of Rep. Ernesto Verceles. This was budgeted into three (3) parts: Php 125,000.00 for the bulk buying of raw materials, Php 175,000.00 for the purchase of a delivery truck and Php 100,000.00 for Coop rediscounting. To date, BCCBPMPCI has total capital build up (CBU) of Php 36,790.00. Its total assets is Php 511,218.00. Its total income from its trucking services is Php 90,712.42, registering a 15%- increase compared to the previous quarter. In terms of attendance to meetings, the cooperative has acquired an average of 90%.

          In all of the cooperative's growth and efforts towards sustainability, Samuel Tariman has witnessed and learned the many facets of commitment. As a subcontractor of Jodanmarsam, he owes the cooperative much. And as a member of the BCCBMPCI, he has learned much along the way.