Step Up facilitates a Strategic Planning Workshop for Buon Pastore Cooperative, a Loboc-based cooperative on March 11, 2023, at the Loboc Tourism Hall. The workshop brought together board members, staff and employees of the cooperative. The sessions delved into various facets crucial for developing robust business strategies, particularly in the cooperative’s current business ventures – trading, gasoline, and quarry business.

The Buon Pastore Cooperative is established to mobilize capital from among all residents of Loboc to provide the needs of Lobocanos and the province to include providing market linkage to residents’ products and services, thereby catalyzing growth and development in the service areas. Since its establishment as a cooperative, Buon Pastore has incessantly empowered leaders through capacity-building training and workshops that develop their entrepreneurial and business skills. Maximizing local resources and opening business opportunities, Buon Pastore endeavours to grow as a cooperative where membership continues to thrive towards economic development.

The workshop’s agenda focused on fostering a forward-thinking mindset, emphasizing the significance of anticipating industry trends and leveraging innovative approaches to stay agile amidst uncertainties.

Participants engaged in dynamic discussions, collaborative exercises, and insightful presentations that explored elements such as goal setting, market analysis, risk assessment, and resource allocation. Through interactive group activities and real-world case studies, attendees were encouraged to apply strategic frameworks tailored to their unique business contexts.

The focus is to meet the needs of the community; thus, the Cooperative’s projects involve bringing to the global market its virgin coconut oil, trading, gas station and quarry operations. The purpose of the Cooperative is both inclusive and expansive to answer the growing needs of the community.

The success and positive reception of this workshop have sparked discussions about potential future sessions and continued collaborative efforts among local businesses to drive collective growth and innovation. The team also assisted the cooperative in crafting their 3-year Strategic Plan.