According to Business Continuity Management, “Business continuity is not a project with a beginning and ending date, it is a program to be managed indefinitely.” In parallel, a Deutsche Bank IT-director is quoted, “BCM is not a project, it is a culture!”
These wisdom nuggets cannot emphasize enough the relevance of business continuity planning and management in the daily operations of the micro, small and medium enterprises. Thus the conduct of the Business Continuity Planning seminar in Pampanga for the Department of Agrarian Reform last 3-4 May 2016. It was attended by 14 partner beneficiaries of DAR Pampanga, most of whom were officers of cooperatives. The first training day was conducted at The Redd Manor with Mr. Ferdinand Reynold G. Manegdeg (University Extension Specialist II, UP ISSI – Business Enterprise Development Division) as resource person; and the second day at Orotel Hotel with Ms. Joanna Rose T. Laddaran (University Extension Specialist I, UP ISSI – Research Division) and Ms. Charmaine T. Villamil (Senior Science Specialist, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) as resource person/coach and evaluator, respectively.
Ms. Charito Z. Aguiluz, part-owner of Zita Poultry Farm, expressed her gratitude for being chosen as one of the participants of the BCP seminar. “Thank you very much! This has been a big eye-opener for us. I learned a lot from this seminar. Now, I have developed foresight, I am starting to prepare for any eventualities as a farmer.”
Mr. Rodolfo S. Caparas, chairperson of the Concepcion Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Marketing Cooperative, shared how he has somehow gained confidence in speaking in public due to the series of trainings provided by DAR. “But let us not limit the learnings in words alone. More importantly, let us live by these learnings.”
The 4 May 2016 Closing Ceremonies was graced by the Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II of DAR Pampanga, Ms. Eden B. Ponio. “I am glad that the participants gained much knowledge from the seminar. Of course, this is not the end of our journey; this is just the beginning. We hope to see those learnings being materialized in your cooperatives and communities.” Ms. Ponio also shared that she has also undergone the BCP seminar conducted by UP ISSI.
Ms. Ponio further shared that this seminar is just the fifth in a series of 12 trainings under the Coop Strengthening Program. “We believe that the central figure of any organization, or any endeavor for that matter, is the people themselves. That’s why we are investing on you; we want to see the cooperatives thrive and progress.”
To close, Ms. Ponio left this challenge to the participants, “With the limited resources, we are not able to train everyone. Thus, it is now your duty to re-echo these learnings and initiate the actualization of our action plans.”