About Us

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

                The concept of establishing a professional cooperative funeral parlor was first introduced by the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) Staff and their Swedish Consultants who operates funeral parlor in Sweden, the FONUS. On June 15, 2005, the Cooperative  Leaders in the province of Antique convened at Barbaza MPC, Barbaza, Antique for an orientation of FONUS philosophy on managing a funeral parlor in Sweden. The details were presented by Ms. Mimin Buban of NATCCO, Mr. Rolf Akeby and Ake Palmgren, the NATCCO consultants. The orientation was completed at Bugasong MPC, Bugasong Antique on October 15, 2005 by presenting the different facilities of FONUS funeral parlors and how they branch out in the neighboring countries. On the same date, a working committee was created composed of six (6) man team led by Mr. Felimon M. Espares, Manager of Barbaza MPC, Engr.    Andres L. Suriaga, Jr., Manager of Guinsang-an MPC, Mr. Romulo D. Solis, Manager of Belison MPC, Ms. Dedaci V. Nepomuceno, Manager of Pandan MPC, Mrs. Paciencia O. Pido, Administrative Officer of Antique Federation of Cooperatives, designated as Secretary and Ms. Rosalind T. Bantolo, OIC-Manager of Bugasong, MPC, being the Treasurer.

                    On November 18, 2005, an action plan was formulated to work on the structure, establish a temporary office, reviewed MOA on industry study, recruitment of investors and fund management. Another investors forum was conducted on February 4, 2006, at Patnongon MPC, Patnongon, Antique to fast-track the collection of pledges on capital resources, and presentation of MOA on the conduct of an industry study. With the help of NATCCO Staff and local researchers, an industry study was conducted and the positive results of the feasibility study give more confidence to the cooperative leaders to start working of putting up a decent and professional funeral parlor in the province. The Constitution and By-laws and the Articles of Cooperation were prepared and the required number of incorporators and paid-up capital of a federation were generated in accordance with of the guidelines of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).

                    On November 18, 2005, an action plan was formulated to work on the structure, establish a temporary office, reviewed MOA on industry study, recruitment of investors and fund management. Another investors forum was conducted on February 4, 2006, at Patnongon MPC, Patnongon, Antique to fast-track the collection of pledges on capital resources, and presentation of MOA on the conduct of an industry study. With the help of NATCCO Staff and local researchers, an industry study was conducted and the positive results of the feasibility study give more confidence to the cooperative leaders to start working of putting up a decent and professional funeral parlor in the province. The Constitution and By-laws and the Articles of Cooperation were prepared and the required number of incorporators and paid-up capital of a federation were generated in accordance with of the guidelines of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).

           On June 3, 2006, the members of the federation convened at Barbaza MPC, Barbaza, Antique and were attended by the 11 pioneer member-cooperators. The working committee presented the draft of the Constitution and By-laws and the Articles of Cooperation for ratification and approval. It was approved by the majority and election of Interim Officers of the Federation was conducted. Consequently, Mr. Felimon M. Espares was elected as the chairperson, Engr. Andres L. Suriaga, Jr. as Vice Chairperson, and Mr. Romulo Solis, Mr. Albert Fred S. Magluyan and Mrs. Paciencia O. Pido are the members of the Board. Mrs. Rosalie P. Abarientos and Mr. Jackson N. Guilingen werethe chairpersons of the Audit and Inventory Committee and Election Committee, respectively. The Board of Directors appointed Mr. Vicente Yolbert U. Fruylan as the Interim Secretary and Ms. Eufemia Castillon as the treasurer of the federation. The Interim Board of Directors endorsed its Constitutions and By-laws and the Articles of Cooperation to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) for proper action.  In spite of the delay due to the deficiency of documents on the new guidelines for registering a federation, The CFC-Antique was registered on November 30, 2006, by the Cooperative Development Authority under registration No.ILO-PF-039. Again, the member-cooperatives convened at Patnongon MPC, Patnongon, Antique to elect the new set of officers, as a result, Mr. Felimon M. Espares was elected as the chairperson,  Mr. Emmanuel L. Solis, Jr., as Vice Chairperson, and Engr. Andres L. Suriaga, Jr., Mr. Nick M. Abarientos and Mrs. Paciencia O. Pido are the Members of the Board of Directors. Mr. Venchito A. Toledo and Mr. Jackson N. Guilingen were the chairpersons of the Audit and Inventory Committee and Election Committee, respectively. The new set of Board of Directors re-appointed Mr. Vicente Yolbert U. Fruylan as the Secretary and Ms. Eufemia F. Castillon as the Treasurer of the federation.

        The Board of Directors rented a portion of AFCCUI Building as the CFC-Antique office. Presently, the CFC-Antique employs three (3) regular employees, a Manager, an Administrative Assistant, a Mortician and six (6) on-call personnel to service the day-to-day operations. On January 22, 2007, the Board of Directors conducted an exposure trip to St. Jude Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Lucena City to familiarize the operations of a cooperative run funeral parlor. During the exposure trip, the Service Licensing Agreement with NATCCO was finalized and signed by the Board of Directors. On the same date, the regular employees were sent to same cooperative for a one (1) month on the job-training. At present, CFC-Antique acquired a 3,960 sq.m. lot located at Atabay, San Jose, Antique for future construction of the CFC-Antique office, chapel and other facilities related to the project.