Masisit and Dacal are two adjacent barangays of Sanchez Mira along the shore of Babuyan Channel. The people are peace-loving, industrious, cooperative and have strong family ties who migrated from Paoay, Ilocos Norte. They are civic minded people who joined the Rural Improvement Club for women while men joined the Samahang Nayon Organization.
In March 1986, they thought of putting their efforts together for a common good with noble purpose. The officers and members of Rural Improvement Club of the two barangays agreed to organize a cooperative through the assistance of the Home Technologist (Cooperative Officer) of the Ministry of Agriculture. It was named Masisit-Dacal RIC Credit Cooperative, Inc., It was first registered with the Bureau of Cooperative Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Region 02 on April 25, 1986 with Certificate of Registration No. RII-FF-176. There were Thirty One (31) incorporating members with an initial share capital of P 4,215.00.
The vital role of the association was to give assistance among members to put up livelihood projects. This service aimed to ease the financial needs of the members and soon loaning activities immediately started. More and more members availed of this service that required the conduct of Pre-Membership Education Seminar more often. By the end of the year, membership dramatically increased to 72 and share capital to P 36,215.00. Maximum loanable amount per member increased from P 500.00 to P 1,000.00. After quite sometimes, more types of loans were extended to members and its loan portfolio also increased.
In May 2, 1991, the then Masisit-Dacal RIC Credit Cooperative, Inc. was confirmed by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) under Confirmation No. 1285 but during its annual General Assembly Meeting on March 17, 1992, its Articles of Cooperation and By-Laws of the Masisit-Dacal Livelihood RIC Credit Cooperative, Inc. was amended so that the Credit Cooperative became a multi-purpose cooperative to meet the demands of time. A new name was adopted which gave birth to – Masisit-Dacal Livelihood Cooperative.
Due to increasing demands for financial assistance among members to put up livelihood projects, the Cooperative sought the assistance of financial institutions. A loan was contracted with the Department of Trade And Industry (DTI) under its TST-SELA. The projects of the members were very successful and with the desire to help its members, another loan was contracted through the DTI NGO-MCP II in the amount of P 2 Million. Project assisted in the said loans were Bagoong Making, Saltmaking, Trading, Meat Processing, Hollow Blocks Making, Furniture Making, Rattan Craft and Basketry.
In October 1994, a new service was added to the members of the cooperative through an opening of a consumer store that initially sold farming inputs and grocery.
To meet the demand for additional capital, the MDLC sought the assistance of the Land Bank of the Philippines. On September 1, 1995, the Cooperative submitted an application for availment of a rediscounting facility in the amount of Two Million Pesos (P 2,000.000.00) with the LBP Sanchez Mira Field Office and was approved on September 15, 1995, a remarkable processing time. Since then, the Cooperative started to avail which was in time for the planting season as the fund was intended t o help the farmer members who constitute majority of the general membership. The recipient were small farmers and fisher folks. With the steady demand for assistance from among members, the Cooperative prompted torequest for a higher rediscounting facility to Six Million then Ten Million and now Fifteen Million Pesos. In addition, the National Livelihood Development Corporation was tapped and it now extends another credit line of Twenty Million to meet additional financial assistance for livelihood projects of its growing membership.
Edifice of structure and staunchness, the MDLC can’t hardly be imagined that it started sharing a flat, dilapidated and small – and now – at its own 333 sq.m. lot and office building acquired on August 20 1996. From this time, the expansion of coop services became very fast and the area of operation also expanded outside Sanchez Mira and throughout the provinces of Cagayan and Apayao. The Cooperative operation is well accommodated within its budgetary projection and started to computerized its operation. The Masisit-Dacal Livelihood Cooperative is now fully equipped with computer machines and programs for its daily operations. This is the result of its partnership with the Land bank of the Philippines, wherein the Cooperative is classified under Class A.
In order to increase and improve the services that the Cooperative offers to its members especially the small farmers and to finally solve their problems regarding the storage of their products, the officers thought of putting up a warehouse equipped with post harvest facilities to cater to their needs. Due to inadequate financial resources, funding agencies were tapped. A project proposal was submitted to the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC) through the Agribusiness Department of the Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Unit 02, after months of evaluation, the MDLC was awarded the project. A 2, 924 sq.m.. lot was purchased as its counterpart where the warehouse was put up in July, 1999. It was in April 2001 when the rice mill was installed and a forward truck was bought, and so this signaled the start of its dynamo for rice-milling, palay trading and trucking operation.
In October 2004, the Training Center and Beach resort situated in its 18 ha. Shoreline properties was inaugurated with a total project cost of P 2.5 Million. Another building was put-up in 2007 worth P 1.5 Million used as Fisherman Center where livelihood trainings for its fisherfolk members are conducted
In 2005 it operationalized a 20 head modern piggery breeding and 50 head fattening building and a biogas was also conducted. This supplies its members with F1 hybrid weanlings, gilts and boars. It also serves as training ground for its members in artificial insemination, medication, vaccination, castration and other medication services to swine raisers.
At present the MDLC has become a major player in promoting economic growth in its area of operation and considered the most progressive coop in the northern coastal province of Luzon. Serving its members and non-members to its best by providing not only financial assistance but various seminars and livelihood trainings to improve their present economic situation, including community and socio-civic activities.
To be more accessible to members and the locality, the coop established 5 other Agri-Centers aside from its main Consumers Store and Agri-center located at Centro Sanchez Mira, Abulug, Ballesteros and Claveria, Cagayan and Sta. Marcela, Apayao to serve its increasing members. Tied with noble purpose to serve, the animal feeds and biologics at fair prices complement the services offered by the Cooperative’s Agri-Center, in addition to all kinds of farm in-puts.
The Cooperative in its desire to expand agricultural production applied for P10 Million soft loan payable for 10 years from the National Food Authority and was released on July 15, 2006. This was used to purchased Four-Wheel Tractors. Re-circulating Mechanical Dryer, Pneumatic Corn Planter and Dumping Trailers and a 500 sq. m. warehouse.
To fully utilize its farm mechanization facilities the coop has expanded its operation by acquiring a 70 ha. Demonstration Farm in Sta. Barbara, Iguig, Cagayan which spurred/motivated farmers in Iguig to regularly plant corn and other high value commercial crops like mongo, peanuts, cassava and others.
On August 28, 2007, the Cooperative constructed its self funded gasoline refilling station (Flying V) at its own lot adjacent to the Integrated Farm Mechanization and Trading center in Malekkeg, Sta. Marcela Apayao and a Bio-Nitrogen mixing plant the following year, including a rice hull-fed furnace retrofitted to its existing mechanical dryer.
MASCOOP became what it is today as a result of dedicated, committed, motivated and concerned officers and staff and supportive members. Through the years of its effective operation it has received numerous awards and citations as follows: