Transport coop members fear bankruptcy, hit chief

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- Members of the Cordillera Basic Sectors Transport Cooperative (CBSTC) sought the help of the Baguio City Council for the second time regarding their problems besetting their cooperative.
    “Tyrannical and unilateral management, lack of transparency, illegal collection of fees from members, piling up financial obligations, missing money from the cooperative’s coffers, inaccessible cash flow records, and poor maintenance of jeepney units” were among “fatal” problems identified by CBSTC members. 
In their letter addressed to the city council, the members accused Jude Wal, incumbent CBSTC chairperson, of “illegal management.”
    The members claimed Wal had incurred debts in the name of the cooperative from a third party in the “staggering” amount of P18.7 million.
    Wal also allegedly refused to pay the members their monetary shares in the government’s Libreng Sakay Program and converted these supposed monetary shares worth P21 million into share capital without consulting the members properly.
    According to the letter, questionable fees had also been “illegally” collected from the members such as membership fees, share capital contributions, and equities.
    He had also allegedly defied the cooperative’s by-laws by “illegally” conducting an election of the Board of Directors on December 28, 2022 that was only participated by members “not critical of his leadership” after having failed to conduct the said election two consecutive times (2018-2020 and 2020-2022). 
    Members who were critical of his leadership have been kicked out of the cooperative, the letter claimed.
    The letter also enumerated other “illegal” activities and transactions allegedly undertaken by their Chair.
In its effort to help thresh out the issues, the city council had summoned the two camps to its regular session last February 27.
    However, Wal did not attend the forum due to an “earlier equally important activity” and instead sent a letter requesting the city council to dismiss these complaints and allow the CDA to resolve the matter.
    During the forum, CBSTC member Rolando Yambot told the city council that these problems, if unresolved, might lead to the cooperative’s “bankruptcy.” 
    “A lot of people might be affected with this including those people who consolidated with us in 2018,” Yambot said.
    Yambot added he had been elected as new CBSTC chairperson during the cooperative’s general assembly last Jan. 14.
    He said, in his capacity as new Chair, he had written to the Land Bank of the Philippines to freeze the cooperative’s funds in order to prevent any possible “illegal” withdrawal.
    The city council members expressed concern on the persisting problems of the cooperative, saying these internal management issues could affect the availability of transportation along routes serviced by the cooperative.
    The CBSTC is servicing routes along Aurora Hill, Trancoville, and Dominican Hill.
Councilor Michael Lawana said, although arising from management issues, these problems are a matter of “public concern.”
    “Problems in the management affect the operators, the drivers, and others [the public]. Baka pati ‘yung road safetiness ng mga sasakyan ay medyo na sa-sacrifice because of problems caused by the bosses,” Lawana said.
    The city council earlier urged the Cooperative and Development Authority (CDA) to hasten its investigation on the alleged violations of Wal and the BODs of the cooperative following numerous complaints of the members.
Yambot claimed the CDA had not made any decision yet to address their complaints against Wal and had not made any move to acknowledge or honor him as the newly elected chairperson of the cooperative. 
    A letter written by CDA-CAR Regional Director Marieta Hwang dated February 20, 2023 revealed that a technical working group had been created to help resolve the leadership tussle between Wal and Yambot.
    Meanwhile, Councilor Jose Molintas said the city council, although without a contempt power, may declare Wal a persona non grata if he continues to refuse the city council’s invitation.
    Wal also did not appear during the council forum on Oct. 24, 2022 despite the invitation sent to him by the council. 
    “We will have to reset this one discussion, ask him to come, and answer the complaints. If he does not come, then we will take the appropriate action against him,” Molintas said. 
    The city council scheduled another forum on Monday during its regular session to further talk about the issue, inviting both camps and representatives from the CDA, Land Transportation and Franchising Board-Cordillera Administrative Division, and Landbank of the Philippines.