Thesis (Master in Management) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, July 2021

The Davao City Water District Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DCWD)EMPC) was informally formed in 1979 by five (5) DCWD permanent employees through a hulog-hulogan or contribution system. In 1980, the informal activities were formalized into a credit cooperative and registered in the Cooperative Development Authority as a multi-purpose cooperative. DCWD EMPC has grown from a micro-cooperative into a medium-sized cooperative, maintaining exclusively with a service philosophy dubbed as PISO which stands for personalized service, integrity, social justice and ownership for the common. For so long years, it has maintained good credit services and rice trading continues. These are the main sources of income of the cooperative whose total revenue grew at the rate of 5.73% every year during the five-year period 2016 to 2020. Limited products and services, sudden increase of current assets, growth of patronage refund, asset earnings ratio, and deficiencies in the communication system are among the carrying factors in pursuing this strategic plan. The framework developed by Mazzarol et.al. (2011), which shows the interrelated relationships of the three levels (member, cooperative enterprise, system levels) in managing a cooperative was the basis in this strategic plan?s conceptual framework. The dynamics of the social cooperation, government role, industry structure, and environment are key elements in the systems level. These key elements are considered as the sources of external factors affecting the DCWD EMPC. On the other hand, cooperative enterprise level represents purpose, profit formula, key resources, process and governance which are factors required for the cooperative?s business model. Meanwhile, member level illustrates its role as investor, patron, owner and community member. Cooperative and member levels are considered internal factors that affect the business entity of the cooperative. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) that affect the operation of the DCWD EMPC were identified from the systems, cooperative enterprise and member levels. Among which, are DCWD EMPC?s efforts in carrying out the cooperative principles, satisfactory rating on members? purpose value, limited revenue- generating products/services, government support through the cooperative principles/preferential rights, presence of government financing institutions (GFIs) offering low-interest rates among others. These were subjected to Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE). The IFE of the DCWD EMPC garnered a score of 2.20, which means the cooperative is responding internally at below average. Meanwhile, the EFE of the cooperative is 2.35, which is below average. It means that DCWD EMPC fails to utilize its opportunities and address its threat to be more externally responsive. The identified internal and external factors were used to craft strategic objectives and basis for the SWOT Matrix. From the SWOT Matrix, four key strategies were developed, namely, (1) explore other business ventures, (2) expand DCWD EMPC networks and linkages, (3) integrate technology and personnel services, and (4) develop business processes of existing and proposed business ventures. These key strategies were evaluated through the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) to determine the attractiveness of each strategy in terms of the internal and external factors identified. The QSPM results show that strategy 1 (explore other business ventures) got the highest score of 4.45. hence, the implementing programs are developed based on the said strategy. The implementing programs that can generate significant revenue for the cooperative are the following, viz: Desludging Services, Vehicle Registration and Licenses; and Medical/Health Care Plan and Insurance-based Mortuary. These implementing programs have corresponding key performance indicators (KPIs) and corresponding milestone targets for the period 2022 to 2026. By the end of the period, it is expected that the objectives set in this strategic plan are achieved.