Manila cops’ cooperative store to open soon

Manila police officers and their dependents are now assured of a steady supply of low-priced basic goods with the launching of the Manila Police District MPD’s multi-purpose cooperative store right inside the headquarters compound.

The cooperative store is the brainchild of the Manila’s Finest Brotherhood Association, Inc.’s which has some 3,000 policemen-members, according to MFBAI president SPO2 Antonio Emmanuel. President Arroyo will grace the opening of the multi-purpose cooperative store, which is tentatively set on April 30, according to Emmanuel.

The cooperative started in 2002 as a lending institution, but the store “could not take off due to the absence of sponsors,” Emmanuel said. When MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales assumed his post on Sept. 24, 2007, he saw the viability of the MFBAI’s project.

“I promised the MFBAI members that I will shoulder the construction of the multi-purpose store and look for sponsors for the goods,” Rosales said.

The construction of the 80-square-meter store at a vacant lot at the back of the MPD headquarters started in February and was finished last month.

Through Rosales’ efforts, Mrs. Arroyo donated P250,000 seed money for the purchase of goods to be sold at the cooperative store. She also promised to provide another P250,000 as soon as the store opens, Emmanuel said.

Rosales also forged an agreement with Secretary Arthur Yap for the Department of Agriculture to provide rice and sugar to the cooperative at discounted prices.

“The store will be of great help to our policemen, especially at this time with the soaring prices of basic commodities,” Rosales said. — Nestor Etolle