Cooperative of Allegro Microsystems Philippines Employees

Cooperatives, by their very nature and functions are organized to improve the quality of life of its members. In a cooperative, people of different perceptions can join forces, resources and efforts together to work as one unit towards achieving a common goal. This is the very essence why CAMPE was organized. CAMPE is an acronym for "Cooperative of Allegro Microsystems Philippines Employees".

CAMPE was organized in 1991 as a multi-purpose cooperative. With less than a hundred members and a capitalization of P 125,000 plus a seed money of P 500,000 from Allegro Microsystems Philippines. (AMPI) to be repaid sometime, it immediately started its lending operation. This was a welcome respite to the members because it charged very much lower interest than the usurers. However, because of its low capitalization, CAMPE could hardly meet the needs of its few members. It was therefore hard to recruit new members with some employees exhibiting skepticism. It became necessary for CAMPE to look for ways and means to augment its income and increase its capitalization. In 1994, upon representation with Allegro, CAMPE started running AMPI’s canteen concession. CAMPE’s assets as well as income continued growing at a phenomenal rate of over 30% per year. Three (3) years after its establishment, CAMPE started giving dividends to its members. The amount was small, but the symbolic gesture made a big difference. The move boosted CAMPE’s stock as more and more employees started joining the cooperative. Having gained the confidence of its membership, CAMPE started its catering business servicing the needs of its members as well as non-members. By this time more and more people became interested in CAMPE not only to be members but to be officers and directors of the board as well. Whereas before the management convinced employees to be members, now they started volunteering immediately upon regularization. Whereas before the management beg members to run for directorship, now the candidates are being screened to make sure of their qualifications. With so many candidates running for elective positions, CAMPE was forced to computerize its elections starting in 1995. It seems however, that for employees financial needs, nothing is enough and so CAMPE looked for other means to grow and increase its income and resources. And so in 1999, to cater to the request of the members and to the needs of canteen, grocery business was introduced. For a start an apartment unit outside of Allegro was rented since the company is not supposed to give a space for this. Following year, CAMPE moved to a 3-door apartment to serve the growing business of grocery and the office needs of the increasing number of CAMPE employees. In the same year, CAMPE ventured into general services by taking over Allegro’s janitorial needs and its facilities. As CAMPE’s finances grew, so did its membership. Members started increasing their contribution giving CAMPE more flexibility in its operation particularly in its lending business. The members have realized that they now have someone to lean on in times of need which to some extent is starting to change their quality of life. With the growing business coupled with Allegro’s expansion, there became a need to shuttle goods and services including people in and out of the Allegro plant. As such in 2000, CAMPE started its transport services. Realizing that canteen consumes almost 150 kilos of pork everyday, CAMPE decided to put up a farm in Lipa, Batangas and started the piggery business in 2001. Following year it started operating a poultry to serve canteen’s needs for chicken and eggs. The biggest contribution so far of the cooperative to its members which improved their quality of life is CAMPE’s housing project called “Allegro Homes”. CAMPE in tandem with a developer was able to develop a 1.6-hectare property in Calamba City into a subdivision of 151 housing units. Qualified members were able to own houses at a very affordable price even though they did not have a single centavo. The loan was arranged with SSS through a conduit bank and with the equity financed by CAMPE. Completed and inaugurated in 2004, Allegro Homes is now a full-blown community with the homeowners enjoying a door-to-door shuttle bus service from the village to Allegro and back. Outside the village, CAMPE constructed a 2-storey commercial building with the upper floor for lease to enterprising cooperative members. Half of the ground floor is a grocery managed by CAMPE while the other half is a bakeshop called Bread CAMPe. Because of its increasing businesses and services, there became a need to add more and more people to the cooperative. As such, the rented 3-door apartment became so crowded and insufficient for CAMPE’s needs. At this point the cooperative realized the necessity of having its own building to accommodate its present requirements and with the capability to expand for its future needs. And so in 2003, a 4-storey building was constructed and proudly inaugurated in 2004. The building has a basement parking which is for lease to Allegro. This was how CAMPE’s leasing services started. By this time employees and members acceptance of the cooperative is beyond doubt. For their financial needs, they can always rely on the cooperative. They are assured of annual dividends as well as patronage refund. The grocery is there to answer for their grocery needs. The cooperative is also a major benefactor to the Allegro Foundation which grants scholarships and educational assistance to the qualified dependents of Allegro’s and Campe’s employees. CAMPE never lets an opportunity to pass. It keeps on looking for potential projects that can help the cooperative to grow. In July 2007, a 1,500 square meter warehouse in Sucat, has been constructed which is now being leased to Allegro. Side by side with the warehouse is a big parking space which serves as the terminal for the 9 – shuttle busses providing shuttle service for Allegro and its membership since May 2008. All of these projects have contributed to the phenomenal growth of CAMPE. As of today, it is ranked among the biggest and most diversified multi-purpose institutional cooperatives in the country. Its total membership is now 1,827. As of today, CAMPE employs a total of 219 employees. Since 1991, its total resources have grown from P125K to P150M. Its income continues to grow year after year. Cumulative dividends declared and distributed since 1994 has amounted to more or less P90M. CAMPE believes that employees should have something to lean on in times of need. As such, it continues to look for ways and means to create extra wealth for its members to improve their quality of life.