Located at the Xavier Ecoville community in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City, XE Multi-Purpose Cooperative (XEMPCO) opened their latest addition to their livelihood center, the ‘PANbag-o’ bakeshop on August 8.
PANbag-o bakery is the first bakery of XEMPCO and it opens daily at 5 in the morning to serve freshly baked bread to its customers.
The executive director of the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service (PJPS), Fr Eli Rowdy Lumbo SJ led the blessing ceremony.
Xavier Ecoville Project (XEP) coordinator Ryan Madrid and XEP enterprise development officer Philip Flores spearheaded the ribbon cutting ceremony afterwards.
Shirley Siarot, chairman of the XEMPCO board of directors, XE Homeowners’ Association (XEHA) led by Alexie Colipano and livelihood partner Emelinda Bombeo of Xavier University Student Entrepreneurship Center (XU-SEC) also graced the event with their support.
Bread and change
PANbag-o bakery is the 6th enterprise of XEMPCO and it took two years of planning before it was finally realized. Aside from emphasizing that its breads are baked on a daily basis, PANbag-o also connotes welcoming change. Pan means bread, and bag-o means change and freshness.
During his speech, Flores explained that PANbag-o does not only mean engaging in business and money-making but also enhancing the lives of the XE community members.
“Bread signifies life. PANbag-o simply means the new life of Sendong survivors, a taste of change in their perspective and a fresh beginning to start new challenges,” Flores said.
Looking forward
XEMPCO also dreams of establishing a PANbag-o branch outside the village. Starting up with a few support staff for its operations, XEMPCO envisions widening its scope and thus providing more job opportunities for community members.
In the meantime, XEMPCO wants to focus in improving the PANbag-o bakery. XEMPCO management led by its manager, Marilou Alfabeto gives extra time and effort in its operations and maintenance.
Alfabeto said that XEMPCO’s goal is not only short-term business making but the sustainability of the cooperative.
The opening of PANbag-o bakery is one milestone for XEMPCO— a sign of greater challenges to overcome with much greater opportunities for wholistic and economic growth.
Xavier Ecoville is a resettlement community for TS Sendong survivors located in Brgy Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City. It is facilitated by XU, the community members, the local government, donors and other partners for a self-sufficient and value-laden community.
