The main thrust of the development efforts of the Foundation is geared towards the implementation of the “SIMAG Integrated Socio-Economic Assistance Project” which seeks to assist the depressed Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) and sugarcane workers and their families with self-help skills in order to alleviate their living conditions through the following strategies:

• Community Organizing
• Technical and Consultancy Assistance
• Financial Assistance

Community Organizing is used as an essential tool of the livelihood activities as it aims to mobilize and harness the collective energy of the sugar cane farm residents for the common good. The strategy of working through the community group rather than the individual seeks to promote the value of cooperation.

The community-based organizations are provided with management and organizational tools including Christian value formation necessary for project implementation. The membership and organizational structure are patterned after the “cooperative” system which is also the thrust of the Philippine government to promote “cooperativism” as the way of life in the rural areas. SIMAG is recognized by the Cooperative Development Authority as an NGO accredited for the promotion of cooperative development and the foundation has organized 300 cooperatives in the district and these cooperatives have been functioning under the federation of the multi-purpose cooperative.

For 2005-06, different projects are being implemented by different organized groups, such as:

• Swine Fattening and Breeding
• Bread Making & Bakery Management
• Cash Crop Production
• Sari Sari Store
• Sugarcane Farming
• Garment Production and Hand Works
• Lending and Vending
• Buy and Sell

For this year (2005-06), SIMAG Federation of Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. has distributed a patronage refund and dividend to its members amounting to P285,165.85, a 10% increase from the last year.