Philippine Asian News Today Vol 18 No 21 | Page 15

November 1 - 15, 2016 LOCAL NEWS PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY Isa sa pinakakaabangan ng mga kabababayan nating Pinoy sa BC ay ang pagkakasakatuparan ng pangarap ng One Filipino Cooperative of BC na magkaroon ng isang Housing Coop para sa mga Pinoy. Noong nakaraang buwan ng Oktubre ay nalathala dito sa PNT ang banner headline na “FIRST FILIPINO HOUSING COOP IN BC PLANNED” Ngayong Ika-2 ng Nobyembre 2016 ay lumabas ang approval ng BC registry para sa FIL COOPERATIVE ONE HOUSING SOCIETY. Ito ang samahang magsasagawa at magpapatupad ng mga plano at gawain upang ang pangarap na Housing Coop for Pinoys ay maging reyalidad. Sa kasalukuyan ay may ibat-ibang lahi dito sa BC na mayroong Housing Coop para sa kanilang mga kababayan subalit ang para sa mga Filipino ay ngayon pa lang sisimulan. ANO BA ANG HOUSING COOP? Housing co operatives provide not-for-profit housing for their members. The members do not own equity in their housing. If they move, their home is returned to the co op, to be offered to another individual or family who needs an affordable home. Some co op households pay a reduced monthly rent (housing charge) geared to their income. Government funds cover the difference between this payment A15 FIL CO-OPERATIVE ONE HOUSING SOCIETY REHISTRADO NA and the co op’s full charge. Other households pay the full monthly charge based on cost. Because co ops charge their members only enough to cover costs, repairs, and reserves, they can offer housing that is much more affordable than average private sector rental costs. Co op housing also offers security. Co ops are controlled by their members who have a vote in decisions about their housing. There is no outside landlord. Each housing co operative is a legal association, incorporated as a co operative. Canada’s housing co ops are guided by international co operative principles, adapted for housing co op. If you live in a non-profit housing co op you are: • A voting member who contributes to the governance of the co op • Part of a community where neighbours look out for one another • Living in housing that will stay affordable because it’s run on a non-profit basis and is never resold • Linked through the Canadian Co operative Association and the conseil canadien de la coopération with other Canadian co operatives active in banking, retail, farming, insurance, day care, health services and more • A member of a world-wide movement. In a housing co op members have the right to: • Vote on the annual budget, which sets the monthly housing charges and affects the quality of yo ur housing – for example, how much the co op will spend on property upkeep • Elect a board of directors made up of people who live in your co op • Run for the board of directors yourself • Receive audited financial statements that show how the co op spent your money • Pay only a limited portion of your income for your housing, if you meet eligibility rules • Live there for as long as you like, if you keep to the by-laws agreed on by the co op membership Source: Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada The Fil Co-operative One Housing One Society is a dream project initiated by One Filipino Cooperative of BC which aims to provide affordable housing market opportunities for its members as well as for low income residents of BC. It also aims to develop, own, operate and engage into WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM agreement as non-profit housing operator of a BC housing facility or a municipal housing as well as other coop housing provider.” Para sa mga nais maging bahagi at kasapi ng One Filipino Cooperative of BC, maari pong makipag-ugnayan sa 604-7802061; email: [email protected] or visit our website: www.filcoopbc and facebook: filipino cooperative.