How it began
The formation of a cooperative at the Forest Research Institute (FORI), a research agency created in the Department of Natural Resources, started in August 1977. In June 1978, FORI Director Filiberto S. Pollisco, through a memorandum, informed all concerned employees to attend a two-day Pre-Membership Education Program for the establishment of a credit cooperative. Two months later, payroll deduction of monthly dues from members started to raise the minimum requirement for a cooperative to be registered with the Bureau of Cooperatives Development (BCOD) Regional Office in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
On 20 September 1978, an application to organize a Kilusang Bayan (cooperative) was filed at the BCOD bearing the names and signatures of 15 incorporators with a total paid up shares of 3,200 pesos. On the same date the result of the first election of officers was known comprising of five members of the Board of Directors (BOD), three members each of the Credit Committee, Supervisory Committee, and Election Committee. Thus, the FORI Credit Cooperative (FCC) was formed with business address at: ERDB Bldg., Forestry Campus, College, Laguna. However, due to the reorganization of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 1987 which resulted in the renaming of FORI to Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), FCC was subsequently changed to ERDB Credit Cooperative (ERDBCC) to conform with the new name of the institution where the cooperative is based.
From Credit to Multi-Purpose
The ERDBMC, wanting to expand its services of mere savings, fixed deposits, and credit (through loans), sought conversion to a multi-purpose cooperative. Amendments to the Articles of Cooperation and By-Laws of ERDBCC were made and submitted to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Calamba Extension Office on November 17, 1995.
On 27 November 1995, the CDA issued Certificate of Registration (LGA-CA No. 0143) for the ERDB Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ERDBMC).
On June 17, 2023, ERDBMC’s General Assembly approved the inclusion of Consultancy Services into its growing area of services. ERDBMC consequently applied for the revision of its Constitution and By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation, specifically in the change of its name with the CDA, into ERDB and Science Community Multipurpose Cooperative (ERDBSCMC) which was later approved on July 18, 2023.
ERDBSCMC takes pride as the first and the only occupational cum professional-based cooperative in the Philippines that offers consultancy services in the area of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Research, Development and Management.