As part of enhancing the staff's awareness on gender issues affecting them and their co-operative, the Abra Diocesan Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ADTEMPCO) held their first Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) last April 9-10, 2009. Held within ADTEMPCO building, in attendance were 23 co-op staff and officers (43 percent women) headed by Fr. Edmund Barut Jr., ADTEMPCO's Chairperson, and Ms Irene Bringas, ADTEMPCO's Manager.

Topics such as sex and gender differentiation, gender roles, gender issues and its effects on co-ops, and visioning for a gender responsive co-op were discussed. Resource persons include Ms Salome Ganibe, AWCF Executive Director; Ms Angelita Valdez, AWCF Program Coordinator; and Mr. Alexander Raquepo, Gender Advocate and Vice-Chairperson of Sta. Cruz Savings and Development Cooperative (SACDECO). They were also joined by, Ms Natchamon Thali of Credit Union League of Thailand, Ltd. (CULT) and Mr. Say Rada of Socio-Economic Development Organization of Cambodia (SEDOC) who are currently assigned at NATCCO as part of the 10-month exchange program between AWCF and FK Norway.