CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Senator Ralph Recto warned Friday the cooperatives from the province to "be wary of candidates and politicians" who will woo them for 2010 polls.

Recto, who keynoted Friday's Eighth Cooperative Recognition Day, a culminating event of Cooperative Month, told officials and members of various multi-purpose, consumer, swine and vegetable raisers, poultry and duck raisers, schoolteachers and senior citizen cooperatives that they should "share and be open with their political views.

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"It comes at a time when the important role you play in development will be viewed by many candidates as a potential for getting votes. Because of your large memberships, siguradong liligawan kayo ng mga ito at bibigyan ng maraming pangako at milyong-milyong halaga ng tulong," Recto said.

He told the cooperators that they should take a closer look at those who seek their votes and view them in a larger perspective.

"In fact, if you sum up all their pledges it could already be equivalent to a substantial part of our national budget. But these promises come with 'best before labels' and a price tag. But as a unified movement, you must confront both economic and political issues before you," he said.

Recto cited some of the economic and political issues currently as rising population, the need for health care programs where a hospital bed is needed every 10 minutes; the need to recruit a policeman every hour for security; and the need for at least one square kilometer to be tilled everyday for food sufficiency.

"With your will power and unity, I am sure the coop movement would be able to stand up against present and future challenges," he said.

Recto also called for the strengthening cooperatives "to better improve countryside development."

"The cooperative sector plays a crucial role in the development of the countryside," Recto said.

Cooperatives, he said, has set the qualifications of good organizations.

"Cooperatives have no toxic debts and have accounted for billions of deposits to the current financial," Recto said, urging further transparency in the cooperative sector.

He encouraged the cooperatives to strengthen the compliance reports submissions to further improve their administration.

He also challenged the cooperatives to provide other services like health, transportation and others to its members.