The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) was established in 1986 as a non-profit, non-political foundation. On April 1988 it started its operations with a training and livelihood assistance program for landless coconut workers. In January 1989, CARD pilot-tested a modified Grameen Bank scheme in four villages of San Pablo City, Laguna. The results were positive and it thus became a full-scale program in 1990. In support of CARD’s goal to empower members, the management of the MMF (Members’ Mutual Fund) was officially turned over to the members on September 9, 1999 during a 2-day workshop held in San Pablo City. The fund henceforth assumed a new name, the CARD Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (CARD MBA), a separate legal entity owned and managed by the members.