As an agency mandated to promote the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments for social justice and economic development, the Cooperative Development Authority issues circulars to supplement the provisions of the Code. As of this writing, the Cooperative Development Authority Board of Administrators approved the issuance of 5 circulars intended for cooperatives for Calendar Year 2017 duly signed by CDA Chairperson Orlando R. Ravanera. These issuances can be downloaded at cda.gov.ph but allow me to share the information to those who have no time to browse and those in the countryside that have difficulty accessing the internet due to technical glitches and absence of information communication technology infrastructure.
Here are some salient features of the different memoranda. Memorandum Circular Number 2017-01 “Capability Building Program for Micro Cooperatives”. Section 3 provides the objectives on the need to capacitate cooperative officers to effectively and efficiently manage the operations of cooperatives; and to provide training to micro cooperatives to comply with the mandatory training requirements for cooperative officers. Further, Section 5 of the circular states “in order to capacitate and empower micro cooperatives, the following trainings shall be conducted for the officers: a) Fundamentals of Cooperatives; b) Governance and Management; c) Internal Control System. The training shall be conducted by CDA. However, micro cooperatives may opt to access other training providers, provided these are accredited by CDA. Section 6. Training Program Management. 6.5. A Certificate of Attendance/Participation shall be issued to the participants. The certificate shall bear a distinct numer for control and monitoring purposes; and, The conduct of the training shall be given free of charge to the cooperatives and no fees shall be collected. However, the participants may bring their own food. Section 7. Compliance to Mandatory Training. The training attended by the officers of micro-cooperatives under this program shall be a valid compliance to the required training for cooperatives under Rule 7 of Revised IPP of RA 9529 and CDA M.C. 2015-09.( Note: M.C. 2007-07 defined micro cooperatives as those with total assets of P3 million and below). Section 9. Effectivity. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication to the Office of National Administrative Registry (ONAR). Approved per CDA BOA Resolution Number 385, series of 2016 dated November 15,2016.
Another latest issuance is Memorandum Circular Number 2017-02 “Guidelines on the Conduct of Pre-Registration Seminar for Prospective Members of Would-be Primary Cooperatives”. It prescribes the guidelines in the conduct of orientation called Pre-Registration Seminar (PRS) to prospective members of would-be primary cooperative and to direct the creation of a Pre-Registration Seminar Team (PRS Team). Section 3. Conduct of PRS. The PRS shall be conducted by the following: 1) CDA Extension Office; 2. CDA Field Office/CDS. The CDA Extension Office through the CRITS shall supervise and monitor the conduct of the PRS. Section 4. Composition of the Team. A PRS Team must be created in every region to conduct PRS which shall be composed of the following: 4.1. CDA Extension Office; a) Senior CDS CRITS-Team Leader b) Technical personnel for Registration Section c) CDS II assigned in the Regional Office; 4.2. CDA Field Office; a) Cooperative Development Specialists assigned in the Province/City; Section 5. Frequency of Conduct; CDA Extension Office-at least once a month; CDA Field Office-at least once per quarter.5.2. Resource Persons. In the actual conduct of PRS, the following shall act as resource persons: Extension Office PRS-Senior CDS for CRITS ; technical staff from Registration Section and CDS assigned in the region. Field Office PRS-CDS assigned in the province or CDA Extension Office-authorized representative. 6.4. Certificate. The Certificate of Completion of PRS shall be given to all participants who attended the PRS to be issued by the following: i. CDA Extension Office-Senior CDS for CRITS ii. CDA Field Office-CDA Representative who conducted the PRS. For purposes of registration of cooperatives, a Certification of Attendance to PRS shall be issued by the CDA Extension Office signed by the Senior CDS for CRITS and noted by the Extension Director. 6.5. Availing of PRS shall be given free of charge to the cooperative and no fees shall be accepted from the participants, however, the participants may bring their own food. Section 7. Effectivity. This guideline shall take effect upon approval of the Board of Administrators. Approved by the Board of Administrators on February 1, 2017 per Resolution Number 452 s.2017.
TO BE CONTINUED …..
