Good day to all our readers, advertisers and cooperative stakeholders. As I was to send this piece ahead of schedule, I was reminded to include some activities related to cooperatives that occurred in the City. Allow me to give some brief information and cooperative updates.
Last May 30, 2015, the Senate Committee on Cooperatives, House Committee on Cooperative Development, Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives in coordination with the Cooperative Development Authority conducted a Forum on the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9520 or Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008. The activity was graced by Senator Lito Lapid, Congressman Cresente Paez, TIEZA General Manager Mark Lapid, CDA Board of Administrator Mercedes Castillo, CDA Executive Director Ray R. Elevazo, Atty. Jericho Acedera, Atty. Elizabeth O. Batonan, Atty. Erick Robles, CDA-Region 2 Regional Director Angelito Sacro; CDA-CAR Regional Director Atty. Franco G. Bawang, Jr and heads of cooperative unions/federations.
Participants to the forum were cooperative leaders, stakeholders and CDA personnel from Regions I, II and CAR. Secretariat to the activity came from the Senate of the Philippines , House of Representatives and Cooperative Development Authority.
Presenters include CDA personnel in the persons of Atty. Erick Robles and Atty. Juvy Gaffud from the CDA Central Office-Legal Division. Panelists include members of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on cooperatives and CDA Board of Administrator Mercedes Castillo and Executive Director Ray. R. Elevazo.
Ms. Suharni Samanodi-Canlao, Atty. Mariel Ursal as Master of Ceremonies during the program. Issues and concerns related to taxation, BIR requirements, trainings, penalties on late reports, and the present status of CDA at present having been transferred to the Department of Finance were some of the related topics discussed during the open forum. The IRR will be published anytime this month and be effective 15 days after its publication.
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I would like to inform the public that a recruited member of the dissolved “Samahan ng Kalalakihan at Kababaihan sa Pag-unlad Multipurpose Cooperative” approached our office for some technical/legal assistance. The said cooperative was previously registered at the Calamba Extension Office, Laguna and came to recruit members in the Cordillera Administrative Region without the required Certificate of Authority or Letter of Authority to open a branch or satellite office. I encourage all affected individuals who invested in this cooperative and with other “pseudo cooperatives” to visit the CDA-CAR Extension Office or any Extension/Provincial Field Office nearest your principal address to check on the status of cooperatives before you invest your hard earned money. I don’t know if you agree with me that vigilance and right information are key factors in decision-making especially on monetary concerns.
Authors say cooperatives are capitalized, owned, operated, patronized and used by member-owners. It is on this premise that we can gauge the status of cooperative through the kind of members, their extent of participation and performance. Often, successful cooperatives have good policies, discipline, effective human resource program and consist of members in good standing that abide with the provisions of its Manual of Policies, Articles of Cooperation and by-laws. As pointed in the previous issues in this column, conduct of regular general assembly is one factor in the growth of an organization.
It is an observation that some of our “kakailians” opt to invest in cooperatives that are based outside the region rather than patronize the services of stable cooperatives operating in their own backyard. I hope that the positive perception of our brothers and sisters on investing in cooperatives will not change given such isolated cases of cooperative mismanagement perpetrated by unscrupulous people. Let us continue to be proactive citizens and help build enterprises and communities through cooperatives. As stewards of God’s creation and gift to mankind adherence to unity and cooperation is our way of showing reciprocity.
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In the first two parts of this topic, I presented the circulars related to training requirements for the accreditation of training providers. Specifically, CDA Memorandum Circular No. 2011-01 as amended by CDA Memorandum Circular No. 2012-10 cited the conditions and eligibility requirements for accreditation.
As previously committed here are the List of Accredited Training Providers, their accreditation numbers, addresses, validity and status of accreditation.
1.Apayao Provincial Cooperative Union, Luna Apayao; CDA CTPRO 166, Validity: August 12,2013-August 11, 2014 (no application for renewal); 2.BBCCC Foundation Inc., 58 Assumption Road, Baguio City; CDA CTPRO 187, Validity: June 2014 to July 13, 2015 (Initial Accreditation – good for 1 year); 3.Benguet Provincial Local Government Unit-Cooperative Development Services, Provincial Capitol, Km.6, La Trinidad, Benguet; CDA CTPRO 138; Validity: April 21, 2014 to April 20, 2016; 4. Benguet Provincial Cooperative Union, La Trinidad, Benguet; CDA CTPRO 188; Validity: August 11,2014 to August 10, 2015 (Initial Accreditation-good for 1 year); 5. Cordillera Administrative Region Cooperative Union (CARCU), Room 405 Lyman-Ogilby Centrum, Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City; CDA CTPRO 035, Validity: January 26,2015 to April 25,2017(Renewed for 2 year); 6.Community Based Business Cooperation Foundation, Inc.(CBBCFI), Cooperative Bank of Benguet Building, Km. 5, La Trinidad, Benguet ; CDA CTPRO 033; Validity: January 26,2015 to January 25,2017(Renewed for 2 years; 7.Cooperative Union of Baguio City (CUBC), Our lady of Lourdes Parish Church Compound, Kisad Road, Baguio City; CDA CTPRO 084, Validity: October 16,2013 to September 10, 2015 (Renewed for 2 years); 8. Ifugao Federation of Development Cooperatives, Provincial Livelihood Center, Mabatobato, Lamut, Ifugao; CDA CTPRO 045; Validity: September 11, 2013 to September 10, 2015 (Renewed for 2 years); 9. Kalinga Provincial Cooperative Union (KAPCU); City Hall, Tabuk City, Kalinga; CDA CTPRO 139; Validity: April 11, 2013 to April 10, 2014 (Renewal under Process-indorsed); 10. Mountain Province Cooperative Union (MPCU); 2nd Floor, ASCO Building, Foyayeng, Bontoc, Mountain Province; CDA CTPRO 068; Validity: October 16,2013 to October 15,2015 (Renewed fro 2 years);11. Northern Luzon Federation of Cooperatives and Development Center; # 108 Bokawkan Road, Baguio City; CDA CTPRO 012; Validity: July 14,2014 to July 13, 2016 (Renewed for 2 years); and 12. Northwestern Luzon League of Cooperatives (NORWESLU); B-2 BBCCC Building, # 56 Cooperative Street, Assumption Road, Baguio City; CDA CTPRO 034; Validity: June 17,2013 to June 16, 2015 (Renewed for 2 years).
Some questions related to the training fees collected by these training providers were raised during the forum. A participant requested if CDA can come up with standard training fees. It was answered that CDA has difficulty in setting a standard due to several factors like preference of some training providers on the venue, speakers, accommodation and food. CDA is open to received suggestions from all stakeholders regarding this matter that may serve as basis in coming up with standard rates.
You might be asking yourselves on the significant contributions of these training providers. For us at CDA, we are thankful we have partners in promoting cooperatives. Providing quality information, education and knowledge, attitude and skills to cooperative leaders, members, stakeholders improve service delivery of various cooperatives to customers both members and non-members. It is then important to sustain the operations of the accredited training providers through an effective feedback mechanism that is beneficial to the regulatory agency and the training provider.
In case you have further queries, please feel free to visit or contact CDA-CAR Extension Office located at 4th Floor, Annex Building, Lyman Ogilby Centrum, Baguio City. Telephone Numbers (074) 422-0038 or (074) 442-6731.
