The Calabarzon Regional Cooperative Chamber, under the leadership of Regional Governor Ruel Punzalan of the PKI Employees and Community Multipurpose Cooperative and Regional Vice Governor Arthur Arada of the Koop ng mga Kawani ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Batangan Multipurpose Cooperative, actively participated in the Interface Session and Dialogue organized by the Southern Tagalog Regional Cooperative Development Council (STaRCDC). The event was held in the presence of Undersecretary Alexander Raquepo, Chairperson of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and convened cooperative leaders from across the Southern Tagalog region.
The session, led by STaRCDC Chairperson Celia Atienza, served as an important venue to strengthen engagement between cooperatives and the national government, as well as to tackle pressing sectoral issues.
Assistant Secretary Mon Ilagan of the Office of the Transportation Cooperatives provided an overview of their office’s mandate, particularly highlighting their role in the Public Transport Modernization Program. He underscored how this flagship initiative is expected to impact transport cooperatives and their members nationwide.
Among the key issues raised by cooperative representatives during the dialogue were policies on share voting, the distribution and utilization of the Cooperative Education and Training Fund (CETF), tax exemption privileges granted to cooperatives, the management of reserved funds, and the implementation of the Cooperative Information System Act (CISA) and its implementing rules and regulations.
The Coop Chamber delegation, joined by Secretary General Edwin Bustillos, emphasized the need for clear guidelines and more inclusive consultation to ensure that cooperatives of all sizes can comply with regulatory requirements and fully benefit from the law.
In response, Undersecretary Raquepo recognized the importance of these concerns and affirmed the CDA’s commitment to addressing them through policy review and dialogue. He also outlined the strategic directions of the CDA under his leadership, including youth empowerment initiatives, clarifying the roles of federations and unions in cooperative inspections, upscaling governance standards across the sector, promoting unity among unions and federations, and strengthening partnerships with local government units through the Local Cooperative Development Officer Program and other collaborative efforts.
In his closing remarks, Undersecretary Raquepo shared his vision for cooperatives in the Southern Tagalog region, encapsulated in the acronym “STAR,” which stands for:
- S – Sustainable cooperatives
- T – Trustworthy cooperatives
- A – Abiding or compliant cooperatives
- R – Resilient cooperatives
The dialogue concluded with a shared commitment to continue working together in building a cooperative sector that is dynamic, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of communities across the region.
