The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Mimaropa organized Cooperative Development Councils (CDCs) in the regional level during the Mimaropa Region Cooperative Council Organizational Meeting held recently at Tree of Life Business Center Hotel in this city.
Primary aim of the meeting is to provide the cooperative movement a system for policy consultation and program coordination in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
In his opening remarks, CDA Regional Director Angelito U. Sacro emphasized the significance of organizing a cooperative to help the marginalized members uplift their living conditions especially during the pandemic.
Sacro said various government agencies extend financial assistance to associations like cooperatives. He said if cooperatives are registered and accredited by the government, the members could easily ask for financial support from the government. The establishment of Cooperatives will facilitate services, as well as offer employment for their members.
Meanwhile, CDA Senior Cooperative Development Specialist Eva Loraine R. Cataje presented the Memorandum Circular No. 2022-03 which pertains to the guidelines on the structure, organization and operation of CDCs.
Cataje explained the legal bases, coverage, purpose of CDC, organization of the councils, powers and functions of the councils, among others.
Cataje further discussed the roles of the officers of the council being elected directly by the members constituting the councils in the regional level. Hence, an election proper of Region Cooperative Development Council (RCDC) took place.
The new set of officers for the newly-organized RCDC is composed of the following: Chairman, Dr. Romeo Valdez from Provincial Cooperative Development Council of Palawan; Vice Chairman, Juan Carlos Manay from Marinduque; Secretary, Jenebeth Conanan from Romblon; Treasurer, Marjorie Cuasay from Calapan City; and Auditor, Emma Pumida from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Mimaropa.
The newly-elected officers took oath of office with Director Sacro as an administering officer.
After taking their oath of office, the chairman announced that the possibility of the next meeting will be in Palawan to make plans, activities and programs for the council. The new set of officers expressed their full support in all the undertakings of CDA.
The organizational meeting was attended and participated in by members and officers of different cooperatives in the region and other representatives from the national government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and a representative from the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro. (LTC/PIA-OrMin)
