The House of Representatives ratified before it adjourned sine die the bicameral committee report on the bill that strengthens the Cooperative Development Authority.
The bicameral conference committee reconciled the conflicting provisions of House Bill 9051 and Senate Bill 2063. Both measures strengthen and reorganize the CDA.
HB 9051 is principally authored by Party-list Rep. Sabiniano Canama of COOP NATCCO while its counterpart SB 2063 is authored by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
The proposed “Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019” strengthens and reorganizes the CDA to enable it carry out the mandates of the measure as well as Republic Act 9520 or the “Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008.”
It repeals Republic Act 6939.
Under the enrolled bill, the CDA that was created under RA 6939 shall be reorganized and its employees shall be absorbed in the CDA in accordance to the agency’s staffing pattern, subject to Civil Service laws, rules and regulations and Department of Budget and Management rules and regulations. Those who opt to retire or separate from the office voluntarily shall be given separation pay computed based on DBM guidelines and regulations.
The powers, functions, and responsibilities of the CDA, among others, shall include the development and formulation, in consultation with the cooperative sector and other concerned institutions, appropriate regulations, standards, rules, orders, guideline, and/or circulars to implement this Act and RA 9520.
The CDA shall also formulate, adopt, and implement integrated and comprehensive plans and programs on cooperative development consistent with the national policy on cooperatives and establish an integrated framework on cooperative development for all government agencies.
In addition, it will develop and conduct management and training programs that will provide members with the entrepreneurial capabilities, managerial expertise, and technical skills required for efficient operation of their cooperatives.
The CDA shall have a Board of Directors to serve as its collegial policy-making body. The Board shall be responsible for policy formulation, strategic planning, and direction setting of the agency.
The Board shall be composed of the chairman, with the rank and privilege of an undersecretary, and six members with the rank and privilege of an assistant secretary. The chairman and members shall all be appointed by the President of the Philippines and chosen among nominees from the cooperative sector. There shall be one board director from each of the cluster of cooperatives: 1) credit and financial services, banking, and insurance; 2) consumers, marketing, producers, and logistics; 3) human services: health, housing, workers, and labor service; 4) education and advocacy; 5) agriculture, agrarian, aquaculture, farmers, dairy, and fisherfolk; and 6) public utilities: electricity, water, communications, and transport.
According to the transitory provisions of the measure, the incumbent chairperson and administrators of CDA shall continue to serve and act as chairperson and members of the Board until the new composition of the Board shall have been constituted.
The CDA shall furnish the Bureau of Internal Revenue, local government units which include provinces, highly urbanized and independent cities, and other concerned agencies a certified list of duly registered cooperatives for purposes of processing tax exemptions. Maricel V. Cruz
Moreover, the CDA shall partner with learning and training institutions and the cooperative sector to formulate the standards of training requirements for cooperative officers and members to ensure compliance thereof.
To this end, the CDA may accredit organizations other than cooperatives but duly registered under Philippine laws and engaged in cooperative promotion, organization, research and education, as non-academic training institutions.
The history, philosophy, concepts, values, principles, and practices of cooperatives and their role in nation-building shall be part of the curriculum in formal and non-formal education.
Notwithstanding existing laws, memorandum orders, and directives, cooperativism as a tool of self-empowerment and nation-building shall be included in the curricula of senior students in all the secondary educational institutions and in the syllabus of any social and civic studies subject in the K-12 level.