In a significant effort to foster the growth and success of the cooperatives, the Cooperative Development Authority in partnership with the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives (NSCC), conducted a two-day workshop seminar on Business Continuity Planning and Management on June 20-21, 2024 at NSCC Bath and Coffee Shop. It was participated by fifty-nine (59) Board of Directors and Managers from nine (9) cooperatives in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Benguet.
This activity is a proactive response to Republic Act (RA) 11364, section 4 (k), which “require registered cooperatives to develop continuity plans to address all kinds of risks.” The cooperative should have a well-prepared and ready Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place to ensure seamless business operation even in the face of disaster. Additionally, cooperatives should demonstrate resilience in the face of unpredictable weather related to climate change.
The objective of this training is to ensure that participants understand and appreciate the basic concepts of the Business Continuity Plan. They should be able to identify any risks and vulnerabilities that their cooperatives may face in their operations, and ultimately, create at least one BCP for their cooperative.
On the first day of the activity, the topic covered the online course review, the legal basis, the definition of the Business Continuity Plan, the distinction between Hazard, Risk, and Disaster, what a profile hazard looks like, why cooperatives are at risk, the Philippine profile risk, the facts and figures, and the key purposes of the BCP. Furthermore, the BCP toolkit was described, and sample forms were provided. The workshop commenced in the afternoon.
On the second day, the workshop continued, and the participants presented their final outputs. The CDA Developmental Team made feedback and recommendations that will enhance their work, which will be presented when they return to their cooperative.
The resource speakers included Mr. Florentino Lorenzana and Ms. Renee Faye Cariño, the area supervisor of Ilocos Sur. Throughout the program, participants witnessed the convergence of specialists. With their extensive experience in the cooperative, the speakers were able to give practical ideas that resonated with the attendees, providing them with the skills they needed to create their Business Continuity Plan in accordance with the required template.
The NSCC Training Division led by Ms. Michelle Pagud served as the facilitator for the two-day training conducted. (Joy P. Basingel, CDS II)
