June 15, 2026 – San Fernando City, La Union – The Office of the Provincial Governor–Provincial Cooperative Development Office, under the leadership of Acting Assistant Department Head Ms. Gemma Macusi, spearheaded a Consultative Meeting with Transport Cooperatives in La Union to strengthen collaboration and address pressing challenges in the transport sector.

The event was graced by Mr. Denver Badua, representing Hon. Gov. Mario Eduardo C. Ortega, who stayed until the conclusion of the program. He reaffirmed the Provincial Government of La Union commitment to support all cooperatives, with special emphasis on the transport cooperative group.

Highlights of the Program

• CDA Regional Office Message Representing the CDA Regional Director Atty. Frederick Joe N. Robles, Ms. Constancia A. De Guzman delivered an inspirational message, encouraging transport cooperatives to fully embrace cooperative operations and gradually transition away from the association model they had long practiced.
• LTFRB Programs – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), through Atty. Mark Anthony G. Espenilla, presented programs such as fuel subsidy, consolidation, and routing, all designed to support the government’s modernization efforts.
• LTO Updates  – Mr. Ariel Paolo A. Tejada, Transportation Regulation Officer I of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), discussed Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01, which covers traffic and administrative rules, violations, fines, penalties, and the demerit point system.
• CDA Guidelines –  Engr. Marwin C. Peralta of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) explained the Memorandum Circular on Registration of Union and Federation, clarifying compliance requirements for cooperatives.

Open Forum

An open forum provided participants the opportunity to voice concerns, share experiences, and seek clarifications from the resource speakers. This interactive exchange emphasized the importance of dialogue in strengthening cooperative governance and operations.

Challenges in Modernization

The meeting concluded with the identification of three major challenges that hinder transport cooperatives from fully complying with the government’s modernization program:

1. High interest rates imposed by financing institutions, making modernization financially difficult.
2. Unavailability of finalized route plans, with adoption still ongoing in the provinces.
3. Management and operational issues, requiring stronger leadership and organizational capacity.

This consultative meeting highlighted the collective effort of government agencies and cooperative leaders to empower transport cooperatives in La Union. With sustained support from the Provincial Government, CDA, LTFRB, and LTO, transport cooperatives are expected to gradually overcome these challenges and contribute to inclusive and sustainable mobility in the province.

By: Connie A. De Guzman/ Engr. Marwin C. Peralta