The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) is an essential arm of the government that supports cooperatives. The Constitution mandates the CDA to promote the cooperatives’ viability and growth as instruments for social justice and economic development. It is a fact that the government recognizes the importance of cooperatives as a tool in poverty alleviations and economic development; thus, the government is doing all possible ways to help and reach out to cooperatives.

Last July 2020, the CDA received the DA MC 16-2020, the Guidelines on the Financial Grant Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk Cooperatives / Organization and Community Based Organizations Under the Enhanced “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain”. To help the cooperatives grow, CDA immediately forwarded the guidelines to the cooperatives. In Ilocos Norte, CDA handed and explained the guidelines immediately to the officers and staff of the Bacarra Zanjera Irrigators MPC, who expressed their interest in availing the program. With their willingness to embark on the project, the officers called immediately a meeting and prepared the documents necessary to avail of the program with the assistance of CDA. Chairperson Mency Tolentino requested the endorsement of CDA Region I Director, Dr. Josefina Bitonio. Constant follow-ups were made by the cooperative and the CDA on the status of the application. Last January 15, 2021, at the MMSU Teatro Ilocandia, DA Secretary William DAR awarded the P5M to the Bacarra Zanjera Irrigators MPC. The project of the cooperative is Entitled Establishment of Consolidation and Trading Facility for Agricultural Products. (Rosievic R. Medina, CDS II)