Atty. Frederick Joe N. Robles, Regional Director of Cooperative Development Authority-Region I together with Sr. CDS Ms. Jacqueline De Leon, and CDS II Ms. Joy P. Basingel paid a courtesy call to Hon. Pablito Benjamin Maggay II, Mayor of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur at the Municipal Mayor’s Office last April 14, 2023. The objective of the meeting was to foster an amicable partnership between the Cervantes LGU and CDA. Similarly, it was intended to draw attention to numerous CDA initiatives and projects, as well as express gratitude for the additional support provided by the LGU to the cooperatives. Mayor Maggay, for his part, assured the Cooperative Development Authority- Region I and all stakeholders in the cooperative movement in the municipality of his continuous support.

RD Robles encouraged the Honorable Mayor to include a line item for the Municipal Cooperative Development Officer (MCDO) and stressed to him the importance of the MCDO’s position as an intermediary between the CDA and the LGU.

Following the courtesy call, the CDA R1 Team headed to the venue for a meet and greet with three cooperatives, namely the Cervantes Municipal Employees MPC, the Cervantes Christian Credit Cooperative, and the Zigzag ARC, before traveling to Comillas North, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur to visit the Pamabis Farmers ARC. During the meeting with the aforementioned cooperatives, various challenges and concerns have been raised that have a significant impact on them, particularly in their operations. The CDA R1 Team examined the cooperatives’ difficulties and presented them to CDA initiatives relevant to their cooperatives, such as the Koop Kapatid Program, as well as connecting them to other government agencies with cooperative development programs. (by: Joy P. Basingel, Florentino B. Lorenzana and Raymund N. Pilorin)