On May 08, 2024, the newly appointed CDA Administrator, Engr. Santiago S. Lim paid his first official visit to the CDA Region 10 Extension Office. Assistant Secretary Lim was pleased as he was welcomed by the CDA Region 10 Extension Office workforce, as introduced by the Regional Director, Aminoden A. Elias. Following this, Ms. Marissa B. Catubig, the supervising CDS presented the profile of cooperatives in Region 10.

Among the attendees were the RCO President of Finance Cluster, Mr. Dave J. Pajaron Jr., and the RCO President of Agriculture, Engr. Rico Padilla who gave valuable insights into the challenges facing their respective sectors and the value of collaborative efforts in addressing these sector-specific issues.

Assistant Secretary Lim then had the floor and shared his experience in the government as he served at the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) as the Chief Operating Officer (COO). He gave notable remarks on the importance of preparing cooperatives for increased access to financial institutions and the need for sound financial management practices while reiterating the significance of capacitating micro and small cooperatives through enhancement trainings. Also, the esteemed Administrator highlighted the potential benefits of merging and consolidating cooperatives to mobilize resources and enhance sector-wide efficiency.

As the program concluded, the CDA Region 10 Extension Office embraced the aspirations of our new Administrator with the collective commitments of the workforce in advancing the cooperative movement within the region.