The cooperative leaders of Davao Region once again converged for an online public orientation and consultation through Zoom meeting for the Finance Cluster Forum last August 19, 2020. It was attended by almost 200 leaders all over the region.

The program started with the preliminaries and CDA Davao Regional Director Elma R. Oguis gave her welcome address and presented the State of Cooperative Movement in RXI. The next presenter was Atty. Gloria Futalan, Chairperson of Philippine Federation of Credit Cooperatives (PFCCO), Visayas league, who shared the beginnings and history of the PFCCO and its programs and services for cooperatives.

She imparted that a cooperative that is an affiliate of the PFCCO will have the opportunity to use the following services: financial facilities, software and payment platform KAYA, social and environmental advocacy, management advisory services, special programs include cooperative micro finance risk based supervision, access branding which is similar to accreditation.

The resource person was none other than Assistant Secretary Vidal Villanueva III, member of CDA Board of Directors, who is in-charge of the Finance Cluster. He presented RA 1136, an Act Reorganizing or Strengthening the Cooperative Development Authority, with emphasis on Finance Cluster which is composed of the Cooperative Banks, Insurance Cooperatives, Credit and Multipurpose Coops with lending operations and the Credit Surety Fund Cooperatives. The purpose of the forum was to consult cooperatives in the region relative to the establishment of the APEX Financial Cluster, which will serve as a consultative body among the cooperatives engaged in credit, lending and other financial services.

The moderator of the forum was Ms. Maria Theresa B. Dave, who recognized the name of the coop participants and read the questions and comments. During the open forum, ASec Vidal and Atty. Futalan were joined by Atty. Grace Mangubang, Legal Officer of CDA-Central Office, RD Elma R. Oguis and Supervising CDS Antonio C. Escobar. Most of the questions raised by the coop leaders were about the utilization of the Cooperative Education and Training Fund (CETF) of their cooperative. It was agreed to establish a regional APEX Financial Cluster as a consultative body that will resolve issues such as this.

The forum’s fruitful discussion has effectively addressed some issues and some are noted to be addressed by the CDA Board of Directors.  SCDS Antonio C. Escobar delivered the closing remarks and thanked the coop leaders who actively participated in the forum. A succeeding forum may be conducted especially in the organization of the regional Apex Financial Cluster.