This 2025, the CDA-R3’s Credit Surety Fund (CSF) Section is intensifying its efforts to promote the CSF Program across more provinces in Region III. One of the provinces being eyed for this expansion is Bulacan, and since the establishment of CSF Cooperatives is focused on two different levels (city and provincial), the CSF Team tapped Baliwag City to be one of the cities that will soon have a CSF Coop.
As such, Ms. Jeline D. Reyes (Chief) and Ms. Dianne Marie B. Balleza from CDA-R3’s CSF Section, together with Regional Director Marieta P. Hwang and Bulacan Field CDS Angelica M. Herico attended the Cooperative Forum organized by the City of Baliwag Cooperative Development Council (CBCDC) on the 31st of March 2025 at the Baliwag City Session Hall.
Aside from the abovementioned delegates from the CDA-R3, the forum was also attended by representatives from the 1 Cooperative Insurance System of the Philippines Life and General Insurance (1CISP), the City Cooperative Development Office (CCDO), and member cooperatives of the CBCDC, to wit:
– Agustinian Cavaliers Multipurpose Cooperative
– Baliuag Federation of Multipurpose Cooperatives
– Baliuag Star Multipurpose Cooperative
– Baliwag City Employees Multipurpose Cooperative (BCEMPCO)
– Bulacan Northeast Traders Multipurpose Cooperative
– Bulacan Seed Growers Multipurpose Cooperative
– Catholic Servants of Christ Community Multipurpose Cooperative (CASECHCOM MPC)
– Dalubhasaan Kong Mahal Credit Cooperative
– DRI-CON Multipurpose Cooperative
– Greater Bulacan Livelihood Development Cooperative (GBLDC)
– Rabbit Raisers and Meat Producers Cooperative (RRMPC)
– United Networkers Alliance Marketing Cooperative; and
– UV Express Transport Service Cooperative
Also present were newly registering cooperatives as well as individuals, including the youth, who were interested in the sector and its governing agency.
After the preliminaries facilitated by officers of the CBCDC and the federation, Mr. Alfredo S. Martin, CCDO of Baliwag introduced RD Hwang as the honorary speaker of the day.
RD Hwang provided the room with an update on CDA’s core functions and upcoming programs. She assured everyone that the agency is always ready to offer cooperatives the support and guidance necessary for their growth and the improvement of the lives of their members. She also mentioned that other CDA staff were present that day to discuss one of the agency’s flagship programs—the CSF Program.
Later, Ms. Reyes explained to the room that a CSF Coop is a special type of cooperate which allows its members (including individual members of cooperatives who are members of the CSF Coop) an opportunity to secure loans without collateral through a partnership between the local government unit (LGU), a government financial institution (GFI), the cooperatives, and other agencies/organizations in the area.
This discussion was further elaborated during the forum proper where the attendees’ questions were cordially answered by RD Hwang, Ms. Reyes, and Ms. Nerissa B. Villanueva, Regional Area Manager of 1CISP.
The open forum proved productive, with cooperatives in the City of Baliwag actively engaged in the discussion. Among those raised regarding CSF were the minimum requirements for membership, the extent of loan amount allowed, the role of the CSF Coop as a guarantor and the concept of surety cover, the involvement of the LGU, the reduced loan interest for borrowers under the CSF program, the official documents to be produced, the provision of handholding/assistance of the CSF Team, the leadership structure of a CSF Coop, its allowed affiliations within the sector, and other concerns.
All questions raised were appropriately addressed by Ms. Reyes and RD Hwang, with support by the officers of the CBCDC. Ms. Nida Romulo, Chairperson of the CBCDC highlighted the significant opportunity of establishing a CSF coop in the city and encouraged all cooperatives present to take part in the initiative.
The room’s enthusiasm for the CSF Program was palpable, so much so that by the end of the forum, a schedule for an official CSF Roadshow in Baliwag was set. RD Hwang and her team are scheduled to return on May 16, 2025 to provide a comprehensive discussion on the CSF program, with the hope that the first CSF Coop in the province of Bulacan will be officially registered.
Prepared by: Dianne Marie Balleza
