Affirming its belief that cooperatives are vital instruments for economic, social, and cultural transformation, the Cooperative Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region Extension Office (CDA-CAR EO), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office Cordillera (DA-RFO CAR), successfully conducted a Training of Trainers (TOT) on Financial Literacy and Policy Formulation on August 18–19, 2025 in Baguio City.
This initiative is part of a continuing series of capacity-building efforts under the Training and Education for Advancing Cooperative Health in Agriculture Cooperatives (TEACH-AC) Program. The TEACH-AC program aims to empower agriculture cooperatives with the knowledge and tools necessary to manage their financial resources effectively and craft sound, sustainable internal policies.
The training brought together 37 participants, composed of:
- 22 representatives from 11 agriculture cooperatives
- 10 personnel from CDA-CAR
- 3 representatives from DA-RFO CAR
- 2 officials from the Cooperative Development Offices of Baguio City and Sablan, Benguet
The TOT on Financial Literacy was facilitated by Assistant Secretary Luz H. Yrinco, Board Member III of the Cooperative Development Authority, who shared expert knowledge on cooperative finance, budgeting, and the importance of sound financial practices in cooperative operations.
Meanwhile, the session on Policy Formulation was led by Mr. Ernan L. Palabyab, Executive Assistant I from the Office of ASec. Yrinco, who guided participants through the process of creating well-defined policies that support governance, compliance, and operational efficiency within cooperatives.
Serving as the training secretariat were:
- Mr. Julio B. Decaleng, Senior CDS, CRITS
- Ms. Marisol V. Sofranes, CDS II, CRITS
This Training of Trainers marks a significant step in strengthening the knowledge base and leadership capacity within Cordillera’s cooperative sector, enabling participants to cascade their learnings to fellow cooperative members and expand the reach of financial literacy and policy education in their respective communities.
