On November 7, 2024, the Cooperative Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region Extension Office (CDA-CAR EO), under the leadership of OIC-Regional Director Felicidad R. Cenon, PhD, was found to be compliant to the standards of the ISO 9001:2015. This was the result of an ISO external audit facilitated by two representatives from TÜV Rheinland Philippines, namely: Mr. Hilario Capili (onsite auditor) and Ms. Rhene Rose Zara (virtual auditor).
Both auditors delved into the procedures done by every section, their key performance indicators, and their respective risk assessments. To facilitate the external audit, CDA-CAR EO’s personnel presented various documents, including coded forms, as proof of compliance to relevant Office Orders and Quality Management Systems.
The said audit studied 11 processes under the umbrella of CDA-CAR EO’s operations, to wit:
- Management
- Internal Quality Audit (including Document Control)
- Human Resource
- Cooperative Research Information and Training Section
- Cooperative Project Development and Assistance Section
- Information and Communications Technology
- Supervision and Examination Section
- General Administration and Support Service
- Legal Section
- Procurement
- Cooperative Registration Process
The ISO external audit serves as a basis for ISO Certification following the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems requirements. Simply put, the activity is designed to examine if CDA-CAR EO’s processes are within accepted parameters and meet customer expectations.
As compared to previous external audits, this year’s edition highlights additions in the ISO standards, primarily the inclusion of climate change considerations in the management system of organizations. This stems from the idea that organizations/agencies need to adopt processes and implement systematic changes in response to the growing threat of climate change.
In compliance to the new ISO requirement, not only has the Authority implemented climate change-responsive systems, but it has also cascaded these practices to its registered cooperatives through the conduct of Business Continuity Trainings. These trainings empower cooperatives to prepare and act before, during, and after natural disasters.
The Authority’s commitment to disaster response and climate change initiatives and the positive conclusion of the CDA-CAR EO’s ISO external audit are a testament to the quality of service the agency provides to its clientele geared towards excellence. – MEEM
