The CDA Law Awareness Program (CLAP) is initiated by the Legal Affairs Service pursuant to Sections 4(gg) and 19 of Republic Act 11364, or the “Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019”. CLAP is an innovative program to advocate cooperative laws and principles to law schools, law students, and most especially to Law Student Practitioners (LSPs) through the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) with the end goal of orienting the participants with CDA laws and hopefully get them to serve the cooperative sector in return. Further, the Orientation seeks to deepen the participants’ understanding of cooperative laws, promote cooperativism and social justice, and instill values of legal professional responsibility among LSPs. In order to strengthen the implementation of the Program, the CDA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with various law schools.
In light of the fulfillment of the MOA and of CDA’s commitment to legal excellence and literacy, on June 11, 2024, another CLAP orientation was conducted by the Legal Affairs Service (LAS). The Orientation was attended by law students/law student practitioners from Laguna Polytechnic State University, Leyte Colleges, Dr. V Oreste Romualdez Educational Foundation, and Don Honorio Ventura State University.
The orientation was graced by four distinguished speakers who shared their knowledge of Republic Act No. 9520, Republic Act No. 11364, and the CDA Omnibus Rules of Procedures.
In the morning, Atty. August Owen P. Magdato presented the primer for Republic Act 9520 which is the backbone of Cooperative rights and Republic Act 11364 which is the very basis for CDA’s existence. In the afternoon, Atty. James B. Fernandez discussed Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms under CDA Omnibus Rules of Procedure namely the Dialogue, Arbitration and Conciliation-Mediation. Afterward, Atty. Theresa Marie I. Montales-Dolom discussed the investigation and Dissolution, Liquidation, Cancellation and Delisting of cooperatives. Finally, Atty. Somiranao M. Dimnatang, Jr. discussed the Rules on CDA Adjudication and Election Protest.
The atmosphere was charged with intellectual curiosity as participants eagerly absorbed the insights shared by the speakers, recognizing the crucial role these laws play in shaping the cooperative landscape in the Philippines. This event marked a significant milestone in enhancing legal literacy and excellence, highlighting the crucial role of informed future legal professionals in advocating for cooperative law principles and advancing a more equitable future.
CDA’s CLAP is open to all law schools in the Philippines. Those who are interested to join the program may contact the CDA Legal Affairs Service for more information. They may reach the Office through telephone at (02) 8725-8536 or through email at [email protected].
