Pursuant to Executive Order No. 91, issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on 30 July 2025, declaring the Province of Sulu as part of Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), and the Supreme Court’s ruling in G.R. No. 242255, G.R. No. 243246, and G.R. No. 243693, which affirmed the final exclusion of the Province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) hereby issues this Advisory to inform all concerned stakeholders of the Authority’s assumption of jurisdiction over cooperatives operating in the Province of Sulu.
This assumption of jurisdiction shall cover all cooperatives registered with and supervised by the BARMM–Cooperative and Social Enterprise Authority (CSEA) and operating within the Province of Sulu.
The CDA Region IX Extension Office has been directed to handle the transition and assumption of jurisdiction over Sulu cooperatives. This includes the receipt and validation of records from BARMM–CSEA, and facilitation of the issuance of Certificates of Confirmation of Registration (COCR) and Certificates of Compliance (COC) in accordance with existing CDA regulations.
- Based on the masterlist provided by BARMM-CSEA, the CDA Region IX Extension Office will evaluate each cooperative’s status to verify its compliance and determine eligibility for the issuance of the Certificate of Confirmation of Registration (COCR). Cooperatives that meet the necessary criteria will be granted a COCR, officially recognizing their legal standing under CDA jurisdiction.
- Accordingly, all cooperatives that are issued COCR shall be issued Certificate of Compliance (COC) which will serve as proof of compliance with CDA regulatory requirements and is essential for obtaining or renewing the Certificate of Tax Exemption (CTE) with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
- Non-compliant cooperatives and/or those that were not issued Certificate of Confirmation of Registration (COCR) and Certificate of Compliance (COC), shall be notified to attend handholding and technical assistance sessions in the Province of Sulu to facilitate compliance.
Consequently, those that will not be issued COCR and COC will not be recognized as registered cooperatives under Republic Act No. 9520. As a result, they will no longer be legally allowed to operate and transact as cooperatives, cannot use the word “cooperative” in their name, and are not entitled to the legal rights, privileges, and tax exemptions provided under RA 9520 and related laws.
This Advisory shall take effect immediately upon issuance and shall remain in force until the full completion of the transition process.
For inquiries and assistance, cooperatives and stakeholders may contact: CDA Region IX Extension Office through the following:
Email : [email protected]
Telephone : (062) 9250181
Mobile : 09109198244
Address : 2F Bance Bldg., Urro St. San Jose District, Pagadian City.
Issued this 21st day of November, 2025 at Quezon City.
By Authority of the Board:
(sgd)USEC. ALEXANDER B. RAQUEPO
Chairperson
Cooperative Development Authority
