The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), through its Registration Division-Head Office and Regional Extension Offices, has successfully facilitated the transformation of eighty-four (84) Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) into duly registered cooperatives. This milestone was achieved through the CDA–DAR Registration Caravan, a joint initiative with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) that brought government services closer to communities.
The caravan supports the advocacy of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III to empower Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) to become farmer-entrepreneurs through the establishment of agrarian reform cooperatives.
Under this partnership, DAR leads in mobilizing and mentoring ARBOs, guiding them in compliance, documentation, and institutional strengthening, while CDA oversees cooperative registration, formulates policies and guidelines, and provides training and capacity-building programs. To further streamline the process, DAR personnel were also authorized to extend technical assistance in cooperative registration.
The caravan showcased strong collaboration among CDA’s Regional Extension Offices in Region IX, Region VIII, and the Negros Island Region (NIR), with the assistance of Region VI, alongside DAR’s Central and Regional Offices. Preparatory activities, including planning sessions, team mobilization, field visits, and validation, ensured the smooth registration of qualified ARB
- First Wave – Zamboanga City (July 29–30, 2025): Led by CDA Regional Director Ruben Cunanan, the caravan kicked off in Zamboanga City, registering 20 ARBOs, marking the start of CDA’s expanded efforts to empower ARBs through cooperatives.
- Second Wave – Bacolod City (August 28, 2025): Held at Acacia Hotel, Bacolod City, this wave highlighted the collaboration of the newly created NIR under OIC Regional Director Augusto Salvador P. Balles, with support from Region VI Director Antonio Escobar. A total of 31 ARBOs were registered, demonstrating strong inter-regional cooperation in advancing cooperativism.
- Third Wave – Tacloban City (September 4–5, 2025): Hosted at Tropics Hotel under Regional Director Venus Jornales, the Tacloban leg registered 33 ARBOs and also saw the signing of a local Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), ensuring sustained collaboration and support for ARBO development in the region.
CDA Undersecretary Alexander B. Raquepo expressed gratitude for the partnership with DAR, underscoring its impact in strengthening ARBOs as both associations and cooperatives. He emphasized that the sustainability of cooperatives depends on strong governance and capable leadership.
He also highlighted the need for succession planning by engaging the youth, ensuring continuity and growth of the cooperative movement. Among the key success factors he cited were:
- Strengthening governance and leadership
- Fostering member participation and patronage
- Promoting savings and financial discipline
- Involving the younger generation for long-term sustainability
The CDA–DAR Registration Caravan demonstrates the power of government partnership and grassroots empowerment. By transforming ARBOs into cooperatives, beneficiaries are not just recipients of land but are also equipped as empowered stakeholders in nation-building.
With legal identity and access to financial services, training, and market opportunities, these newly registered cooperatives are better positioned to operate as sustainable enterprises.
With 84 ARBOs now officially registered, CDA and DAR have laid the foundation for stronger communities, inclusive development, and a more vibrant cooperative sector nationwide.
