The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and De La Salle University (DLSU), through its Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development (LSEED) Center, formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 11, 2026, at Henry Sy Hall, DLSU Manila.
This three-year strategic partnership focuses on promoting social entrepreneurship, cooperative development, and the localization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Under this agreement, both institutions commit to sharing best practices, mobilizing resources, and co-leading initiatives to enhance micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises. Specifically, the CDA will provide cooperative-specific training and handholding services, while DLSU will offer research expertise and SDG orientation.
During the ceremony, which coincided with the DLSU LSEED Center’s 10th anniversary, DLSU President Br. Bernard S. Oca and DLSU LSEED Center Founding Director Dr. Norby R. Salonga emphasized the importance of multilateral efforts in social advancement and poverty reduction.
For his part of supporting the series of partnership, DLSU President Br. Bernard S. Oca, emphasized in his remarks the importance of engaging in multilateral fronts for social advancement. “We believe in the capacity of social enterprises to respond to the evolving development landscape of the country,” adding that “We value our collective effort toward sustainable development. Through this partnership we dedicate ourselves to strengthening the social enterprise sector and localize the UN SDGs by providing technical assistance and capacity-building to key social economy and diversity,” quoted the DLSU President.
The CDA acknowledged the importance of taking initiatives for countrywide assistance as it expressed its gratitude to the Partnership, in pursuit of its mandate of developing cooperatives as instrument of social justice and sustainable development. CDA OIC Administrator Atty Ma. Lourdes P. Pacao said “… we’re not signing just a document but a covenant that bridges the gap with the classroom and the community, aligning academic excellence of a Catholic-educational institution with the grassroots power of cooperative movement in the Philippines,” describing the potential of utilizing scholarly expertise for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country. As she ends the speech, Atty. Pacao highlights the role of the cooperatives in implementing the UN SDGs packaged in a borrowed descriptive manner as “the perfect model to cater to the least, the last, and the lost.”
Also, in attendance from the CDA were Deputy Administrator Ray R. Elevazo and CPDAD Chief Melissa C. Santos.
The signing with the CDA is part of a series of partnership agreements forged by DLSU on the same day with the British Council Philippines and the Global Reporting Initiative.
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