The Cooperative Development Authority scored a landmark victory with the signing of the Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing Certain and Special Provisions (IRR) of the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, otherwise known as R.A. 9520, on March 18, 2015 by Senator Manuel M. Lapid, Chair, Senate Committee on Cooperatives, and Cong. Cresente C. Paez, Chair, House Committee on Cooperatives, at the Legend Hotel, Manila.
After almost three years of rigorous work on the amendments of the Cooperative Law that started in the last quarter of 2012 marked by numerous consultations with the cooperative sector, different government agencies, the Congress and Senate, the law is finally approved and set for implementation fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Among the highlights of the amendments of the proposed IRR are as follows:
- Inclusion of new terms defined including the re-definition and enhancement of terms as used in the IRR;
- Re-structuring the relationship between the subsidiary cooperative and its parent cooperative;
- Restrictive approach to the registration of Multipurpose cooperative;
- Re-engineering the concept of laboratory cooperative and its relationship with its guardian cooperative;
- Re-packaging the training requirements for officers of the cooperative as defined in RA 9520;
- Simplifying the reportorial requirements for cooperatives and rationalizing the reports submitted to CDA;
- Re-polishing the guidelines on Voluntary Arbitration;
- Simplifying and clarifying the roles of partner agencies in the registration and regulation of cooperatives i.e. electric cooperatives, insurance cooperatives, transport service cooperatives;
The historical signing was witnessed by the CDA Board of Administrators headed by then OIC-Administrator Eulogio T. Castillo, Adm. Nelon B. Alindogan, Adm. Pendatun B. Disimban, Adm. Mercedes D. Castillo, Executive Director Ray R. Elevazo, Deputy Executive Director Giovanni T. Platero and the CDA’s Technical Working Group headed by Legal and Registration Department Officer in Charge Director Atty. Elizabeth O. Batonan and respective Committee Secretaries of Congress and Senate.
