The document outlines the Medium Term Development Plan for Philippine cooperatives from 2011-2016. It establishes 6 policy directions to strengthen cooperatives over this period: 1) Strengthen the Cooperative Development Authority; 2) Provide an enabling environment for cooperatives; 3) Ensure local and global competitiveness; 4) Promote cooperativism as a vehicle for social transformation; 5) Massively expand cooperative membership; and 6) Develop cooperative human resources. The plan aims to develop a strong, sustainable, and empowered cooperative sector in the Philippines.

1. PHILIPPINE COOPERATIVE
MEDIUM TERM
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
2011
2016

2. 8. Encourage the creation of a cooperative office at various Local Government Unit
(LGU) levels
Strategies
a. Intensify advocacy for the creation of a position of Cooperative Development
Officer at the LGUs
Policy Direction No. 4
PROMOTING COOPERATIVISM AS THE VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION FOR
PEOPLE, PLANET, PROSPERITY AND PEACE
Expected Outcome
Strategic and synergistic alliances between and among stakeholders in cooperative
development.
Policy Direction No. 5
MASSIVE EXPANSION OF COOPERATIVE MEMBERSHIP
Programs/Activities/Projects
1. Conversion of ECs into genuine cooperatives
2. CDA-Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) convergence
3. CDA-Department of Agriculture (DA) convergence
4. CDA-Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) convergence
5. CDA-LGU convergence
6. Intensification of issues and policy advocacy
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3. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
The Medium-term Philippine Development Plan for 2010-2016 is the Aquino
Administration’s development framework for translating the President’s development
Agenda , as contained in his “Social Contract with the Filipino People” into strategies,
policies, programs and activities for the period 2010-2016. The Social Contract envisions “a
country with an organized and widely shared rapid expansion of our economy through a
government dedicated to honing and mobilizing our people’s skills and energies as well as
the responsible harnessing of our natural resources”.
The attainment of the vision entails changes among each and every Filipino towards
“doing the right things, giving value to excellence and integrity and rejecting mediocrity
and dishonesty, and giving priority to others over ourselves. All sectors of society are
expected to contribute towards the realization of these development objectives.
The cooperatives sector in the Philippines is one such sector that has, based on past
performance, proven to immensely contribute towards the realization of the national
goalsingeneral. Alongwiththegovernment’seffortsforthenextsixyears,ithasformulated,
through a highly consultative and participative process, the sector’s own complementary
blueprint, thatthey havecalled “The Co-op Sector 10-Year Strategic Direction- An Integrated
and Transformative Cooperative Sector”. It is an attempt “to develop a national co-op
sector strategy for development to enhance and complement individual cooperative
programs and services,and to facilitate cooperation among cooperatives”. These will be
spelled out in the following Philippine Cooperative Medium-Term Plan (PCMTDP) for 2011-
2016 and will be one of the Cooperative Development Authority’s primary reference in
drawing its program thrusts and priorities during the plan period. As clearly put in RA 6939,
“The Authority shall… a) Formulate, adopt and implement integrated and comprehensive
plans and programs on cooperative development consistent with the national policy on
cooperatives and the overall socio-economic development plans of the government;…”
VISION, MISSION, PRINCIPLES
The PMTDP for the period 2011-2016 is anchored on the realization of the collective
vision and mission of the cooperatives sector which is:
“An integrated and transformative cooperative system with a mission to build
integrated businesses imbued with cooperative values for the improvement of the quality
of life”.
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2. Establishment of a Cooperative Financial System
Strategy
a. Enhance credit and financial services for cooperatives
3. Promotion/Enhancement of businesses of cooperatives in identified priority
economic sectors.
Strategies
a. Establish criteria for prioritization
b. Identify and recommend priority areas based on established criteria
4. Building and promotion of cooperatives’ Information, Communication Technology
(ICT) capability
Strategies
a. Formulate ICT standards for adoption by cooperatives
b. Monitor compliance to standards and recommend appropriate actions
5. Expansion of Research and Development and other Extension Services
Strategies
a. Formulate and recommend agenda and standards for research and
development and other extension services
b. Conduct periodic monitoring of the status of research, development and other
extension services
6. Building and Promotion of International Cooperation
Strategies
a. Participate in international activities/events as resources may permit
b. Encourage access of cooperatives to global markets
c. Promote the development of competitive products and new markets.
7. Forging mechanisms for linkage, partnership and collaboration
Strategies
a. Intensify monitoring of integrated support on cooperative development
programs and projects for stakeholders
b. Harmonize cooperative plans and programs at all levels
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4. Cascading from this sectoral vision and mission is the cooperative sector’s specific
goals:
* Safe and sound financial cooperative sector that provides efficient, accessible,
and competitive financial and related services.
* Efficient and effective cooperative procurement, distribution and marketing
channel for co-op products and services.
* Increased number of cooperatives owning and operating environment-friendly,
safe, efficient, and sustainable organizations that provide basic services to
members.
* Responsive and self-regulating national integrated cooperative advocacy,
education and information system.
* Aligned cooperative businesses.
The realization of the collective vision and mission statements will contribute towards
the overall realization of the societal goal of poverty reduction and improvement of the
quality of life of its members. Therefore, the operations and governance in the cooperative
sector as well as the relationships between and among the actors, shall be guided by the
following principles: a) subsidiarity, b) autonomy and independence, c) partnership and
complementation, d) empowerment, e) transparency, and f) accountability.
Theprincipleofsubsidiarity enshrinedintheCooperativeCodemeansthatthereshould
be no government intervention as much as possible and government intervenes only when
necessary. This principle may also refer to the extent where government utilizes various
levels to manage development initiatives in the cooperative sector. This may be taken to
mean that the government may veer away from activities best handled by primary
cooperatives, federations and unions. This may also mean that the Local Government
Units (LGUs) are to be involved as partners in cooperative development in these areas,
consistent with the requisites of local autonomy.
The principle of autonomy and independence defines cooperatives as autonomous,
self-help organizations. Along with the principle of partnership and complementation, it
also guides cooperatives in their pursuit of growth and development through critical
collaboration or strategic alliances with external organizations –including government,
non-government organizations (NGOs) and the business sector.
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6. Development and implementation a social marketing program/collaborative
communication advocacy program among stakeholders
Strategy
a. Involvestakeholdersinthedevelopmentandimplementationofanappropriate
Communication Advocacy and Social Marketing program.
7. Strengthening of linkage with international partners
Policy Direction No. 3
ENSURING LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF COOPERATIVES
Expected Outcome
Viable,competitiveandsustainablecooperativesasengineofgrowthanddevelopment
Policy Requirements
1. Ensuring access of cooperatives to global markets and market information.
2. Providing viable linkages and networks to support global competitiveness.
3. Establishment of an appropriate quality system for global competitiveness.
4. Promotingthedevelopmentandsustainabilityofcompetitiveproductsandservices
of cooperatives and new markets.
5. Creating and sustaining the appropriate environment for partnership among
cooperatives, both local and international, local government units, national line
agencies, NGOs, POs, and the private sector.
Programs/Activities/Projects
1. Establishment of a Cooperative Market and Integrated Marketing and Information
System
Strategies
a. Develop productivity for self-reliance
b. Adopt Filipino first policy by patronizing Philippine products
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5. Theprincipleofempowermentrecognizestheprimaryresponsibilityofcitizensincluding
members of the cooperative sector to chart their own development and destiny with the
government providing measures to facilitate or enable the same. This principle espouses
that the most vulnerable sectors of society shall be economically empowered by expanding
their capabilities and opportunities to generate sustainable sources of income, by
propagating awareness for possible collective action, and by increasing their participation
in decision- making.
The principle of transparency highlights one of the backbones of democratic societies
like cooperatives. It means that decision-making shall be subject to full disclosure at every
stage in order to foster confidence in the integrity and honesty of the leadership.
Lastly, the principle of accountability refers to the responsible use of power by the
leadership and by the institutions to advance general welfare. It requires that those who
hold positions of public trust should account for their performance to the public. Effective
accountability requires appropriate external feedback and should be linked to appropriate
incentive and penalty system.
In light of the above-cited cooperative sectoral vision and mission statements and
principles, and the Cooperative Development Authority’s mandate of “promoting the
viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice and economic
development”, the CDA, in partnership with other stakeholders shall work hand in hand
with the cooperatives in pursuing the following broad policy directions to support the ten-
year Co-operative Strategic Direction that received an overwhelming affirmation during
the10th
NationalCooperativeSummitheldonOctober10-12,2010attheAranetaColiseum,
Cubao, Quezon City.
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Policy Direction No. 2
PROVIDING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STRENGTHENING AND
DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATIVES
Expected Outcome
Strong , sustainable and empowered cooperatives
Policy Requirements
1. Redefining Roles. The primary role of government shall be regulatory. In line with
the principle of subsidiarity, CDA will support the developmental role of the
cooperatives.
2. Encouraging stakeholder participation in cooperative development to allow
complementationofefforts,maximizeuseoflimitedresourcesandachievegreater
strategic impact from collaboration.
3. Internalizing the principles of good governance in the cooperative sector.
4. Providing the appropriate communication and advocacy support for partnership.
Programs/Activities/Projects
1. Strengthening of advocacy for cooperatives
Strategies
a. Work for appropriate amendments to the CDA Charter
b. Develop and implement an appropriate Information, Education, and
Communication (IEC)/Advocacy Program
2. Promotion of merger and consolidation of cooperatives
Strategies
a. Develop a framework for merger and consolidation of cooperatives
b. Develop an incentives program for merger and consolidation of cooperatives
3. Strengthening of CDA supervision, monitoring and evaluation functions.
4. Strengthening of federations, unions and partner institutions.
5. Accreditation of federations/unions in the implementation of supervision,
monitoring and evaluation functions.
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6. Policy Direction No. 1
STRENGTHENING AND ENHANCING DELIVERY MECHANISMS OF THE COOPERATIVE
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Expected Outcome
Efficient,EffectiveandResponsiveGovernmentRegulatory andDevelopmentalAgency
for Cooperatives
Policy Requirements
1. Providing opportunities and incentives for CDA to build its collective institutional
capacities such as HRD, logistical support, additional personnel and budgetary
allocation.
2. Providing organizational development interventions to fine-tune the
organizational structure and processes of the CDA to enable it to become a
responsive lead Agency for the cooperative sector and enhancing its coordinative
functions
3. Passage of amended CDA Charter with full participation of CDA at all levels
4. Integration of CDA in the Regional Development Councils (RDCs) at all levels
Programs/Activities/Projects
1. Institutional strengthening program for the Cooperative Development Authority
Strategies
a. Institutionalize the conduct of a holistic capacity-building program for CDA
personnel.
b. Implement the CDA Rationalization Plan .
c. Implement a CDA rationalized Human Resource Development (HRD) and other
service delivery programs.
d. Intensify enforcement of CSC Rules and Regulations, Anti-Red Tape Act (RA
9485), Ethical Standards and other related laws.
e. Enhance database management systems and Information Communication
Technology (ICT) capability of the CDA.
f. Pursue implementation of Quality Managements system (QMS) for ISO
certification for the CDA.
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2. Installation of mechanisms to improve the regulatory & developmental service
delivery of the CDA
Strategy
a. Prescribing workable standards and improvements in different categories,
(e.g. cooperative education, training, auditing, training, research,
management systems etc.) to make cooperatives stronger and more
accountable.
3. IntensificationoftheimplementationoftheprovisionsofRA9520,itsImplementing
Rules and Regulations and other Issuances concerning cooperatives.
Strategies
a. Monitor compliance to the law.
b. Strict enforcement of penalties/sanctions.
4. Policy Review and Enhancement
Strategies
a. Revise existing guidelines to conform to the provisions of RA 9520.
b. Develop appropriate monitoring tools.
c. Develop appropriate performance standards.
d. Recommend new policies as necessary.
5. Strengthening of CDA Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation Functions
Strategy
a. Develop and implement appropriate mechanisms for supervision, monitoring
and evaluation
6. Awards/Recognition & Incentives Program for Cooperatives
Strategy
a. DevelopandimplementanAwardsandRecognitionProgramforcooperatives.
7. Formulation of Standards for Cooperatives
Strategies
a. Develop, implement and monitor compliance to set standards
b. Recommend measures to improve institutional capacity of cooperatives
c. Develop and recommend a model Code of Good Governance and Ethical
Standard for Cooperatives
d. Conduct continuing consultation with all stakeholders
e. Accredit training providers, external auditors, mediators/conciliators
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