PASAY CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) lauded the suggestion of Senator Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the Senate committee on cooperatives, that the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) conduct a mentoring program similar to the DTI initiative where larger cooperatives can coach and assist newly formed and smaller cooperatives to help and strengthen them.

“Cooperatives are one of our many partners in supporting the development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. That’s why we are thankful for the proposal that the CDA should bring our mentoring program to the grassroots level through cooperatives,” Sec. Lopez said.

Sen. Zubiri made this suggestion during a Senate committee hearing last March 2 on the proposals for the implementing rules and regulations of the new Charter of the CDA. The senator likewise committed to provide additional funds for the DTI’s Shared Services Facilities (SSFs) to help fund CDA-endorsed projects for 2021.

The senator also expressed confidence in DTI to assist CDA in its new direction as he said DTI is one of the best performing agencies of the national government.

Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 67 (Series 2018) ordering DTI and CDA to harmonize policies, coordinate programs, and activities, and with the newly implemented Republic Act No. (RA) 11364, or the “Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019,” CDA became an attached agency of the DTI.

“DTI has the same shared goals and objectives as the CDA. Based on the provisions of the law, we envision CDA to be the catalyst to empower and level up the kinds of cooperatives that we have. These cooperatives will then enable our people to take part in our country’s ongoing economic growth,” said Sec. Lopez during the hearing. ♦

Date of Release: 4 March 2020