CATARMAN, Northern Samar (PIA) – In its effort to advance a stronger cooperative movement in the province, the Provincial Cooperative and Community Affairs Office (PCCAO) in partnership with the Cooperative Union of Northern Samar (CUNS) conducted a provincial conference on strengthening cooperatives, held at Ibabao Hall, Provincial Capitol, Catarman, Northern Samar recently.
The conference was aimed at bringing in the union and primary cooperatives and other organizations in both government and private sectors supporting cooperatives in order to discuss and address urgent and strategic issues affecting them as a sector, as well as mobilize them and advocate towards a one strong cooperative movement in the area.
In his inspirational message, Governor Edwin Ongchuan stressed the need to strengthen the cooperatives as viable vehicle towards the realization of its vision: "Nortehanon Marig-on, Mainuswagon, Malipayon."
Governor Ongchuan cited PCCAO in its efforts to be an accredited training provider to help micro and small coops comply with the mandatory trainings required by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
The good governor also signed the Executive Order creating Provincial Cooperative Development Council as a platform for cooperation and to convene and come up with proposals to access funding from the Philippine Coconut Authority by virtue of RA 11524, known as the Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act, specifically on the area of farmers organization and development which will be spearheaded by CDA.
As of this writing, out of the 95 registered cooperatives in the province, only 25 are compliant. (MMP/TBC/PIA Northern Samar)