CDA TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR COOP OFFICERS

By: ISAGANI MICABALO

Republic Act no. 9520 -An Act Amending of the Cooperative Code of the Philippines to be known as the Philippine Code of 2008. This Act is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2264 and House Bill No. 4312 passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on December 16, 2008 and was approved on February 17, 2009 by her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Article 44 of Republic Act No. 9520 and Rule 7, Section 5 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), which provides that officers of the cooperative shall be required to undergo necessary training conducted by duly accredited training provider by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). The following listed below in this section provides specific subjects to be taken by the officers of cooperative: A. Board of Directors 1) Basic Cooperative Course primarily on: a. Articles of Cooperative and By-laws; b. Cooperative Vision; c. Cooperative Mission; d. Cooperative Strategic Plan; e. Fundamentals of Cooperative; f. Policies and Programs of Cooperatives; g. Cooperative Code of 2008 (RA 9520); h. Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9520; 2) Cooperative Management and Governance, 3)Policy Development, 4) Financial Management, 5) Conflict Management; 6) Parliamentary Procedure, 7) Leadership and Values Re-orientation, 8) Strategic Planning, and 9) Orientation on Labor and Other Related Laws; B. Secretary: 1. Basic Cooperative Course 2. Records Management for Non Financial Transaction 3. Parliamentary Procedure 4. Basic Computer Program; C. Treasurer :1. Basic Cooperative Course, 2. Records Management (Financial Transaction) 3. Basic Accounting for Non-Accountants, 4. Cooperative Standards 5. Investment and Banking Procedures 6. Financial Management; D. Audit Committee 1. Basic Cooperative Course, 2. Audit Management, 3. Records Management, 4. Basic Accounting for Non-Accountant, 5. Cooperative Standards, 6. Internal Control including Inventory System, 7. Basic Computer Program; E. Election Committee: 1. Basic Cooperative Course, 2. Records Management, 3. Rules Formulation, 4. Leadership and Value Reorientation, 5. Basic Computer Program; F. Ethics Committee, 1. Basic Cooperative Course, 2. Leadership and Values Re-orientation, 3. Conflict Management, 4. Records Management, 5. Basic Computer Program; G. Mediation/Conciliation Committee: 1. Basic Cooperative Course, 2. Leadership and Values Re-orientation, 3. Conflict Management, 4. Records Management, 5. Effective Communication, 6. Basic Computer Program H. General Manager / Chief Executive Officer: 1. Basic Cooperative Course 2. Cooperative Management and Governance 3. Cooperative Standards 4. Human Resource Management 5. Effective Communication Skills 6. Entrepreneurial and Business Management Course 7. Labor and other related Laws 8. Leadership and Values Re-orientation 9. Computer Literacy Course 10. Strategic Planning and Management. Section 7. Duration of Trainings Attended. All trainings attended by cooperative officers shall be considered valid compliance with the intent of this Rule for a period of five (5) years from date of issuance of the Certificate of Training. After which, they shall be required to undergo re-training of the same. CDA Memorandum Circular 2011-14, reiterated and enumerated 14 subjects and syllabi to be taken by cooperative officers while CDA Memorandum Circular 2011-27 and CDA Memorandum Circular 2012-07 clearly specified the subjects to be taken by each individual cooperative officer whether elected or appointed in conformity with above-mentioned section 5, section 6, and section 7. The above-mentioned MC Circulars further provided for the implementation of the Training Requirements for Cooperative Officers to be complied for two years starting fiscal year 2012-2013 and will be due in 2013-2014 for the officers elected last fiscal year 2012-2013 per provision under Section 8 of Rule 7, All cooperatives are hereby given two (2) years from affectivity of this Rule to comply with the Training Requirements as provided above. The training requirements does not apply to all incoming officers of the cooperative, however, if new officers are elected or appointed in a given year, then they are required to comply for two years upon assuming their office.

On the other hand, CDA Memorandum Circular 2013-02 dated February 7, 2013 give ultimatum to cooperative officers and cooperative concerned that non-compliance therein shall be a valid ground for officership disqualification. Thus, Chairman of the board or manager of the cooperative is required to sign a Certificate of Undertaking specifying to comply with the trainings until December 31, 2013. The specific provisions of the CDA Memorandum read as follows, Accordingly, CDA under section 5, Rule 7 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9520 enumerates the initial courses to be undertaken by each elective officer and appointive officer of the cooperative. Likewise, Section 6 of Rule 7 of the aforesaid Implementing Rules of RA 9520 provides th at The training is required for all cooperative officers. In cases where the incumbent has not undergone the required training program, he/she shall undergo such training within twelve (12) months from the affectivity of this Rule. Non-compliance with the required trainings shall be considered grounds for disqualification for future election or appointment until such time that he/she has complied with all the trainings required for the position. In this circular guidelines, CDA ensure strict compliance and adopts the following three supplemental rules as follows: 1) Cooperative shall include in their election guidelines a policy requiring all officers to comply with the mandatory training requirements and the person responsible to ensure compliance thereof, which shall be the Election Committee, in the case of elective officers, and in the case of appointive officers, the Board of Directors. The guidelines shall also provide for disqualification in-case of non-compliance. 2) Upon finding of the CDA that an officer/s of a cooperative has not complied with the required training/s, the Authority shall notify in writing the cooperative of such fact and direct the cooperative to ensure the officers compliance of the training requirements their remaining term. 3) CDA provide sanctions for non-compliance or failure to comply with the mandatory training: 3.1) Failure of the concerned cooperative officer to comply with the training requirement during his/her term shall be a ground for his/her disqualification as officer of the cooperative in any position until he/she has complied with the required trainings for that position. 3.2) Willful failure of the concerned cooperative with the training requirements for its officers, despite notice shall be a ground for the nonissuance of the Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) to the cooperative for the next immediate year. The non-issuance of CGS means the cooperative will not be granted with tax exemption with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) of the same year.