By MARK FRANCISCO
THE Cooperatives Development Authority (CDA) assured fledgling transport cooperatives in Mindanao of technical and financial assistance.
CDA assistant secretary Myrla Paradillo made the assurance, speaking before represenatives of almost 200 cooperatives from three Mindanao regions – Zamboanga, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.
Upon assuming office, Paradillo has been touring clustered regions nationwide to hear the cooperatives’ concerns in the wake of the ongoing PUV modernization program.
The consultations last February 16 here in Cagayan de Oro City were held at Grand Caprice Convention Center.
During her series of town halls nationwide, Paradillo discovered three general concerns aired by cooperatives – franchising, the delay of LGUs to produce their respective route plans and coops’ ability to avail financing.
Paradillo emphasied however that CDA is only concerned with the registration of cooperatives.
When the PUV modernization program was first implemented in 2017, single ownership of vehicles was banned and operators were ordered to consolidate themselves into corporations or cooperatives.
This is when the CDA steps in.
But Paradillo assured the cooperatives that she will forward their concerns to other government agencies such as the Department of Transportation, LTFRB and even Congress.
Momentarily, CDA has a series of programs to assist struggling cooperatives.
They have a handholding program for training, bookkeeping and audit.
Another option is the merger of small cooperatives.
“Join existing cooperatives so you can avail of our financial assistance,” she said.
CDA also provides developmental assistance, trainings and legal assistance.
There are 94 transport coops here in Region 10, 67 in Zamboanga and 36 in Caraga.
Of these, only 152 are compliant.
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