STARTING THIS YEAR (2012), COOPERATIVE OFFICERS MUST FINISH TRAINING REQUIREMENTS BY 2013, AS LISTED BY CDA, OR ELSE THEY CANNOT RUN IN ELECTIONS

Recognizing the limited resources of many cooperatives and considering the equally few training providers, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)  has a devised a staggered implementation of the required trainings to be attended by the officers of the country's cooperatives.

CDA, in its Memorandum Circular No. 2011-27, dated December 22, 2011 also identified the topics of priority training courses which the cooperative officers must finish in two years' time covering 2012 up to 2013.


Article 44 of RA 9520 and Rule 7, Sec. 5 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations, enumerate the minimum training requirements for officers of the cooperative, as a necessary step towards the professionalization of these officers.


TRAINING COURSES STARTING 2012

Starting this year, the following are the training courses, as prioritized by CDA:


For Board of Directors:


     a).   Basic Cooperative Course; b).  Cooperative Management and Governance; c)  Financial Management;  d)  Policy Development;  e) Leadership and Value Re-Orientation.


     In 2013, the courses are:  a)  Conflict Management; b).  Parliamentary Procedures;  c).  Strategic Planning; d).  Orientation on Labor and Other Related Laws.

For Board Secretary:


     In 2012, the courses are a).  Basic Cooperative Course; b).  Records Management (Non-Financial Transaction);  c). Basic Computer Program.


     In 2013, the Board Secretary must take up Parliamentary Procedures.


For Treasurer:


     In 2012,  Basic Cooperative Course;  b).  Records Management;  and c).  Financial Transactions.  For 2013,  a).  Cooperative Standards; and b).  Investment and Banking Procedures.


For Audit Committee:


     In 2012, a).  Basic Cooperative Course;  b) Basic Accounting for Non-Accountants;  c).  Internal Control including Inventory System; and  d).  Cooperative Standards.


     For 2013, a).  Audit Management;  b).  Records Management; and c).  Basic Computer Program.


For Election Committee:


     In 2012,  a).  Basic Cooperative Course;  b).  Rules Formulation;  and c).  Leadership Values Re-Orientation.


     In 2013, a).  Records Management; and b).  Basic Computer Program.


For Mediation/Conciliation:


     In 2012,  a).  Basic Cooperative Course;  b).  Leadership and Values Re-Orientation; and c).  Conflict Management.


     In 2013,  a).  Records Management;  b).  Effective Management; and Basic Computer Program.


For General Manager/Chief Executive Officer:


     In 2012,  a).  Basic Cooperative Course;  b).  Cooperative Management and Governance;  c)  Cooperative Standards;  d).  Leadership and Value Re-Orientation;  e).  Strategic Planning and Management.


     In 2013,  a).  Human Resource Management;  b).  Effective Communication Skills;  c).  Engtrepreneurship;  d).  Business Management Skills;  e).  Labor and Other Related Laws;  f).  Computer Literacy Course.


     And  for the proper reporting and monitoring of training compliance,  the Cooperative Development Authority also issued Memorandum Circular No. 2011-26:  "Guidelines on the Submission of Cooperative's List of Officer and Training Undertaken/Completed."


I have just some observations to make.  Just maybe, there should be some kind of training for all these officers, particularly the elected/appointed officers.  And this one I think, should be some kind of familiarization on how to operate a computer.  


We cannot assume that they are all computer-literate.  So, there.  (END)