Duterte signs law placing cooperatives development officers in LGUs

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law making the position of a cooperatives development officer (CDO) mandatory in all municipalities, cities and provinces.

Under Republic Act 11535, the CDO shall take charge of the office for the development of cooperatives registered with the Cooperative Development Authority.

The CDO is tasked primarily to take the lead in identifying groups, sectors, or communities that may be organized into cooperatives “with the objective that the cooperatives shall be vehicles in poverty reduction, job creation and socioeconomic development of the municipality, city or province.”

The law provides that the CDO shall provide assistance to prospective cooperatives by guiding them in the conduct of pre-registration seminars.

The CDO shall also provide technical and other forms of assistance to enhance cooperatives viability as an economic enterprise.

According to the law, the CDO is also tasked to assist cooperatives in the development and implementation of risk management plans and business continuity plans  as a response to anticipated manmade and natural calamities and disasters.

Duterte signed the law, which amends Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 last April 13.

The law will be effective 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.