The Cooperative Development Authority, shortened as CDA, is a government agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry in charge to promote the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice and economic development.
It was established under Republic Act No. 6939 also known as the Cooperative Development Authority Act, as mandated by Republic Act No. 6939, the Cooperative Code of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 6939 was repealed and was replaced by Republic Act No. 9520, otherwise known as the "Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008."[1] CDA's charter was repealed and replaced in August 2019 with Republic Act No. 11364, otherwise known as the "Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019.
As stated on its revised charter, some of the CDA's powers and functions are:
Develop and formulate, in consultation with the cooperative sector and other concerned institutions, appropriate regulations, standards, rules, orders, guidelines and/or circulars to ensure the effective and sound operation of cooperatives;
Formulate, adopt and implement integrated and comprehensive plans and programs on cooperative development consistent with the national policy on cooperatives and establish an integrated framework on cooperative development for all government agencies;
Register all cooperatives including amendments to the Articles of Cooperation and Bylaws (ACBL), division, merger, and consolidation;
Authorize the establishment of branches and satellite offices of cooperatives;
Issue Certificate of Recognition to organized Laboratory Cooperatives;
Exercise supervision and jurisdiction over all types and categories of cooperatives registered;
Require the submission of annual reports, audited financial statements, and such reports;
Promulgate and issue guidelines on the specific use and utilization of statutory funds and obligations that will achieve the real intent and spirit of establishing such funds and obligations for the benefit of the cooperatives and communities they serve;
Prescribe and collect reasonable fees, fines or charges in the performance of its registration and regulatory functions;
Require registered cooperatives to develop business continuity plans to address all kinds of risks;
Grant awards, recognition and incentives to cooperatives, cooperative leaders and partners;
Order the dissolution and liquidation of cooperatives as well as the transfer of all or substantially all of their assets and liabilities;
Compel the cooperative to call a general or representative assembly, as deemed necessary, under the supervision of the Authority with the participation of their respective cooperative federations or unions;
Hear and decide inter-cooperative and intra-cooperative disputes, controversies and/or conflicts, without prejudice to filing of civil and/or criminal cases by the parties concerned before the regular courts: Provided, That all decisions of the CDA are appealable directly to the Court of Appeals;
Exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary to implement the provisions of Republic Acts No. 11364 and 9520.
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The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) will be implementing the activities under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), in line with the Republic Act 11524 or the “Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act”). This Act aims to consolidate the benefits due to coconut farmers, especially the poor and marginalized, under various statutes and to expedite the delivery of said benefits thereof to attain increased incomes for coconut farmers, alleviate poverty, and achieve social equality.
As the lead government agency in the promotion and development of cooperatives, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) shall synchronize the efforts of other government institutions toward the common goal of empowering cooperatives to become instruments of equity, social justice, and economic development. One of the CDA’s mandates under RA 11364 or the CDA Charter of 2019 is, to administer all grants and donations exclusively intended for cooperatives coursed through the Authority for cooperative development. Against this backdrop, CDA has embarked on the Special Assistance for Recovery and Alleviation program to provide financial assistance/grants to cooperatives needing special assistance to recover from the onslaught of the pandemic, disaster, and other adversities they have encountered and alleviate their plight to continue serving their members.