Cooperative law’s IRR under review — Loren

PILI, Camarines Sur – Senator Loren Legarda yesterday disclosed an on-going review of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Cooperative Code of 2008 (RA 9520) intended to “further help cooperatives in the country provide better services to their members.”

“The review also aims to encourage the proliferation of cooperatives possibly through tax exemptions,” Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on cooperatives, said as she spoke during the 9th general assembly of the Camarines Sur Teachers and Employees’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Castemupco).

She also lauded Castemupco members for their collective effort in making their cooperative grow. Castemupco now boasts of having an equity estimated at P1.4 million and assets worth P35.7 million.

“Your cooperative has been working hard for nine years now to improve the lives of the Department of Education (DepEd) personnel in the province,” Legarda said. “You have come a long way from being a simple fundraising effort to become a true cooperative wherein you just don’t secure and provide low interest loans to teachers and DepEd personnel, but you provide hope to our workers in the education sector.”

Legarda further told the cooperative members that she had embarked on a “new voyage” in her political life, referring to her 2010 bid to become the country’s next vice president.

She said that the country would soon see a dramatic change in government with the departure of the old and the arrival of the new administration.

Legarda then proceeded to share her vision for the country under a six-point agenda:

•A pro-people leadership centered on good governance and one that would stamp out corruption, uphold the rule of law and promote efficient delivery of public service;

•Sustainable and equitable socio-economic development propelled by agricultural and rural livelihood growth;

•Environmental protection in view of the grave economic and social consequences of climate change as seen with the devastations wrought by typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi;

•Protection of migrant workers by equipping them with proper and adequate pre-departure support and skills training, social and labor rights support and the provision of social reintegration services;

•Genuine and lasting peace as internal armed conflict for decades has drained public resources and undermanned the nation’s social fabric; and

•Restoring pride in the Filipino culture

“I likewise stand solidly behind efforts to strengthen the role of women in development, thus to involve them in all aspects of decision-making, and to work towards transforming all forms of inequalities and injustices based on gender,” Legarda said. –Daily Tribune