ILOILO CITY — The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA-6) has lauded the provincial government of Iloilo for having been one of the local government units (LGUs) in the country that has been an early supporter of cooperatives.
“It has extended a lot of support to cooperatives. It is not only now, but many years ago,” said CDA-6 Regional Director Nora Patron as part of the National Cooperative Month celebration.
Patron said the Iloilo provincial government already has programs even prior to the passage of national laws pushing for institutionalization of cooperatives.
Atty. Arturo Cangrejo, chief of the Iloilo Provincial Trade, Investments and Cooperatives Development Office (Iloilo PTICDO), said the provincial government has been releasing loans to various cooperatives for the past 30 years.
Since 1991, more than P113.5 million has been released as loans under the Provincial Livelihood Project Fund (PLPF).
Iloilo PTICDO has also released P56 million to 11 cooperatives for a rice support program since 2019.
Cangrejo said that that loan is for cooperatives to be able to purchase rice from small-time farmers at P14 per kilo. The loan is vital as part of the government’s response to cushion the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.