THE Cebu Province Association of Accredited Cooperatives (CPAAC), composed of 23 cooperatives in Cebu Province, has requested Gov. Hilario Davide III to include them in the allocation of funds under the Annual Investment Plan (AIP).
The funds will help finance their livelihood projects, the cooperative said.
CPAAC president Bernardo Desabelle said that cooperatives have a high level of knowledge in implementing projects that uplift the living condition of the poor so they should be part of the programs of the Province.
Fund
Speaking during the CPAAC meeting last Sept. 10, Peter Polestico, in-charge of research, evaluation and monitoring of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), said AIP is also called the 20 Percent Development Fund, which has P460 million for 2015 and P504 million for 2016.
Polestico said this AIP is allocated to the different programs of Gov. Davide under the 6-Key Development Agenda. PPDO will decide in what areas to use the P504 million, such as health, infrastructure and tourism.
However, Polestico said that because cooperatives are not in the list, the accredited ones may address their request to the governor in a form of “financial assistance.”
Polestico attended the CPAAC meeting facilitated by lawyer Herculene Rizon, the Cebu Capitol consultant for cooperatives.
Registered
The data provided to Sun.Star Cebu by Assistant Director Cipriana Mumar of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) showed that there are 543 registered cooperatives in Cebu Province, with more than 45,000 members or cooperators.
Polestico said he believed that as a federation of cooperatives, CPAAC can help the Provincial Government in achieving countryside development.
“There are portion of the fund (P460 million AIP for 2015) that are not yet utilized and we are being instructed to use it by the end of the year,” Polestico said.