ICOPED, Lipa City Cooperatives Office Mark Completion of DAC Certificate I Training Program for Cooperatives

The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) of the College of Economics and Management (CEM), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), together with the Lipa City Cooperatives Office, held the closing ceremony of the Development Academy for Cooperatives (DAC) Certificate I program, "Foundations of Cooperative Governance and Practice," on September 5, 2026, at the ICOPED Auditorium, CEM, UPLB.

The closing program brought together key sector stakeholders: Mr. Ramelo M. Mendoza, Lipa City Cooperatives Officer; Hon. Riofer Nicole H. Ronquillo, Lipa City Councilor and Chairperson of the Committee on Cooperatives and Agriculture; and Atty. Donnavelle C. Manalo, Cooperative Development Specialist and Legal Staff of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Region IV-A, along with resource speakers from ICOPED, staff of the Lipa City Cooperatives Office, and the program's graduates. The inaugural batch comprised 29 representatives from 15 local cooperatives, together with staff of the Lipa City Cooperatives Office.

Certificate I was offered by the Lipa City Cooperatives Office in collaboration with ICOPED and the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH). From June 27 to August 27, 2026, the program delivered 64 learning hours across three major topics: Leadership, Ethics, and Governance in Cooperatives; Financial Management and Risk Governance; and Communication, Advocacy, and Training for Cooperatives. The modules were designed to build institutional capacity, strengthen financial oversight, and deepen community engagement among participating cooperatives. Faculty and researchers from ICOPED and the Department of Accounting of CEM-UPLB served as the program's primary resource persons, bringing academic rigor and practical field expertise to the sessions.

In her welcome remarks, ICOPED Director Dr. Karen Q. Custodio said the certificate training was designed as more than another credential, but as a learning experience to help participants make sound decisions, manage resources responsibly, communicate effectively, and remain grounded in the values and principles that set cooperatives apart. During the ceremony, Mr. Mendoza commended the graduates for their commitment, positive attitude, trust, and cooperation, and for being learners with a heart and humility throughout the training duration. 

Lipa City Cooperatives Office organizers described the graduation as both a celebration of success and the beginning of a larger vision for a more professionalized cooperative sector. As Hon. Ronquillo, Lipa City Councilor, emphasized in her Inspirational Message, the completion of the program is just the start of a bigger challenge, pointing to the graduates’ responsibility to better serve their cooperative and its members and sharing new knowledge with their fellow cooperators. 
DAC Certificate I forms part of ICOPED's broader training and development initiatives, and its completion sets the stage for future capacity-building efforts and public-private collaborative activities for sustained cooperative development in the country.

YLDizon