ICOPED Conducts Business Planning Training for Cooperatives in Sultan Kudarat

The Institute of Cooperatives and Social Enterprise Development (ICOPED) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños conducted a three-day Business Planning Training for Cooperatives from April 22 to 24, 2026, in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat. Organized in partnership with the Peace Equity Access for Community Empowerment Foundation, Inc. (PEF), the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of local cooperatives to plan, develop, and manage their enterprises in an increasingly competitive business environment.

The training was participated in by fifteen (15) participants from three farmers’ cooperatives, namely: Keytodac Coffee Growers Agricultural Cooperative (KCGAC), KFADMA Agricultural Cooperative, and Bacbacan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMPC). It brought together board chairpersons, Board of Directors representatives, general managers, bookkeepers, and cooperative staff.

Laurinette A. Gonzalez, PEF Senior Programs Officer and Operations Manager, welcomed the participants to the training while underscoring the importance of enterprise planning in ensuring cooperative sustainability.

The training course was structured around the key components of a Cooperative Enterprise Development Plan (CEDP), with sessions facilitated by ICOPED researchers and faculty members from UP Mindanao School of Management (SOM).

On the first day, ICOPED University Researcher Emmanuel C. Flores opened the technical sessions with a discussion on the Cooperative Enterprise Landscape, giving participants a macro-level view of the opportunities and challenges in the cooperative sector. 

Dr. John Marx P. Sarmiento, Associate Professor from SOM, then facilitated sessions on Enterprise Ideation and Prioritization and Enterprise Conceptualization using the Business Model Canvas. In the afternoon, Assoc. Prof. Sarmiento led participants through strategic planning, helping them build plans aligned with their cooperative’s vision and long-term goals.

The second day covered marketing planning. Vlademir A. Shuck, Assistant Professor at UP Mindanao, facilitated the session “Brand to Bottom Line: Crafting a Powerful Marketing Plan,” equipping participants with practical knowledge on branding, market positioning, and promotional strategy. 

On the third and final day,  Paul Kenneth B. Maghirang, University Researcher at ICOPED-UPLB, guided participants through operational and financial planning, addressing the day-to-day mechanics and financial sustainability of cooperative enterprises. The afternoon was devoted entirely to workshops and one-on-one consultations, wherein participants refined and completed their capsule Cooperative Enterprise Development Plans. 
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The day concluded with a closing ceremony and awarding of certificates, with ICOPED reaffirming its commitment to providing continued mentoring and technical assistance to cooperatives in enterprise development.

YLDizon