EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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SENATE
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20 FEB 18 P12 57
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
MAKING THE POSITION OF A COOPERATIVE OFFICER MANDATORY IN  THE 
MUNICIPAL, 
CITY AND 
PROVINCIAL LEVELS, AMENDING 
FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Cooperatives are constitutionally recognized as instruments and legally 
acknowledged as practical vehicles for promoting self-reliance, and harnessing people 
power towards attainment of social justice and economic development under the 
principle of subsidiarity.
As stated in the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, it is the policy of the 
State that "Government and all its branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities, and 
agencies shall ensure the provision of technical guidance, financial assistance and 
other services to enable said cooperatives to develop into viable and responsive 
economic enterprises and thereby bring about a strong cooperative movement".
The local government, under existing laws, is mandated to deliver basic 
services to the public, including the support to the development of cooperatives in 
their respective areas.
In January 2019, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) signed Joint Memorandum 
Circular 2019-01 for the purposes of cooperative promotion, organization, regulation, 
and development in local government units.
Local government units, under the said Memorandum Circular, are expected


to: (1.) formulate Local Cooperative Development Plan; (2.) provide technical 
guidance, financial assistance and other services to develop cooperatives into a 
viable and responsive economic enterprises; (3.) promote the organization of the 
cooperative and support their development; (4.) provide training for the development 
of cooperatives; (5.) initiate and implement a localized program for the cooperatives; 
and (6.) assist the cooperatives in the preparation of registration documents and 
mandatory reports.
Given these powers and functions delegated to the local governments, there is 
a need to amend Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 to 
provide for the mandatory appointment of a cooperatives officer in every local 
government unit in the country.
As such, this bill seeks to make the position of cooperatives officer as 
mandatory in all municipalities, cities and provinces to ensure that local governments 
would be able to effectively respond to the need of the cooperatives as partners for 
sustainable local economic development.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
RISAHONTIVEROS
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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f'i-f of thr S'wrrtrrp
SENATE
s. No. 1360
20 
FEB 18 PI2 S8
p ' . * ' *  
f - n v
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
MAKING THE POSITION OF A COOPERATIVE OFFICER MANDATORY IN  THE 
MUNICIPAL, CITY AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS, AMENDING 
FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991
Be it  enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 443, Book III, Title Two, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No.
2 
7160 is hereby amended to read as follows:
3 
"Section 443. Officials o f the Municipal Government - (a) There shall
4 
be in each 
municipality a 
municipal 
mayor, a 
municipal vice-mayor,
5 
sangguniang bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang bayan, a
6 
municipal treasurer, a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal
7 
budget officer, a 
municipal 
planning and development coordinator, a
8 
municipal engineer/ building official, a municipal health officer, a municipal
9 
civil registrar, AND A MUNICIPAL COOPERATIVES OFFICER.
10 
(b ) XXX
11 
(c)xxx
12 
(d ) XXX
13 
(e) xxx"
14 
Sec. 2. Section 454, Book III, Title Three, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 71, is
15 
hereby amended to read as follows:
16 
"Section 454. Officials o f the Q ty Government - (a) There shall be in
17 
each city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, a
18 
secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, a city treasurer, a city assessor, a
19 
city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and development
20 
coordinator, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil registrar, a city


1 
administrator, a city legal officer, a city veterinarian, a city social welfare and
2 
development officer, [and] a city general services officer, AND A CITY
3 
COOPERATIVES OFFICER.
4 
(b) In addition thereto, the city mayor may appoint a city architect, a
5 
city information officer, a city agriculturist, a city population officer, AND A city
6 
environment and natural resources officer [,] [and a city cooperatives
7 
officer].
8 
XXX
9 
(C) XXX
10 
(d) XXX
11 
(e) xxx"
12 
Sec. 3. Section 463, Book III, Title Four, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 7160,
13 
is hereby amended to read as follows:
14 
"Section 463. Officials o f the Provincial Government. - (a) There shall
15 
be in each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the sangguniang
16 
panlalawigan, a secretary to the sangguniang panlalawigan, a provincial
17 
treasurer, a provincial assessor, a provincial accountant, a provincial engineer,
18 
a 
provincial 
budget 
officer, 
a 
provincial 
planning 
and 
development
19 
coordinator, a provincial legal officer, a provincial administrator, a provincial
20 
health officer, a provincial social welfare and development officer, a provincial
21 
general 
services 
officer, 
a 
provincial 
agriculturist, 
[and] 
a 
provincial
22 
veterinarian, AND A PROVINCIAL COOPERATIVES OFFICER.
23 
(b) In 
addition thereto, the governor may appoint a provincial
24 
population officer, a provincial natural resources and environment officer, [a
25 
provincial cooperative officer] [,] a provincial architect, and a provincial
26 
information officer.
27 
xxx
28 
(c) xxx
29 
(d) xxx
30 
(e) xxx"
31 
Sec. 4. Section 487, of Book III, Title Five, Article Seventeen of RA 7160, is
32 
hereby amended and shall now read as follows:
33 
"Article Fourteen. - The Cooperatives Officer
34 
Section 487. Qualifications, Powers and Duties. - (a) No person shall be
35 
appointed cooperatives officer unless one is a citizen of the Philippines, a
36 
resident of the local government unit concerned, of good moral character, a


1 
holder of a college degree preferably in business administration with special
2 
training in cooperatives or any related course from a recognized college or
3 
university, and a first grade civil service eligible or its equivalent. He must
4 
have experience in cooperatives organizations and management of at least
5 
five (5) years in the case of provincial or city cooperatives officer, and three
6 
(3) years in the case of municipal cooperatives officer.
7 
The appointment of the cooperatives officer is [optional] MANDATORY
8 
for the municipal, city and provincial governments.
9 
(b) 
The cooperatives officer shall take charge of the office for the
10 
development of cooperatives REGISTERED WITH THE COOPERATIVE
11 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, and shall:
12 
(1) 
Formulate measures for the consideration of the sanggunian, and
13 
provide technical assistance and support to the governor or mayor, as the case
14 
may be, in carrying out measures to ensure the delivery of basic services and
15 
provision of facilities through the development of cooperatives, and in providing
16 
access to such services and facilities;
17 
(2) 
Develop plans and strategies IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
18 
COOPERATIVE SECTOR and, upon approval thereof by the governor or mayor,
19 
as the case may be, implement the same, particularly those which have to do
20 
with the integration of cooperatives principles and methods in programs and
21 
projects which the governor or mayor is empowered to implement and which the
22 
sanggunian is empowered to provide for under this Code;
23
(3)
XXX
24
(i)
XXX
25
(ii)
XXX
26
(iii)
XXX
27
(4)
XXX
28
(5)
XXX
29
(c)
XXX."
30
Sec. 6. Repealing '
31 
regulations, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed
32 
or amended accordingly.
33 
Sec. 7. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
34 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,