Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH (20TH) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Representative FELIMON M. ESPARES 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR COOPERATIVE 
DEVELOPMENT IN THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Cooperatives have long been at the forefront of advancing inclusive and 
sustainable development in the Philippines. As self-help enterprises owned and 
democratically governed by their members, cooperatives empower Filipinos to collectively 
uplift vulnerable sectors that have long been excluded from traditional financial and 
market systems. 
Despite their crucial role, cooperatives face persistent challenges that can be 
traced to weak governance, insufficient capitalization, lack of professional management, 
and limited access to quality training and research. The bill therefore seeks to establish 
the National Center for Cooperative Development (NCCD) in the Polytechnic 
University of the Philippines (PUP), to address these gaps. 
Worthy to note is that the PUP has a longstanding legacy of pioneering cooperative 
education. As early as 1969, it was designated a training center for non-agricultural 
cooperatives.1 In 1989, it launched the country’s first Bachelor in Cooperatives program 
1 Memorandum Order No. 251, S. 1969 (formerly known as Philippine College of Commerce). Available at 
https://lawphil.net/executive/mc/mc1969/mc_251_1969.html 
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and has since produced generations of cooperative practitioners, advocates, and 
educators.  
The proposed NCCD shall serve as a national hub for cooperative education, 
training, and research, wherein it will: (1) provide undergraduate degrees with 
specializations in cooperative leadership and social enterprise management, (2) develop 
modular training programs, and continuing education services for existing cooperative 
officers and members, (3) undertake applied research and offer strategic consultancy to 
micro and small cooperatives, (4) facilitate field deployment programs for students and 
practitioners, and (5) host national and international cooperative conferences, among 
others.  
It shall further serve as a bridge for knowledge-sharing between Philippine 
cooperatives and their counterparts in the Southeast Asian region, aligning its work with 
the Sustainable Development Goals, Ambisyon Natin 2040, and the Philippine 
Development Plan.  
Through the creation of the NCCD, the measure not only strengthens the 
foundations of cooperative education and development, but it also affirms the State’s 
commitment to building an economy that is democratic, equitable, and socially just.  
Based on the foregoing reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
FELIMON M. ESPARES 
      Congressman 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH (20TH) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Representative FELIMON M. ESPARES 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT 
IN THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Polytechnic University of 
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the Philippines National Center for Cooperative Development Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote 
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the viability, growth, and sustainability of cooperatives as vital instruments of economic 
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development, social equity, and democratic participation. The State recognizes these 
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institutions as transformative vehicles that embody the principles of self-help, mutual aid, 
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and collective empowerment that contribute to advancing inclusive growth, addressing 
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structural poverty, and fostering community resilience. 
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Pursuant to this policy, the State shall institutionalize mechanisms for cooperative 
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education, research, and capacity-building to ensure the continuing development of 
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competent, values-driven, and socially committed cooperative leaders and practitioners. 
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The State likewise affirms the importance of providing an enabling environment where 
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cooperatives may thrive free from external interference, while enjoying the benefits of 
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technical, academic, and policy support from public institutions. 
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In recognition of the indispensable role of knowledge production and human 
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capital in the cooperative movement, the State shall support the establishment of a 
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dedicated national center that will advance cooperative studies, strengthen academic and 
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research linkages, and provide integrated services for the benefit of cooperatives and 
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cooperative development stakeholders. 
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SEC. 3. Establishment of the National Center for Cooperative Development. – 
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There is hereby established in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) the 
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National Center for Cooperative Development, hereinafter referred to as the “Center.”  
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The Center shall establish and expand program offerings focused on training poor 
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but deserving Filipino youth to become the next generation of cooperative leaders and 
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managers, thereby enhancing the resilience and sustainability of registered cooperatives 
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in the country and contributing to economic recovery and national development. 
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It shall likewise serve as an integrative and holistic center that will cater to the 
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needs of the entire cooperative sector, where their activities can be centralized in order 
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to fulfill a much greater responsibility to address the needs of the cooperative sector in 
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the Philippines and the Southeast Asian (SEA) region. 
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The program trajectory of the Center shall be aligned with the Sustainable 
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Development Goals (SDGs), International Cooperative Development Agenda, the 
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Philippine Development Plan (PDP), and Ambisyon Natin 2040, as it endeavors to address 
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poverty, pursue economic development, promote empowerment, resiliency, and social 
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innovation through cooperative social enterprise. 
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SEC. 4. Functions of the Center. – The Center shall have the following functions:  
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(a) Offer a Bachelor of Science in Cooperatives degree program, which shall be a four-
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year course with specializations in Cooperative Social Enterprise Management and 
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Cooperative Education and Community Development, designed to produce globally 
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competitive graduates equipped with values-based managerial competence in 
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cooperative organizing, leadership, and technopreneurship;   
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(b) Implement field deployment programs through on-the-job training (OJT) that 
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assign students and staff to micro, small, and medium cooperatives to provide 
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support as research enumerators, marketing personnel, and administrative 
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assistants;   
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(c) Provide modular certificate programs and continuing education services for 
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cooperative directors, officers, managers, and support staff through regional 
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partnerships nationwide to enhance professional competencies;   
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(d) Conduct applied research addressing gaps in cooperative literature and supporting 
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legislative development, policy formulation, and evidence-based cooperative 
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advancement through a dedicated cooperative research group;   
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(e) Develop instructional modules, audio-visual materials, and popular education tools 
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for elementary, junior high school, senior high school, higher education covering 
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cooperative enterprise, social economy, and social entrepreneurship;  
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(f) Operate a student laboratory cooperative facility where participants access 
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cooperative products/services and earn OJT credits through documented volunteer 
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work;   
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(g) Host annual cooperative congresses, international conferences, and training 
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workshops in collaboration with government agencies, industry partners, and SEA 
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cooperative alliances;   
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(h) Deliver consultancy services assisting cooperatives in strategic planning, 
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performance auditing, and organizational development by leveraging faculty 
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expertise;   
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(i) Establish partnerships facilitating local-to-international knowledge exchange on 
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best practices, pandemic resilience strategies, and community development 
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initiatives in accordance with cooperative principles; and 
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(j) Perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the purpose and 
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objectives of the Center. 
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SEC. 5. Delegation of Authority to the Board of Regents. – The Board of Regents 
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of the PUP is hereby authorized to establish the Center under the direct supervision of 
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the Office of the President of the University. The Center shall have cooperative specialists 
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with a high degree of competence and expertise in the disciplines of business 
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management, financial management, and community development, who may be drawn 
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within or outside the University. 
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SEC. 6. Implementing Authority. - The Board of Regents of the University is hereby 
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mandated to formulate implementing guidelines to carry out the provisions of this Act 
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and to take appropriate steps to ensure that the establishment of the Center shall aim at 
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the speedy realization and execution of its functions and objectives as stated above. 
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Towards this end, the Board shall determine the structure, composition, and size of the 
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Center’s faculty and staff. 
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SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The initial amount of One hundred fifty million pesos 
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(₱150,000,000.00) from any amount available in the Treasury of the Philippines shall be 
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added to the annual budget of PUP for the purpose of carrying out the initial 
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implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the 
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provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, 
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the remaining parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall remain in full force 
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and effect. 
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, implementing rules 
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and regulations, issuances, or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
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are deemed repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
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in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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