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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
 ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR COOPERATIVE STUDIES IN 
THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the declared policy of the State to foster the creation and growth of 
cooperatives as a practical vehicle for promoting self-reliance towards the attainment 
of economic development and social justice. The State shall encourage the private 
sector to undertake the actual formation and organization of cooperatives and shall 
create an atmosphere that is conducive to the growth and development of these 
cooperatives.  
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is the leading institution 
in cooperative studies in the country. PUP (formerly the Philippine College of 
Commerce) was designated as a training center for the establishment of a Model 
Project for Non-Agricultural Cooperatives by virtue of Memorandum Order No. 251 
issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on April 1, 1969. Since then, PCC has 
initiated various intervention programs benefiting cooperatives. By 1979, PUP had 
developed a complete set of training materials and modules for the cooperative sector, 
from elementary, and high school up to college. These educational materials and the 
pieces of training conducted on how to organize cooperatives led to the establishment 
of a number of cooperatives in the country. In 1989, the Institute of Cooperatives was 
established, and PUP began offering a Bachelor's in Cooperatives program, the first in 
the Philippines. 
PUP has made it its concern to expand program offerings to include courses 
and training services with emphasis and focus on the poor but deserving Filipino 
youth to become the next generation of cooperative leaders and managers that could 
future-proof the registered cooperatives in the country, and eventually redound for 
its sustainability, as well as for economic recovery and national development. 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
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To further its advocacy of cooperative development and cooperative studies, 
this representation proposes the creation of the National Center for Cooperative 
Studies at PUP and offers integrative and holistic services for the entire cooperative 
sector. 
It is the intent of this bill, therefore, that the creation of the National Center for 
Cooperative Studies in PUP help promote, enhance, develop, and upgrade the 
Philippine Cooperative Sectors. 
Earnest passage of this bill is thus sought. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
 ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR COOPERATIVE STUDIES IN 
THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “National Center for 
Cooperative Studies in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Act of 2025.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to foster the 
creation and growth of cooperatives as a practical vehicle for promoting self-reliance 
and harnessing people's power towards the attainment of economic development and 
social justice. The State shall encourage the private sector to undertake the actual 
formation and organization of cooperatives and shall create an atmosphere that is 
conducive to the growth and development of these cooperatives. 
Toward this end, the 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 that is free from any conditions that might infringe upon the 
autonomy or organizational integrity of cooperatives. 
Further, the State recognizes the principle of subsidiarity under which the 
cooperative sector will initiate and regulate within its own ranks the promotion and 
organization, training and research, audit, and support services relative to 
cooperatives with government assistance where necessary.  
SEC. 3. - Declaration of Objectives. - That it is the concern of the Polytechnic 
University of the Philippines (PUP) to expand program offerings to include courses 
training services with emphasis and focus on the poor but deserving Filipino youth to 
become the next generation of cooperative leaders and managers that could future-
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proof the registered cooperatives in the country, and eventually redound for its 
sustainability, as well as for economic recovery and national development 
 
The creation of the National Center for Cooperative Studies (NCCS) in the PUP 
will serve as an integrative and holistic center that will cater to the needs of the entire 
cooperative sector, where their activities can be centralized in order to fulfill a much 
greater responsibility to address the needs of the Cooperative Sector in the Philippines 
in the ASEAN region. 
 
The program trajectory of the NCCS shall be aligned with the Sustainable 
Development Goals, the International Cooperative Development Agenda, the 
Philippine Medium Term Development Plan, and Ambisyon Natin 2040, as it 
endeavors 
to 
address 
poverty, 
pursue 
economic 
development, 
promote 
empowerment, resiliency, and social innovation through cooperative social 
enterprise. 
 
SEC. 4. Delegation of Authority to the Board of Regents - The Board of Regents of 
the PUP is hereby authorized to establish the NCCS under the direct supervision of 
its Institute of Cooperative. The Center shall have cooperative specialists with a higher 
degree of competence and expertise in business management, financial management, 
and community development. 
 
SEC. 5. - Coverage - This Act shall cover the creation of the NCCS and the 
formation of all the integrative programs that will carry out its objective, including all 
the required activities, support services, training facilities, and the appropriate funds 
to implement the program. 
 
SEC. 6. - Framework - The NCCS shall consist of the following integrative 
programs. 
 
A. The Bachelor of Science in Cooperatives - In response to the growing need of the 
Philippine cooperative movement for higher managerial competence and 
expertise of the cooperatives' leadership, NCCS shall offer the Bachelor of 
Science in Cooperatives. This is a four-year degree, with the following 
specializations: BSC major in Cooperative  Social Enterprise Management and 
the BSC major in Cooperative Education and Community Development. 
 
The BS Cooperative course aims to produce cooperative technopreneurs, 
provide the human resources and manpower requirements of the cooperative 
sector. The program aims to produce globally competitive graduates who will 
be professionally competent, morally discerning, change agents, and social 
innovators for national development. 
 
BS Cooperative students are trained to attain a higher level of values-based and 
managerial competence and expertise in community cooperative organizing, 
management, and leadership. 


 
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B. Deployment of Staff Support/Student Assistants to Micro and Small Cooperatives/ On-
the-job-trainee/Pre-deployment - NCCS could send staff support to micro, small, 
and medium cooperatives through its On-the-Job-Training Program to 
complement the office workforce and serve as its research enumerations or 
marketing staff. 
 
C. Education, Extension and Training Services - NCCS shall provide specialized 
courses and a serialized Modular Certificate Program jointly undertaken in 
partnership with cooperatives in different regions all over the country. These 
partners and sponsoring cooperatives may send their respective boards of 
directors, cooperative committee officers, managers, and support staff to the 
program for their continuing professionalization. 
 
D. Cooperative Research Group - NCCS shall establish a research group that will 
bridge theory and practice. This research service seeks to address the dearth of 
literature in cooperative research. NCCS shall also conduct research in aid of 
legislation, cooperative development, and policy formulation 
 
E. Production of Modules, Audio Video-Flextel Teaching and Learning Materials for 
Elementary, Junior, Senior High School and Higher Education on Adult Education, 
Cooperative Enterprise, Social Economy and Social Entrepreneurship- NCCS shall 
form a technical working group to craft modules; popular education materials, 
handouts, audio-video production that will serve as teaching and learning 
material to aid students. 
 
F. Students Laboratory Cooperative – NCCS shall house a student laboratory. 
Students of the program, as well as from the allied courses, may join and visit 
the Student Laboratory Cooperative to avail of the services and products of 
cooperatives. Students, officers, and staff of the Laboratory Cooperative 
working in shifts may serve as volunteers and may avail of a 
certificate/equivalency for the number of hours they have worked in the Lab 
Coop to be credited as part of their OJT. 
 
G. Training Facility - NSSC shall conduct training and host annual cooperative 
congress and international conferences in partnership with line agencies of the 
government, the industry, the cooperative sector, the academe and 
international cooperative alliance, and partner cooperatives in the ASEAN 
region. 
 
H. Consultancy, Technical, and Information Support Services - NCCS shall provide 
consultancy, technical, and information support services to partners to 
complement the specialized courses and fill in the gaps in the application of the 
actual knowledge and skills gained from the short and certificate courses 
offered by the NCCS. These technical and consulting support services may also 
match the expertise of the faculty members, who could be tapped by the 


 
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different media and millionaire cooperatives in the country to assist them in 
the preparation of their performance, audit reports, strategic plans, and 
programs. 
 
SEC. 7. Partner Organizations. - NCCS shall spur collaboration among 
cooperatives at the local, regional, national, and international level in line with the 
principle of cooperativism, which 
is 
“Cooperation 
among cooperatives”. 
Cooperatives may share best practices and educational learning processes that 
enabled their cooperatives to prosper, to operate amidst challenges brought about by 
the pandemic, and ultimately to work for the benefit of their members and the greater 
community in a better normal 
 
SEC. 8. Funding and Appropriations. — The initial amount of One Hundred Fifty 
Million Pesos (P 150,000,000.00) shall be added to the annual budget of the Polytechnic 
University of the Philippines for the first year of the operation of the center. Thereafter, 
the amount necessary to operate the center shall be proposed by PUP and shall be 
included in its annual budget. 
 
SEC. 9. Implementing Authority. - The Board of Regents of the University is 
hereby mandated to formulate and implement guidelines to carry out the provisions 
of this Act and to take appropriate steps to ensure that the establishment of the 
National Center for Cooperative Studies shall aim at the speedy realization and 
execution of its objectives as stated above. Toward this end, the Board shall determine 
the structure, composition, and size of the Center’s faculty and staff. 
 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions hereof. 
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
 
Approved.