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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. 11241
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 initiated various intervention programs benefiting cooperatives. 
By 1979, PUP has 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 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. 
To further its advocacy of cooperative development and cooperative studies, this 
representation proposes the creation of the National Center for Cooperative Studies in PUP and 
offers integrative and holistic services for the entire cooperative sector. 
December 19, 2024
8:00 am


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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 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. 11241 
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 2024” 
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 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-proof the registered cooperatives in the 
country, and eventually redound for its sustainability, as well as for economic recovery and 
national development 


 
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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, International Cooperative Development Agenda, the Philippine Medium Term 
Development Plan, 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 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 consists 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 technopreneur, provide the 
human resource and manpower requirement of the cooperative sector. The program aims 
to produce globally competitive graduates who will be professionally competent, morally 
discerning, 
change 
agents, 
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. 
 
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 
serialized Modular Certificate Program jointly undertaken in partnership with 
cooperatives in different regions all over the country. These partners and sponsoring 


 
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cooperatives may send their respective board of directors, cooperative committee officers, 
managers and support staff to the program for their continuing professionalization. 
 
D. Cooperative Research Group - NCCS shall establish 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 researches in aide 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, 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 trainings, 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 different medium 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 educative 
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 the 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. 
 


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SEC. 9. Implementing Authority. - The Board of Regents of the University is hereby 
mandated to formulate implementing 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.