Section 487Sec./Art. 487

Qualifications, Powers and Duties. - (a) No person shall be appointed cooperatives development officer unless one is a citizen of the Philippines, preferable a resident of the local government unit concerned, of good moral character, a holder of a college degree preferably in cooperatives, business administration with special training in cooperatives or any related course from a recognized college or university, and a first grade civil service eligible or its equivalent. He must have experience in cooperatives organizations and management or other comparable experience of at least five (5) years in the case of provincial or city cooperatives development officer, and three (3) years in the case of municipal cooperatives development officer.

The position of the cooperatives development officer is mandatory for the municipal, city and provincial governments as specified under Sections 443, 454 and 463 of this Code.

(b) The cooperatives development officer shall take charge of the office for the development of cooperatives registered with the Cooperative Development Authority, and shall:

(1) Formulate measures for the consideration of the sanggunian, and provide technical assistance and support to the governor or mayor, as the case may be, in carrying out measures to ensure the delivery of basic services and provision of facilities through the organizing, promotion and development of cooperatives, and in providing access to such services and facilities;

(2) Develop plans and strategies in consultation with the cooperative sector and, upon approval thereof by the governor or mayor, as the case may be, implement the same, particularly those which have to do with the integration of cooperatives values, principles and practices in programs and projects which the governor or mayor is empowered to implement and which the sanggunian is empowered to provide under this Code;

(3) In addition to the foregoing duties and functions, the cooperatives development officer shall:

(i) Take the lead in identifying groups, sectors or communities that can be organized into cooperatives with the objective that the cooperatives to be organized shall be vehicles in poverty reduction, job creation and socioeconomic development of the municipality, city or province;

(ii) In collaboration with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), provide assistance to prospective cooperatives in the conduct of the required pre-registration seminar and/or pre-membership education seminar and in the preparation of required documents for registration;

(iii) In partnership with the CDA, Department of Trade and Industry, other government agencies, cooperative unions and federations, the academe, and other private organizations, provide technical and other forms of assistance to duly registered cooperatives to enhance their viability as an economic enterprise and social organization including, but not limited to, training and education, business management, finance and financial management;

(iv) Assist cooperatives in establishing linkages with government agencies, cooperative unions and federations, the academe and nongovernment organizations involved in the promotion and integration of the concept of cooperatives in the livelihood of the people and other community activities;

(4) Assist cooperatives in the development and implementation of risk management plans and business continuity plans and management as a response to anticipated or unexpected man-made and natural calamities and disasters, to aid in their survival and, if necessary subsequent rehabilitation;

(5) x x x

(c) x x x.