I.

Introduction

The Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008 declared in its policy to foster the creation and
growth of cooperatives as a practical vehicle for promoting self reliance and harnessing people
towards the attainment of economic development and social justice. It further states that the
government should ensure the provision of technical guidance, financial assistance and other
services to enable cooperatives develop into a viable and economic enterprises. A cooperative
is an autonomous and duly registered association of persons, with a common bond of interest,
who have voluntarily joined together to achieve their social, economic, and cultural needs and
aspirations, making equitable contributions to the capital required, patronizing their products and
services, and accepting a fair share of the risks and benefits of the undertaking in accordance
with universally accepted cooperative principles.(R.A. 9520, 2008). It is a group of people who
work together voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs through a
jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise (Onate B., 2015). In the same manner,
cooperatives are organized according to types and categories in which the Multi-purpose
cooperative falls into. Multi-purpose cooperative is one that combines two or more of the
business activities of different types of cooperatives. As the name indicates its responsibility for
different purpose for which it has been set up. It can work for arranging credit, improved seeds,
agricultural implements, fertilizers, sanitation, health etc. for its members. The functions depend
upon the interest and the object of the members. If the members are anxious to do more things,
the multi-purpose co-operative societies can take to other function also.

The Department of Agrarian Reform implement, facilitate, and coordinate the delivery of
support services through Sustainable Agribusiness and Rural Enterprise Development which
will develop the technical and entrepreneurial skills of cooperatives in handling off-farm and
non-farm income-generating rural enterprises. In doing so, the Department of Agrarian Reform
provides assistance to multi-purpose cooperatives through agriculture and agrarian reform
credits for the acquisition of agricultural inputs and others identified in Section 23 of RA No.
8435 (RA 10000, 2009). The development of these cooperatives is also parallel to agricultural
modernization of RA 8435 known as Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA)
transforming rural farmers and cooperatives into entrepreneurs.

In the Province of Bulacan, there are 32 DAR assisted cooperatives in which 21 of these
are multipurpose cooperatives. These multi-purpose cooperatives were assisted through credit
financing and micro-financing program focusing on capacity development program on various
projects such as agricultural production, agri-enterprises and livelihood projects. These
cooperatives are also assisted with the help of different agencies of the government attached to
the Department of Agrarian Reform. The conduct of this study is aimed at determining the
financial management of DAR assisted cooperatives in the province. It will also aim to
determine the economic activities of the officer and members of the DAR assisted cooperatives
as well as determining their perceptions on the sustainability of the program.
II. Objectives
1. To know the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:
1.1. Age
1.2. Sex
1.3. Civil Status
1.4. Educational Attainment
1.5. Occupation
2. Determine the projects/activities assisted by Department of Agrarian Reform to sustain
the operation of the cooperatives
3. Identify the significant difference between the perception of the officers and members as
to:
3.1. Benefits derived
3.2. Types of loan availed
3.3. Purposes of availing loan
3.4. Rate of interest charge
3.5. Mode of payment
3.6. Collection of delinquent loans
3.7. Allocation of net savings
4. To differentiate the respondent cooperatives in terms of;
4.1. Size of the organization
4.2. Available capital
4.3. Net savings
4.4. Savings deposit
4.5. Time deposit
4.6. Reserve fund
4.7. Share capital (fixed deposit)
4.8. Loan from bank
4.9. Total capital available for lending members
References

http://www.agriinfo.in/default.aspx?page=topic&superid=7&topicid=621

http://www.dar.gov.ph/component/content/article/25-portals/314-credit-and-micro-finance-
programs

http://www.dar.gov.ph/cda-inventory-of-coops?start=620

http://www.dar.gov.ph/about-us/mandate-mission-and-vision

http://www.cda.gov.ph/resources/issuances/implementing-rules-and-regulations/rules-and-
regulations-implementing-certain-provisions-of-ra-9520

Onate, Beatrice B. Cooperative Education Among The Department Of Agrarian Reform

Assisted Cooperatives In Cagayan International Journal of Advanced Research in
Management and Social Sciences ISSN: 2278-6236 Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2015