Local Studies

The study of Launio and Sotelo (2021) presents how cooperatives build and
use their community development funds (CDF) and determine their constraints in
conducting community projects. It used data from a mailed survey and annual
performance reports. Findings indicate high compliance in allocating for CDF but a
relatively low actual utilization rate, especially among small cooperatives. Actual CDF
spending is highly positively associated with total assets, net surplus, cooperative
size, and the total number of cooperative members. Common projects implemented
are mostly in the area of education, health, and the environment. Perceived
challenges in implementing community development projects include limited funds,
lack of member-participation, poor coordination with partner organizations, and lack
of a concrete plan for using CDF. The study recommends strengthened support for
cooperatives to plan for intentional CDF use through capacity building on project
planning and management, more functional monitoring and evaluation of
development plans, and social audit reports, and further impact research.

According to the conclusion of Czachorska-Jones (2019), Since the 1987

Constitution, the Philippines has incorporated cooperatives into their policy decisions
and plans for development. The country continues to emphasize cooperatives as a
“practical vehicle for promoting self-reliance and harnessing people power towards
the attainment of economic development and social justice. Cooperatives have
successfully adapted to a wide range of climates, economies, groups of people, and
sectors, over the 7,000 islands of the Philippines. Cooperatives manage millions of
members and billions of pesos and contribute to a growing and inclusive economy.
This has been in no small part because of contributions by the Philippine
Government, international organizations, and each individual member. From the rich
cooperative literature, the cooperative sector has gained impressive insights into how
to improve their procedures and how to address the challenges of globalization and
international competition. With a strong base of support and active engagement from
public policy, academics and cooperative members, the Philippine cooperative
movement reaches forward toward a more inclusive and prosperous future.