SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) -- The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) in Region 1 is proposing the construction of a three-story CDA Provincial Cooperative Developmental, Cultural, and Gender Wellness Building in Lingayen, Pangasinan in 2025, paving the way for continued cooperatives' development in the region.
 
This was revealed by CDA-Region 1 Regional Director Frederick Joe Robles during the 1st Quarter Regional Economic Development Sectoral Committee (EdSeCom) meeting in this city on March 8.

Once approved by the Regional Development Council in Region 1 (RDC 1), the multifunctional building is targeted for operationalization by 2026 with its total proposed budget of P55 million from the agency’s share in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
 

The construction of the facility is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda under social services, with the facility seen to be a catalyst not just for the development of cooperatives but also for gender development and cultural preservation.
 

The facility is also in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 by ensuring the efficient, convenient, and prompt delivery of development services and programs to all cooperatives in the four provinces of Region 1.

Robles said that the construction of the project falls under the PDP’s “Expand and Upgrade Infrastructure” component, through the provision of a center that provides practical and systematic lectures on cooperative domains, as well as trainings and workshops based on the CDA’s objectives and mandate.
 
“The facility aims to achieve cooperative engagement, capacity-building, and inclusivity by offering a variety of programs and services to be conducted there,” Robles said.
 
Upon its operationalization, the facility shall benefit cooperatives and its members, cooperative stakeholders, and CDA employees.
 
A deed of usufruct between the CDA and the local government of Lingayen, Pangasinan has already been accomplished to support the start of the construction of the building. (JCR/MJTAB/AMB/CCMT, PIA La Union)