Guidelines on Multipurpose Cooperative Registration

Guidelines regulate the orderly registration of multipurpose cooperatives.
Compliance with RA 9520, its implementing rules, and Authority issuances is required.
Applies to registration and operation of multipurpose cooperatives.
Requirements include at least two years of prior operation before registering as multipurpose.

Agriculture Cooperative: Primary cooperative engaged in agricultural production and related cost reduction/value addition activities.
Agrarian Reform Cooperative (ARCo): Organized by agrarian reform beneficiaries for land tenure and management development.
Amendment: Legitimate changes to Articles of Cooperation and By-Laws under RA 9520.
Authority: Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
Certificate of Registration of Amendment: Official CDA document evidencing approved amendments.
Cooperative: Autonomous association aiming to meet social, economic, cultural needs by capital contributions and mutual risk sharing.
Multipurpose Cooperative: Cooperative combining two or more business activities.
Primary Cooperative: Cooperative with natural person members, except certain service cooperatives as allowed.
Paid-up Share Capital: Portion of capital paid by members.
Validation: Activity ensuring cooperative is formed for intended beneficiary's primary purpose.

Cooperatives (excluding agriculture and agrarian reform cooperatives) must have a minimum paid-up capital of ₱100,000 or higher as per feasibility study to transform into multipurpose.

Required documents (three copies each) include:
- Cooperative Name Reservation Notice (if name change)
- Amended Articles of Cooperation and By-Laws
- Resolution certifying at least two-thirds member approval
- Surety Bond of accountable officers
- Audited financial statements proving profitability for two years
- Undertaking to change name if prior use conflict
- Favorable endorsements from government agencies, if applicable
- Detailed feasibility study of proposed business viability
- Certification of compliance with CDA auditing/accounting standards
Documents must be printed in standard sizes and can be in English or Filipino/local dialects with English translations; English prevails in interpretation disputes.
Amended provisions must be clearly indicated.
Books of accounts must be maintained separately for each business activity.
Amendment fee as prescribed must be paid before certificate issuance.

Registration applications are filed with the CDA Extension Office having jurisdiction over the cooperative's principal office.
Certain cooperative types and national tertiary cooperatives' amendments are filed with CDA Central Office.

Registration of multipurpose cooperatives follows the procedures for registration of amendments as approved by the CDA Board.

CDA evaluates submitted documents considering the Cooperative Code and relevant laws.

Single-purpose cooperatives must undergo on-site validation before registering as multipurpose.
Validation to be conducted by CDA Extension Office under Office Order No. 2015-04.

Multipurpose cooperatives operating a single business must register/amend as single-purpose cooperatives.
Multipurpose cooperatives must remove unused purposes from Articles of Cooperation if not undertaken within two years.
Single-purpose cooperatives operating multiple businesses with at least ₱100,000 paid-up capital must amend articles; if below threshold, must cease other business operations.

Invalid or unconstitutional provisions do not affect other valid provisions, which remain effective.

Previous inconsistent circulars and guidelines of the Authority are repealed or modified by these guidelines.

Guidelines take effect upon Board approval and 15 days after filing with the Office of National Administrative Registry (ONAR).