Bong Go opens Senate office to cooperative proposals, pledges sustained support at CDA’s 7th Charter Day celebration in his own capacity

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go invited cooperative leaders to bring their legislative proposals directly to his office, saying the people working within the sector are best positioned to identify the policies and government support they need.

Go made the appeal during the Cooperative Development Authority’s 7th Charter Day Celebration at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City on Thursday, August 6.

“Kung ano iyong mga bills na puwede kong maitulong, kung may mga suggestions kayo na makakatulong sa mga kooperatiba, bukas po ang aking opisina para sa inyong lahat,” Go told the gathering, who seeks to champion cooperatives' cause. 

“Mas alam ninyo po itong trabahong ito. Mas gusto ko po iyong nanggagaling sa inyo iyong mga suggestion at idea na makakatulong sa ating mga kooperatiba,” he added.

Addressing COOP NATCCO Party-list Representative Felimon Espares, Go called for closer coordination in developing measures responsive to the actual experiences of cooperatives and their members.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Cooperatives, Go pledged to continue supporting the CDA and its budgetary requirements, including programs that enable small cooperatives to expand their operations and reach more communities.

“Patuloy ko pong susuportahan ang CDA at ang inyong budget kada taon, in my own small capacity bilang senador, kahit na minority na lang kami,” he said. “Ipaglalaban ko po iyong mga programang makakatulong sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan.”

During the celebration, the CDA presented Go with a Plaque of Appreciation in recognition of his sustained support for the cooperative sector. Go responded by turning the expression of gratitude toward the cooperatives that supported his public service.

“Huwag po kayong magpasalamat sa akin. Parati kong naririnig, salamat sa mga programa. Ako po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan ninyo ako ng pangalawang pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo bilang senador at ginawa ninyo pa akong No. 1 sa buong Pilipinas,” he said.

Go also thanked cooperative organizations nationwide for the support they had extended to him since his first senatorial campaign.

The occasion commemorated the strengthened CDA Charter established through Republic Act No. 11364, which former president Rodrigo Duterte signed in 2019. The law reinforced the CDA’s mandate to promote the viability and development of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice, and economic advancement.

Go recalled the enactment of the measure as part of the Duterte administration’s broader effort to extend economic opportunities to ordinary Filipinos through institutions founded on collective ownership and shared responsibility.

“Through cooperation, trust, and shared responsibility, mas maraming Pilipino ang magkakaroon ng pagkakataong umasenso at magkaroon ng mas magandang kinabukasan,” he said.

He described cooperatives as community institutions that translate solidarity into livelihoods, income, and opportunities for their members.

“Ito ay tungkol sa pagtutulungan, malasakit sa kapwa, at pagbibigay ng pagkakataon sa bawat isa na umunlad. Kapag sama-sama tayong kumikilos, mas marami tayong magagawa para sa ating mga kababayan,” Go said.

Go cited two laws he helped advance to strengthen the sector. Republic Act No. 11535 made the appointment of Cooperative Development Officers mandatory at the provincial, city, and municipal levels, giving cooperatives a permanent point of coordination within local governments.

Republic Act No. 11502 institutionalized the annual observance of National Cooperative Month every October, creating a nationwide platform for promoting public awareness of cooperatives and their contribution to national development.

Go said his partnership with the CDA had allowed him to visit and assist small cooperatives across the country during his previous term, reaching communities in Ilocos, Cagayan, Zamboanga, and other regions.

“Ang sarap po ng pakiramdam na makatulong sa mga kababayan nating mahihirap,” he shared.

He then challenged cooperative members to strengthen their enterprises through honest work, sound management, and a commitment to ensuring that growth benefits their families and communities.

“Galingan ninyo po. Gawin ninyo po ang lahat para palaguin ang inyong negosyo,” Go said. “Sa kooperatiba, mas masarap pong makitang lumago ang negosyong pinaghirapan at pinagpawisan ninyo.”

As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go also offered support for inter-cooperative basketball and volleyball tournaments, encouraging members to use sports to promote health, camaraderie, and drug-free communities. His Malasakit Team provided shirts, fans, snacks, basketballs, and volleyballs to participants during the event.

Among those present were CDA Chairperson Undersecretary Alexander Raquepo, Administrator Emmanuel Santiaguel, COOP NATCCO Party-list Representative Felimon Espares, and Assistant Secretaries Abdulsalam Guinomla, Vergel Hilario, Luz Yringco, and Jesus Ferdinand Ortega.

Go concluded by urging the CDA, cooperative leaders, and public officials to preserve the spirit of collective action that has sustained the movement.

“Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan, mas mapapalakas pa natin ang sektor ng kooperatiba at mas marami pa tayong Pilipino na matutulungan,” he said.

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