07/07/2026
CDA NIR Celebrates International Day of Cooperatives 2026 with a Virtual Forum on Peace and Sustainability.
The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Negros Island Region Regional Extension Office marked this year's International Day of Cooperatives with a virtual forum that brought together 85 cooperatives from across the region — all logging in for a shared conversation on cooperative action, caring for the environment, and building peace in our communities. Held under the local theme "Together We Build: Cooperative Action for a Peaceful Negros Island Region," the forum echoed the International Cooperative Alliance's global theme this year, "Cooperatives for a Peaceful World." At its heart, the event was about one thing: showing how cooperatives and local government units, working hand in hand, can help build communities that are peaceful, sustainable, and strong enough to weather whatever comes next.
The program opened with a warm welcome and opening remarks from Augusto Salvador P. Balles, CESE, Acting Regional Director of CDA NIR, before moving into three talks that anchored the day. Dr. Edmund Chris S. Acosido, Acting Supervising Cooperative Development Specialist of CDA NIR, opened the discussion with "Green by Principle: How Cooperatives Champion Sound Environmental Management for a Sustainable Future," making the case for environmental responsibility as a cooperative value, not just a policy.
Mr. Ruel Inojaldo Perez, RPP, MSc (Ag.), CEO of Baslay Highland Agriculture Cooperative (BASHACO), followed with "Rooted in Peace: Environmental Stewardship as a Cooperative Path to a Peaceful NIR," drawing from BASHACO's own experience of what it means to protect the land while protecting the community.
Ms. Brenda C. Burdeos, City Cooperative Officer of Bacolod, closed out the talks with "Building Peace Together: The Bacolod City LGU-Cooperative Partnership as a Model for Community-Driven Peacebuilding," offering a real, working example of what LGU-cooperative partnership can look like on the ground.
The forum wrapped up with a call for everyone to keep building together, and closing remarks from Jona J. Gepilga, CRITS In-Charge for CDA NIR. To the 85 cooperatives who joined us, to our speakers, and to everyone who believes cooperatives have a role to play in peacebuilding, madamo gid nga salamat! Together, let us build a peaceful NIR through cooperativism.
